The Daily Dose

Don’t settle

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.” Matthew 8:17

Chapter 8 of Matthew continues with Jesus healing Peter’s mother-in-law and then healing and casting demons out of people.  In fact, He did these things and many other wonders all through His ministry.  In all the gospels, Jesus only turned one person away, and it was because she was not an Israelite, but then He ended up healing her daughter anyway when she pressed Him. (see Matthew 15) 

Jesus healed all people that came to Him.  He didn’t tell anyone that their sickness was to teach them something or that He didn’t have time for them.  Not at all.  The key verse today said that He fulfilled the prophecy in Isaiah that said He came to take sickness and infirmities from people, so we don’t have to bear them ourselves.

The very next verse in the Isaiah prophecy says: But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.   Yes, it is true that Jesus paid the penalty for our sin on the cross, but He also took stripes for sickness, disease, infirmities and sorrows there too.  Everything that sin brought into the world, Jesus suffered and died to eliminate.  Even death has no sting now, for those who live in His salvation. (1 Corinthians 15)

Jesus’ payment on the cross not only brought us into a right relationship with our Heavenly Father, that payment also made provision for every suffering here in this world.  Jesus suffered, died, was buried, rose up from the dead and resurrected into Heaven, to restore those who would receive His sacrifice back to God’s original intent for man.  Oh, I know we will never live in paradise in this world.  The curse of sin is so heavy that the scripture says all creation is groaning under the pains of sin. (Romans 8)

This is what makes us as God’s children different than the people lost in sin.  We are not subject to the effects of sin in this world because Jesus redeemed (bought us back) us from the curse of it.  In the same way that you ask Jesus to come into your life and save you and believed by faith that He does when you invited Him, is the same way you receive your healing and deliverance from all the afflictions in life.  By coming to Him and asking.  John 6:37 says that everything that God gave to Jesus we can have by coming to Him.

Today I want to encourage you to walk in your salvation, yes!  But also walk in the wholeness that Jesus died to get back for you.  Oh, there will be days when you don’t feel so well, but when they come, quickly receive your healing by asking Him for it.  Then remember to be thankful when you ask (not when you see it). Your wholeness will show up and you will go through that infirmity right into victory.  Don’t settle for part of your salvation, receive all that Jesus died to get for you.

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 8:14-17

 14 Now when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever.

15 So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them.

16 When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick,

17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses.”

 

Equal Ground

And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.  Revelation 20:12

I remember watching the Titanic movie shortly after it was released on dvd years ago.  It was all the rage at the time, so I was compelled to see it.  It was basically about a poor guy falling for a rich girl. As the film began and people were boarding the ship, it was easy to recognize the upper class from the peasants.  The status of each passenger was evident by which deck their cabin was on.  There was one scene in that drama that made a great impact on me.  That was the part when the boat was going down.  Suddenly, everyone’s position changed, and it didn’t matter how much money or how little money anyone had.  All the money and importance in the world could not stop the vessel from sinking and no amount of fame could save those who were going down with the ship.  Every person on that voyage became equal because of the circumstances. They were all in the same boat, literally, and faced the same fate regardless of how hard they had worked in life.

I bring this up because it is what I thought of when I read today’s passage in Revelation 20.  After Satan is finally put away forever, the apostle John saw a great white throne and heaven and earth was no longer there.  Just every person, great and small, rich and poor, famous and common.  No status at all.  Just people! Each person was faced with the same question of: “Is your name in the Book of Life?”  Everyone will be equal in that day, or at least face the same judgement.  Their works were written in the book and each person will be judged accordingly.  This event seems like it would take a long time to play out, but in the end, the only thing that mattered was walking in a personally relationship through the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is also what is important to us today.  The activities and objectives that we strive for in today’s world will not even be noticed when we stand before the Lord.  Even if we do know Him, the only things that will make it into the next life are the results that bring others along with us.  Reaching people with the good news of salvation will be the only thing that we can take into eternity with us and every pursuit for wealth and fame will burn up and fade away like a vapor.

