Roman Soldiers Knocked Flat by the Power of God!

Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he…. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.
— John 18:4-6

Just as the Roman soldiers and temple police were preparing to arrest Jesus, a supernatural power was suddenly released that was so strong, it literally knocked an entire band of 300 to 600 soldiers backward and down on the ground! It was as if an invisible bomb had been detonated. So much explosive strength was released that the power knocked the soldiers flat on their backs! Where did this discharge of power come from, and what released it?

After Jesus received Judas’ kiss of betrayal, He stepped forward and asked the crowd of militia, “…Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he…. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground” (John 18:4-6).

Notice how Jesus identified himself. He told them, “…I am he….” These mighty words come from the Greek words ego eimi, which is more accurately translated, “I AM!” It was not the first time Jesus used this phrase to identify Himself; He also used it in John 8:58 and John 13:19. When the hearers of that day heard those words ego eimi, they immediately recognized them as the very words God used to identify Himself when He spoke to Moses on Mount Horeb in Exodus 3:14.

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But let’s look at the two additional examples of the word ego eimi in the Gospel of John. In John 8:58, Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” Those final words in the verse, “I am,” are the Greek words ego eimi and should be translated, “I AM!”

In John 13:19, Jesus said, “Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.” If you read the King James Version, you will notice the word “he” is italicized, meaning it was supplied by the King James translators and is not in the original. The Greek simply says, “…Ye may believe that I AM!” In both of these cited texts, Jesus strongly and boldly affirmed that He was the Great “I AM” of the Old Testament.

Now in John 18:5 and 6, Jesus uses the words ego eimi again. The soldiers wanted to know, “Who are you?” They probably expected him to answer, “Jesus of Nazareth” — but instead, He answered, “I AM!” John 18:6 tells us, “As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.” A more accurate rendering would be “As soon then as he said unto them, I AM, they went backward and fell to the ground.”

The words “went backward” come from the Greek word aperchomai. In this case, the words depict the soldiers and temple police staggering and stumbling backward, as if some force has hit them and is pushing them backward. The word “fell” is the Greek word pipto, which means to fall. It was used often to depict a person who fell so hard, it appeared that he fell dead or fell like a corpse.

The members of this militia that came to arrest Jesus were knocked flat by some kind of force! In fact, the verse says they went backward and fell “to the ground.” The words “to the ground” are taken from the Greek word chamai, which depicts these soldiers falling abruptly and hitting the ground hard. Some force unexpectedly, suddenly, and forcefully knocked these troops and temple police flat!

Think of it — 300 to 600 Roman soldiers and a large number of trained temple police had all come laden with weapons, swords, and clubs to help them capture Jesus. After they announced that they were searching for Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus answered them with the words, “I AM” — thus identifying Himself as the “I AM” of the Old Testament. And when Jesus spoke those words, a great blast of God’s power was unleashed — so strong that it literally thrust the troops and police backward, causing them to stagger, wobble, and stumble as they hit the ground hard.

What a shock it must have been for those military men! They discovered that the mere words of Jesus were enough to overwhelm and overpower them! The tales they had heard about Jesus’ power were correct! Of course He really was strong enough to overcome an army. After all, He was the Great “I AM!”

After Jesus proved He couldn’t be taken by force, He willfully surrendered to them, knowing that it was all a part of the Father’s plan for the redemption of mankind. But it’s important to understand that no one took Him. It was Jesus’ voluntary choice to go with the troops.

The Jesus we serve is powerful! There is no force strong enough to resist His power. No sickness, financial turmoil, relational problems, political force — absolutely nothing has enough power to resist the supernatural power of Jesus Christ! When the Great “I AM” opens His mouth and speaks, every power that attempts to defy Him or His Word is pushed backward and shaken until it staggers, stumbles, and falls to the ground!

