I don't know about you, but for me, some days are harder than others to be of good cheer. In John 16:33 Jesus says, "These things I have spoken unto you, that IN ME you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of GOOD CHEER; I have overcome the world." At first glance, we might think being of "good cheer" is simply slapping a smile on our face as we go through our day, but if we dig a little deeper, we'll find that it is so much more than that!
Many other versions translate being of "good cheer" as being courageous and some use the command "take courage." We know that it is Jesus talking to us in this verse, so I picture it as Him standing there with courage on a platter and handing it to me. He's doing that same thing for all of us, but it's up to us whether or not we take it. After all, a gift only benefits the recipient when it is received!
Other translations interpret being of "good cheer" as being confident and brave, and when we look at the next part of the verse, we know why we can live in this crazy world with such confidence and bravery: Jesus has overcome the world! The Amplified version says, "But be of good cheer - take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted! For I have overcome the world. I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it FOR YOU." Like I've heard taught so many times from Pastor Mark Hankins, everything that God did in Christ, He did FOR US and set it to the credit of OUR account. Think about that for a minute. Jesus didn't come to this earth because He needed redemption for Himself. He came, lived a sinless life, died on the cross, gained victory over the devil, and rose again so that WE might have redemption and become one with the Father through Him. Everything that belongs to Him now belongs to us. We know that according to Romans 8:17, we are JOINT HEIRS with Jesus!
Usually in the world, victory is short lived. Look at the winners of the Super Bowl or the World Series. They work hard gaining win after win throughout the season in order to take the big title, but after one short year, they're not guaranteed to be the champions again. Our victory in Christ is not like that. One translation of John 16:33 puts it this way, "I have come off victorious over the world with a PERMANENT victory." As we line ourselves up with the Word, it's only a matter of time before our victory is manifested. When we're in Christ, we're not fighting FOR the victory in whatever situation we're facing but rather we're fighting FROM a place of victory.
When we really understand this truth, our outlook on life changes. No matter what circumstances we find ourselves in, we can CHOOSE a good attitude because according to Galations 6:9, we WILL reap if we refuse to give up. Instead of slapping a fake smile on our face, we can live in the power of genuine joy that produces a genuine smile. The joy of the Lord is our strength, and without joy, we have no strength.
Let's be of good cheer today. Let's take that courage that Jesus is handing us and use it. Let's be confident in what Jesus has already accomplished for us. Let's be brave and undaunted as we stand on the Word because we know the final outcome: victory!
Soak It Up
After I took my daughter to preschool one morning, I only had a few minutes to eat breakfast with my son before we had to leave for church. Thinking I could save precious time, I put the oatmeal on the stove before we left for school. It's the quick-cooking kind, but since I make it almost everyday of my life, I didn't think there would be a problem, especially since I left it on low. In the end, my son and I had to eat soggy, pasty oatmeal, and the entire bottom of my pan was coated with burnt oatmeal. I covered it with water to let it soak as I headed out the door to church.
After lunchtime I was preparing myself for a good scraping session because, as we all know, dishes don't clean themselves; it requires action on our part. I was pleasantly surprised when most of the unappetizing leftovers just slid right off into the sink. I thought, "Wow...soaking in that water made this clean up so easy!" And then I thought how the same is true for us when we soak ourselves in the water of the Word of God.
Think about it...when you've been soaking in the Word on a certain subject, like healing or peace or provision, you get a revelation of who God is and your faith builds. James 1:22 says, "But be doers of the word (obey the message), and not merely listeners to it, betraying yourselves into deception by reasoning contrary to the Truth." When our faith has been built up and we've applied the Word to our situation, then the gunk from attacks that come can be removed more easily.
As most of us know, some pans only need to soak for a few minutes in order to loosen the crud while others require an extended soak. When we're facing a storm in life, sometimes our breakthrough comes relatively quickly while other times it's longer before we see the manifestation of our promise from God. Either way, it's our job to stay immersed in His Word. We can't just look at the Bible as a nice storybook. Instead, we must stand on it, claiming what rightfully belongs to us as joint heirs with Jesus Christ.
Joshua 1:8 says, "Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." James 2:17 tells us, "Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." Again we see that in order to be successful, we must meditate on the Word, speak the Word and take action in faith.
Saturate yourself and your situation with the Word. Soak in it. Submerge your mind in it. Allow it to permeate every fiber of your being. Speak it over your circumstances. Be vigilant to back it up with action, and watch it go to work for you, removing the gunk from your life.
After lunchtime I was preparing myself for a good scraping session because, as we all know, dishes don't clean themselves; it requires action on our part. I was pleasantly surprised when most of the unappetizing leftovers just slid right off into the sink. I thought, "Wow...soaking in that water made this clean up so easy!" And then I thought how the same is true for us when we soak ourselves in the water of the Word of God.
