How does this happen? Usually someone tells them that God won’t accept them or bless them or be pleased with them unless they perform for Jesus. Dead religious works are sold with respectable labels like “responsibility,” “good works,” “mission,” “sowing,” and “investing.” I am not against these things! What I am opposed to is the diabolical lie that says God’s favor depends on me doing them.

Do you know that you are saved by grace and kept by grace?

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him.” (Col 2:6)

How did you receive Him? By faith. How should you continue to live in Him? By faith! It’s faith in God’s grace from start to finish. Are you living by the faith of the Son of God? Or have you taken out a little works insurance? As Watchman Nee put it, the choice is between trying and trusting. You can try or you can trust but you can’t do both. Are you a tryer or a truster?

I have proclaimed the true gospel elsewhere. I have also listed some of the common ways the gospel is perverted along with some signs that you might be living under self-imposed law. What I want to give you here is a simple test to help you determine whether the gospel message you’re trusting in is the same gospel that Jesus revealed and Paul preached. It’s a simple test. Just ask yourself the following four questions. If your answers are all yes, then rejoice, for you are living on pure, undiluted grace!

1.    Does this gospel cause me to fix my eyes exclusively on Jesus?

Does this message focus on me or does it cause me to fix my eyes on the Author and Finisher of my faith? Does it emphasize what I’m doing (or not doing), or does it emphasize His finished work on the cross? Does it make me introspective and anxious or Christ-conscious and grateful?

A true gospel preacher will always seek to reveal more and more of Jesus. It took me years to realize this. When I began preaching in the 1990s, I used to preach on the kingdom. I loved the kingdom and I still do. But I now realize that my love for the kingdom was really a love for the King. Now I just preach of this Great King who loves me and gave Himself for me. Now I just preach Jesus.

Preachers, do you need a message on healing? Then preach Jesus! Do you need a series on overcoming, giving, wisdom, holiness, faith, warfare, marriage, family life, outreach, helping the poor, deliverance, Leviticus, the Tabernacle, etc? Then preach Jesus!

Whatever your need, your answer is found in Jesus and His finished work. That’s why Paul resolved to know nothing but “Christ and Him crucified” (1 Co 2:2). Any message that doesn’t reveal Jesus will likely be powerless substitute, a flesh-trip, and a wasted opportunity. Jesus is the supreme manifestation of the character and purpose of God. Any message that diminishes Jesus, insults the Spirit of grace. Jesus is peerless and nothing compares to Him. He has become for us wisdom from God and I will boast (preach) of nothing else (1 Co 1:30-31).

2.    Does this gospel increase my dependence on Jesus?

Jesus said, “apart from me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5). Sadly, much is being done apart from Jesus and most of it will amount to nothing! Instead of healing the sick, raising the dead and driving out demons – the very things Jesus said His followers would do – we’re doing other stuff. And because we’re so busy doing other stuff we’re worn out and missing opportunities to do the works and greater works of Jesus.

Let me put your mind at rest right now: I guarantee that in your own strength you cannot heal the sick and raise the dead. Don’t even try. But Christ in you can do these and greater things! Do you trust Him? Working out your salvation with fear and trembling describes the adventure of learning to do impossible things with Jesus. Here’s the test: The true gospel will always inspire you to take risks in His Name, but a false gospel promotes activity in your own name.

3.    Does this gospel empower me to overcome sin?

There are two ways to deal with sin; (1) preach law or (2) reveal grace. A law-based message will stir up the flesh in a human-powered quest for a change in behavior. This approach is inherently flawed for the purpose of the law is to inflame sin (Rm 7:5). Thus, any “success” with this approach will only lead to the graver sins of pride, self-righteousness, and the truly fatal sin of unbelief in the grace of a good God. Ultimately the law is powerless to deal with sin because it leaves the heart untouched (Col 2:23). Worse, it releases condemnation (which some mistake for conviction) and ministers death, just as it was designed to do (2 Co 3:7,9).

Grace declares that Jesus conquered all sin on the cross (He 9:26). You are not holy because of your behavior but His (1 Co 1:30). A preacher of grace will deal very practically with sin by seeking to reveal your true identity in Christ. You are a new creation with a new nature. Your old sin software has been nailed to the cross and you are no longer sin’s slave (Rm 6:6,20). Appetites are dealt with by recognizing who you are in Christ and reckoning your old self as dead. Again, the focus is on Jesus, not you. Jesus was tempted in every way yet was without sin. As you rest in Him, you will find grace to help you in your time of need (Heb 4:15-16).