What is your need today? Why not present those needs to Jesus, the Great “I AM”? Let Him speak to your heart, directing you to His Word. Once you see the promise you need, get your mouth into agreement with His Word, and you, too, will see the power of God unleashed against the forces that try to defy you!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I am so glad that You are the Great “I AM” and that You have power over every force in the universe. When You speak, demons tremble, sickness flees, poverty is vanquished, and your Kingdom rules and reigns! Because You live inside me, Your power is resident in me and ready to set me free from any force that tries to come against me. I stand on Your Word, Lord. I speak it out loud by faith and therefore expect to see mountains move out of the way for me!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I declare that there is no force strong enough to resist God’s power in my life. No sickness, financial turmoil, relational problems, political force — absolutely NOTHING has enough power to resist the supernatural power of Jesus Christ that is resident in me! When I open my mouth and speak the Word of God, every power that attempts to defy His Word is pushed backward and shaken till it staggers, stumbles, and falls to the ground. When my mouth gets into agreement with God’s Word, I see His power unleashed against the forces that try to come against me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Do you have a mountain in your life right now that is so big, only God’s power can move it out of the way?

2. Can you think of a time in your life when you spoke God’s Word and saw almost instantaneous results in the physical and material realm?

3. If you are not facing a mountain right now, how might you spiritually prepare yourself for one in the future?

Have Disagreements Revealed Your Level of Submission to Authority?

And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely. And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master, master; and kissed him.
— Mark 14:44,45

When I was a young man and just getting started in the ministry, God positioned me under a great man of God who could read Greek and exegete New Testament verses, yet was also strongly anointed by the Spirit of God. To me, this minister had the best combination possible — brains and anointing all mixed together in one package! The first time I heard him preach, my jaw dropped open! His preaching reminded me of the way Jesus baffled the scribes when they heard Him teach with such great authority. I immediately knew that I needed to be under this man’s anointing and to receive from his life.

God opened the door for me to be trained by this great man of God, and for two years I worked side by side with him every day — carrying his books and traveling to his meetings with him. I literally met with him seven days a week so he could teach and train me. It was amazing that a man of this caliber would put so much of himself into someone as young as I was, but he did it because he believed in the call of God on my life. This man imparted the tools, the skills, and the understanding I needed to become a man of God who could both grow in the things of the Spirit and establish a ministry that was balanced between the Word and the Spirit.

Everything was great between this minister and me — until one day when I got offended. The reason for the offense is not important, but the situation revealed that I had a flaw in my understanding of authority and submission.

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This was an expensive lesson that God has used throughout the years of my ministry as I have worked with others who are themselves learning the hard lessons of submission and authority. Because of what I experienced, I understand the temptation people occasionally feel to think too highly of themselves and to run off and leave their spiritual mentors.

That is exactly what I did to this man who had been so gracious to me. After he had poured his life into me, teaching and training me, I left him when we had our first major disagreement. Although I called him my pastor, the conflict between us revealed that I had never really given him a place of authority in my life. He had been a great example to me, and I respected him as the best teacher I had ever heard. Yet I had obviously never received him as God’s authority in my life; if I had, I never would have done what I did to him.

Unfortunately, the true level of one’s commitment isn’t tested by good times, but by times of conflict and disagreement. It’s easy to walk together when you agree with the one you call your spiritual authority and you’re having a good time together. But what happens when you disagree or experience a conflict in your relationship? This is the critical moment when the truth about your level of submission will become observable.

When Judas Iscariot came to the Garden of Gethsemane the night he betrayed Jesus, he said something that revealed he had never been truly submitted to Him. The truth about Judas’ recognition of and submission to Jesus’ authority was exposed that night, just as my submission to that minister was also proven to be defective. Mark 14:45 says, “And as soon as he [Judas] was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master, master; and kissed him.”

Notice that Judas called Jesus, “Master, master.” These words reveal the type of relationship that really existed in Judas’ heart toward Jesus. These words also reveal the reason the devil was able to use Judas, and not one of the other disciples, to betray Jesus.

The word “master” comes from the Greek word didaskalos, which means teacher. When it is translated “master,” as in this verse, it is intended to give the idea of one who is a fabulous, masterful teacher. This is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word rabbi. Of course, a rabbi is a teacher who is honored and respected because of his understanding of and ability to explain the Scriptures. When Judas approached Jesus in the Garden that night, this is exactly the title he used when he referred to Jesus. He called Him, “Master, master.” It literally meant, “Teacher, teacher.”

