“…Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2
When Abraham heard that his nephew, Lot, was taken captive by the four kings who had invaded Sodom, he only had 318 men from his household. He had to look at things differently in order to rescue his nephew. God gave him a strategy and wisdom, and he defeated the armies of four kings with just 318 men.
When David was anointed King of Israel, the Philistines heard it and plotted to take him down. When they mounted against him, he inquired of the LORD, and the LORD gave him a strategy that crushed the Philistines!
Where do YOU LOOK when the pressure is on and the enemy thinks he has you cornered? Where do you look when it seems like defeat is inevitable and there are more who are against you than those who are for you? Do you look at the problem, or to the One who has answers and strategies? He’s the one with the REAL PLAN, and He knows the WAY OUT!
When Paul and Silas were thrown into the inner part of a prison in Philippi (Acts 16), we know where they were looking. They were looking to the One they always looked to in good times and bad. They lifted their voices in praise to God. And then… there was an earthquake that shook the prison and opened all the prison doors!
Our scripture today tells us where to look. “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Jesus authored an undefeatable faith and handed it over to us to do the same! He kept looking to the JOY that was set before Him, and I believe that JOY had A LOTto do with you and me! After all, He did die for you! Now, He is at the right hand of God, and has everything in place and locked in position! He’s just looking for us to see things the way He does. When we do, we’ll think like Him, walk like Him, talk like Him, and we’ll see that there’s always another way to see things – God’s Way!
With Love,
Pastor Tom