The law does not provide useful guidelines for Christian living. We turn rules into idols when we put our faith in them instead of Christ. The Bible is very clear; the law empowers sin (1 Cor 15:56) and only a revelation of God’s grace can teach us to say no to ungodliness (Tit 2:12). Here’s the test: a false gospel will keep you sin-conscious, but the true gospel will make you Christ-conscious. Which describes you? Are you sin-conscious or Christ-conscious?

4.    Does this gospel release peace and joy?

The kingdom of heaven is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rm 14:17). If the gospel you’re listening to doesn’t reveal Jesus and the gift of His righteousness, then you will never experience the peace and joy that comes with it. It really is all about Jesus. He took our sin and gave us His righteousness (2 Co 5:21). This is what the gospel reveals – a righteousness from God that is received by faith from first to last (Rm 1:17). When you know that God has made you as righteous as Jesus, you will be empowered to reign in life (Rm 5:17).

This test is actually about righteousness: Are you resting in His or are you trying to impress Him with yours? A false gospel will seek to manufacture righteousness through works and holy living. By prescribing a course of action for you to take, it will instantly fail the above three tests. It will burden you with loads you cannot carry and expectations you cannot live up to. Before you know it, you will be as stressed and joyless as Martha.

Here’s the test. If you stopped doing the things you are doing for Jesus, would you feel guilty? What if you sinned, stopped giving, or skipped church? I’m not encouraging you to do any of these things – sin is stupid. But someone who knows they are clothed with His righteousness will never battle guilt and condemnation. Even when they sin they will sense the Holy Spirit convicting them of their continued righteousness in Christ (Jn 16:10). Conversely, one who’s bought into a false gospel will never know lasting peace. Even when they’ve performed there will always be a sense of “but have I done enough?”

Paul began every one of his letters with the phrase, “Grace and peace to you from God the Father.” It is only a revelation of God’s favor that brings true peace. Know grace, know peace. Worldly peace is temporary, but the peace of God – that sense that everything is coming together for good because you belong to Jesus and His favor rests on you – passes understanding (Php 4:7). It fortifies your heart and mind so that in all circumstances you find yourself overflowing with thankfulness (Col 2:7). No matter how severe your trial, you will be able to find rest – indeed, even joy – in His mighty, loving arms (Php 4:4).

So how did your gospel do? If you honestly answered no to any of these four questions, then I have Good News for you.
___
Related posts:
- Are you religious? Take the test
- Two religions: Works and blood
- Be earnest and repent (Rev 3:19)

If you’ve been following this short series on prayer, I’m hoping you can spot at least two things wrong with these statements. First, it is always God’s will to heal the sick just as it is always His will to save the lost. Jesus died to save us and His atonement provides for our forgiveness, healing, deliverance and provision. Second, there’s no power in asking God to do something He’s already done. As we saw in Part 1, Jesus instructed us to “heal the sick,” not “ask God to heal the sick.” And as we saw in Part 2, Jesus wants us to speak directly to our mountains.

On my journey I have discovered that there is a huge difference between the traditional view of prayer and what the Bible teaches. We have already looked at six differences. Here is one more:

Traditional: Sometimes the answer is no
Biblical: God is faithful!

Some people will tell you that God hasn’t answered your prayers because you are not doing enough works. They’ll say you’re out of fellowship with Him or you haven’t pounded the gates of heaven or you haven’t confessed all of your sins. Others will try and manage your expectations with doctrine based on their experience rather than His word. Listen to these sorts of people and I guarantee it’ll neutralize your faith.

We need to rest in Jesus’ promise that whatever we ask in His name we shall receive (Jn 14:13, 16:24). “Ask me,” says Jesus, “and I will do it” (Jn 14:14). What is the key to doing the works and greater works of Jesus? It is simple faith in Jesus Christ (Jn 14:12). But sometimes we pray and there is no immediate manifestation. The sickness lingers. Does that mean God said no? Not according to Matthew 21:22 and John 16:24. Let God be true and every man a liar! God’s faithfulness is the one constant in the equation. He is the Rock on which we stand.

Daniel famously prayed two prayers that were both answered instantly. But the manifestation of one prayer took a few minutes, while the other took three weeks (Dan 9:23, 10:12). What was the variable? Not God! In Daniel’s case there was demonic resistance to the second prayer.