Titles are very important, because they define relationships. For instance, the words Daddy and Mother define the unique relationship between a child and a parent. The word Boss defines the relationship between an employee and his employer — a relationship much different than the one that exists between the employee and his fellow employees. The words Mr. President define the relationship between the nation and its leader. The word Pastor defines the relationship between a church and its pastor.

A world without titles would be a world with confusion, for titles give rank, order, and definition to relationships. Jesus Himself told the disciples, “Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am” (John 13:13).

Even Jesus acknowledged it was correct for His disciples to call Him “Lord” and “Master.” In fact, there isn’t a single occurrence in the Gospels where they called Him “Jesus.” They were always respectful, honoring, and deferential when they spoke of Him or to Him.

But I want you to notice what title Judas didn’t use that night — he didn’t call Jesus “Lord.” The word for “Lord” expresses the idea of One who has ultimate and supreme authority in your life. If you called someone “Lord,” it meant you were submitted to that person’s authority and yielded every realm of your life to his management, direction, and control.

Had Judas called Jesus “Lord” that night, it would have meant that Judas had surrendered his life to Jesus’ control and was submitted to His authority. But Judas didn’t use the word “Lord”; he used the word for “Teacher,” which revealed that Jesus had never really become God’s authority in Judas’ life. The truth is, Judas had only received Jesus as a teacher, a rabbi, and a gifted communicator, but never as “Lord.”

As happens in all relationships where submission to authority is required, the moment finally came that proved the true level of Judas’ submission to Jesus. When the test came, Judas failed it. There was a fatal flaw in his relationship with Jesus. In the end, it became apparent to everyone that even though he honored and followed Jesus as a Master Teacher, Jesus had never been his Lord. Thus, Judas’ side of his relationship with Jesus had been artificial from the very beginning.

Jesus knew what was in the heart of Judas, yet continued to work closely with him, extending mind-blowing mercy, amazing grace, and astounding patience toward him! Jesus graciously extended His time and attention to Judas to correct the fatal flaws in the disciple’s character and to get things right. But even with all of Jesus’ love and patience, the ball was in Judas’ court. He was the one who ultimately determined the level of relationship that would exist between him and Jesus. Jesus was willing to be his “Lord” — but Judas was never truly willing to be in submission to Jesus’ authority. Instead, Judas only authorized Jesus to be a gifted Teacher in his life.

I have learned over the years that it takes time to really get to know who people are. The apostle Paul urged us not to lay hands on people suddenly for this very reason (1 Timothy 5:22).

So don’t be too shocked if you discover someone whom you thought was with you all the way isn’t really with you at all. If this ever happens to you, remember that it happened to Jesus too. Just as God used Jesus to extend mercy, grace, and patience to Judas Iscariot, God may be using you now to give an unfaithful person a chance to have a change of heart so he can become a faithful person.

Can God count on you to be His extension of kindness to that person? Are you to be His mercy outstretched to give that person a magnificent opportunity to make a true turnaround in his heart, mind, and character?

When I wronged my pastor so many years ago, my actions uncovered a flaw inside me that needed correction. It revealed that I didn’t understand what submission to authority really meant. In retrospect, I’m so thankful that this happened, for God used it to expose a defect in my character that needed to be eradicated. To change me, He tapped a great man of God on the shoulder and instructed him to love me, forgive me, and teach me. Because he was willing to be God’s outstretched hand of mercy in my life, I was corrected, delivered, and changed. I can never thank God enough for placing me under a person who cared enough for me that he stuck with me and brought correction into my life.

Are you supposed to be that kind of person to someone close to you right now? It’s so easy to fixate on the kiss of betrayal, but just think about how much God loves that “problem person” in your life! He is trying to help him by giving him a friend like you!

