Just as I had a shoulder injury, all of us have situations or circumstances that beset us and weigh us down. These things make me think about the concept of "entropy" and there seems to be a lot of it in life, things and life itself going from order to disorder, breaking down, etc. Since the fall of mankind into sin (Genesis 2:17), death, which is a form of entropy, is now a part of life, part of the "natural" but broken order of everything around us. Things going from life to death, from strength to weakness. Prior to the fall of mankind into sin this wasn't the case. Originally, God produced life and it was always abundant and fruitful. God's plan was for mankind to live in abundance and fruitfulness - to be living beings, not dying beings (Genesis 2:7)!
Fortunately, God the Father had a plan to overcome the fall and sin. As we know, it was revealed in Christ who came to restore His Father's purposes. In doing so, Jesus came to seek and save the lost. By His sacrifice, we can now enter into relationship with God and receive every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). Jesus came to give us life and give it abundantly (John 10:10). Jesus conquered sin and death (Romans 7:24-25). In Him, we too conquer sin and death - "We are more than conquerors through Him (Jesus) who loves us" (Romans 8:37). Therefore, we have the power through Jesus to live this life overcoming the effects of entropy, breakdown, chaos, and death in all its various forms.
Jesus said: "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" (John 16:33). Tragically, we tend to focus upon the ..."you will have trouble" portion of this verse because this is what we experience and know in this life - the brokenness that comes with the fall and sin. However, while trouble is "a" reality, Jesus wants us to experience a better, greater transforming reality. That reality is ..."take heart! Because I (Jesus) has overcome the world."
So how do we take heart? And, how do we move from taking heart to seeing God and His Word fulfilled in our lives and situations? God stated in Proverbs 4:20-22: "My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's (or woman's) whole body." Nothing is more important in this life than God and His Word. He is a God of His Word. He is the Word (John 1:1). As we are in His Word; reading it, meditating upon it, praying over and through it, obeying it, saturating ourselves with it, growing in faith by it, He will perform His Word in us. He will do so because, again, He is a God of His Word.
Notice in the above verse the strong admonition to "pay attention", "listen closely". Often times and unfortunately, there are many things in this life that we pay attention to and ought not. However, we need to understand that nothing is more important than paying attention and listening to God and His Word. Sadly, we often frame our ideas about life and ourselves based upon what we see, hear, experience and think. But God calls us to a higher plane - to frame our lives only upon His Word (Psalm 119:105). We are not to let life dictate our faith or determine our circumstances. Instead, we are to boldly stand on the Word of God and let it dictate to our lives and transform/liberate us FROM our circumstances. As we shut out all the noise, listen closely to God and keep His Word continually before us, (allowing it to wash/renew and transform our hearts (Ephesians 5:26)), it will cause life and blessing to flow to us in every way.
Jeremiah 1:12 states: "Then the Lord said to me, you have seen well, for I am alert and active, watching over My word to perform it." Our God eagerly desires to perform His Word in us. Do not listen to the lies that say He doesn't care or that His Word doesn't apply in all situations or only works sometimes. God is not uncaring. He is not random. He is a God of His Word. He EAGERLY desires to perform His Word in our lives. We serve a God who is eager, alert, active, and watching to bless His children in every way and in every opportunity, if we will believe and receive it.
2 Chronicles 16:9 gives us a wonderful promise when it says: "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are blameless towards Him." We must stand in unshakable confidence that Christ is our hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). We can have His favor and blessing as we love, trust and obey Him (Psalm 90:17, John 8:31). He is for us, not against us (Romans 8:31-37).
"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57). Yes, the victory belongs to Jesus and He has given it to us, to those He loves. Accept it, meditate upon the truth of it, bask in it, thank and praise Him for it.
Isn't He absolutely beyond all expectation? All glory and honor belong to Him.
(Note: This article is part 1 of a 2 part series. In the next post, I will discuss how to maintain a overcoming attitude and conquer every doubt and fear.)
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