Jesus is coming for a victorious Church. (Revelation 2,3,21:7)
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The beauty of a great team is in their cohesiveness and in the confidence and conviction, they exhibit in the team and in its goals and mission.
Now there is a difference between arrogance and confidence. The first comes from a sense of thinking you are better than others and therefore looking down on everyone else as a result. Arrogance stems from pride and as in the case of the story of the tax collector and the Pharisee (Luke 18:9-14), it makes one judgemental - unable to see one's own shortcomings well enough to need, request or accept the help that is so freely available to all in God through Christ Jesus (Hebrews 4:16).
Confidence on the other hand is restful trust in the knowledge and the assurance of your worth in God’s eyes. It is evaluating yourself from the standpoint of His mercy, love and grace that is lavished on you not based on your goodness but because of the redeeming sacrifice of Jesus Christ that He (God-the-Father) has already accepted on your behalf. It is trust in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
While arrogance breeds cocky comparison (e.g. we are better than the Catholic, Pentecostal, Orthodox neighbours etc), confidence, however, inspires a grateful and merciful heart that is sensitive and generous towards all and has the power to keep one standing tall in the face of life's trials.
When God's children say things like "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13), that is not arrogance, that is confidence in the ability of Christ's spirit at work in us as his body. However, when a child of the Almighty God, purchased by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, utters defeating words like "we are all sinners" (and stops there), it unfortunately reveals a lack of understanding or acceptance of the fulfilment of the mission of Jesus Christ - He is unwittingly saying the purpose for his death and his resurrection was not fulfilled. That unfortunately is not humility at work, it is ignorance.
The emphasis for us as Christ's own blood-purchased brothers is no longer in the "we are all sinners" bit of that popular saying; the emphasis for the one that has understood and embraced Christ's accomplishments, should be in the "SAVED by his grace" bit. For that one now exhibits trust in His power at work in us to help us do right daily because He has made us righteous.
"It is his doing that you are united with the Messiah Yeshua (Jesus Christ). He HAS become wisdom for us from God, and righteousness and holiness and redemption as well!" 1 Corinthians 1:30 CJB
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Jesus Christ came for a reason, in his own words (which he read out in-line with Isaiah 61:1, 2.) :
"The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon Me, because He has anointed Me [the Anointed One, the Messiah]
1. to preach the good news (the Gospel) to the poor;
2. He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and
3. recovery of sight to the blind,
4. to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed,
5. To proclaim the accepted and acceptable year [this is the period of favour] of the Lord.
And He began to speak to them: Today [that day in the synagogue] this Scripture has been fulfilled in your ears [while you are present and hearing].
Luke 4:18-19, 21
Jesus was anointed (filled with the Holy spirit) to do the things listed in that mission statement and he fulfilled them in his earthly ministry.
When queried by John the Baptiser if he was the Messiah, he confidently gave his proof of authenticity in this manner:
''Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the
1. blind see, [sight restored]
2. the lame walk, [he healed their limps]
3. the lepers are cleansed, [cleared infections]
4. the deaf hear, [restored hearing]
5. the dead are raised, [brought back to life]
6. to the poor the gospel is preached. [the good news of God's acceptance was preached to the downtrodden]"
And he concluded with this phrase:
"And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.'' [he knew that some would be offended by his evidence] Luke 7:22-23 KJV
Confidence in who he was and in the ability (power) of God's spirit in him is what made him victorious over all, and it is this same confidence that will make us victorious as his body. Only empowered people do powerful things.
Only Children of God with knowledge and trust in who their Father really is and in what he ACHIEVED (past tense) for them by Jesus Christ can live the life of victory and continue the work of Jesus on this earth with the same power, love and confidence he exhibited in the face of life circumstances.
"Wisdom brings strength, and knowledge gives power." (Proverbs 24:5 CEV)
We must grow in confident knowledge of our God (Yahweh) and in who we are as his sons and daughters in Christ Jesus to be powerful. We are one body and as long as we remain connected to the head which is Jesus Christ (John 15:5), there is no reason we should not do the same things he did.
In his own words:
“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father." John 14:12 NLT
To deny the Church its power is either to believe we are wiser than Jesus or that he lied. However, we know that the foolishness of God is still wiser than any man and Jesus does not lie - He is the Truth. (1 Corinthians 1:25; John 14:6, )
It's time to be faithful and lovingly tell ourselves and Jesus' church his Truth: "we are powerful"!
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"because everything which has God as its Father overcomes the world. And this is what victoriously overcomes the world: our trust."
1 Yochanan (1 John) 5:4 CJB
''And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.'' Mark 16:20 KJV
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