If that person chooses not to respond to the mercy, grace, and patience that is being poured out to him through you, he will have to live with the results of his decisions. Just make sure that you fulfill what God is requiring of you in this relationship. It may seem difficult to do, but you need to be thankful that God has kindly entrusted you with the responsibility of giving that person one last chance!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, thank You for the spiritual authorities You have placed in my life. Help me learn how to honor them, respect them, and truly submit to their spiritual authority. If there is any defect in my character that would cause me to rebel or to act in an ungodly fashion, please expose it in me now so I can deal with it and change! I want to make sure that my commitments are real and not artificially contrived, so please work in me and bring to light every area that needs work and attention!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that God uses me to extend mercy, grace, and patience to unfaithful people, giving them a chance to have a change of heart, to truly turn around, and to become faithful in their relationships with others. I am God’s mercy outstretched. He has tapped me on the shoulder and instructed me to love, to forgive, and to help those who need it. I refuse to fixate on the kiss of betrayal; rather, I choose to be thankful that God has entrusted me with the responsibility to give those individuals one last chance!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Can you think of a time when God used a spiritual authority to bring correction into your life or to reveal your lack of submission?

2. Was this a difficult experience in your life, or did you find it easy to receive correction? What did you learn from that experience?

3. Has God put a person in your life who has the right to speak to you about areas of adjustments you may need to make? If so, who is that person?

And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead.…
— Ephesians 1:19,20

One day my wife Denise and I were talking to each other about the mighty power of God that works so profoundly in the lives of believers. As we talked back and forth, we were just in awe as we contemplated the power available to us as believers in Jesus Christ. We both looked at each other and quoted Ephesians 1:19,20 as the ultimate answer to what kind of power operates inside us. In that verse, the apostle Paul wrote, “And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead….”

Let’s look at the phrase “exceeding greatness of his power,” as these words were Paul’s answer to describe how great is the power of God that works in us.

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The word “exceeding” is the Greek word huperballo, a compound of the words huper and ballo. The word huper describes something that is above and beyond anything else. The word ballo means to throw or to hurl. However, when these words are used in conjunction with each other, together they depict an archer who overshoots his goal. He put so much energy into it that when he pulls back on his bow and releases his arrow, he overshoots, overreaches, surpasses, and eclipses his goal.

The word “greatness” is the Greek word megethos, a form of mega, meaning great. However, as megethos, this word would be better translated vast. This means that the power Paul is describing is boundless, immense, limitless, measureless, and vast. One could say that it is so mighty that it is simply beyond human ability to measure.

The word “power” is from the well-known Greek word dunamis, which describes power or ability. But very often in Classical Greek and in the Old Testament Septuagint, the word dunamis was also used to depict the assembled forces of an army whose combined strength enabled them to achieve unrivaled victories. These troops were so strong that they simply could not be resisted. But in addition, we find in Classical Greek and in the Septuagint that the word dunamis can also describe the power that is inherent in a certain aspect of nature. For example, the power in a hurricane would be described as dunamis power, because it is a power so mighty that it is impossible to resist or impossible to defeat.

So when Paul used these three words to describe the power of God that works in us — huperballo, megethos, dunamis — he was piling image on top of image to show how overshooting and irresistible is the power that works in us who believe. This power is so mighty it can neither be measured nor resisted. There is simply no human power in existence to compare to it!

The apostle Paul went on to say that it is the same “…mighty power, which he [God] wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead….” Paul was making it emphatically clear that no power has ever equaled or rivaled the power that was required for Christ’s resurrection. It was the greatest manifestation of power that the universe has ever witnessed. It literally seized Jesus from death’s grip, raised Him back into His body, and then continued to lift Him up through demonic principalities, powers, might, and dominion until He was seated at His throne at the right hand of the Father. No power in hell or on earth, and no principality or power in the heavens, was able to resist this demonstration of divine energy.

