Proverbs 17:22 (Amplified) says that, "A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones."
Hebrews 9:14 (Amplified) says, "How much more surely shall the Blood of Christ, Who by virtue of (His) eternal Spirit (His Own pre-existent, divine personality) has offered Himself as an unblemished sacrifice to God, purify our consciences from dead works and lifeless observances to serve the (Ever) living God?"
In order to have a happy heart and a cheerful mind, our conscience must be purified from all of our own efforts to redeem ourselves. All of the things that the Law required (even if we could do them all) wouldn't purify our conscience. We were still sinners and we still knew it. Even all the good works wouldn't make as clean in God's eyes. No matter how tried or what we did, we couldn't change that. Even so, we try to impress God with our deeds and works. If something goes wrong, then we don't receive our healing or for some reason we don't feel our prayers are answered, then we try reading the Word more, praying more or giving more in order to get God to move on our behalf.
The only way to a happy heart and a cheerful mind is to look to the other side of the cross. We see ourselves as sinners who need a Savior to deliver us on this side of the cross. But, once we realize we have a Savior Who paid the price for our redemption, we're to be grateful and thankful He set us free from the Law of sin and death. We should be cheerful and thankful that we are free and we should learn to walk in that.
On this side of the cross, I did with Him, I was buried with Him and I was set free by Him. Now, I need to learn how to walk on the other side of the cross and live with Him. Jesus didn't suffer through what He suffered through to leave us in our fallen state. There was also Jesus' resurrection according to Romans 5:1-2 (Amplified) which says, "Therefore, Since we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us (grasp the fact that we) have (the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy) peace with God-through the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)." Verse 2 goes on, "Through Him also we have (our) access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God's favor) in which we (firmly and safely) stand. Let us rejoice and exalt in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God."
This act of faith seems to be very difficult for the Christian to walk in. We believe Jesus bore our sin, the curse of the Law, our sickness and disease and our separation from God, but we stumble at the thought of being free. We mostly spend our lives under the condemnation of our pasts and never seem to walk in the liberty if the other side of the cross.
If Jesus hadn't risen from the dead, then we'd still be in our sinful state and would have cause to be broken in spirit. But, Jesus did rise from the dead and we should be able to rejoice and walk in fellowship with our Father because of it. That was the whole reason for the cross. It wasn't to leave us hiding from God with a guilty conscience. Hebrews 4:16 (Amplified) tells us to, "Let us, then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of Grace (the throne of God's unmerited favor to us sinners) that we may receive mercy (for our failures) and find grace to help in good time for every need(appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it)."
We must come to the cross and receive (by faith) the sacrifice made for us. We must also come to His resurrection (by faith) and live in the peace and reconciliation Jesus bought for us with His sacrifice. We just read Romans 5:1-2 (Amplified) which tells us that, "By faith, we must learn how to walk with Jesus now to hold and enjoy peace with God."
We seem to stay on one side of the cross. Jesus isn't on the cross anymore and He isn't in the Tomb and He's no longer separated from God. He has risen. Now we need to learn how to walk with Him in the power of His resurrection. Philippians 3:10-11 (Amplified) says, "For my determined purpose is that I may know Him (that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and understanding and recognizing the wonders of His Person more strongly and clearly) and that I may in that same way come to know the power out flowing from His resurrection (which it exerts over believers) that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed (in spirit into His likeness even) to His death (in the hope) that if possible I may attain to the (spiritual and moral) resurrection (that lifts me) out from among the dead (even while in the body)."
We're not only called to die with Jesus on the cross, but to live with Him (not only after His death), but now, here in this natural body. Paul continues to write in Philippians 3:12-15 (Amplified), "Not that I have now attained (this ideal) or have already been made perfect, but I press on to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me and made me His Own." Verse 13 says, "I do not consider that I have captured and made it my own (yet)
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