The Defeat

ROMANS 4:25 > "Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification." [KJV]

           offence-a breach of the law             justification-being regarded and treated
                                                                                          as if innocent

     Not alot is going on at 4:00 a.m.. You're still trying to wake up, get that first cup of coffee in you and get your eyes focused! It's still a little fuzzy at that time of morning. Except this morning!!! Did you know that God is already up at that time of morning?? That He hasn't even been to sleep? That's real hard for me to fathom when my eyes are still kind of crossed and I'm fighting to NOT go back to bed! It is so hard to imagine that God doesn't require any kind of sleep at all. Not even a five minute nap!
     Anyhow, God was sure enough waiting on me this morning! My Bible study has taken me back to Romans, Chapter Four. I had no idea that the chapter was completely loaded! I've read it time-and-time again, but still didn't hear what God had to say. It was in Romans 4:25 from the NIV that really caught my eye. It reads, "He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification." I know what that verse says, but this morning I learned exactly what it means!! (This is where my very soul is shouting 'Hallelujah'!!)
     God delivered over to 'death' His very own Son. He allowed 'death' to wrap itself around His Son. He allowed 'death' to take the very breath from His Son's lungs and the beat from His heart. All of hope was gone. (Or itleast, it appeared to be!) God knew that the price was too high for us to pay. It would require His Son who knew no sin to pay such a debt. Inside the dark, sealed tomb 'death' snickered counting itself victorious. Hell celebrated at the idea of man's sin never being atoned for. Man would forever be held in the grips of guilt knowing that the price could never be paid for our atonement. Death seemed to have won; man would forever be defeated. However, the "third" day came!! Death had heard Jesus speak of the "third" day and yet didn't believe it would actually come! After all, Jesus' body was still in the tomb. There had been no movement for 'death' to think otherwise. And then it happened.... Oh wow!! Can you just imagine the look on 'death's' face when it could no longer hold Him?? It couldn't even get a good grip on our Savior!! Hallelujah!!! Jesus walked out of the grave just like He said He would!! When He came out of the grave, our justification was complete. God was satisfied. The price had been paid. He made a way for us to be able to live in His grace, to feel complete freedom and to know forgiveness.

Romans 4:25 > "Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification." King James Version

No more chains...hope has begun anew!!!

In awe of Him,
Vonda

Jesus - My Knight In Shining Armor

Luke 11:21-22 > "When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. BUT WHEN SOMEONE STRONGER attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder."

 

In between my study of Believing God by Beth Moore, I am also doing JESUS The One and Only by Beth Moore. This morning I was awaken mighty early! I mean like 3:00 a.m.!! Snoring was involved with my waking up! Not my snoring either, mind you. Anyhow, yesterday mornings study was a heart gripper. Beth pointed out verses 21 and 22 of Luke 11. I am so sad to say that I have read those verses before and never felt the urge to shout "Hallelujah!" like I did yesterday!!!

 

Yes indeed, Satan is strong. I am absolutely no match for him on my own. He has just about defeated me and has left me bruised and beaten to a bloody pulp. Laying there, in such grief, I have felt like all hope was gone. I lived in a stronghold, held captive and was a slave to thoughts that I could not overcome. Thoughts of who Satan said that I was. Things had been stolen from me that I thought I would never get back. Satan was fully armed, guarding what was his. (Or better yet, what he thought was his!) Just like the children of Israel when they cried out to God, I cried out, too. I did not want to live in a place where my joy had been stolen. My ambition, compassion, joy, etc.. had been replaced. I certainly couldn't let anyone know that, so I lived behind walls of secrecy. I was ashamed to live there, but on my own I could not do anything about it. I guess I had surrendered. When you get tired of staying in captivity you cry out to God. And as I did, the most amazing thing happened......He heard me!! Just like that knight in shining armor that little girls dream of, Jesus was my knight in shining armor! To my rescue He came!! With sword in hand, He overpowered Satan! He attacked him, took away the armor that he had and trusted in!! All the weapons Satan had used (shame, secrecy, deception, etc.) were no longer strong. Satan's arsenal had become weakened. And oh the plunder that God divided!! I received back my joy, but so much more than I had had before!! What Satan meant for evil, God meant for good! And He gives back so much more than we could, or even can, imagine!

 

The things that Satan steals from us can even be the way we view ourselves. The way we look in a bathing suit, the extra "rolls" we see even through our clothes. Our appearance can be the biggest stronghold Satan can have over us. Especially for women. Living in that kind of bondage is so hard to get out of. And on our own, we cannot. That's the key..... on our own we cannot! I get so tickled at some of the conversations Michelle and I have at work. One of my favorites is her saying, " I need 3 bra's. One for my boobs, one for my belly, and one for my butt!" It is so funny because I feel the same way!! I refuse to live in that mindset, though. I think it's funny, I certainly laugh but I won't "live" there!! Satan enjoys attacking the mind. I have to pray every day for God to continue giving me a renewed mind. Not to fall into his little deceptions that can overpower me.

 

When we cry out to God, our Knight in shining armor comes to rescue us!! Why? Because He hears us.......

In awe of Him,

~Vonda