1 Cor 1:20 For as many as are the promises of God, they all find their Yes in Him [Christ]. For this reason we also utter the Amen (so be it) to God through Him [in His Person and by His agency] to the glory of God. (AMP)
In the last few posts we have looked at this verse. We discovered God’s language is YES. We looked at a beautiful exchange between Jesus and His mother that resulted in a powerful miracle. Our AMEN is our greatest weapon. When we agree with the promises of God it unleashes supernatural changing power into impossible situations that set us free from any bondage. The Good News of God is His presence on this Earth in us. Wherever He is, His Kingdom is. Wherever He is, His power is. Whenever Jesus shows up, people are set free. Whenever Jesus arrives, chains are destroyed. I don’t mean “in a metaphorical happy happy joy joy nice good feeling way.” I mean actually, literally, with the power that parts seas and creates universes. We must see this truth. If we don’t then our time on this Earth is nothing more than a holding pattern for the next. Maybe you have seen this verse:
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. (ESV)
The word power is supernatural, miracle producing, life altering, universe creating, freedom infused POWER. OK, so maybe you think I am stretching the interpretation? How about this verse?
1 Thes 1:15 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. (ESV)
Not enough? I could go on and on. How about this one?
1 Cor 1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. (ESV)
The reason I am so intent on forcing the issue is simple. If the gospel or good news is not Jesus and His supernatural power in our lives then we are lost in this life only to suffer in torture and bondage until we are dead. Our death becomes our real savior and off we go to Angel land. I don’t mean to be “mean” but we have missed it. What Jesus unleashed on the Earth (Himself as the Holy Spirit) has been ignored, refused, denied and actually demonized. It is time to stop it. We have to knock it off and give in to trusting the only hope we have, JESUS!
OK, why the diatribe? Grace…. The message of Grace is constantly under attack. It has been from the beginning. Paul was accused of promoting sin and so are we today as Grace subscribers. God is Grace. Jesus is what Grace looks like. The POWER of Grace changes and transforms lives. Our first encounter with Him is Grace and the Gospel and Good News and our born again moment. This same moment is our eternal existence. We move and grow from our re-birth into a Jesus reality where He uses us to bring life saving and circumstance changing power into every encounter. That is what Jesus did. That is what He said we will do. That is what I look forward to every day.
The attackers of Grace obviously don’t see this Gospel. Their idea of Good News is facts and figures and self-effort and human power and good morals and psychology and programs and institutions…NO POWER OF GOD. This is why they are so perplexed with the truth of Grace. When we say that God has forgiven every sin, God has forgotten every sin, God is not holding us accountable for any sin, Jesus utterly vaporized any power of sin on the cross… their rebut is “what you are teaching gives people a license to sin!” That is followed closely with “you are condemning people to hell.” Strong words but understandable if you don’t believe that the POWER of the Gospel actually changes people and sets them free from any power that the enemy has over us including sin.
That religious, self-righteous deception keeps people trapped, drowning and gasping for air when Jesus is right there. They can’t see Him because they are told not to believe in His power. When we stretch out our hands and let Him literally pull us out of the slim and quicksand and filth and deception and junk of a satan-ruled existence then we are set free. We step into a Jesus reality where anything and everything is possible. We move from NO to YES. That is the power of our AMEN! We agree with the promises of God. Jesus is the means to realizing those promises.
Quick anecdote: I like chocolate. I really like the stuff. I’m not a rock candy fan. I like the soft creamy joy of cocoa held captive by binders and fillers as a transport system of pure elation. I don’t care for rock candy. It takes too long and hurts your teeth if you try to chew it. Jesus knows I like chocolate. He made me to like chocolate. He loves it when I get to eat chocolate. In His kingdom, I am surrounded by chocolate eating opportunities. Jesus says YES to chocolate and I cry AMEN! I don’t feel the overwhelming desire to run into a store and steal a bunch of chocolate. Jesus is my supplier. I don’t need to illegally acquire any.
The religious says candy is bad. The religious says no. Why? If you have too much of anything… If you say it is OK then anything can happen…. If you just let them have all the candy they want… The problem is the NO of religion. The YES of God says I made you for chocolate. The NO of religion says candy is a bad thing. The YES of God says He provides me with an abundant supply of supernaturally produced chocolate. If I don’t believe in the power of Jesus to provide the chocolate, I’ll likely go and steal some. When I believe in the Gospel, I don’t “lust” after candy, God gives me chocolate.
For those that deny the power of the Gospel and the transforming (literal DNA altering) work of the cross, then it is best to scream NO to candy. The potential for diet-damaging, cavity-causing excursions is too great. If you know the power of the Gospel and have been transformed by presence of Jesus then the worldly substitute of “candy” has no appeal compared to the God manufactured cocoa of bliss.
Maybe not funny, but I bet you get the idea. We get to say AMEN to chocolate (or whatever it is you were made for and God has promised for you, even if it is rock candy). We get to say AMEN to the power of the Gospel in our lives. Miracles are not for convincing. They are just what it looks like when God loves us and we see it manifest. Say AMEN to Jesus and His YES for us.
Yay God!
Lance
alancetotheheart 
The POWER of “YES!” OMG that has definitely set “something” on fire in Me for sure 🙂 and then to find out, realize and actually completely accept that His “YES” to me is confirmed and bonded with a simple “AMEN!” the both of those realities simply life changing. I’m certainly still on a journey but all of these amazing truths and revelations are only Him confirming to Me that He IS most definitely the Real Thing and there is NO Greater Joy than to know this. THANK YOU!
Yay God!
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