So today I want to encourage you to make sure your name is written in the Book of Life.  This is no joking matter, but it is a matter of life or death for all eternity.  Don’t miss out on spending forever with your loving heavenly Father.  Accept His gift of salvation today through the blood and sacrifice of His Son Jesus, the first born of many brethren.  It is not too hard, and it is not too late.  Pray this salvation prayer out loud from your heart and Jesus will come into your heart and into your life and you will live with Him in splendor for all eternity.

Pray: _{God in heaven, I know I’m a sinner and I need a Savior.  I want to turn away from my sinful life to the life You have planned for me.  Please forgive my sins, cleanse me from my past, and make me new today.  I know Your Son, Jesus died for me.  I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead.  At this very moment, I accept, confess, and proclaim Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior . . . to be Lord of my life from this day forward.  I now have a right relationship with God my Father through this salvation in the blood of Jesus. I thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit to guide me and to empower me to accomplish the things You have planned for my life in Jesus’ name, Amen}

Today’s scripture reading: Revelation 20:11-15

11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 

13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 

14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 

15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

You can depend on it!

 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.  Revelation 20:9

 Recently, I was in a discussion with a group of people who were contemplating if Jesus could have said no to dying on the cross for our sin.  It was argued that if Jesus didn’t have a choice, than the victory that was accomplished there was not a big deal.  I was slightly offended by this conversation because the work that was done in Jesus, death, burial, resurrection and ascension into heaven is so precious to me that I want to celebrate it every day of my life!  The fact that it was prophesied at the beginning of time and all through the Old Testament assured that God’s spoken word would bring it to pass, is a reality that brings me much encouragement.  I know that if God said it in His word, I can depend on His promises happening, no matter what circumstances occurring.

In today’s reading, there is another future promise that I am so thankful that we can count on!  God’s goodness will prevail over evil, once and for all time.  The enemy of God the Father and all His hosts and people will be consumed by fire from heaven.  When the enemy comes to surround the camp of the saints, that force of evil will be destroyed once and for all!  You can depend on it!

 You may be thinking, that’s great for the sweet by and by, but I am struggling right in the right here and now.  The good news is that we can trust God’s promises today in life right now, before we enter into eternity.  When the enemy tries to come against us, all we have to do is go to God’s Word to find out what He says about the situation and take ahold of that promise instead of surrendering to the natural circumstances trying to take us out.  He promised those who are in Christ Jesus to be more than conquerors and He also promised that the greater One lives inside of us to empower us through every bit of trouble to victory on the other side of it. Glory to God!

So today, I want to encourage you to not get caught up in wondering about things like “Is there a chance could God fail in His mission or is it possible for the enemy to thwart the plan of God?” Instead, rejoice that you can depend on God’s Word to come to pass and nothing in the world or beyond it will stop that Word!  God’s Word is a sure thing, and He has given it to you and me and He wants us to depend on it to come through for us no matter what we are up against!

Today’s scripture reading: Revelation 20:7-10

7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 

8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 

9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 

10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Look beyond today

And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.  Revelation 20:4

 Some people have the idea that it is hard to live as a Christian in today’s world.  Those who are still outside the gift of God’s salvation often see becoming a Christian as an inconvenience to the life they live day to day.  Even though they have problems and struggles, many people see the blueprint that God designed mankind to live within as limiting and full of sacrifices. It is a sad situation, but much of today’s society prefer to look to other people when going through life’s difficulties, rather than the One who has the solution to bring them to victory.

While it is true that the way God created people to love one another goes against the culture we live in today, what the world sees as bondage is really freedom.  Living a life in a personal relationship with your creator and Father is to thrive on the path of blessings that your loving Father set up for you before you were even born.  I, for one, cannot imagine what it would be like to be on this crazy planet without the peace and security that comes from that relationship that can only be entered into through the blood and sacrifice of the Savior Jesus.

