The trials that we have faced over the past few months have been unlike anything either of us have ever experienced.  We have cried many tears of frustration, anger, fear, as well as continually having areas of our lives broken that we did not even know could break.

Fears were exposed and eliminated as God has continued to demonstrate His faithfulness to bring us through what has been an extremely difficult season.

We continue to press forward.  We are living in a new place that overlooks the mountains surrounding Redding and opportunities have come our way that we certainly were not anticipating.

God is good and in a good mood.

Romans 8:37-39 speaks amazingly of the conquering nature that God has given over to us.  It also speaks of the fact that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ.

Nothing except for one thing, that is.

Right in verse 38 we read:

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers…”

The apostle Paul leaves out one element of time in this list of things that he says cannot separate us from the love of God that is in Christ.

He leaves out the past.

Perhaps this is also why Paul mentions in his letter to the church at Phillipi (Phil. 3:13) that he forgets what is behind him to press forward to obtain the high calling that is in Christ.

Our past has been covered by the blood of Jesus.  Our present has been covered by the blood of Jesus.  Our future is covered by the blood of Jesus.

For whatever reason, it seems the enemy really likes trying to beat people over the head with their past to try and convince them that they will never amount to anything substantial…that they have done things that are too bad for them to ever change.

These are precisely the lies that can keep someone from experiencing the love of God.

I am sure there are probably people reading this right now who have believed that they can never turn their lives around and allow Christ in because they feel that the things they have done are too terrible for God to accept them.

The blood of Jesus deals with all of that.  The truth is that we come before God broken and helpless and hopeless…coming just as we are and He accepts us as we are…and inviting Christ into our lives becomes the door to walk through wherein He changes and transforms us into His likeness and helps us to overcome the things in our lives that we so hate about ourselves.

Trying to fill my life with alcohol, sex, drugs, and partying were all horrendously poor substitutes for the amazing things that I see happen on a very regular basis since I started really pursuing God.

There certainly is nothing boring about the true Christian life.  Tumors dissolving, broken bones fusing together, lives changed and transformed, depression defeated, miraculous provision, marriages restored…this is the normal Christian life.

What most people think defines “Christianity” is a very poor and skewed portrayal.

We were born to conquer.  We were born to see impossibilities bow to the name of our King.  We were created to see cancer disappear in the name of Jesus.  We are more than conquerors through Christ because He has conquered death and sin.

So rise.  Rise up and embrace this life.  Rise and step into the destiny that God has called you to.   Mike Murdock said “The most dangerous person in your life is the one who feeds your doubts.”  Rid yourselves of the parasite people in your life and take the risk…say, “Jesus, reveal to me the destiny that You have written for me.  I say yes to Your calling and invite you to be Lord over all.”

Arise, mighty warriors.  You have Good News to spread…and that Good News is that all the works of darkness must bow their knee to the ever-advancing Kingdom of Jesus Christ.