When God Can Use You

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”

1 Corinthians 1:30–31

It is Jesus, His wisdom in your life, His righteousness, and His perfect redemptive work on the cross that make you a success. So when you boast of your success, you can boast only in Jesus.

Without Jesus, you have nothing to boast about. But with Jesus in your life, you can boast in Him and Him alone for every success and blessing that comes through His unmerited favor.

If you are strong, mighty, and wise in yourself, then God's unmerited favor cannot flow. But when you realize your weaknesses and foolishness, and depend on Jesus instead, that is when His unmerited favor can flow unhindered in your life.

We see this in the story of Moses. In his first 40 years as an Egyptian prince who was looked up to and admired, he thought that he knew everything. The Bible says that in this first 40 years, Moses was "mighty in words and deeds" (Acts 7:22), but God could not use him.

However, in the next 40 years, something happened to Moses. He had fled Egypt after killing an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew, and went to dwell in the Midian desert. He became a shepherd and was no longer considered mighty in words nor deeds. Indeed, he had even become a stutterer (Ex. 4:10).

And at this point in his life, when he probably thought that he was a has-been, insignificant compared to what he had been, and that his glory-days were behind him, God appeared to him and said, “I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people . . . out of Egypt” (Ex. 3:10).

Forty years earlier, at the zenith of his ability, Moses could not even bury properly one Egyptian whom he had killed—he was found out and forced to flee (Ex. 2:11–15). But now, stripped of his dependence on his human strength and mindful of his weaknesses, he stepped into his call, dependent solely on the unmerited favor of God. And this time, when Moses waved his rod over the sea, the sea covered tens of thousands of Egyptians perfectly (Ex. 14:26–28).

The Bible tells us that “God resists the proud, but gives grace [unmerited favor] to the humble” (1 Pet. 5:5). Beloved, God will not impose His unmerited favor on us.

Whenever we want to depend on ourselves and our wisdom, He will allow us to do so. His unmerited favor is given to those who humbly acknowledge that they cannot succeed in their own strength and ability. When we let go and depend on His unmerited favor, He will take over and do for us what we cannot do for ourselves!

This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days of Favor—Daily Readings from Unmerited Favor.

Turn On the Light of God’s Word

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Psalm 119:105

Derek is a successful business owner who attends our church regularly and who has an amazing testimony. Before he experienced his breakthrough though, life was harrowing for him.

It all started one morning when he read a newspaper article about a man of his age who had suddenly died of a heart attack. Derek couldn’t explain it, but from that moment on, it was as if the air started to thin, and he began experiencing respiratory difficulties. Without him knowing it, fear had begun to coil itself around his heart like a python.

Day by day, Derek started to experience all kinds of evil imaginations of himself getting hurt and dying while doing the simplest day-to-day activities. He suffered escalating bouts of debilitating anxiety attacks as fear tightened its grip on his heart.

As his mental oppression worsened, and convinced he was severely ill as his breathing difficulties increased, Derek checked himself into a hospital, where he was told his was not a heart problem but an anxiety problem.

That was when Derek was introduced to and began listening to some of my messages over and over again. He told me, “You said to focus on the Word of God and not on my problems. And that was exactly what I did! I began turning away from those dark thoughts and allowing the light of Jesus’ words to come into my situation.”

Derek’s breakthrough began when he turned on the light of God’s Word and allowed it to shine upon him and his situation. One of his favorite verses that gave him both courage and comfort was the Lord saying to him, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5). He would speak this verse whenever he was fearful and then tell himself, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear” (Heb. 13:6).

Equipped with God’s Word, Derek began playing the right mental movies in his mind. Every time the anxiety attacks came and the evil imaginations began to replay in his mind, he would wield these scriptures like a weapon against the onslaught of the serpent’s attack.

The more he proclaimed, “I will never leave you nor forsake you. The Lord is my helper; I will not fear,” the more the grip of the serpent began to loosen and weaken. He found that he could breathe freely again and his heart no longer felt constricted.

Strengthened by the Word, he began to see the Lord with him always. He began to see himself full of health and protected from harm. Derek was completely healed and released from all his fears as he began to replace the wrong mental movies that he had been playing in his mind with the right ones.

Beloved, God’s thoughts are greater than the devil’s thoughts. His light is greater than any darkness. You’ll put an end to the enemy’s days of using fear to torment you and manipulate your thoughts when you, like Derek, turn on the light of God’s Word and allow it to shine upon you and whatever negative situation you may be in.

Let His Word anchor you in His love, strengthen your heart, and paint the right pictures for your breakthrough and an amazing future.

This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days of Right Believing—Daily Readings from The Power of Right Believing.

Let Faith Arise

She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe.

Mark 5:27 NLT

The woman who touched Jesus in Mark 5 had suffered greatly for twelve years from a hemorrhage. She had not only spent all her money to pay for treatments that did not help her, but her condition had grown worse.

Perhaps you have been put through so many tests, been subject to so many probes, and tried so many “revolutionary cures,” you have lost count. But each time the treatment failed, and all you are left with is more bills and a condition that has deteriorated despite your best efforts.

You may have come to the point where you are tired of trying and tired of hoping. The disease has ravaged your body and you have neither the will nor the finances to continue fighting.

If that describes you, please know it is not by coincidence you are reading these words. I believe the Lord wanted you to read this because He loves you. Do not give up. Even if you have gone to specialist after specialist and tried various treatments to no avail, there is still hope!

I really believe what I am about to share will help you receive your breakthrough both in your body and in your finances. Here is the apostle Mark’s account:

When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction . . . And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”

—Mark 5:27–29, 34

If you have been believing God for healing, you might be thinking, If only I could see Jesus with my own eyes or hear Him with my own ears, then I could be healed. The apostle Luke recorded that “great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him” (Luke 5:15). These multitudes heard Jesus themselves, and they were healed.

