Encouragement
It Is Finished! (John 19:28-30)
“After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His Spirit.”
Jesus suffered for many hours, from the time He was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. After being interrogated for hours by the leaders of the Pharisees, He was forced to wear a purple robe and a crown of thorns while the Roman soldiers mocked and ridiculed Him. His blood flowed out for you and me, as He was scourged and wounded for sins that were not His own. Finally, as the Lamb of God hung upon the cross between life and death, exhausted and in agony, He knew that He had done everything that had to be done. He was ready to leave this earthly life. His flesh gasped for a cooling drink of water, but He was given a sponge full of sour wine.
Dear friend, when Jesus received the sour wine that day, He drank a cup that was filled with all the sorrow, bitterness and sourness that the world has offered to humanity from the dawning of time. Every disappointment, hurt and offence, every betrayal you have experienced was in that cup that day. Not only did Jesus pay the price for all the sins and all the sicknesses of the world, but He drank down every heartache and bitter wound, every trauma, abuse and hateful word, every bit of abandonment, neglect and loss. He took the burden of it upon Himself. Just a few hours prior to this moment, while He celebrated the Passover with His disciples, Jesus shared another cup with His friends. As they each drank of the sweet red grape juice that day, He said to them “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you” (Luke 22:20). It was a promise of the ultimate gift of love. It was also the start of a new dispensation, sealed by His blood. The Lover of our souls laid down His own life to prove His absolute love! The disciples partook of the crimson cup, and stepped into the eternal covenant of His holy, redemptive love. It was a heavenly exchange!
Today the Holy Spirit invites us to drink of the sweetness of Jesus’ cup of love. He drank the sour cup so that we would not have to drink it. He bore the stripes upon His back, the piercings on His hands and feet, the thorns upon His brow and the spear in His side. By His wounds we have been healed (Isaiah 53:5), because of His blood we are forgiven. He became sin that we could become God’s righteousness through Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). The power of every bitter cup that satan could ever bring to us is cancelled by the cup of salvation, the cup of the new covenant blood, hallelujah! His body was broken and His blood was shed for your salvation, your freedom, your healing. The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy but Jesus came to give us life and more abundantly! (John 10:10). Whatever you are going through today dear friend, come back to that moment when Jesus drank the sour wine and declared that it is finished. He did all that had to be done. He paid the final price for our redemption. We are under the Blood of the atonement and His love has set us free. Drink afresh today, and each time you receive of His cup and drink of the Bread. Receive all the powerful reality of what Jesus purchased on your behalf. It is possible to be more than conquerors; it is possible to live in the joy of His presence. It is possible to live in the holiness and the glory that Jesus paid for. He settled the final account and it truly is finished! Every temptation or trial, sickness, oppression or attack of the enemy which you could ever face has already been paid for by the powerful blood of the precious Lamb of God. He won and therefore you win too! “Lord Jesus, this day I thank You for the reality of Your sacrifice. You drank the bitter cup so that I would not have to drink it. You laid Your life down so that I could be free. I choose to receive all that You have done. Fill Me with the Holy Spirit this day and take me deeper into all the awesomeness of who You are. I believe that You have done it all and that it truly is finished. In Jesus’ name, amen!”
It is true that there is much pain and violence around the world and attacks of fear and hatred, bringing anxiety and uncertainty. All the more we need to stand on the power of the Blood, and the power of the name of Jesus. All the more we need to believe and receive all that He has done. This week, as people all over the world remember the power of the cross and the resurrection, let the Holy Spirit stir in you a fresh revelation that the price Has been paid and the battle is won, and be blessed today and always because of what Jesus has done!
Minoli Haththotuwa, 23 March 2016
www.risingonwings.org
PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
This article has been read 694 times < Previous | Next >
Free Reprints
Main Site Articles
Most Read Articles
Highly Acclaimed Challenge Articles.
New Release Christian Books for Free for a Simple Review.
NEW - Surprise Me With an Article - Click here for a random URL
God is Not Against You - He Came on an All Out Rescue Mission to Save You
...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them... 2 Cor 5:19
Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38
LEARN & TRUST JESUS HERE
FaithWriters offers Christian reading material for Christian readers. We offer Christian articles, Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction, Christian Bible studies, Christian poems, Christian articles for sale, free use Christian articles, Christian living articles, New Covenant Christian Bible Studies, Christian magazine articles and new Christian articles. We write for Jesus about God, the Bible, salvation, prayer and the word of God.