I love the way the apostle Paul put it in his letter to the church at Corinth.  He said in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18: For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. Paul showed us that the things we go through in life can be working for us for glory in eternity. He wanted the church in Corinth and today to be looking beyond our current circumstances to what is waiting for us beyond the life we live in the world today.

That is exactly what today’s scripture reading in Revelation 20 is all about.  We don’t consider the inconveniences and struggles we go through in everyday life.  We are not looking at the things that are temporary here in the earth.  We are looking at the eternal things like reigning with Jesus and being with Him for all eternity.  We are faithful in what we have been called to in this life, but our reward and security is in eternity, the things we cannot see right now.  Those who have scoffed and put off entering into God’s great gift of salvation will pass on and will not have a part in the first resurrection.  That is the resurrection that death has no power over.  The faithful and those who are committed to that special connection to the Father through the Son will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him in the world!

So today I want to encourage you if you have never entered into that personal relationship with the One Who loves you and sent His only Son to pay the penalty for your sin, do it today!  All you have to do is start talking to Him.  Turn away from evil and begin to walk toward Him to get on the blessed path He has planned for you.  Confess that you are a sinner and need His great salvation and He will receive you with open arms and pour out the love He so generously wants to give you. Pray this prayer today and Jesus will come into your heart and into your life. You can have His peace in your life not matter what is going on around you! He will walk with you day by day and you will never be alone again.

Pray: God in heaven, I know I’m a sinner and I need a Savior.  I want to turn away from my sinful life to the life You have planned for me.  Please forgive my sins, cleanse me from my past, and make me new today.  I know Your Son, Jesus died for me.  I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead.  At this very moment, I accept, confess, and proclaim Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior . . . to be Lord of my life from this day forward.  I now have a right relationship with God my Father through this salvation in the blood of Jesus. I thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit to guide me and to empower me to accomplish the things You have planned for my life in Jesus’ name, Amen

Today’s scripture reading: Revelation 20:4-6

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 

5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 

6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

The enemy defeated

The angel cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.  Revelation 20:3

This part used to disturb me.  Why would Satan be released after a thousand years again.  It didn’t make sense to me.  I would pray that I would not be one who was deceived for that season when he is once again released.  I didn’t realize that within that thousand-year time there will be generations born that didn’t know the world before it was under the rule of King Jesus.  These generations will be given the choice to whom they will give their lives to.  Everyone must have a choice.

The apostle John saw an angel coming down from heaven.  Not even a great angel or the strongest angel in heaven.  Just an angel with no name came down out of heaven and took hold of Satan and bound him up with a great chain.  (I do like the part where he is chained up as he falls in the bottomless pit for the millennia.)  The pit will be shut, and he will be marked with a seal.  I expect that seal will say “Do not open until the end.”

There is no struggle and there is no debate.  Satan is shut up both in a pit, but also not able to tempt or even speak for the thousand-year time period.  What a great time that will be! Peace in earth!

So, today I want to encourage you that if you feel like your life gets targeted sometimes by the enemy, remember that his day is coming. He is already defeated, and he will be bound and shut up at the end of this age.  Until that day, remember that he has no dominion over you and with your salvation in Christ Jesus, you have the overcoming power to stand against temptation and defeat the plagues and troubles he throws at you, right here and now.  You belong to your heavenly Father and He has made a way for you to stand above the pressures of sin and its stains. So walk out your days in the power of the Holy Spirit to be more than a conqueror through Him Who saved you!

Once again I will ask you to receive the love of God the Father through His great gift of salvation if you have never invited Christ Jesus into your heart and life before. He will come in and He will bring His Spirit with Him. His empowering grace will give you all that you need to overcome all that is in the world.