But the apostle Mark’s account about the woman with the issue of blood doesn’t say, “When she heard Jesus.” It says, “When she heard about Jesus.”

Hallelujah! Do you know what that means? It means we can have the same faith this woman had just by hearing about Jesus. We may not see or hear Jesus in person as the multitudes did. But just by hearing about Jesus, we can receive the same faith and healing breakthrough the woman did—even if the conditions have been in our bodies for years, and even if doctors and expensive treatments have failed!

This devotional is taken from the book The Healing Power of the Holy Communion—A 90-Day Devotional.

“The Son! The Son!”

I will hear what God the LORD will say; for He will speak peace to His people.

Psalm 85:8 NASB

There once was a wealthy man who loved his one and only son above all things. Together, they spent ten years building one of the rarest, most valuable art collections in the world, with everything from Picasso to Raphael.

Then war broke out and the son went off to fight. One day the father’s worst fears were realized when the war department informed him his beloved son had been killed while attempting to rescue another soldier.

About six months later, a young soldier with a large package under his arm visited the wealthy man and said, “Sir, you don’t know me, but I am the man your son saved the day he died. Your son was my friend and we spent many nights talking about you and your love for art.” Then he held out his package and said, “I’m not much of an artist, but I wanted you to have this painting I’ve done of your son as I last remember him.”

The father found himself gazing at a portrait of his one and only son. Fighting back tears, he said, “You have captured the essence of my son’s smile in this painting and I will cherish it above all others.” The father hung the portrait of his son over his mantelpiece and showed it to visitors before any of the other masterpieces.

When the father died, his entire collection of masterpieces was offered at an exclusive private auction. Collectors and art experts from around the world gathered and were surprised when the first painting on the auction block was the soldier’s modest rendering of the man’s son.

The auctioneer asked someone to start bidding, but the sophisticated crowd scoffed and demanded for the Van Goghs and Rembrandts to be brought forth. The auctioneer persisted, but when no bid was offered, the crowd hissed for the auction to move on. Still, the auctioneer asked, “The son! The son! Who’ll take the son?”

Finally a voice from the back said, “I’ll bid ten dollars for the son.” The bidder was none other than the young soldier whom the son had died saving. He said, “All I have is ten dollars to my name, but I’ll bid it all for the painting.”

The auctioneer continued to seek a higher bid, but the angry crowd shouted, “Sell it to him and let’s get on with the auction.” The auctioneer pounded the gavel and sold the painting to the soldier for the bid of ten dollars.

“Finally, we can get on with the auction,” someone from the second row bellowed. But right at that moment, the auctioneer announced, “The auction is now officially closed.” The crowd gathered there was shocked and demanded to know why.

The auctioneer simply replied, “According to the wishes of the deceased, only the painting of the son was to be sold today. And whoever gets this painting gets it all—every piece of art in this priceless collection and the entire estate in which it is housed. The auction is closed.” And with the swing of his gavel, he left the crowd sitting in stunned silence, staring at the young soldier.

Every time I think about this story, I think of how, like the father in the story, God is looking for people who value and appreciate His Son. Whoever receives the Son receives all of God’s blessings. To the one who values His Son, He gives every good thing He has.

And how do we value His Son? One of the primary ways is by taking time to hear Him. Hear His words of grace to us and hear what He has done for us through His sacrifice at the cross.

In today’s scripture, the psalmist says, “I will hear what God the LORD will say; for He will speak peace to His people.” The Hebrew word for “peace” here is shalom, which means completeness, soundness, well-being in body and mind, safety, contentment, and peace in our relationships with people.

My friend, if you desire to experience an increase in these blessings in your body, family, career, and ministry, then focus on hearing Jesus and growing in the knowledge of Him and His grace. The Bible tells us that grace and peace (and every good blessing) are multiplied to us when we grow in the knowledge of Jesus our Lord (2 Pet. 1:2).

This devotional is taken from the book Glorious Grace—100 Daily Readings from Grace Revolution.

As Jesus Is Today, So Are You!

Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.

1 John 4:17

It is wonderful to know that God does not measure and judge you based on your performance today. Instead, He looks at Jesus, and as Jesus is, that is how He sees you. His Word declares that “love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.”

As new covenant believers, we do not have to fear the day of judgment simply because all our sins have been completely judged at the cross, and as Jesus is, so are we! Notice that it does not say that “as Jesus was on earth, so are we in this world.” That would have been amazing enough because during Jesus’ ministry on earth, healing, blessings and abundance followed Him everywhere He went.

Yet, that is not what the Word says. What it says is, “as Jesus is” (notice the use of the present tense). In other words, as He is right now, so are we in this world.

What a powerful revelation! Just consider where Jesus is today. The Bible tells us:

He [God] raised Him [Jesus] from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

—Ephesians 1:20–23

Jesus is seated at the Father’s right hand today, in a position of power and authority. If I were you, I would take some time to meditate on this passage because the Bible tells us that as Jesus is, so are we right now, in this world.

Meditate on how as Jesus is “far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named,” so are we! See it in God’s Word for yourself. See yourself as Jesus is, far above every principality and power, far above every disease and physical condition, far above every kind of fear, depression and addiction, and begin to reign over every negative situation in your life today!

This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days of Favor—Daily Readings from Unmerited Favor.

Message from Amir Tsarfati

Eternity’s in our heart, which means man knows inside that he’s eternal in the sense of there is something after death. Otherwise, why would he be so afraid if there is nothing? But if you know there is something, then you ask yourself, what is it? Ecclesiastes 12:7 says, “Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.” In other words, we already know there is a separation. The body that is going to be buried is a different thing than the soul that cannot be buried because it cannot be destroyed and it cannot die. You see, our souls are eternal and the question is: location, location, location. Where will the location of your soul be? 

