Posted on 12/31/2021 12:48:43 PM PST by Jim W N
Do we have an alternative to the strife and oft-failed “New Year’s Resolutions”?
Here are some notes I’ve written down the last few days while reading the wonderful 365-day devotional, “Destined To Reign Devotional” by Joseph Prince. Can’t find the contents of the devotional online anymore. Looks like you’ll just have to buy it, but it is well worth it. This is my tenth year through it and it continues to offer blessings and revelations.
To bless you going into the new year, I thought I’d share some notes below that I wrote down for each referenced devotion:
Date: December 28 Devotional Title: Your Problem Must Bow to Jesus’ Name
My notes:
I think sometimes the greatest challenge is letting Jesus into the midst of the problem, letting him have the problem, and letting go of the problem. We’ve lived our whole lives trying to solve our problems. Our flesh is inherently prideful and often wants to hold onto our problems because of addiction to the “self-glory” tree of living our own lives our way and solving our own problems our way.
The world, the flesh, and the devil say, “Do it yourself”, but scripture says “cast all of your cares upon him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). Jesus has redeemed us from the world, the flesh and the devil. Being born again, we are in the world but not of the world (John 15:19). The law of the Spirit of life allows us to follow after the life and peace of the Spirit setting us free from the law of sin and death of following after the flesh. And Jesus, who is greater than Satan, has given us all power over the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19).
By grace, Jesus has released us from all of Satan’s judicial claims and condemnation over us by becoming sin for us thereby forgiving us all of our sins and giving us his righteousness as a gift (2 Corinthians 5:21). We, therefore, reign in life over all things (Romans 5:17) with no condemnation (Romans 8:1), defeating all of Satan’s weapons formed against us (Isaiah 54:17).
Jesus wants to take and solve our problems – we just need to let him. If we have a problem but are unable to name it or identify it, pray in the spirit (pray in tongues) until we have peace. If the problem is having a bleak outlook on our lives and future, declare,
“I am anxious for nothing but everything in my life is in God’s hands, regardless of how bleak circumstances appear. My God has all my life and circumstances in his loving and powerful hands; therefore, anxiety and fear of a bleak present or bleak future is a lie. My moments and future are filled with God’s love, presence, and blessings.”
As we run with patience the race that is set before us (Heb. 12:1), let us learn by grace to let Christ reign over our problems and our lives. At some point, may we relinquish every aspect of our lives to him so that our lives no longer belong to ourselves but to him.
In giving our problems and our lives to him, our efforts will cease to be focused on ourselves and our problems because they are all in Jesus’ hands. Instead, we will be free to focus our lives and efforts on Jesus, gaining greater and greater revelation of and intimacy with him. As we grow in grace and in greater knowledge, understanding, and revelation of the One who loves us and gave himself for us, we experience God’ promise of a long and satisfying life as God shows us his salvation (“salvation” = “Yeshua” = “Jesus”) (Psalm 91:16). Thank you Jesus.
Date: December 31 Title: It Is Finished!
My notes:
This is a clever and encouraging title and message for the last day of the year. And yet, I think it might even be more appropriate for the first day of the new year. “It is finished” (John 19:30) is where we start (as well as end). We start with total forgiveness, righteousness, and every blessing. In Christ, we have God’s love, presence, and blessings moment by moment forever.
Yet, there “remains a rest to the people of God” (Hebrews 4:9). What kind of rest? Ceasing from our own fleshly self-efforts and strife as God ceased from his works (Heb. 4:10). So we still have before us to “run with patience the race that is set before us looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured…” (Hebrews 12:1-2).
Lord, may I by resting and flowing in your finished works cease from my own fleshly self efforts and for the joy that is set before me, run with patience the race that is set before me. Amen.
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