One reason why our problems sometimes linger is because the enemy is challenging our authority. He wants to see how serious we are. What should we do? Should we quit? Should we ask God to take over? No. Be encouraged. The devil will flee when we resist him and we do that by submitting to God and His rock-solid promises (Jas 4:7). That sword in your hand isn’t for decorative purposes. Use it! Here’s Andrew Wommack in his book A Better Way to Pray:

“When I minister healing to someone, I’ll pray for them two, three, four, or more times. I don’t care! I’m willing to pray for them until I rub all the hair off of their head! However, I’m not going back to God and saying, ‘Father, it didn’t work the first time. Let it work now, please!’ No! I believe it happened because God is faithful. He gave, but something’s wrong with our receiver. So I work on it. If the devil withstands one dose of the Holy Spirit, I’ll shoot him again! Just like Jesus did with the blind man of Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26), I pray until I see the answer manifest. You need to get this attitude that God is faithful and He’s already met your need before you ever had it.” (p.125)

Understand that we’re not fighting to get the victory; we’re fighting to enforce the victory that Christ has already won. Satan and sickness were disarmed at the cross (Col 2:15). That’s why we’re called to stand rather than advance (Eph 6:13). We’re not taking ground, we’re holding ground that’s already ours through Christ. So stand firm and declare God’s word over your circumstances. Your tongue holds the power of life and death (Pro 18:21), so proclaim life and grace and health and freedom over your situation.

If the devil’s one variable, guess who’s the other? We’ll find out in the fourth and final part of this series.
___
Related posts:

I have had many good teachers but much of what I write here has been inspired by Andrew Wommack’s helpful book, A Better Way to Pray. If you want to dig deeper or if you have questions, I strongly recommend that you get a hold of this book.

In Part 1 of this study I outlined five contrasts between the traditional and Biblical ways to pray. Probably the most important lesson I have learned so far, is that Jesus wants us to speak directly to our mountains.

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered.  “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mk 11:22-24)

When you are faced with a mountain-sized problem, the temptation is to run and tell God all about it. But He already knows about your problem and He’s already provided everything you need to overcome it. Perhaps you need healing. He has already provided it (1 Pe 2:24). Perhaps you need finances. Already done (2 Co 8:9). As usual, your heavenly Father is a million steps ahead of you.

Don’t talk to God about your mountain; talk to your mountain about God! Okay, so what do you say? How do you talk to a mountain? Well you could talk about your mighty King whose name is above every name (Ph 2:9). Your mountain has a name. Cancer has a name. Depression has a name. God has commanded that all these things must bow to the name of Jesus (Ph 2:10). Wommack suggests you could pray like this:

“Father, thank You that Your name is above every name… These things the doctor told me are in my body have names. You are above them all! Thank You that You are greater, stronger, and more powerful than all of this.” (pp.33-34)

Notice how we have begun by focusing on our mighty Father and not the problem. In small groups there is a temptation to gather around our problems, but in that way lies death. We are to gather around the name of Jesus. Sometimes this is not easy! When we’ve heard bad news there is often a battle between fear and faith. We have to strive to enter His rest. But don’t pray while you are full of fear. Fear will get you speaking worry and negativity turning your prayers into words of death. “What he says will happen,” said Jesus. So watch your words and take care where you put your faith.

The best thing to do with your anxieties is cast them on the Lord (Ps 55:22). Fortify your mind by declaring God’s promises to yourself. When I’m battling with a bad report my two favorite words are, “Surely He…” (Is 53:4). He surely did! Praise Him for it. Then when faith has risen in your heart, you are ready to deal with the problem:

“Father, this is so small in comparison to what You’re able to do. I shouldn’t even have to ask, but the doctor did say I’m going to die. So since Jesus has already provided my healing, I’ll just receive it!” (p.34)

Traditional: Faith moves God.
Biblical: Faith moves mountains.

God has supplied everything you need by grace (Eph 1:3). Faith doesn’t move God to do what He’s already done; faith moves mountains. Praise the Lord for carrying all your infirmities on the cross and then command your mountain to bow to Jesus. Jesus said all authority on heaven and earth had been given to Him (Mt 28:18). He has jurisdiction everywhere and there is no place your mountain can hide from His authority. The problem you are confronting may be the result of a generational curse, bad DNA, bad behavior or whatever. It doesn’t matter. Jesus is Lord. Period. When we pray in Jesus’ name, we are re-presenting His cross-wrought victory and His irresistible authority:

“I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” (Lk 10:19)

Have faith in God and speak to your mountain! “Rebuke with all authority” (Tit 2:15) and send it into the sea.