The dead can see, the dead can feel, the dead can understand, but it’s too late when you’re dead, because then you can only see and feel and understand but cannot change anything. So while you’re still alive, believe in Him and allow those rivers of living water to come out of you. That will completely change you. And just as the Dead Sea is going to become a living lake with living creatures in it, your heart can be made from stone into flesh. Your soul can be revived. Your life can change and you can have eternal life if you trust in Him and ensure your salvation. And as He said, if you only believe in Me, from your bellies rivers of living water will flow.

People today are often looking for divine miracles for two main reasons: to prove that God exists or to bolster their faith through the experience. Yet some within the church say that the supernatural was limited to the age of the Apostles or until the canon of scripture was complete, and there is no point in looking for or expecting such things.

John 14:12
"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.”

The works Jesus was referring to were the nature and physics defying miracles He performed on behalf of the blind, lame, sick, possessed, and fearful. The greater works than these is in reference to the saving of lost souls. 

Colossians 1:28-29
Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.

The Greek word translated as “perfect” means complete or mature in mental and moral character. But, remember, God has taken an inventory of all humanity and found that there is none good, no, not one (Romans 3:12). So how does one go from being amongst the pool of humanity among which there are “none good, no, not one” to someone complete or mature in mental and moral character? The answer is to be “in Christ Jesus” through being born again.

1 Corinthians 1:21
For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

Ephesians 2:1
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins.

The word “foolishness” in 1 Corinthians doesn’t mean foolish in the sense of ridiculousness, but rather the absurdity of the means and the results that it yields. Through preaching, human souls are rescued from eternal death and spiritually dead people are made alive in Christ Jesus. This is the greater work that Jesus spoke of.

Many Christians today are longing to see a miracle when there is one standing in front of them in the mirror every day.

Colossians 1:21-22
And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight.

Jesus said what happened to every born again Christian is a greater work than healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, and even raising the dead. He said this for one simple reason: the sick He healed later died, the blind He gave sight to later died, the dead He raised, like Lazarus, later died, but the work He did to save human souls lasts forever. 

There is a lesson for us in all this beyond the amazing truth of what happens to us when we are born again. What Jesus said about greater works should determine our focus and pursuit in life. Does God still do miracles today? Absolutely! Every born again Christian is one. Does He still heal the sick and raise the dead and do things we would consider to be of “biblical proportions”? Absolutely! But, according to Jesus, the greater work is the saving of the human soul, making people dead in sin to be alive in Him.

Mark 16:20
And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.

We all love to see miraculous things even as crowds did in Jesus day, many coming to see Him for that reason alone. But as born again believers we have been told by the One who saved us that there is a greater work than seeing or even doing flesh-impacting miracles in His name.  That greater work comes exclusively through preaching. We also need to remember that the word “preach” means to “proclaim”. That reminds us that preaching is not limited to those who have been called to it as a vocation. Instead, proclaiming the good news is something we are all called to do, because through proclaiming Christ to those who are perishing we are offering them an opportunity to experience the greatest miracle of all, that of becoming a new creation in Christ.

Many today gather in group settings for the express purpose of experiencing the supernatural and “seeing” God move. We do not find such practices in the Bible or the early church, because they were busy proclaiming the good news and signs that confirmed the word accompanied them.

Do you want to see a miracle today? Tell someone about Jesus and you just may see a dead person be made alive right before your eyes. This, according to Jesus, is a greater work than all the things many want to see Him do today. 

Yes, He still heals; yes, He still casts out demons; yes, He can even raise the dead. But it is He who said these are lesser works than the saving of the human soul.

Tell someone about Jesus today and who knows what amazing things you will see – maybe even someone being born again!

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus,

Never Mix Law and Grace

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?

Galatians 3:1–3

Do you know why many believers today have a confused perspective of God? For example, many believers think that God is sometimes angry with them, but at other times pleased with them.

And while they would personally never hurt their own children this way, many believers today think that their heavenly Father would actually punish them with sicknesses and diseases. What accounts for this apparent “schizophrenia” that exists in the body of Christ today?

The answer lies in a mixture of covenants (or “Galatianism”) that is prevalent in the church of Jesus Christ. During Paul’s day, the church in Galatia was struggling with this intermingling of teachings about God that contains a little bit of the law as well as a little bit of grace—a mixture of covenants. From the severity of Apostle Paul’s tone to the Galatians, it is obvious that Paul regarded this issue very seriously.

You might expect Paul to be more upset with the believers in Corinth, who were involved in all kinds of public sins and immoral activities, but he was not. His intense reaction toward the church in Galatia reveals what is of priority to God. It is clear that in God’s eyes, believing the wrong doctrine is worse than exhibiting wrong behavior!

When it came to wrong behavior in Corinth, Paul was cool and collected toward the believers. He was able to handle their wrong behavior because he knew that the grace of God was able to take care of their spree of wrong behavior. That is why he was able to speak positively to them, even telling them, “I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus” (1 Cor. 1:4). But when it came to wrong doctrine in Galatia, he rebuked the believers there because they nullified God’s grace by mixing it with the law.

In the very first chapter of Galatians, Paul says, “I marvel . . .” or as you and I would say today, “I am appalled . . .” What appalled him? Paul continues, “. . . that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ” (Gal. 1:6–7).

Paul had preached the gospel of grace to the Galatians, but he found that there were Judaizers who introduced elements of the law to them. They mixed God’s grace with the law, causing the Galatians to turn away from the pure grace of Christ. They said, “Yes, it’s good that you are saved by grace, but it’s not enough for you to just have Jesus. You must also know and abide by the law of Moses and be circumcised to be pleasing to God.”

