Monday, June 16, 2014

Focus on the finish work and live free!



He was despised and rejected by people, one who experienced pain and was acquainted with illness; people hid their faces from him; he was despised, and we considered him insignificant. But he lifted up our illnesses, he carried our pain; even though we thought he was being punished, attacked by God, and afflicted for something he had done. He was wounded because of our rebellious deeds, crushed because of our sins; he endured punishment that made us well; because of his wounds we have been healed. Isaiah 53:3-5
"Jesus knew now that His work had been accomplished, and the Hebrew Scriptures were being fulfilled. 
Jesus: I am thirsty. 
A jar of sour wine had been left there, so they took a hyssop branch with a sponge soaked in the vinegar and put it to His mouth. When Jesus drank, He spoke: 
Jesus: It is finished!" John 19:28-30 Voice
The price for our healing is paid in full. We can now freely receive from Him. This is wonderful news. This should make every born again heart shout with resounding praise. The best way to receive is to get our focus off our circumstances, off our experiences, and off traditions and objections. We should instead look intently at His provision. At times however, we have hindrances that try and weigh us down. Their primary objective is to get us off focus of Christ's finished work. These weights typically compel us to center on ourselves.

What are these weights? Many ideas will immediately rush into our minds. Is it sin? That's got to be the biggest weight, right? Actually, sin is not a weight. Read Hebrews 12:1
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 
Weights and sins seem to be distinguished apart from each other here. Besides sin was dealt with by Jesus. If our sin presently makes God withhold from us then God would be punishing us after Jesus already bore the full punishment for our sins. God is never punishing us. Now to be clear. Sins do still have natural consequences and they bring about a corrupting influence upon us. So the "punishment" some sense is not God withholding blessing or afflicting them. It is the direct consequence of a foolish decision. 

So if it's not sin then what are these hindering weights? I believe they are three major hindrances that can apply to many areas in our daily lives. I want to expose these weights to the light of God's love and grace and let them slip off our lives. 

1. Unbelief

Unbelief is a weight that pressures us to reject God's Word. It brings us to a place where we say no to God. God's healing flow is hindered when we reject it. 
And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them.  And he was amazed at their unbelief. Mark 6:5-6a
Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief... Hebrews 3:12a
Unbelief is an evil heart. Why? Because it rejects the love and goodness and grace of God. What is the key to lay aside this weight?
Then Jesus went from village to village, teaching the people. 
Mark 6:6b
Jesus cures unbelief by teaching the Word. It is simply taking God at His Word. When we accept His Word as truth, this weight is removed. It simply falls away. 

2. Strife

For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.             James 3:16
Strife is that fussing and always offended, and always seeking its own way mentality. We see here that where strife is evil follows. This fussy attitude or way of thinking harms one's health. It will hinder the healing flow. Yes, the healing is accomplished. Yet, if one persists in this thinking pattern they're stepping away from the flow to focus on their, "Right to be right," if you will. How do we lay aside this weight?
Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Philippians 2:3
Esteeming others over yourself is the key. In other words giving others the right of way. It is walking in His love. We can love with His love because He first loved us. Trust God to take care of you and be a blessing to others. Then the, I must fight and fuss thinking, loses its appeal and this weight will fall by the wayside. 

3. Unforgiveness

Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Colossians 3:13
Walking in unforgiveness towards others hinders us and actually has detrimental effects on our health. Read what Pastor Joseph Prince wrote about forgiveness here. Again, healing is a finished work. Yet if one harbors unforgiveness it is like grasping a live electric wire and continually holding onto it. All the while asking for medical treatment for the burns afflicted.  Medical assistance couldn't do anything until the wire is relinquished. That's why we need to let things go. Don't hold onto offense, it produces bitterness. Unforgiveness is really like drinking poison to make another sick. What is the key to freedom from this weight? 
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you
Ephesians 4:32
As we have already been forgiven, we should forgive. Grace supplied us with forgiveness. We just respond with the forgiveness God already gave us, towards others. This allows this weight to fall away effortlessly.

Now we know how to be free from these weights we can run the grace race and finish our course. We can freely receive all God has for us in this life. Thanks again for taking the time to read these articles. I pray this post has blessed you. Please consider sharing with others if this has blessed you. At the top right you can sign up via email so you won't miss any posts. May the Lord bless you this week. 




"Image courtesy of Stuart Miles/freedigitalphotos.net."

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