In Part 3 of this study, I want to look at how we can respond when our prayers seem to go unanswered. Stay tuned!
___
Related posts:

But seriously, do you fear that Jesus might remove your name from His book? Is this something that concerns you? It shouldn’t.

The most important book in the universe

If you haven’t heard, the Book of Life lists all those who are saved for eternity. Revelations chapter 20 speaks of a day when the books are opened and the dead are judged according to what they have done. But in terms of your salvation, only one book matters and it’s the Lamb’s Book of Life. If your name is not in this book, you’re cooked:

“If anyone’s name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Rev 20:15)

I don’t want to belittle this. It’s very important to make sure that your name is recorded in this book. (If Jesus knows you, you’re in!) But if your name is already recorded in His book, should you be worried about being blotted out? Under the old covenant, the answer seemed to be yes!

“The LORD replied to Moses, ‘Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my Book.’” (Exo 32:33)

Under the old covenant, your performance mattered a great deal. You were blessed if you were faithful, but condemned if you weren’t. This meant that people were very conscious of their behavior. They knew that their sins could lead to dire consequences. Under the old covenant you might even pray for your enemies like this:

“May they be blotted out of the Book of Life and not be listed with the righteous.” (Psa 69:28)

But we don’t live under that old sin-conscious covenant. We live under the new and better covenant of God’s grace. Under grace, your performance affects your standing before God not one bit. Jesus did it all. We are not blessed because we are faithful but because He is faithful.

Mixing covenants

So why are Christians afraid that Jesus will blot their names out of His book? Their fear stems from an old covenant interpretation of a new covenant promise. I am sure you know the promise I am referring to. It is found in the exhortation Jesus’ gave to the church in Sardis:

“He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the Book of Life, but will acknowledge his name before My Father and His angels.” (Rev 3:5)

Here Jesus gives us a wonderful assurance of our eternal salvation. He is promising that He will never blot out our names. Never means never! Yet some read this as if Jesus might yet do the very thing He promised not to do. (If Jesus has promised He won’t do something, but you think He might, isn’t that a bit like calling God a liar?)

Someone with an old covenant mindset looks at this verse and sees only conditions for salvation. They think, “I have to overcome to qualify. If I don’t overcome, I’m going to be blotted out.” To read the verse in this way is to dismiss the cross and make the grace of God of no effect.

But someone with a new covenant mindset looks at this verse in a completely different way. They think, “Jesus has overcome the world and now lives in me. I don’t overcome to qualify – I am qualified by Christ and I now carry His overcoming nature. This is not some test I have to pass, but a wonderful promise regarding my inheritance.” (See 1 Jn 4:4, 5:5, Jn 16:33, and Col 1:12.)

God has perfect knowledge. When He added your name to His book He knew everything you had done and everything you were going to do. There is nothing you can do that will surprise Him, nothing that would cause Him to shake His head with disappointment and say, “I made a mistake adopting that one.” The good news is that God doesn’t make mistakes. When He added you to His book it was for all eternity.

The new thing

There’s only one thing of yours that God promises to blot out, and it’s not your name – it’s your sins:

“I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” (Isa 43:25)

God promised to blot out all your sins and He did that already. This was the “new thing” foretold by the prophet Isaiah (43:19). Under the old covenant, men’s sins were counted against them. But when Jesus met all the demands of the law at the cross, all your sins were blotted out. Your sin is no longer being imputed to you (2 Cor 5:19). Why did He blot out your sins? He did it for His own sake, because He loves us, and so that we might be reconciled to Him.

If your name is in His book, you have nothing to fear on Judgment Day. If all your sins were blotted out at the cross, then there is no sin left that could get your name removed from His book. This is the gospel of grace. It was new news for Isaiah, is old news for us, but is still good news for everyone.

___
Related posts:
- Why repentance is like football
- Rev 3:21: To him who overcomes
- Php 2:12: Fear and trembling

This is a verse that religious-types love to quote. They use it to say that salvation is something we need to work for, that we must tip-toe fearfully through life lest we upset a wrathful God and find ourselves thrown into hell. It sounds spiritual, but it’s an anti-christ message that insults the Spirit of grace.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Jesus did it all! His work was perfectly perfect and completely complete. Because of His sacrifice you have been made perfect forever. As He is, so are you. Rest in Him.