This mixture of law and grace angered Paul. You see, if you have wrong behavior, as long as there is grace in the church, grace will teach and give you the power to overcome your wrong behavior. But if there is no grace in the church, or if grace is mixed with the law and nullified, then what hope is there for overcoming your wrong behavior?

Beloved, wrongly believing a mixture of law and grace leads you down a path of defeat and will keep you trapped in paralyzing captivity. Right believing in the pure, unmixed gospel of grace, on the other hand, is the door out of this vicious cycle of defeat and bondage.

Today, begin to believe right by choosing to know and believe in the true gospel of grace. Believe that Jesus’ finished work has cleansed and forgiven you, and made you righteous with His own righteousness in the eyes of Almighty God. I pray that as you turn to the person of Jesus who has saved you to the uttermost by His sacrifice on the cross, you will begin to experience your breakthrough and lasting victory!

This devotional is taken from the book Reign in Life—90 Powerful Inspirations for Extraordinary Breakthroughs.

No Weapon Shall Prosper Against You

“No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is from Me,” says the LORD.

Isaiah 54:17

A life that is founded upon the gospel of Jesus Christ is unshakable. When you build your life upon the gospel, you are building on a strong foundation that will give you stability and the power of God for lasting breakthroughs (Rom. 1:16).

You may be going through an extremely difficult season right now. Perhaps you are reading this and you have just received a negative medical report, or maybe you are surrounded by some challenging circumstances at your place of employment. I want to encourage you to say this by faith: “I am too blessed to be stressed.”

Now invite our Lord Jesus into your situation. Involve Him in your area of need. Whether it is a healing, provision, or relationship breakthrough that you need, see and believe that the Lord is with you.

My dear friend, don’t put your trust in your own understanding. Instead, lean wholly on the one Who is more interested in your success than you are. The book of Proverbs tells us, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe” (Prov. 18:10). Run to Him and cast all your cares upon Him for He cares for you.

Speak with me this promise of God found in today’s scripture into your situation right now:
“ ‘No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,’ says the Lord.” Amen and Amen!

Meditate on the last line of this powerful scripture. In the new covenant of grace, your righteousness is from the Lord Jesus Himself. Now, the more you understand your righteousness in Christ, the more you will experience His promise in today’s scripture.

The opposite holds true. When God’s people are not established in their righteous identity in Christ, they become susceptible to the weapons of the enemy. Weapons such as sickness, lack, guilt, condemnation, fear, depression, and all kinds of disorders and addictions.

That is why it is so important to be sure that you are listening to the real gospel. God’s Word proclaims that none of these weapons, even if they have already been formed, shall prevail against you. And every unfounded accusation, every malicious lie, and every false allegation you shall condemn! The enemy doesn’t have a hold over your life. God does, and He holds it together!

This devotional is taken from the book Glorious Grace—100 Daily Readings from Grace Revolution.

Desiring Spiritual Intimacy

“You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near to me, you and your children, your children’s children, your flocks and your herds, and all that you have. There I will provide for you, lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty; for there are still five years of famine.”

Genesis 45:10–11

The “secret place” speaks of a place in Christ, but it also speaks of intimacy. To be “under the shadow of the Almighty” is to be close to Him.

There are times when I travel to Israel with my pastors and the sun is scorching hot. When we are outdoors, whether it is on the Mount of Beatitudes or in Capernaum, we always look forward to being under the shadow of a tree.

The difference in temperature when we are under the protective shelter of a tree is like night and day. Out in the open, we wouldn’t last long under the scorching heat of the sun. But under the shadow of a tree, we can sit for hours, enjoying a time of refreshing as we discuss the Word of God.

Beloved, being under the shadow of the Almighty speaks of closeness, intimacy, and protection. It speaks of a place of refreshing, coolness, and rest.

When Psalm 91 talks about dwelling in the “secret place” of the Most High, that secret place is not a geographical location, but spiritual intimacy with our Lord Jesus. In the same way, the prayer of protection is not an incantation or some kind of magic chant that grants you protection. It is you valuing your position in Christ and your close relationship with Him, and being found in that secret place with Him.

For more than a decade now, I have been teaching my church to declare Psalm 91 over themselves and their loved ones and to be conscious of the close relationship we as believers have with our Lord Jesus.

Some years ago, I received a testimony of divine protection from a businessman who attended our church. He had been on a business trip and was staying at the Marriott Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia. While he was in the lobby of the hotel, a bomb was detonated right outside and it tore through the lobby.

The blast was so powerful that he saw a body flying past him. After the dust had settled, he realized that although his shirt was splattered with blood, and debris was strewn all around him, he was completely unharmed. Amazingly, he had stepped behind a pillar at the very moment the bomb went off, and that pillar had shielded him from the direct impact of the explosion.

Just think of what could have happened if this man had not reached the pillar at the precise second the bomb went off. All praise and glory to our Lord Jesus who watches over His own!

This devotional is taken from the book The Prayer of Protection Devotional—Daily Strategies for Living Fearlessly in Dangerous Times.

Message from Amir Tsarfati

Isaiah 7, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son.” It’s not just a baby. And she shall call His name what? “Immanuel.” God is with us. These are the words of Isaiah the prophet. Nobody can accuse him of being a Christian.

Matthew 1, “So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet [Isaiah] saying, ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated ‘God is with us.’” And where was He born? In Utah? No, he was born in Israel. Micah 5:2, “But you, Bethlehem [House of Bread] Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.”

The Messiah of Israel, who came to save Israel, was born in Israel to a virgin in Bethlehem. And I haven’t even started quoting the New Testament yet. And He’s not just someone who was born in Israel. He’s the glory of the people of Israel.

It is popular among many in our day to say that Jesus never claimed to be God, which is not true. He clearly stated His deity in Revelation and implied it multiple times in the Gospels.

