SEE WHAT GREAT LOVE THE FATHER HAS LAVISHED ON US, THAT WE SHOULD BE CALLED CHILDREN OF GOD! AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE!1 John 3:1, NIV

08/09/23

JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES
Today’s Word

Today’s Scripture

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
1 John 3:1, NIV

A Child of God
Who told you that you can’t accomplish your dreams? Who told you that you’re less-than, not good enough, not smart enough? Who told you that you can’t be happy? Who says you’ve had too many bad breaks, that the obstacles are too big? That may be true if you were average or ordinary, but I know something about you. Your Father in heaven loves you with a great love. You have royal blood flowing through your veins. You have the spiritual DNA of Almighty God. You are wearing a crown of favor. You’re the King’s son, the King’s daughter.

Maybe you’ve had some bad breaks, you’ve been overlooked or pushed down, but have the right perspective: You’re a child of the King, and it’s time for you to reign. You haven’t made too many mistakes. Your obstacles are not too big. Get your passion back. Get your fire back. You wouldn’t be reading this if God wasn’t about to do something unusual, something unprecedented. You’re on the verge of seeing favor that you’ve never seen.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You for being my Father and loving me with a great love. Help me to quit believing the lies that say I’m less-than or that I can’t overcome something. I believe and declare that I am a child of the Most High God and that I’m going to reign over what has reigned over me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

SECTION TWO

As a believer, have you ever been plagued by thoughts of how you haven’t been good enough or haven’t done enough to deserve God’s blessings? That your imperfection disqualifies you from receiving anything good from God?

If you’ve been struggling with these thoughts, I want you to read and reread today’s scripture, and let it saturate your heart, mind, and conscience. Let the knowledge of how you are completely forgiven and forever perfected by Jesus’ finished work at the cross sink in. You are not going to be forgiven and perfected one day through all your hard work. No, my friend, the good news is, you already are forgiven and perfected—once and for all time—through Jesus’ sacrifice.

And how long is forever? I checked the original Greek word for forever in the verse and guess what? “Forever” means forever! You have been totally forgiven and perfected forever by Jesus’ cleansing blood, not by the blood of animal sacrifices that can never take away sins.

Pastor Prince, how can I be fully assured that all my sins have already been forgiven?

Good question! Notice that after Jesus offered His life as a sacrifice and payment for all our sins, He “sat down” at the Father’s right hand. Jesus sat down to demonstrate to us that the work is indeed finished!

Under the old covenant, the priest who served in the tabernacle of Moses never sat down, but “stands ministering daily” because his work could never be finished. The blood of bulls and goats could “never take away sins” (Heb. 10:11).

Interestingly, in the holy place of the tabernacle of Moses, there was not a single piece of furniture prepared for the priest to sit on. You would not find a single chair in the holy place. You would find the altar of incense, the menorah, and even a table of showbread, but not chairs. This was because the work of the priest was never finished. Only Jesus’ work is a finished work.

My friend, you can rest easy in your heart and mind today. You can relax because Jesus has finished the work. In God’s eyes, you are forever perfect, spotless, and washed whiter than snow by the precious, eternal blood of His Son. And it’s permanent!

Your part is simply to believe and receive all that Jesus has done for you. That’s how you reign in life over sin, addictions, and whatever the enemy throws at you. That’s how you come up tops in all of life’s challenges!