For so long, as Christians, we have viewed our Heavenly Father from an Old Testament knowledge and have failed to enter into the grace being offered by Him. Even now, we're unable to believe that we have The Almighty God as our Father. We still consider Him to be One Who is unapproachable, like He was to the Old Testament saints. We miss out on so much in our own fellowship and peace with Him.
Even though He is holy and righteous, we've entered into His same holiness and righteousness through Jesus our Lord. We still shrink back from God's throne of grace (His actual throne of power) because of our sense of unworthiness. We nearly always focus on the scriptures concerning sin and judgment, instead of the scriptures on righteousness and justification. It's been so difficult for us to see ourselves as the Father sees us now, through Jesus.
Jesus said in John 17:17-22 (Amplified), "Sanctify them (purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them Holy) by the truth; Your Word is truth." Verses 18-20 say, "Just as You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world and so for their sake and on their behalf I sanctify (dedicate, consecrate) Myself that they also may be sanctified (dedicated, consecrated, made Holy) in the truth. Neither for these alone do I pray (it is not for their sakes only that I make this request), but also for all those who will ever come to believe in (trust in, cling to, rely on) Me through their word and teaching." Verse 21 goes on, "That they all may be one (just) as You, Father are in Me and I in You, that they also may be One in Us, so that the world may believe and be convinced that You have sent Me." Verse 22 says, "I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one (even) as You and I are One."
These scriptures are pure grace and are meant for all who will believe on Jesus. If there was ever anyone who had all their prayers answered, then it was Jesus. He never prayed in doubt, fear or unbelief. He never prayed outside the will of God. When this prayer went out from Him, it was heard and answered by the Father Who sent Him.
The question then becomes, "Do we receive of what He prayed?" Have we ever dared believe that we were endowed with the same glory Jesus had? Do we dare reach out in our faith to accept what Jesus said in Verse 19, "For their sake and on their behalf I sanctify (dedicate, consecrate) Myself, that they also may be sanctified (dedicated, consecrated, made Holy)" as truth?
These scriptures are the truth. Do we dare believe this truth? Do we dare believe that by this truth, we are holy? John 1:17 (Amplified) says that, "For while the Law was given through Moses, grace (unearned, undeserved favor and spiritual blessing) and truth came through Jesus Christ."
These scriptures reveal who we really are in Christ Jesus. We still look upon our own works (which are always short of perfection) instead of looking at His works that are always perfect. This is called grace which is undeserved favor and unearned blessing. We can never do anything to earn this grace. It must be received and believed by our faith in His perfect work.
God spoke throughout His Word about the time that was to come through Jesus. Psalm 85:9-13 (Amplified) is one of my favorite scriptures and says, "Surely His salvation is near to those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him (and is ready to appropriated) that (the manifest presence of God) His glory may tabernacle and abide in our land. Mercy and loving kindness and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other, truth shall spring up from the earth and righteousness shall look down from heaven, Yes the Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase, Righteousness shall go before Him and shall make His footsteps a way in which to walk."
God said in Isaiah 54:14 (Amplified), "You shall establish yourself in righteousness (rightness, in conformity with God's will and order) you shall be far from even the thought of oppression or destruction, for you shall not fear, and from terror, for it shall not come near you."
Do we believe, by faith, in this kind of His grace? It belongs to us by inheritance in Christ Jesus, but do we receive this inheritance for ourselves in this life? We struggle with the end times and all the destruction to come and have more faith in that, than in Isaiah 54:14. Our faith must be only in Jesus and not in ourselves, our works, or our denominations.
We can only enter God's presence, without fear and guilt, by faith in His grace. We were taken out of sin and death by faith in His grace. We can also be taken out of sickness, disease, fear, destruction and oppression, by faith in the same grace.
Romans 8:1-3 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, (there is) now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live (and) walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit. For the Law of the Spirit of Life (which is) in Christ Jesus (the Law of our new being) has freed me from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the Law could not do, (its power) being weakened by the flesh (the entire nature of man without the Holy Spirit) sending His Own Son in the guise of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, (God) condemned sin in the flesh (subdued, overcame, deprived it of its power over all who accept that sacrifice)."
Have you, by faith in this grace, allowed yourself to walk without condemnation or guilt of wrong doing and believed that through Jesus, you are blameless and justified and holy with Him? Grace has provided this and so much more. I urge you to extend you faith to walk in the liberty of the new man.
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