Revelation 1:8
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” 

Jesus is using titles here that are exclusive to God in reference to Himself, which is a clear declaration that He is God. Not only did Jesus declare Himself to be God, so too did the Holy Spirit. He said through Isaiah that there would be a Child born of a virgin who would be called Immanuel – God, who is with us.

Some argue that God couldn’t have a Son, and yet, in a way, the Holy Spirit said in Proverbs, “Wrong again!”

Proverbs 30:4
Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son’s name, If you know?

The One who established the ends of the earth is God, and He has a Son and His Son has a name. We know His Son’s name, “Yeshua”, or as we say in English, “Jesus.”

Philippians 2:9-11
Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Here we have the Father referring to the Son as God. The word translated “Lord” is kyrios, which means “Supreme One” or “the One who is Master” or, even, “the Sovereign”. In a word, Jesus Christ is God.

He is also the Holy One of Israel, the Messiah, the Son of David, the bright and morning Star. He is the blessed One who comes in the Name of the Lord, and He is, as Isaiah 9:6 said, “Mighty God.” He came into the world through the Hebrew people as the Savior of the world. 

Jesus is God! He said so, the Spirit says so, and His Father says so. Therefore, so should we. Don’t let anyone tell you that Jesus is only a prophet and teacher, because this diminishes the power of His shed blood for the sins of the world to simply the blood of just another man.

He is not just a man, He is the God man – the Savior of the world. 

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus,

Practice Jesus’ Presence and See His Power

But the LORD is with me as a mighty, awesome One. Therefore my persecutors will stumble, and will not prevail.

Jeremiah 20:11

Do you know that the best time to thank Jesus for His presence is when you don’t “feel” His presence? When it comes to the presence of Jesus, don’t go by your feelings. Feelings can be deceptive. Go by His promise that He is Immanuel—God with us!

Have you heard the story of a groom who approached his pastor almost immediately after his wedding ceremony? He went up to his pastor and said, “Pastor, can I talk to you for a second?”

“Sure,” the pastor replied.

The groom said, “You know what, I don’t feel married.”

The pastor grabbed him by the collar and growled, “Listen, boy. You ARE married whether you feel it or not, understand? Just take it by faith that you are married!”

You see, my friend, you can’t go by your feelings. You go by the truth and the truth is this: God promised, "I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So the best time to practice His presence is precisely when you feel like Jesus is 100,000 miles away. Remember that feelings aren’t based on truth. God’s Word is truth!

Soon after I graduated from high school, I took on a part-time job to teach in an elementary school where I was placed in charge of a class of 10-year-olds. I remember one day, when I was practicing His presence, I knelt down in my living room and prayed, “Lord, I just thank You that You are always with me.” As I was on my knees, the Lord told me to pray specifically for one of the girls in my class who had been absent from school that day.

Now, it is very common for kids to miss class now and then for various reasons, and I had never been led by the Lord to pray specifically for any of them. This girl was the first! The Lord told me very clearly to pray for His protection to be over this girl and to cover her with His precious blood.

The next day, there was a big commotion in the school and I found out that the girl had been kidnapped by a notorious serial killer that very afternoon when the Lord had told me to pray for her. The killer, Adrian Lim, had kidnapped several children to be offered up as sacrifices to the devil. He believed that Satan would give him power when he offered the blood of these children to him.

Over the next couple of days, this girl from my class was all over our national media because she had been miraculously released. Sadly, she was the only girl released. All the other kidnapped children had been brutally murdered.

When she returned to class, I asked her how she came to be freed. She told me that her kidnapper was “praying” over her when suddenly he stopped and told her, “The gods do not want you.” She was quickly released that evening. Of course, you and I know why the “gods” didn’t want her—she was covered and protected by Jesus’ blood!

Listen to what I am saying here. In America today and around the world, the devil is trying to destroy a new generation because he is afraid that the young people of the new millennium are going to take over the world for Jesus. That is why we have to cover our children with Jesus’ protection.

I am sharing all this with you because I want you to see the importance and power of practicing His presence. As a teacher during that time, my class was my responsibility, just like my congregation is my responsibility today.

Think with me: How in the world, with my finite knowledge and intelligence, could I have known that one of my students was in grave danger? It is not possible! But because the Lord, who knows all things, was with me, He enabled me to make a difference in my student’s life.

Similarly, whatever role or vocation you are in, whether you are a schoolteacher, business leader, or homemaker, I want you to know that Jesus is with you and He wants to make you a success. Now, remember, all this happened to me before I became a full-time pastor, so please don’t think that this unmerited favor from Jesus is only for pastors. Beloved, His unmerited favor is for you. The Lord Immanuel is with you.

This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days of Favor—Daily Readings from Unmerited Favor.

The Truth That Frees You

“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

John 8:32

What does “the truth shall make you free” in the verse John 8:32 really mean?

Examine the context of this verse and you’ll notice that Jesus said this to the Jews of His day. These were people who at an early age grew up studying and learning the law. Yet, these people, in ways very similar to us today, still battled with fears, anxieties, sicknesses, and all kinds of oppression, bondages, and addictions.

So this truth that Jesus was talking about clearly cannot be the law, because these people could not find freedom in the law. In fact, the truth of the law only brought them into religious bondage.

My friend, the truth that shall make you free, is the truth of His grace. This is the truth that He came to give us. His Word proclaims that “grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).

The good news is that grace came to set you free from the curse of the law. Grace is not a doctrine or a theological subject. When Jesus talks about grace, He is talking about Himself. Grace is a person. Grace is Jesus Himself.

The truth that has the power to fling wide open your prison doors is His grace. His grace is the antidote to counteract every poison in your mind!

When you encounter Jesus, taste His love, and savor His loving-kindness and tender mercies, every wrong belief begins to dissolve in the glory of His love. And every dark thought and evil addiction that may have held you captive cannot but scatter when it is exposed to the light of His grace!

