New Beginning

As I opened my Bible this evening, my eyes fell on John 19. Tears began to flow as I read once again about the crucifixion of my precious Bride Groom, Jesus. Stripped, mocked, beaten, flogged, a crown of thorns forced into His head and nailed to a cross... it’s too much for this mind to realize. This gentle, loving Savior who reveals Himself to us in such amazing and tangible ways... it’s heart wrenching to consider, yet this sacrifice changed the course of history and afforded us the incredible opportunity to have a relationship with Him, even though He no longer walks upon the earth.

New beginning... this seed of the life of the Son of God had to be crushed in order for Him to raise from the dead and destroy the power of the enemy over our lives. The blood of Jesus had to be shed for our sins to be eradicated and for the veil that separated us from the Father to be torn, giving us wide open access into His throne room! What love... what incredible sacrificial love!

The enemy thought he’d won. Oh how hell must have celebrated as He breathed His last breath.... yet... He had to leave in order for the Holy Spirit to come and flood our lives with His power, comfort, and love. He brought us the anointing to accomplish things mere flesh could have never imagined!

This devotion could go in so many directions right now. The work of the cross is limitless. What I feel the Lord is saying at this moment is, when the enemy thinks he’s won and all natural hope has been exhausted is the very moment His Spirit floods our situation with such explosive power! God’s not looking to share His miracle working ability with anyone. Oh yes, He uses us to manifest it, but He desires that no man get the glory. So He waits... then comes the test... do we trust Him against all odds or do we throw in the towel and cry out in fear, believing the lies of the enemy that shouts that we’ve been forsaken, left to perish alone, in our sorrow and pain.

It’s not over! That seed must die in order to produce the fruit that’s desired. It’s at the crossroads of destruction and victory that the decision must be made to trust Him no matter what comes our way or how it effects our emotions. They can’t be trusted anyway!

He’s got a plan and it usually looks impossible just before the greatest miracles! If you’re going to run, let it be into His arms in full surrender, with His praises dripping from your lips! Then rest in His embrace and watch what He will do! The results may not look the way you expected. Your life may never look the same, but it will be exactly how God designed it when He created you and it’s the only place you’ll find true peace, fulfillment, and effectiveness for His Kingdom! Surrender and trust!

It’s not over, it’s just a new beginning!

John 19:1-3 (TPT) Then Pilate ordered Jesus to be brutally beaten with a whip of leather straps embedded with metal. And the soldiers also wove thorn-branches into a crown and set it on his head and placed a purple robe over his shoulders. Then, one by one, they came in front of him to mock him by saying, “Hail, to the king of the Jews!” And one after the other, they repeatedly punched him in the face. 17-18 Jesus carried his own cross out of the city to the place called “The Skull,” which in Aramaic is Golgotha. And there they nailed him to the cross. He was crucified, along with two others, one on each side with Jesus in the middle.

Isaiah 53:5-8 (KJV) But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

John 12:24-33 (TPT) Let me make this clear: A single grain of wheat will never be more than a single grain of wheat unless it drops into the ground and dies. Because then it sprouts and produces a great harvest of wheat—all because one grain died. “The person who loves his life and pampers himself will miss true life! But the one who detaches his life from this world and abandons himself to me, will find true life and enjoy it forever! If you want to be my disciple, follow me and you will go where I am going. And if you truly follow me as my disciple, the Father will shower his favor upon your life. “Even though I am torn within, and my soul is in turmoil, I will not ask the Father to rescue me from this hour of trial. For I have come to fulfill my purpose—to offer myself to God. So, Father, bring glory to your name!” Then suddenly a booming voice was heard from the sky,“I have glorified my name! And I will glorify it through you again!” The audible voice of God startled the crowd standing nearby. Some thought it was only thunder, yet others said, “An angel just spoke to him!” Then Jesus told them, “The voice you heard was not for my benefit, but for yours—to help you believe. From this moment on, everything in this world is about to change, for the ruler of this dark world will be overthrown. And I will do this when I am lifted up off the ground and when I draw the hearts of people to gather them to me.” He said this to indicate that he would die by being lifted up on the cross.