Think about it...when you've been soaking in the Word on a certain subject, like healing or peace or provision, you get a revelation of who God is and your faith builds. James 1:22 says, "But be doers of the word (obey the message), and not merely listeners to it, betraying yourselves into deception by reasoning contrary to the Truth." When our faith has been built up and we've applied the Word to our situation, then the gunk from attacks that come can be removed more easily.
As most of us know, some pans only need to soak for a few minutes in order to loosen the crud while others require an extended soak. When we're facing a storm in life, sometimes our breakthrough comes relatively quickly while other times it's longer before we see the manifestation of our promise from God. Either way, it's our job to stay immersed in His Word. We can't just look at the Bible as a nice storybook. Instead, we must stand on it, claiming what rightfully belongs to us as joint heirs with Jesus Christ.
Joshua 1:8 says, "Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." James 2:17 tells us, "Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." Again we see that in order to be successful, we must meditate on the Word, speak the Word and take action in faith.
Saturate yourself and your situation with the Word. Soak in it. Submerge your mind in it. Allow it to permeate every fiber of your being. Speak it over your circumstances. Be vigilant to back it up with action, and watch it go to work for you, removing the gunk from your life.
Do You Have Fruit?
I've had the fruits of the Spirit memorized since childhood thanks to a catchy camp song, but my understanding of them and how they worked was definitely foggy. Even into adulthood, I thought that these nine fruits were simply personality traits or things I needed to strive to accomplish in my own power. When I would fall woefully short of successfully displaying them in my life, I would beat myself up, just like so many do.
But then the Holy Spirit illuminated part of Galations 5:22,23 to me as I was reading it in the Amplified version. It says, "But the fruit of the Holy Spirit (THE WORK WHICH HIS PRESENCE WITHIN ACCOMPLISHES) is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence)."
Wow! I was going at it all wrong. Instead of putting my confidence in myself, my abilities and my strength to do good (which wasn't too impressive), I should've focused on teaming up with the Holy Spirit in order for these fruits to manifest in my life.
In John 15:4,5 Jesus talks to us about what our own self reliance will accomplish. He says, "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING."
This truth applies to every area of our lives, including walking in the fruits of the Spirit. Our job is to stay connected to the vine, and then the result of that connection will be more love in our lives, more joy in our journey, more peace in our minds, more patience with ourselves and others around us, more kindness displayed through us, more goodness flowing out of us, more faithfulness to God, more gentleness in our words and actions, and more self-control demonstrated in our everyday lives. I like what Gloria Copeland said, "When we focus our efforts on doing what it takes to stay in union and communion with Him, we will bear fruit abundantly."
If you ask my husband, he can tell you how even the little things used to set me off. I would get so upset and annoyed if one of the big kids would spill something or break something, even if it was an accident. I've noticed how that stuff doesn't even phase me now. At first I thought it was just the natural progression of having little kids of my own or getting used to the almost daily mishaps in our house, but that's not what it was. It was the result of abiding in the vine and the continual work of the Holy Spirit within me producing an even temper, and I know my husband and kids are grateful for that!
Let's do our part of keeping our union with God solid, and then let's allow Him to produce His fruit on our vine!
But then the Holy Spirit illuminated part of Galations 5:22,23 to me as I was reading it in the Amplified version. It says, "But the fruit of the Holy Spirit (THE WORK WHICH HIS PRESENCE WITHIN ACCOMPLISHES) is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence)."
Wow! I was going at it all wrong. Instead of putting my confidence in myself, my abilities and my strength to do good (which wasn't too impressive), I should've focused on teaming up with the Holy Spirit in order for these fruits to manifest in my life.
In John 15:4,5 Jesus talks to us about what our own self reliance will accomplish. He says, "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING."
This truth applies to every area of our lives, including walking in the fruits of the Spirit. Our job is to stay connected to the vine, and then the result of that connection will be more love in our lives, more joy in our journey, more peace in our minds, more patience with ourselves and others around us, more kindness displayed through us, more goodness flowing out of us, more faithfulness to God, more gentleness in our words and actions, and more self-control demonstrated in our everyday lives. I like what Gloria Copeland said, "When we focus our efforts on doing what it takes to stay in union and communion with Him, we will bear fruit abundantly."
If you ask my husband, he can tell you how even the little things used to set me off. I would get so upset and annoyed if one of the big kids would spill something or break something, even if it was an accident. I've noticed how that stuff doesn't even phase me now. At first I thought it was just the natural progression of having little kids of my own or getting used to the almost daily mishaps in our house, but that's not what it was. It was the result of abiding in the vine and the continual work of the Holy Spirit within me producing an even temper, and I know my husband and kids are grateful for that!
Let's do our part of keeping our union with God solid, and then let's allow Him to produce His fruit on our vine!
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