Work out your own salvation…

But what does it mean to “work out your own salvation”? We have this idea that salvation equals forgiveness, but it is so much more than that. Salvation here is the word soteria which includes “deliverance, preservation, safety, and salvation.” It is a picture of a new life where all your needs – your need for forgiveness, deliverance, healing, provision – are supplied according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Ph 4:19). On the cross Jesus provided for your complete salvation, your complete healing, and your complete deliverance. If your old way of life was characterized by poverty, curses and never enough, then your new life in Christ is one of abundance, blessings and more than enough.

But you might say, I don’t see it. I’m not healthy. I’m not prospering. I’m not overcoming. Then work it out. Don’t ask Jesus to come – He’s come already! Don’t ask Him to provide – He’s provided already! He forgave you and healed you at the cross. You lack nothing (Eph 1:3). The problem with asking God to do things He’s already done is that it makes us passive and requires no faith. In Philippians 2 Paul is exhorting us not to be idle but to work out in our own lives the implications of His powerful sacrifice. It begins by changing the way you think. Renew your mind. Look to the empty tomb, behold the glory of your risen King, and declare His goodness and grace over your situation. Grace and peace will be multiplied to you as you grow in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord (2 Pet 1:2).

For more on what it means to work out your salvation, I encourage you to read this excellent article by my friend Cornel Marais. But today I want to focus on the second part of the verse…

…with fear and trembling

I used to think that this phrase was describing our proper state before God – that we should be afraid and tremble because even after a lifetime of service God might judge that we haven’t done enough for Him. Well thank God for the cross! God isn’t looking at me but Jesus who is our perfect and acceptable sacrifice. I no longer fear judgment because my sin has been punished and I am now clothed with Christ.

In this passage, Paul is not talking about judgment at all, but the outworking of our salvation. Surely this is a good thing, seeing the fruit of Gods work in our lives. So why is fear and trembling involved? Because sometimes trusting God can be scary!

The other day I saw a paralyzed lady get out of a wheelchair and take her first tentative steps in 23 years. (You can see it here on YouTube.) She was trembling when she did it. We can only imagine what was going through her mind. What if she tried and failed? What if she rose to her feet and fell on her face in front of hundreds of people? Her wheelchair was her comfort zone, but in faith she faced her fears and received a miracle. The healing that Jesus provided for her 2000 years ago was apprehended by faith.

Faith is risky! Faith does not come naturally and is often accompanied by fear and trembling. How do you think Abraham felt as he was about to plunge the knife into Isaac? We know that Abraham was fully persuaded that God would raise the dead – that’s faith – but he would not have been human if his hand had not trembled. Or consider Rahab. Do you think she was in a joyful mood when she welcomed the spies of Israel into her home? Her faith meant a death sentence if the soldiers of Jericho discovered her treason. What about Daniel in the lions’ den, or David facing the giant, or Moses standing up to Pharaoh? Is it so hard to imagine that these heroes of faith acted with fear and trembling?

Faith means putting something on the line. It might be your comfort, your reputation, your family, your funds, even your life – but something is risked or else it’s not faith.

You may want to run away…

My favorite line in the film Avatar is “Run! Definitely run!” Apparently this is the proper thing to do when you meet one of Pandora’s more aggressive beasts. Fear often manifests as a desire to run away. Indeed, the words “fear” and “flight” are connected in the Greek language. So our choice is often one of faith versus flight. I know something about that. Years ago when it became apparent that Camilla and I were going to be handed the leadership of a church, I told her “pack your bags, we’re leaving.” I feared failure. I didn’t want to do it. Paul felt the same way about going to Corinth:

“And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.” (1 Cor 2:1-3)

Would you say that Paul was a mighty man of faith? Definitely! Yet here he is admitting that he came to Corinth in “fear and in much trembling.” In other words, he didn’t want to go! In fact, Paul was so fearful that God had to step in and say “do not be afraid” (Acts 18:9).

There’s grace for us here folks. Paul is saying, “it’s not wrong to be fearful.” But in the presence of these feelings, work out your salvation anyway. Take the faith-risk, because you will be blessed if you do. I’m not comparing myself to Paul, but by the grace of God Camilla and I didn’t run away. We stayed and preached the gospel and for ten years had the awesome privilege of leading Hong Kongers to Christ.

