Living in the victory

It's not difficult to forget that Christ died for us. Or is it? As we face every day struggles we seem to live in the world, have the worries of the world, the weaknesses of the world and the pain of the world. We forget that our father in heaven has a plan for our lives. We are so eager to teach children how good God is and how He is plentiful and loving, yet when it comes to it we seem to forget it. We forget that we have God's strength, we can do all things in that (Phillipians 4:13). We forget that He sent his son to die for us, even when we turned away from Him, so that we may have life and live it to the fullest (John 3:16). We forget that when we trust in Him we have put our trust in the best place and that He totally and utterly adores us and remains faithful at all times (Psalm 146:3-8). We forget these simple things, when we are caught up with the world.

    Christ died, so that we might have life. He didn't die for an unworthy cause, He used his own life in a replacement for us. He made the way for our life to be totally and utterly fulfilled. He died so that we might be free. On that cross he took the world, he literally had the world on his shoulders. He took sin, shame, powerlessness, suffering, guilt, weakness, pain. He took it for us to live. He left the glory of heaven, he left his throne room to come to earth for us. 

   But wait!

There's still more good news. He didn't just die for us in hope that we could do it alone. He rose again. How amazing is that? Christ defied the odds, he did the impossible. He left the grave and HE LIVES. Does this not remind us, all things through Christ are possible!? As well as this He gave us His spirit so that we don't need to do it alone. With Him as our guide how can we be lost in the world? Christ who has overcome death is with us. He faces the world with us. We can overcome. Live in the victory.

Christ died so that we may live. It's not a simple sentence, it's a powerful command. Jesus Christ, Lord of lords, king of kings, creator of all, came down from his glory in heaven to die for us. Even when we rejected him - he loved us. Through him we have the power, strength and wisdom of His spirit. Through Him we know true heavenly freedom. 

'Because he lives I can face tomorrow'

FREEDOM

Jesus answered: "I am the way and the truth and the life: no one comes to the Father but through Me." John 14:6

For years I had an alter-ego, this was someone who I would always blame for the things I did wrong, her name was Gemma. She would literally get the blame for everything - in my naive mind I thought this prevent me from getting into trouble, obviously this was not case, but this didn't stop me from blaming her. I never wanted to get into any sort of trouble, so of course I'd blame her. Ideally, Gemma would take all of my blame and be the reason why I did things wrong (of course, years later my parents haven't let me forget...) I always felt like so I didn't get the punishment, I wanted something else to take the blame. But my main problem was that Gemma didn't exist and I would always end up getting the punishment.
     BUT
How great is this - God has paid the way! When sin is concerned He has made a way to eternal life. Sin, shame, regret is pinned to the cross.

We know that - we're taught that from a young age pretty much. But only when we really study the above verse do we actually get some sort of insight to the incredible sacrifice Christ made - so that we may have a clear way to heaven and to God, the father. He took the blame and the suffering so that we may find freedom. It's pretty amazing, the deepest darkest parts of our lives - Christ took for His own. Not only does He give us freedom, but He offers us joy, love everlasting, peace, goodness - it goes on! He paid the price - He took the blame, He served the time. We don't need to have any other sacrifice to gain the glory of God. There is a new covenant made in Christ (this was at the last supper), we no longer need to live in a place where we feel a blockade between us and God, we no longer need to make a sacrifice like in the Old Testament (it was common to kill a lamb). Jesus is the lamb and has made the way to full life in Christ. Through Him all things are made new. When we are born again, when our way to God is made - we have a new identity - our identity in Him, all things gone. All blame, punishment, sin - gone. Our new life is our life. You don't remember anything before you were born do you? So when you were born again, Christ makes no list of your transgressions against Him. A way has been made to fullness in Christ. The way is Christ. He took our punishment, so that we may have life.

Blessings.
May
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