Your freedom is found in rightly believing in Jesus—His favor and His love in your life. When you believe right about His grace, you will begin to live right.

The more you see in His Word what His grace has done for you, the more fears, condemnation, depression, and destructive habits will lose their grip in your life. And the more you believe and enjoy His grace and love, the more you’ll find the Lord’s wisdom, stability, and peace guiding your decisions and actions.

Right believing always produces right living and the right results.

This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days of Right Believing—Daily Readings from The Power of Right Believing.

Abraham's Children

John 8:37 'I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.'

The Jewish people were direct descendants of Abraham. However, as with so many biblical truths, there was much more to the Abrahamic covenant than what a casual glimpse would reveal. In truth, these Jews were not actually a part of the spiritual children of Abraham.

The Holy Spirit revealed through the Apostle Paul in Galatians 3:16 and 29 that God's covenant was to Abraham and his singular 'seed' or descendant, which was Christ. No one ever became an heir of God's promises through his natural birth. Before Jesus gave Himself as an offering for our sin, the Old Testament saints were justified by faith in God's promises concerning the Messiah who was yet to come. After Jesus' death and resurrection, New Testament saints are justified by faith in what Jesus has already accomplished. No one has ever been saved because of who his parents are.

Those who have been born again through faith in Jesus have been circumcised in their heart (Col. 2:11-12) and are the true Jews. They aren't Jews in nationality or religion, but they are the true people of God. Gentiles who are united with Christ in the new birth are now God's people. Anyone who is saved through faith in Jesus is now Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise (Gal. 3:16, 22, 26-29). This leaves no doubt that the Church is now God's chosen people on earth. This does not mean that God has forsaken the Jews. There are still prophesies which apply to the physical nation of Israel which will be fulfilled. However, the New Testament Church, composed of Jews and Gentiles, is now God's kingdom on earth. We are all His. Andrew Womack

Find Rest in the Father’s Love

“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

Isaiah 54:10 NIV

Today, I want to share one simple but critical truth with you. Memorize this truth. Feed on it. Let it take root in your spirit and become an anchor in your life.

You will never be the same again. Are you ready? Here it goes:

As a child of God, no matter what happens in your life, your Father in heaven loves you dearly and nothing you do can ever change that.

Will you believe that today? Whether you are going through good times or facing challenging times, you need to know that your Abba loves you.

There is nothing that you can ever do to make Him love you more, and nothing that you can ever do to make Him love you less. Even—or perhaps especially—when you feel like you have failed, know that you will always be the apple of His eye. Always.

God loves you with an everlasting love (Jer. 31:3). A love that is the same yesterday, today, forever. Feel your Daddy God enfolding you in His embrace right now. You are safe. You are utterly loved and completely accepted.

He loved you before you ever knew Him. His love for you has nothing to do with anything that you have done for Him. Nothing you do will ever affect His unwavering, unconditional love for you.

There is nothing for you to prove. You only need to rest and receive your Abba’s love. Let your life become established and grounded in a love that is so perfect that no challenge or adversity will be able to knock you down.

If you think that you’ve messed up, turn to your Father. In His loving arms you will find hope, security, and refuge from any storm.

I love how the apostle Paul puts it: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? . . . Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:35, 37–39).

Beloved, there are no caveats or disclaimers when it comes to the love of your heavenly Father. The Bible plainly states that nothing shall be able to separate you from the love of your Father in heaven.

It’s an absolute declaration and promise. “Nothing” means nothing. As a believer, this means that even your mistakes, failings, and sins cannot separate you from the love of your Father. Hallelujah!

This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days of Right Believing—Daily Readings from The Power of Right Believing.

God’s Ordained Way

“I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”

John 6:51

Let me tell you about this supernatural food and drink we get to take. It is the only food and drink that is not based on fallen creation or dependent on the efforts of fallen man. When we eat and drink this supernatural food, we are partaking of the work of redemption and not creation.

In the above verse, when the Lord Jesus said He is the living bread, the word life here is the Greek word zoe, which is the same Greek word used in the Septuagint when God breathed into Adam and Adam received life (Gen. 2:7).

While zoe refers to the life that God lives by, zoe also refers to physical life, health, vitality, and wholeness. The food that God has given us to eat is not perishable food but living bread—Jesus, who came from heaven and was given for us to have life.

There are some who think Jesus was simply talking about believing in Him. But our Lord Jesus went on to say, “For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him” (John 6:55–56).

Did you know two different Greek words are used here for the word eats? When Jesus said, “If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever” (John 6:51), the generic Greek word phago for eats was used. Phago can be used in a physical sense or in a spiritual sense, as in to feed on Christ.

But when Jesus said, “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him” (John 6:56), the Greek word used for eats is trogo, which means “to gnaw or crunch,” like when eating nuts. There is no way you can spiritualize a crunching sound. Jesus was not talking about spiritually eating or feeding here. He was talking about physically eating, about chewing with a crunching sound!

To understand more what our Lord was referring to, consider what He was talking about on the night of His betrayal when He broke the bread and gave it to His disciples, saying, “Take, eat; this is My body.” And consider what He was referring to when He gave them the cup, saying, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matt. 26:26–28). Yes, He was talking about His coming crucifixion, but He was also instituting the holy Communion, a physical meal.

The Communion is God’s ordained way or delivery system for us to receive the unending, holy, youthful, overcoming, and perpetually healthy life Jesus has as we “eat His flesh and drink His blood.” All that is required is that you come boldly and partake, believing that His finished work qualifies you for any healing you need!

This devotional is taken from the book The Healing Power of the Holy Communion—A 90-Day Devotional.