…but you will be blessed if you stay

A preacher of works will use Philippians 2:12 to motivate you to perform out of fear. But if you’ve been following my series on James, you will know that there is a big difference between works done under law and works done under grace. Under law we work for God, but under grace we do the work of God. The work of God is to believe in Jesus and reveal His finished work in our broken world. Which kind of works do you think Paul was describing here in Philippians 2 – the works of man or the work of God? Take a look at the next verse:

“…for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” (Php 2: 13)

If God is the one working, what part do we play? Well we are the ones who decide who gets to see the King! God is sovereign, but in His wisdom He has chosen to reveal Himself through the faith of His saints. We preach and His signs and wonders follow. We lay hands on the sick and His healing is released. So guess what happens if we don’t preach or lay hands on the sick?

Paul didn’t want to go to Corinth but he went anyway. Despite his “fear and much trembling” he preached Christ crucified and the result was that “many Corinthians” believed and were baptized (Acts 18:8). Jonah didn’t want to preach in Nineveh but he did and an entire city was saved. Both Jonah and Paul took faith-risks despite their fears. As a result, the kingdom of God came to two cities and thousands of hell-bound sinners were saved.

Fear and trembling are normal. What you do with fear is the thing. We can live afraid and see nothing change, or we can face our fears and see the kingdom come. Working out our salvation means that at some point we’re going to have to get out of the boat and take a risk. God won’t punish us if we hold back – this has nothing to do with punishment. But we will blessed, and the nations will be blessed through us, when we reveal Jesus.

—
Related posts:
- By which gospel are you saved?
- Does God give and take away?
- Mixing grace with works: It’s not about the widow (Lk 18:1-8)

“But here is how God has shown his love for us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rms 5:8)

Why did he do it? He didn’t need to and we didn’t deserve it. Yet he did it anyway because it pleases him to love on us. And the result is a love mismatch of cosmic proportions. Are you aware how unbalanced this relationship is?

On one side of the relationship you have a perfect Savior. On the other side you have a born sinner. Jesus is the source of all beauty, truth and love, while we were idolatrous, murdering rebels. The Lover of our souls reached out to us, we killed him for it, and with his dying breath he forgave us. What can we do in response to such amazing love but repent and say “thank you Jesus!”

It’s the greatest love story ever told and the entire story is captured in the 222-word letter that Jesus sent to the Laodiceans.

Think about this. They were rebellious, proud and vomit-worthy, yet Jesus comes to them in love to warn and win them back to himself. The Laodiceans were doing stuff that made Jesus nauseous, so he counsels them to exchange what they have for what he offers. And what does he offer that is better than himself, standing just outside, waiting to be invited in?

What does Jesus want?

What does Jesus hope to get from the Laodiceans? In a word: relationship, or friendship, or intimacy. He certainly does not want their offerings or sacrifices. He wants them, just as he wants us. Christianity is not about doing stuff for God, it’s knowing him. Jesus did not pray that we would be busy working, but that we would be with him:

“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.” (Jn 17:24)

Rob Rufus has said, “God wants to impress us far more than he wants us to impress him.” He wants to take the lead. It’s his nature to lead – just look at the cross. That was all his doing. He wants to perform and he wants us to participate in his performance rather than try and impress him with our own.

Jesus wants us to see his glory. With that in mind, let’s look at the last thing Jesus says in his letter to the Laodiceans:

“To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.” (Rev 3:21)

No losers in heaven

The word “overcomes” can be translated “is victorious.” Eternity is a place for victors and conquerors, not the vanquished and defeated. There are no losers in heaven. The question we should ask is, “how do I become counted among the overcomers?”

Let me answer that question with a question. Do you believe that Jesus is an overcomer? Are you sure? Are you absolutely certain Jesus Christ is an overcomer? He is! He says so to the Laodiceans – “just as I overcame” – and he also said so to the disciples:

“In this world you will have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (Jn 16:33)

How do we know Jesus is an overcomer? Because the devil couldn’t tempt him, the law-lovers couldn’t silence him, Pilate couldn’t fault him, death couldn’t keep him, and the grave couldn’t hold him. Jesus is the very model of an overcomer. Indeed, he is the Overcomer. Look up “overcomer” in the dictionary and there’s a picture of Jesus. (Well there should be.)

You might say, that’s all very fine for Jesus. But what about us? How do we overcome? John gives us the answer:

“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 Jn 4:4)

Overcoming is not about jumping through hoops and satisfying the expectations of men. It’s about depending on The Overcomer who lives in you.