As Denise and I discussed this verse and all that it means, we felt an even greater sense of awe. What a thrill to realize that God doesn’t just put a small dose of power inside us who believe. He has placed the power of His Son’s resurrection in us! It is a power that utterly eclipses any other power. It is full, boundless, measureless energy — so mighty that no evil power can resist it. And to think God has made it available to those who believe! Now that is something for you to think about as you prepare for this Easter season!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, You held nothing back when You exercised Your mighty power in raising Christ from the dead. I am in awe that You not only raised me from death unto life by that same power, but You have also breathed that mighty power into me by the same Spirit who raised Christ. Holy Spirit, I acknowledge the presence of Your power within me. And I ask You to conform me more and more unto the image of Christ as I let that irresistible power of God work in me and through me according to the counsel of Your will!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that the mighty power of God that raised Christ from the dead dwells in me. That power, which is at work in me, is beyond measure. It is vast, boundless, immense, limitless, and measureless! The power that is in me now by the presence of the Holy Spirit eclipses all other power and cannot be resisted by any work of the enemy. Glory to God! Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

Use your imagination to describe what it would have been like to experience the power at Christ’s physical resurrection.
Have you ever considered that this same mighty power is resident inside you? If it’s inside you, do you experience it in the situations you face every day? If not, what do you need to do to release God’s resurrection power in your life?
How is the power of God manifested in the life of a believer? Take some time to think it over, and write your answers on a piece of paper so that you really ponder your answers.

The Judas Kiss

And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely. And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway him, and saith, Master, master; and kissed him.
— Mark 14:44,45

Have you ever been stabbed in the back by someone you thought was a true friend? You had walked with him and spent much time with him; you had shared your thoughts and even your secrets with him, thinking that everything you said would be held in confidence between the two of you. Then you discovered that the commitment you felt for that person was not what he felt for you. Can you recall any hurtful moments in your life like this?

This is what happened to Jesus on the night Judas betrayed Him. It was no accidental betrayal, but one that was premeditated and meticulously implemented. Before Judas led the soldiers and temple police to the Garden of Gethsemane, he met with the religious leaders and negotiated a deal for Jesus’ capture. During these meetings, he disclosed information about where Jesus prayed and where He met with His disciples. Judas must have also told them about Jesus’ phenomenal power, which explains why so many troops came with weapons to arrest Jesus that night. It was in those meetings with the religious leaders that Judas agreed to receive a payment of thirty pieces of silver for delivering Jesus into their hands.

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Because many of the soldiers and temple police had never seen Jesus before, Judas devised a special signal that would alert them to know who Jesus was. Mark 14:44 calls this special signal a “token,” from the Greek word sussemon, meaning a signal previously agreed upon. This makes it emphatically clear that the kiss Judas gave Jesus was nothing more than a signal devised to let the troops know they needed to move swiftly to make their arrest.

Judas must have been very confused. On the one hand, he warned the religious leaders about Jesus’ supernatural power so strongly that the soldiers arrived on the scene prepared to put up a serious fight with weapons of murder. But on the other hand, Judas told them that he thought he could deliver Jesus into their hands with a mere kiss!

These two conflicting pictures provide an excellent example to demonstrate the kind of confusion created inside a person who walks in deception. Deception is a powerful force that twists and distorts one’s ability to see things clearly. Deceived people misperceive, misunderstand, misrepresent, and misjudge — and later don’t even understand why they did what they did.

The different mixed signals Judas was giving about Jesus make it evident that Judas was both deceived and confused. He told the soldiers and temple police, “…Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely.” The word “kiss” is the Greek word phileo. This well-known Greek word is used to show strong emotion, affection, and love. Later, it came to represent such strong affection that it was used only between people who had a strong bond or a deeply felt obligation to each other, such as husbands and wives or family members. Later on, it came to be used as a form of greeting between especially dear and cherished friends.

During the time that the Gospels were written, the word phileo would have depicted friends who were bound by some kind of obligation or covenant and who cherished each other very deeply. On the basis of this deep emotion, it also became the Greek word for a kiss as a man would give his wife, as parents and children might give to each other, or as a brother or sister might give to his or her siblings.

In Mark 14:44, this word depicts not just a kiss of friendship, but a symbol of deep love, affection, obligation, covenant, and relationship. Giving this kind of kiss was a powerful symbol to everyone who saw it. Strangers would never greet each other with a kiss, for it was a greeting reserved only for the most special of relationships. This is why Paul later told the Early Church in Rome to “salute one another with an holy kiss…” (Romans 16:16). It was a symbol in that day of deep affection, commitment, and covenant.