Pray: _{God in heaven, I know I’m a sinner and I need a Savior.  I want to turn away from my sinful life to the life You have planned for me.  Please forgive my sins, cleanse me from my past, and make me new today.  I know Your Son, Jesus died for me.  I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead.  At this very moment, I accept, confess, and proclaim Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior . . . to be Lord of my life from this day forward.  I now have a right relationship with God my Father through this salvation in the blood of Jesus. I thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit to guide me and to empower me to accomplish the things You have planned for my life in Jesus’ name, Amen}

Today’s scripture reading: Revelation 20:1-3

1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 

2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 

3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.

The Crescendo?

Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, “Come and gather together for the supper of the great God. Revelation 19:17

Here it is!  Armagedon!  The final battle scene!  The event that the entire book of Revelation and the age of grace has been building up to!  If this were an action film, this would be the part that the entire movie had been written around.  This is the ultimate showdown of good versus evil!  This chapter is the reason the book of Revelation has been called the apocalypse and why the term Armagedon is famous for being the ultimate battle. 

As the apostle John saw Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords riding down from heaven to meet the enemy on the battlefield, John talked about the sequence of events that took place in the vision!  John gives an account of the action-packed battle as it began to play out.

First, he saw an angel standing in the sun that cried out with a loud voice. The angel called to all the birds that fly in the heavens saying: “Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, the flesh of all people, free and slave both small and great.”

It actually sounds like an announcement of what is about to happen.  The beast, the kings of the earth and their armies that have gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army hear the great announcement as the birds begin to arrive on the scene and overshadow the battlefield.  Theses military forces turned their attention for just a moment to the birds as the sky begins to darken from the thickness of the innumerable flying guest swarm in.

Then, at that moment, the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire and burning with brimstone.

Lastly, the rest of the troops that were left unprotected by their “fierce” leaders that had just been thrown into the pit, were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse.  Then, all the birds that gathered were filled with their flesh.

Wow!  You cannot make this stuff up!  A battle of epic proportion and yet, there is no point when we have to wonder Who will win this showdown!  The end has already been written and the victory has been given to the One Who paid the price for all that would receive His great love and salvation! Our Lord and our Savior – Jesus Who with at that time rule on the earth.

Today I want to encourage you as you read this final scene when the enemy of our Father will finally be put away for all eternity. Thank your heavenly Father that His enemies will never again be able to taunt and torment you! If you have never receive the gift of salvation that gives you eternity with the King of kings and Lord of lords, make that decision today and invite Him in. Pray this prayer of salvation and turn you heart and life over to Him and He will lead you in that perfect path of righteousness.

Pray: _{God in heaven, I know I’m a sinner and I need a Savior.  I want to turn away from my sinful life to the life You have planned for me.  Please forgive my sins, cleanse me from my past, and make me new today.  I know Your Son, Jesus died for me.  I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead.  At this very moment, I accept, confess, and proclaim Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior . . . to be Lord of my life from this day forward.  I now have a right relationship with God my Father through this salvation in the blood of Jesus. I thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit to guide me and to empower me to accomplish the things You have planned for my life in Jesus’ name, Amen}

Today’s scripture reading: Revelation 19:17-21

Marvelous Faith

When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!  Matthew 8:10

Have you ever thought about having great faith?  How about marvelous faith?  What about having faith so big that it makes Jesus marvel?  That is some great faith.  There are only two places in the gospels that Jesus marveled at someone’s faith.  Today’s passage is one of them.  A roman centurion asked Jesus to speak the word and His will over the centurion’s servant.  He had heard about Jesus’ ministry and how many people had been healed when Jesus spoke “the Word”.  He knew that Jesus’ words had power and were able to change circumstances.  He was prepared to set himself in agreement with Jesus’ words even to the point of carrying that word back without Jesus being present with his sick servant.  He understood from his own position as a centurion how authority worked and perceived it to be the same in the spiritual world.  He said, Speak the Word of God over this situation and I will carry that message in faith until it is activated.  He so believed this that Jesus marveled at His faith.  Jesus basically said, “I have never seen anything like this before.”