“For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” (1 Jn 5:4-5)

Are you born of God? Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God? If yes, then the Overcomer lives in you and you can’t help but be an overcomer. That’s why Jesus told the disciples to be encouraged during times of tribulation; because he – not they – had overcome the world and because they would carry his overcoming Spirit within them.

Are you an elephant or a turtle?

Think of it like this. If your mother was an elephant, and your father was an elephant, then you can’t help but be an elephant. You may act like a turtle but you will be acting against your elephantine nature. The whole world may try and tell you that you are a turtle, and you may even speak turtle, but at best you will only ever be an elephant doing impressions. (He who has an ear, let him hear!)

When you came to Christ he made you a new creation. He gave you his overcoming DNA and his mighty overcoming Spirit. You are now an overcomer by nature. It’s in your genes. You may not feel like an overcomer. You may feel like a turtle. But you are an overcomer nonetheless. If you act like a victim or a loser or anything other than an overcomer, then you are acting in a manner that is contrary to your Christ-given nature.

Just as an elephant is not an elephant merely because he acts like one, neither are you an overcomer merely because you overcome from time to time. That’s back to front. No, you act like an overcomer because you are an overcomer. God’s word says so:

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? … No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Rom 8:35,37)

From a worldly point of view you may not look like an overcomer. You may be a worn out, beat up, raggedy ol’ Christian with problems left and right. The circumstances of your life may be trying to tell you that “you are not an overcomer.” Just ignore them. They are speaking from a worldly point of view. We are from God and he says we are more than conquerors through Christ who loved us. Believe what your Father says about you.

Quick quiz

Just to check that you’ve been paying attention, I’m going to give you two alternative interpretations for Revelations 3:21. One of them will make you feel like a loser, the other will inspire you to praise Jesus. One of them will get you to focus on your self and your efforts, while the other will prompt you to focus on Jesus and the finished work of the cross.

See if you can discern which of the following interpretations best captures the heart of the one who promised to share his throne with overcomers:

1. Only those who have victory in every area of their lives, who never stumble, who never put a foot wrong, who pass every single test and never sin – just like Jesus – will earn the right to sit on his throne.

2. As Christ is (he’s an overcomer), so are we in this world (which makes us overcomers too). Just as Christ is our righteousness, holiness and redemption, he is also our victory in all things. We have a right to the throne not because of victories we have won, but because of the glorious victory he has won. This right is based on God’s grace, not our efforts. It is by grace we have been saved, by grace we have been raised up, and by the incomparable riches of his grace that God has seated us with himself in heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.

(I hope you picked #2. If not, go back to the top and start over.)

When Jesus tells the Laodiceans that only overcomers have a right to his throne, he is not threatening them or bringing them under condemnation. He is giving them a wonderful affirmation of their position in Christ. Contrary to what you may have heard, he’s not trying to keep people out of his kingdom, he’s trying to get them to come in! Yes, the Laodiceans needed to repent and exchange what they had (their nauseating self-righteousness) for what he freely offered (the white clothes of his righteousness). But if they did that, if they put their trust in him, then they would reign with him both in this life (Rms 5:17) and in eternity (2 Tim 2:12).

The takeaway…

Now go find a mirror and tell yourself, I am an overcomer because Christ, the Overcomer, lives in me. Then have a little conversation with all your problems and tell them about Jesus who is victorious in all things. When the enemy tries to knock you down by pointing out your shortcomings, remind yourself of your God-given right to sit with Christ on his heavenly throne and then plant your boot on the enemy’s lying head.

Because of what Jesus has done you have a divine right to rule and reign with him. True, you don’t deserve it. You never have and never will. And yet there you sit like a king, a joyful testimony of the incomparable riches of his grace!

In Part 1 of this two-part study, we looked at how some have used the Parable of the Persistent Widow to preach a message of human effort. They say, “pray and never give up” as if God were impressed by our many words.

I used to quote this text when preaching on persistence until I realized that I had missed what Jesus was really saying. But it certainly doesn’t help matters when the NIV translates the opening verse of Luke 18 like this:

“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” (NIV)

This translation naturally leads to thinking in terms of persistence and human effort. It sounds very much like Jesus is saying that the key to breakthrough is to pray and pray and pray. But look at how this verse is translated elsewhere:

“And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray and not to faint.” (KJV)

The Greek word for faint, ekkakeo, means to “be wearied” or “lose heart” or become “utterly spiritless.” Given the context of the poor widow’s plight, perhaps the best translation of Luke 18:1 is this one:

“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to teach them that they should always pray and never become discouraged.” (GNB)

If anyone ever had a good excuse to become discouraged, it was the widow in Luke 18. She was being exploited. She needed justice but thanks to the wicked judge there was none to be had.