Judas knew beforehand that he could give Jesus such a kiss. This lets us know that he and Jesus were not strangers but had a unique, friendly relationship. As the bookkeeper and treasurer of the ministry, Judas had assuredly met often with Jesus to discuss ministry finances and disbursement of funds. It seems that during their three-year working relationship, they became dear and cherished friends — so close that Judas had the privilege of giving Jesus a kiss of friendship, a privilege reserved only for the intimate few.

On the very night of Jesus’ betrayal, He served Communion to all His disciples, including Judas Iscariot. That Communion was a reaffirmation of His covenant to all twelve of them. Jesus understood what it meant to be in covenant. He knew He would have to lay down His life to empower that covenant and make it real. And just as Jesus reaffirmed His covenant to the other disciples that night, He also confirmed it to Judas. Jesus extended His genuine love and commitment to Judas as He offered him the bread and wine, and Judas feigned commitment by accepting the bread and the wine as symbols of the covenant.

However, Judas’ loyalty to Jesus was fatally flawed. As noted above, that night Judas told the troops and temple police, “…Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely.”

Betraying Jesus with a kiss was about as low as a person could go. It was like saying, “You and I are friends forever. Now please turn around so I can sink my dagger into your back!” You see, the kiss Judas gave was a false kiss that revealed insincerity, bogus love, and a phony commitment. The fact that it was premeditated made it even worse. This was no last-minute, accidental betrayal; it was well-planned and very deliberate. Judas played the game all the way to the end, working closely with Jesus and remaining a part of His inner circle. Then at the preappointed time, Judas drove in the dagger as deep as he could!

When I travel and speak with people, I repeatedly hear stories of those who have felt betrayed by someone they dearly loved and trusted. Although they never gave the other person a kiss as a symbol of their affection, they opened their hearts, shared their secrets, and gave a part of themselves to him or her. Then later they discovered that the person they loved and trusted wasn’t as he or she seemed. That kind of discovery can be a very traumatic and emotional ordeal.

Have you ever experienced betrayal somewhere along the way from a friend or associate you thought was a true friend — only to find out later that he or she wasn’t? Did you wonder, How could this person behave like this after we’ve been together for so many years?

Something was evidently wrong in the relationship from the beginning. Maybe you subconsciously knew something was wrong, but you loved the person so much that you didn’t want to see what your heart was telling you. Or perhaps you really were blind to what was happening right under your nose.

When someone becomes a betrayer, you can be certain that: 1) the person was never who you thought he or she was to begin with, or 2) you sensed something wasn’t right but allowed yourself to go ahead with the relationship anyway.

Does either of these scenarios describe you? Have you been burned by someone you trusted? If you allow your hurt to fester and grow inside you, it will only make you bitter and ugly. It’s time for you to forgive and let go of that offense so you can move on with your life.

Jesus always knew that Judas would be His betrayer; nevertheless, Jesus loved Judas, working closely with him and even sharing Communion with him on the same night of his betrayal!

You may ask, Why did Jesus extend so much of Himself to someone He knew would be disloyal to Him? Let me answer this question by posing a few questions to you:

Have you ever been disloyal and unfaithful to Jesus?
Have you ever violated His authority in your life by disobeying Him?
Have you ever dragged Him into unholy situations that you got yourself into?
Have you ever betrayed or denied Him in your own life?

If you’re honest, your answer to all four of these questions will be “Yes, I’ve done that!” Jesus knew you would do these things even before He called you and saved you. But did He throw you out, reject you, or disown you? No, He forgave you, and He is still forgiving you now. Aren’t you glad that Jesus has so much patience with you? Aren’t you grateful He gives you so many chances to get things right?