I consider how many times we speak exactly what we see over our circumstances instead of getting in agreement with what God says about the situation in His Word!  In getting a scripture or hearing a “Word” in your heart from the Holy Spirit about the situation, God is giving you the words to speak.  Don’t negate that word by speaking what you see and feel in the natural realm.  Change what you are seeing now by “speaking the Word of God, only.”  Every time you speak about the situation to any one or even think about it, thank God that the scripture and His “word” He has given you, is at work and turning everything around for His glory.  The centurion even said to Jesus: “Speak the word, only”

This is so important!  You cannot speak God’s Word one day and then the trouble the next day.  Just believe what God says and keep speaking His promise.  Even when Jesus heard the man say this, the scripture says He marveled.  He said he hadn’t seen such a great faith.  Marvelous faith! 

Speaking the Word only may not be comfortable to you at first, but when you begin to practice it in every situation you face, hope will rise up inside of you. That is when you will trust His words and the power they carry to change the world around you more than you believe what your can see with your physical eyes. For example, if you are struggling in your marriage or family relationships, instead of talking about how crazy the situation is and how you are worried about the outcome, take it to your heavenly Father in prayer. Ask Him to remind you of an instant in His Word where someone was facing the same set of circumstances that you are right now or a promise of victory that He gave so that you can remember His faithfulness when the worry comes. Then begin to thank Him for that promise and “word” when ever you think or hear about that situation until it is changed by the spiritual pressure of His promise. If you are facing a diagnosis of any kind, instead of researching symptoms and outcomes, search God’s Word for how He delivered and healed in times past. Whatever your dilemma is, take it to your heavenly Father and ask Him to give you His Word on the situation and what He wants to do through your faith. Then write it down when the answer comes and thank Him for it until it breaks through into your concerns and changes the reality of what you are up against. You are not denying the facts, but you are denying the problems right to wreck your life. Start standing on God’s word today for every issue that comes from now on and you will begin to have the faith that others will marvel at.

Today I want to encourage you to walk in marvelous faith by speaking the Word only.  Determine today, even before trouble comes that you are going to speak God’s Words over any and every problem or stress life throws your way.  You may not have a choice in the circumstances around you, but you do have a choice in what you say about them.  Make a “marvelous faith” decision today to get a “God perspective” of your circumstances and then let His word put pressure on what looks impossible.  That is when His miracle will breakthrough.

Today’s scripture reading:  Matthew 8:5-13

 5 Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him,

6 saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.”

7 And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”

8 The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.

9 For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

10 When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!

11 And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

12 But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour. 

Become compassionate

Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.  Matthew 8:3

Compassion.  Something I have always struggled with.  I tend to be preoccupied with me, my stuff, my things, and my issues.  It is like wearing blinders because as I go through my daily life, sometimes I don’t even notice the struggles others are going through around me.  I have repented for my lack of compassion and have changed my heart to intentionally be more aware of others that are hurting around me. 

Recently, I came across an individual holding a sign that said, “homeless and hungry”.  I asked the LORD (in my heart) if this is someone deserving a few dollars? (I have a tendency to be skeptical and sometimes see these occasions as a scam or even self-inflicted problems that many bring on themselves and therefore judge that person unworthy of my attention and resources). I felt like God’s Spirit inside my heart was telling me to give so in obedience I did.  Generally, I plan ahead so that I can give with a scripture or word to encourage, but this time the giving was for me.  I could say nothing because the instant that he took the money from me, compassion hit my heart.  I was overwhelmed with the pain and suffering of this hurting individual.  No matter if his current predicament was self-inflicted or if there was a wrong motive in his heart, he was lost, in a trap, deceived and didn’t even know it.  Like all of us once were, he was lost and alone, far from God.  It didn’t matter what the intention of his heart was at that moment, he was still loved by God.  So loved that God sent His very own precious Son to die for this person and pay the penalty for all his sin.