Jesus Is Your Answer

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life . . . If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”

John 14:6–7

When I was growing up as a young Christian, I was told that the more I knew about God, the more God would hold me accountable and my punishment for falling short of His expectations would be more severe than someone who knew less.

My response was to stay away from the Bible, since the more I knew, the more I would be punished by God. Come on, my mama didn’t raise no fool!

I was also taught that the closer I drew to God, the more trials and tribulations I would experience. From that point on, I didn’t want to draw close to God. If you have been taught these or similar lies about God, you would very likely also have been robbed of any desire to build a more intimate relationship with Him.

As I grew in the Lord, He opened my eyes to see that the teachings I had received were not true. Contrary to what I had been taught, I found that the closer I drew to God, the closer I was to the answer to all of my problems. I was drawing close to the miracle worker. I was drawing close to the healer. I was drawing close to the provider, my Jehovah Jireh!

My friend, the more of God’s truth you know, the more the truth will set you free from erroneous beliefs that are not based on His Word. It is the devil who would love for you to fear God (in an unhealthy way), so that you would stay away from your best source of help. The devil would love for you to stay away from the Bible because it is the book of your inheritance and it tells you what belongs to you through the blood of Jesus Christ. The devil would love for you not to find out the truth so that he can keep you in bondage, sickness, and poverty.

Distortions and lies about God lead us away from Him and ultimately into the depths of despair and fear, like they did for Tina, who lives in Florida. Tina had been involved with a religious, cult-like organization for twelve years and became gripped by the terror that the devil was going to kill her.

However, when she started watching my television program, listening to my sermon CDs, and immersing herself in the good news of Jesus Christ, her fears started to dissipate. She said, “Despite my erroneous beliefs, my awesome heavenly Dad lavished such tremendous love on me, all through hearing and reading about the glorious gospel of grace!

"He unveiled Jesus to me through your teaching, brought me out of spiritual darkness, and gave me the courage to walk away from the cult. As I face each new day, I know His presence is always with me, that I am His beloved and He loves me dearly. This is just the beginning of a greater restoration that God is bringing into my life. He is just that good, and there is no other like Him! Hallelujah!”

I add my hallelujah as well! My friend, the moment you begin to have the right perceptions of God and draw near to Him, the devil cannot keep you bound in a life of defeat. All the lies, distortions, and erroneous teachings about God will collapse like a house of cards when your eyes are opened to His grace.

You will realize that the Lord is not your problem but your answer—to every problem. Your freedom and victory are found in Him. He is your security, your righteousness . . . your all in all!

This devotional is taken from the book Reign in Life—90 Powerful Inspirations for Extraordinary Breakthroughs.

Time and Chance

The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.

Ecclesiastes 9:11

I want you to know how you can have “time and chance” happen to you—where you find yourself blessed because you’re at the right place at the right time. Let me show you what the original Hebrew language reveals about how this can be your reality.

The Hebrew word for “time” is the word eth, meaning time or season. The Hebrew words for “chance happen” are pega qarah. Together with eth, they present a picture not of random occurrences, but “right happenings” that are dependent on the Lord’s orchestration.

It’s unfortunate that the word “chance” is used in the English translation. When you read “time and chance happen to them all,” it gives the impression of random happenings, occurrences that happen as if by “luck.”

But if you study the root of the word pega in the Scriptures, you’ll see it is from the word paga, which actually means to make intercession or pray. Let me introduce to you at this point a principle of Bible interpretation called the law of first mention. When you are studying a word, look at the first time it appears in the Bible. There is a lot of spiritual truth and significance in the first occurrence of the word in the Bible.

Applying this principle to the word paga, we see in the Bible that the first time it is used is in Genesis 23:8 (NIV), where it means “intercede.” The same word is also used in Isaiah 53:12 where it says the Lord “made intercession for the transgressors”.

The other Hebrew word, qarah, is often used in other parts of the Bible to explain God-ordained happenings. So “chance happen” should more accurately be translated as “prayed opportunities” or “prayed happenings.”

When you have eth and pega qarah combined here, it speaks of right-time, right-place happenings, or of being at the right place at the right time, doing the right thing as a result of prayer.

What an amazing blessing to possess, which is simply triggered by coming to our loving Father in heaven and expressing our dependence on His protection over us and our families. I want this blessing activated every day, don’t you?

This devotional is taken from the book The Prayer of Protection Devotional—Daily Strategies for Living Fearlessly in Dangerous Times.

He Can Make a Way

And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”

Exodus 14:13–14

I may not understand fully the circumstances you are going through today or the depths of your despair as you watch your loved one fighting to stay alive. But what I do know is this: God loves you more than you can ever comprehend, and He can make a way even when there seems to be no way.

Exodus 14 records how the children of Israel thought they were doomed when the mighty Egyptian army closed in on them. It appeared they would either be slaughtered by the Egyptians or perish in the watery grave of the Red Sea. But read what Moses said to them in the verses above. Then God split open the sea, and the children of Israel “walked on dry land in the midst of the sea” (Ex. 14:29).

But God didn’t stop there. He caused the sea to return to its full depth while Pharaoh’s formidable forces were still in pursuit, and I love how the Bible spells this out: “Not so much as one of them remained” (Ex. 14:28).

Beloved, you or your loved one might be faced with a daunting and seemingly impossible medical situation. All your fretting and tears cannot change your situation, but there is One who can. Do not be afraid.

Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. He will fight for you. He will overcome your enemies for you. Don’t keep asking why you have the disease. Don’t accept the disease or believe the lie that you deserve to be sick because of the wrong you have done. The Lord Jesus has already paid the price for your wholeness. Just put your hand in His and let Him lead you through your situation.

He will cause you to walk on dry land in the midst of the sea. The negative reports, medical statistics, and symptoms that you see may spell an inescapable situation, but He will make a way that will stun everyone around you. The Red Sea you thought would drown you will become the burial ground for your enemies instead. You might see them today, but you shall see those oppressive symptoms no more forever!

