John 16:33 (NIV) “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Our hometown college football team got a new coach this year. The former head coach had a less than stellar season with lack luster plays and poor performance. When another school came knocking with a ridiculous offer, he left and now a new head coach has come. With him comes the excitement of renewed hope for a victorious season and maybe even a national championship. Though a horrible season has ended, his arrival has created fervent expectation of what is to come. Our last season ended with everyone just trying to make it out – but now with this change in power comes a revival of team spirit and a sense of victory. He does not have the experience of our past two coaches. Yet somehow he has managed to gain the confidence of the university, boosters, players and fans without calling the first play.
Our oldest son is engaged to be married. I sent his fiancé a copy of the upcoming football schedule. In the south, football is a game changer when planning events. I know it’s crazy but it’s just how it is. She seemed a bit bewildered by the FYI text. She expressed appreciation even though she was not sure why it came. With renewed vigor, the football fans will come in droves because they once again believe winning is a possibility. They believe. Do you? Jesus gave us His Word so we would have peace. Calm. Rest. Certainty. What is our certainty – Jesus overcame the world. Every other power and authority is subject to the Lord. The Bible says, “Take heart!” How’s your heart today?
Luke 9:1-2 (NIV) When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
Jesus gave his disciples His Power and Authority. The Lord sent them out to proclaim the Kingdom of God and make a difference in the world around them. Simple instructions. After commissioning them, Jesus then gave them further instructions that I believe might benefit us today. We are bound by the Great Commission to bring the Gospel to the world. We must diligent in our efforts but first and foremost – we must believe. Believe that Jesus overcame the world. Believe that His Grace is enough so that my weakness can accept such an awesome power. Believe that the gospel is Good News worth sharing. Believe that His Power and Authority belong to us.
Luke 9:3 (NIV) He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt.
First, dump all the extra baggage. Our relationship with Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord gives us right standing with God that gives us Kingdom Power and Authority. We do not need to fear, worry, or be anxious for anything. God is our Provider. He has given us every spiritual blessing that there is in heaven. He is with us always even to the end of the earth. He will give us the strength need to complete each task. God is making good of every detail in our life so our mess becomes a message. Our expectation must be fully in the Lord so trust and dependence on Him allows us to let go of those heavy weights and burdens keeping us from experiencing God’s Power and Authority in our life.
Luke 9:4 (NIV) Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town.
Our circumstances, conditions and situation do not always reflect what God is actually doing in our life. It is human nature to move from those places of discomfort and inconvenience. It is our pride that wants to control the situation. God has called you to the exact place where He will manifest His Glory in your life. If God called you to it, it benefits you to remain there until His Word comes to pass and fulfillment comes. We abandon the field of blessing to settle for places of provision to appease our flesh. Stop jumping around. Stay put. Let the Lord finish the good work that He has started in you and through you. Be steadfast and immovable. Faith stays. Fear flees. Confidence digs in. Doubt keeps moving around until it is comfortable.
Luke 9:5 (NIV) “If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”
People. We must learn to stop allowing people to move us. Offense is the lie of the enemy that you do not need someone or should not forgive them. God is a God of Love, Grace and always Forgiveness. His Love is unconditional. There is nothing that you or I could ever do to persuade Him not to love us. He just does. It is by gaining confidence in the fact that God loves us and will never let us down that we begin to move the expectations of our life to him rather than putting it in imperfect people. We need each other. We are a Kingdom and Family. We are the Body of Christ and each member is important. The Glory of God is not possible where love does not abound. Affirmation and acceptance by Christ will create relationships. Our affection for our First Love and Beloved will be the motivation of our life. There will be no strongholds or barriers in the life of God’s Lovers who refuse to be dissuaded from loving others by human emotions or prideful feelings.
Romans 8:37-39 (NIV) No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Jesus Christ beat death and the grave. He overcame the world. Sitting at the right hand of God, He gives us His Power and Authority in all things. Are you convinced? See it is confidence in God’s Love and the Grace given through His Son, Jesus that allows us to operate in His Power and Authority. To cast out demons. Heal the sick. Encourage the brokenhearted. To be a light to those lost in darkness. To be the salty seasoning that tempts them to “taste and see that the Lord is good.” It begins by believing.
I must believe that I am more than a conqueror every day, moment by moment and in each breath. I must be convinced that there is nothing that can every separate me from the Love of God found in Jesus Christ. It is this relationship that allows me to enjoy the benefits of the Kingdom to its fullest extent. By faith every impossibility becomes possible. My life begins to change from natural to supernatural and ordinary to extraordinary. It is up to me to continually work on my faith while the Lord does everything else. I just need faith in Jesus Christ to be an overcomer and more than a conqueror with the willingness to leave the rest up to Him.
Matthew 17:18-20 (NIV) Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment. Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
Faith moves mountains. Most mountains are secured by our doubts, fears and anxious thoughts. For some it is from ignorance asking the question is God really real? Does He really love me? Is there anything such as amazing grace? There is doubt in the Goodness of God and His Intentions for us. The doers live here who think that if they aren’t “doing” something that the Lord will turn on them, punish them or stop working in their life. Lies all lies. When the disciples couldn’t cast out the demon, they went Jesus for some answers. He has already given us His Authority and Power. Why isn’t it working in my life?
Faith. It is all about and will always be about faith and trust in the Lord. Faith must be rooted and grounded in God’s Love and His Son, Jesus Christ to be actively growing and developing. As the relationship between us and our Beloved intensifies so will our desire to love and serve Him more – not because we have to but His Love for us has made it the desire of our heart. We are to share “good” news with people.
The Good News is that God loves us unconditionally and His Grace is always enough. Check your message. Is it a love story or a rule book? Finally, you win. I win. In the end, when you stick it out, persevere and endure – Jesus Christ hands the victory to you. You just have to show up. Thank you Jesus for overwhelming victory. Thank you that I am more than a conqueror. Teach me to follow Your Humble Ways rather than my own wretched wanderings. I believe today that You love me and You are always good for me and to me. Help me Lord to overcome any unbelief in Jesus Name.
Ephesians 1:18-23 (NIV) I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Pure Devotion 