Today’s scripture is about Jesus and the compassion He had for a leper.  His compassion produced healing in this man because healing was his immediate need and what he asked for.  However, like those we often come across today, this man not only needed healed but he also needed a Savior.  By giving to those in need, we may be helping with an immediate need, but if we give purposefully and with the message of love and salvation, we can also be pointing them toward the salvation they so desperately need.

Today I want to encourage you to intentionally become more compassionate.  Ask the LORD to make you aware of the hurting and lost people around you.   Purpose ahead of time a gift amount and words of encouragement.  Lastly, ask the LORD to lead you to those who are ready to receive His love and be ready to be obedient when He shows you who to reach out to.  You can be the one who changes someone’s life for all eternity.

Today’s scripture reading:  Matthew 8:1-4

1 When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him.

2 And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”

3 Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

4 And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”  

The Sword of His Word

Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.  Revelation 19:15

• A sharp sword goes out of His mouth to strike the nations
• He will rule with a rod of iron
• He treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of God Almighty
• On His robe and thigh, a name is written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS

When I was young, I always imagined this scene of Jesus with the sword in His mouth to be an actual sword that comes out of His mouth and with one move of His head He wipes out all the armies of the world with an actual blade that reach over the distance of the Jezreel Valley.  Seriously, if you google the image of the sharp sword that goes out of His mouth, that is exactly what you will see.  However, I now realize that Jesus does not carry a metal blade around in His mouth to pull out when His enemy gets close. We have many scriptures to back up the fact that the sword of His mouth or the sword of the Spirit is the Word of God.

When Jesus began His ministry here in the world, He defeated His enemy, the devil in the wilderness by speaking the Word of God.  He used the weapon of God’s word that hit Satan three times until He was defeated.

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ” Matthew 4:4

Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ” Matthew 4:7

Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”  Matthew 4:10

We also know that God’s Word is part of the armor of God in Ephesians 6.

 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; Ephesians 6:17

In Hebrews we read that He is holding everything up by the Word of His power. Hebrews also tells us that God’s Word is a living force that is sharper than any material sword we can possess.

Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power (powerful Word), when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, Hebrews 1:3

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  Hebrews 4:12

Now I get it!  The Word of God is the ultimate weapon that can defeat all enemies that come against us. The sharp sword coming out of His mouth is the power of His word to judge and conquer. What a great discovery this was for me!  It didn’t take me long to learn that if Jesus defeated His enemy with the Word of God, He was giving me an example of how to chase off the enemy when that old serpent tries to trip me up.  I have an entire artillery of God’s Word at my disposal, and I have been given authority to use it.  This revelation changed my perspective in life forever.  I no longer had to be a victim of circumstances and I didn’t have to take the abuse of any enemy when it tried to push me around with guilt and condemnation.  I have the almighty power of the sword of God’s word that I can put in the place of temptation, disease, condemnation, fear and anxiety.  Thank You Father, God for giving me the weapon of Your Word and with it I will defeat every giant that tries to take over my life and put me in shame.

This portion of Revelation 19 ends with Jesus’ rule with an iron scepter and His treading of the winepress of God’s wrath to demonstrate His ultimate authority and power over all nations. This gives me hope that no force of evil can withstand His mighty word and eternal plan.

The inscription on His robe and thigh, “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS,” not only shows His supreme position above all rulers and authorities, but it also reminds me that we, who return with Him and reign with Him are the kings that He is King of and the lords that He is Lord of.  I am assured of the ultimate victory of good over evil and the establishment of His eternal kingdom by the promise of this vision. I am eternally grateful that this book of Revelation was given to the apostle John and preserved through the ages so that I could know in part that He has left me with hope of my future with Him for all eternity.