I see your migraine headaches gone. The inflammation in your joints gone. The paralyzing fatigue gone. The negative report about your unborn baby gone. The blood in your urine gone. Not so much as one of them will remain!

This devotional is taken from the book The Healing Power of the Holy Communion—A 90-Day Devotional.

Transformed by God’s Favor

The goodness of God leads you to repentance.

Romans 2:4

Let me share with you a testimony of a youth whose life has been wonderfully transformed by the unmerited favor of God. This young man smoked his first cigarette when he was only 9 years old. By the time he was 14, he was already a seasoned gangster, peddling as well as taking drugs, and selling pirated movies.

With the money earned, he would treat his gang members to fancy clothes or meals, and even cover transport expenses for them to congregate for gang fights! At 15, the law caught up with him and he was sent to a boys’ reformatory home where he realized that his life needed to be turned around. And that was when God came into the picture. He said:

The home was where I first encountered God, even though I did not know it was Him then. One of my counselors, a Christian lady, prayed for me and for the first time in my life, I felt that there was “someone” watching over me. I did not think much about it then, but that’s when my heart and my perspective on life began to change.

I started attending New Creation Church (NCC) in September 2005. A friend had invited me to NCC earlier, but I declined. However, one day I happened to oversleep on the train and missed my stop. The platform I got off on was completely deserted, but I noticed a plastic bag left on one of the benches. I looked at its contents to see if I could tell who it belonged to and realized that inside it were actually sermon CDs from NCC!

So even when I didn't want to attend NCC, God sent the church to me! It was no coincidence. It was God-directed! When I played the CDs at home out of curiosity, the presence of God was so real. I experienced such intimacy with God. As I listened to Pastor Prince’s teachings, I knew that this was the God I had always believed in, a God who loves me regardless of who I am or what I do!

Pastor Prince’s teachings have set me free and given me a supernatural strength and passion to do His work. I don’t feel any more bondage when it comes to communicating with God, knowing that He can lead me in every situation.

The most significant change I have experienced has been my inward transformation. I used to have a very bad temper, which got me into a lot of fights because I was easily provoked. Being conscious of His love for me has delivered me from that. I also went from failing in high school to doing well enough in the polytechnic to qualify for a place in a university.

This young man is now a confident, cheerful person with a bright future. He gives talks at schools and at the boys’ reformatory home that he was in to share his journey with the youths and to encourage them. His life has been so incredibly transformed that even a government agency has enlisted him to speak to troubled youths.

He says that ever since Jesus entered His life, he has seen the Lord's grace and favor superabound in his life. Many doors have opened for him and his life has really been enriched, with breakthroughs in areas such as his work, studies, family, and relationships. Let’s give Jesus all the glory!

That’s what our young people need—a revelation of Jesus’ perfect love for them! There is a lost and dying world out there.

My friend, the Ten Commandments cannot be the only thing that youths know about Christianity anymore! How can they help but think that Christianity is nothing but rules, laws, and regulations on what they should or should not be doing? How can they help but imagine God to be someone who is angry with them and looking for opportunities to punish them?

If the young people in your community are to come to Jesus, they will need to know that Christianity is an intimate relationship with a loving God. Once they know this, they will be banging down the doors of churches every Sunday to get in to hear Jesus and His grace preached!

Beloved, I pray that like the young man whose testimony you just read, you will continue to allow Jesus to show you more and more of His perfect love for you every day.

This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days of Favor—Daily Readings from Unmerited Favor.

The Mother of All Fears

Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Hebrews 2:14–15

My friend, in Christ you have been redeemed from all fears. You no longer need to live in fear of judgment, punishment, and condemnation from God for your sins. Because you are a believer in Jesus, the curse of the law and its ministry of death and condemnation no longer have a hold over you!

His Word victoriously proclaims that “Christ purchased our freedom [redeeming us] from the curse (doom) of the Law [and its condemnation] by [Himself] becoming a curse for us, for it is written [in the Scriptures], Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree (is crucified)” (Gal. 3:13 AMP). You have been redeemed!

Do you know what the mother of all fears is? Today’s scripture shows us that it is the fear of death. Why do believers come under the fear of death when they’ve been forgiven, justified, and redeemed?

It’s simple: when believers don’t believe that all their sins have been punished and forgiven through the death of Jesus Christ at the cross, their consciences are never at rest. As a result, the wages of sin, which is death, continues to oppress them and keep them under bondage.

But here’s the good news: God’s Word tells us that through His death, our Lord broke the power of death the devil had over us. Why did He do all this?

To “release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” Clearly, our Lord Jesus wants us free from the fear of death and from any bondage.

Read Hebrews 2:15 again and you’ll see that the fear of death leads to other fears and bondages—“those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” People who fear death automatically fear falling sick, so they worry about their health all the time. Every little symptom causes them anxiety and keeps them running to doctors.

Many times the fear of death is the root of people’s fear of flying, driving, or simply going to the mall because they imagine the worst things happening to them. For some people, the fear of death is so severe that it interferes with their daily life. It consumes their thoughts and negatively affects the decisions they make.

If that’s you today, I encourage you to take the time to anchor yourself in the truth of Hebrews 2:14–15. Know beyond the shadow of any doubt that Jesus, through His death at the cross, has set you free from the fear of death, and with it every bondage you may be in right now.

Verse 15 shows us clearly that the moment the fear of death is removed from your heart, your bondage is removed. Your very susceptibility to being in bondage is removed. Hallelujah! Jesus died on the cross to set you free. The more you are established in this truth, the more you’ll experience the abundant life He came to give you.

This devotional is taken from the book Glorious Grace—100 Daily Readings from Grace Revolution.