Never, ever, ever discouraged

Have you ever been unjustly treated? Then you may know what it means to lose heart and get discouraged. Yet Jesus says it’s possible to never become discouraged. And he should know. Look at all the injustices Jesus had to deal with. He was falsely accused, sentenced to death by a corrupt official, abandoned by his friends, scourged, then nailed to a cross. Yet Jesus was never discouraged. No doubt he was tempted, but he overcame every time. That’s why you never heard Jesus say, “I give up” or “God doesn’t care.”

What was his secret? How did Jesus defeat discouragement? He lived in a kingdom where justice reigns!

Jesus had to deal with the injustices of life like any man. Yet he never lost heart because his heart was fixed on a higher reality. Down here men were cursing him. Up there his Father was declaring, “this is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” There is a great example for us here. Jesus did not let his unjust circumstances dictate his reactions. Instead he kept his focus on his Father knowing that vindication would come from above.

Let justice roll like waters

We live in a fallen world where injustice seems to reign. Bad things happen to good people. The strong oppress the weak. The rich exploit the poor. Bosses mistreat their workers. Disease and death afflict the healthy. The unborn are slain on the altar of convenience while millions of children die from preventable causes. And humanity cries out, “it’s not fair!”

Some people think that God passively allows injustice to happen, as if he doesn’t have a strong view on the matter. Nothing could be further from the truth! “The Lord loves righteousness and justice” (Ps 33:5). Ever-increasing righteousness and justice are the hallmarks of his kingdom (Is 9:7). The Lord no more “allows” injustice than he “allows” sin. He hates injustice so much that he died on the cross to establish a new regime based on true justice and righteousness:

“Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.” (Isa 9:7)

Strangely, you will find some in the church who are nervous about God’s justice. They don’t even want to talk about it. But only those who love iniquity need fear his justice. Those who love Christ and are robed with his righteousness know that his justice is sweet. And like the prophet Amos they will not be satisfied until his “justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream” (Amos 5:24).

What is God’s plan for dealing with the epidemic of injustice? Jesus!

Christ was sent to “proclaim justice to the nations” (Mt 12:18) and lead “justice to victory” (Mt 12:20). Here’s what the prophet Isaiah said the Savior would do:

“In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth.” (Is 42:3-4)

Now at this point some Christians will say, “I long for that day when Jesus returns and the old order of things passes away.” That’s like saying he is a God of “eventual justice.” We have injustice now, but one day, eventually, we will have justice. That day is indeed something to look forward to. But God is also a God of “quick justice.” This is the whole point of the story of the widow:

“And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Lk 18:7-8)

A just king has come

Before the cross people looked forward to justice (Is 30:18). But we live after the cross. The king of justice has already come! Look under Jesus’ throne and you will see he sits on a foundation of righteousness and justice (Ps 89:14). This means that wherever the good news of the king is believed, righteousness and justice follow.

When injustice comes and life serves you a cold dose of harsh, unfair reality, you have two choices. You can look at the circumstances and get discouraged, or you can fix your eyes on Jesus who is your vindication (Ps 17:2). Don’t pray like a victim. Don’t pray like an unbeliever. Pray with faith that a just king has already come and established his justice here on earth. Maybe the trial you are facing is huge. Jesus is bigger still! Maybe the entire world is picking on you. Look to your Father who justifies you! Look to Jesus who intercedes for you!

Are you sick? Then proclaim Jesus by whose stripes you are healed (1 Pet 2:24). Are you being mistreated? Then proclaim Jesus who liberates the oppressed (Lk 4:18). Whatever injustice you are battling with, proclaim Jesus! His victory at the cross brought you salvation and healing, deliverance and favor, righteousness and justice. If you aren’t seeing these things, then declare the words of Jesus to your circumstances. When Jesus speaks injustice must shut its mouth.

A just king reigns!

I will never preach about men when I can preach about Jesus. You want a champion of persistence? You want a role model who never gave up? Don’t look to the widow – look to Jesus! He faced more injustice than anyone yet he was never discouraged. He was knocked down to the grave but he rose again in triumph. At the cross he conquered injustice. Now he sits vindicated and enthroned at the right hand of the Father.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” (Jn 14:1)

When trials come and you begin to lose heart, put your faith in Jesus. He is the Overcomer. He is your True Champion of Justice.