Jesus didn’t die for nothing, but sometimes when we look at our lives we could assume that we have forgotten what and whom He did die for. Many people still live in defeat because they haven’t yet grasped the fullness of what Jesus has done for them. They haven’t realised the work of the cross has provided an absolutely complete salvation for the person who accepts Jesus into their lives. For many they think what Jesus did only relates to deliverance from hell, and gaining entrance into heaven, which it does, but it is not the only work of the Cross.
Through the cross we have been:
Set from sin
Set free from sickness
Set free from the devil
Set free from poverty
Set free from the curse of the Law
Set free from us
Set free from the world
Unfortunately we can make the mistake of judging the effectiveness of the cross in our lives depending on how we feel on any given day. If certain feelings fail to appear in us, we assume that what Jesus has done isn’t true, or God is not interested in us, and/or it doesn’t work for us. But this is incorrect thinking because it’s not how we feel that takes hold of the work of the cross, but having a faith that acts upon what Jesus has done.
Far too often we can sit on the sidelines waiting for something to happen; for God to do something, when in fact He has done everything already, and it’s now up to us whether we choose to “get in the game” and play. Jesus has given us the ball, but what are we going to do with it?
If we don’t know how to play then the best thing to do is find out how; not drop our bundle and call it quits when things get hard or we aren’t feeling it. We can’t win and live out the victory of what Jesus has already done for us that way.
Appropriating truth means we first gain understanding by reading the playbook, which in this case is the bible. We gain knowledge of the guidelines of who we are and how to play, of God’s plan, His strategies, the tactics of our opponent and how to run out our victory to win. We don’t go on feelings, but make our feelings and lives line up with the truth.
I encourage you to take a look at the playbook and understand more fully what Jesus has done for you.
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18)
“So if the son (Jesus) sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36)
Prayer: Jesus I ask that you would help me to gain a greater understanding of what you have done for me in the work of the Cross, and that I would learn how to live that out in my everyday life. Thank you. In Jesus name Amen.
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