So today I want to encourage you to fill up with that hope and get excited that you are no longer subject to the enemy’s blows.  You have been given the power to live your life by the Word of His power.  You can take His promises and speak them over your life and the lives of those He has entrusted to your care.  If you do not already have a time each day that you look into His Word, the perfect law of liberty, start doing it today.  Make it a priority to learn and meditate the promises He has for you.  In this day we live in we have unlimited access to all of the scripture.  It is a generation like none other before ours.  Not only is that a great honor and privilege, but it is also a great responsibility.  When we stand before Him, we will have no excuse for living below every promise He has given in His word.  Start today to make His Word the ultimate authority in your life.  We no longer have to stand in agreement with our problems and troubles, but instead we must get into agreement with what He has said about our lives.  His Word does not return void results but will bring success to every situation we apply it to and don’t give in to the pressures of of the natural circumstances.

Today’s scripture reading: Revelation 19:15-16

 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 

16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

A robe dipped in blood

^{He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. Revelation 19:13}

As we continue reading through the descriptive passage of Jesus’ return to rule on the earth, I will include the next part of the list that I posted yesterday.

• Clothed with a robe dipped in blood
• His name called the Word of God
• The armies in heaven followed Him on white horses
• They are clothed in fine linen white and clean

Picking up in verse 13 we see a continuation of the heavens opened and the forces of heaven coming down to the earth.  It is an awesome sight and the armies of the world have gathered together prepared for a battle that they have no chance of winning.

Verse 13 starts with describing Jesus clothed in a robe dipped in blood.  This is something that I do not thing I can imagine correctly.  I struggle with the idea of Jesus wearing blood-stained clothes or does dipped in blood mean He is wearing a red robe that has been completely dyed with His blood He shed on the cross.  Upon looking closer, the blood on Jesus’ robe reminds me of His sacrificial death on the cross. Jesus, the Lamb of God, shed His blood to obliterate the sins of the world. His sacrifice is the very foundation of our faith and the complete and extravagant gift of God’s love and grace. This robe dipped in blood shows us the redemption and salvation that Jesus secured for all who believe in Him.  As we ride with Him on that day, we will remember the price He paid for us to be with Him in this great victory we are about to experience.  This robe dipped in blood also reminds us of Jesus victory over sin, death and evil.  Through His death burial and resurrection, Jesus triumphed over all the powers of darkness, breaking the chains of sin and defeating death itself.  Now, at that time, the blood dipped robe will be seen as the judgment that He brings against the wicked and the demonstration of divine justice over evil.

Next, we see the armies of heaven, dressed in fine linen, following Him. The fine linen is pure and spotless without blemish, righteous in Him as we will be when we are with Him in heaven.   The inscription on His robe and thigh, “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS,” declares His supreme position above all rulers and authorities. This vision of His return assures us of the ultimate victory of God’s goodness over Satan’s evil and the establishes His eternal kingdom.  I love that we will be on white horses too.  I didn’t realize this until reading through this time.  I knew we would be on horses, but in my mind, I thought He was the only one with the white horse.  I believe this is a display of the pure union that we have been given with Him as the bride of Christ.

Although we do not have our glorified bodies today like we will when we ride with Him, we can still feel that same hope and encouragement today as we will on that day.  Jesus is the same now as He will be then and He is the One who always gives us the victory in every circumstance we face.

So today, I want to encourage you to reflect on the triumphant return of Jesus deacribed in this 19^th chapter of Revelation.  Be strengthened by His faithfulness, inspired by His justice, reassured by His holiness, empowered by His word, and filled with the hope of His ultimate victory.  In a world of uncertainties, the promise of our Savior’s return and His reign as King of kings and Lord of lords gives us an unshakeable foundation and a source of encouragement for anything that life throws at us today.  Celebrate the victory that He has given to you and then share it with someone who doesn’t even know about it yet.

Today’s scripture reading: Revelation 19:13-14

13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 

14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.