So just learn from the experience, and determine to never let a Judas be your best friend again. Then allow the Holy Spirit to lead you to the finest friends you’ve ever had in your life! Yes, it has been painful, but if you’ll allow this experience to work for you and not against you, it will make you a stronger and better person. And when you come out on the other side, you’ll be in a position to understand what others are going through who have been hurt by betrayal so you can be a help and a blessing to them!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, forgive me for the times I’ve been a Judas! I am so sorry for the times I’ve been unfaithful or hurtful to people who thought they could trust me. I truly repent for repeating things that were told to me in confidence, for I know it would have hurt me deeply if someone had done the same thing to me. Help me go back to those whom I have hurt and ask for their forgiveness. Please restore my fellowship with those people, and help me never to repeat this wrong behavior again!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I use wisdom in the way I choose my closest friends. Because the Holy Spirit is constantly illuminating my mind with insight, I discern who is a real friend and who isn’t. Even more, I confess that I am a real friend and not a betrayer of the people who are dear to me. When the devil tempts me to open my mouth and repeat things that were told to me in confidence, I do not do it! I am a friend who can be trusted. I will never be known as a betrayer to the friends God has brought into my life!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Has a close friend or associate ever betrayed you? How did you deal with this in your life?

2. Having experienced betrayal yourself, have you become even more committed to being a loyal friend and associate yourself?

3. Knowing what you have learned from that experience when you were betrayed by someone close to you, what would you do differently now if you found yourself in that same situation?

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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
— Hebrews 12:2

When a person initiates a new, huge endeavor, his passion to succeed in that endeavor strengthens him to keep his eye on the goal in front of him. For example, as an athlete starts a race, his desire to win that race helps him keep his eyes fixed on the finish line. While constructing a building, workers who keep their eyes on the architect’s finalized rendering are encouraged to sustain the momentum of the building process. While writing this book you hold in your hands, I encouraged myself by keeping my sight fixed on December 31 — the last Sparkling Gem I knew I would write for this volume. With every new daily entry I completed, I moved closer to that goal, and it gave me courage to keep writing. As a result of my writing and staying on track, you are reading this devotional today.

But what do you think Jesus focused on when He was hanging on the Cross and enduring the agony and shame we discussed in the last three days of Sparkling Gems? You can imagine that He must have had moments when He thought, I don’t have to do this! I could call on legions of angels to deliver me! I could come down from this Cross! What do you think motivated Him to remain there until the job was done?

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Hebrews 12:2 tells us very clearly: “…who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

This verse says Jesus focused on “the joy” that was set before Him as He endured the Cross. Just like a runner focuses on the finish line, like a builder forges ahead to view the completed project, and an author anticipates the last written page of a book, Jesus was looking forward to “the joy” of finishing. I’m sure that as Jesus hung on the Cross, He looked out across eons of time and saw the faces of people who would be saved because of what He was doing. He saw you, He saw me — but what else did He see that motivated Him to stay faithful to the end?

The word “joy” in Greek has a definite article, which means this wasn’t just joy in general, but it was a specific joy. What was it? The verse goes on to describe that joyous “finish line” that Jesus set His face like flint toward: “…who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Jesus had His eyes of faith fixed on the empty throne at the right hand of the Father that was reserved for Him once His victory was complete. Upon that throne, all enemies would be His footstool, and He would commence the next part of His high priestly ministry to intercede for everyone who would ever come to Him in time of need (see Hebrews 4:16).

Jesus had His eyes, His heart, His mind — His whole being — fixed on that highly exalted place. That was the joy set before Him. When sin and hell were defeated and Jesus was resurrected, that was the seat of authority He ascended into Heaven to occupy. And ever since that time, from that highly exalted position, Jesus has been serving as Lord of the Church and as the High Priest and Intercessor for every believer.

What is the goal in front of you that keeps you motivated to move ahead even when things are difficult? If you have no goal, it’s likely you’ll give up. That’s why it is so important to know exactly where you are headed, what will happen when you get there, and what kind of victory you’ll experience when you attain that long-awaited position. Just as Jesus needed a joyous outcome to be set before Him, I guarantee that you need one too.

What are you building with your life?
What keeps you motivated to stay on track?
What will it look like when you finish it?
What are you “writing” with your faith?
What will the final chapter of your life look like because you’ve done what Jesus has asked you to do?
What is the specific joy that is set before you?

Sometimes when you are working hard to do what God has asked you to do, it can seem overwhelming, but progress is gained one step at a time. The increments of forward movement might seem tiny, but no matter how big or small the steps, you can know that you are inevitably progressing toward the goal that God has set for your life.

When I was a young man, God showed me the purpose of my life, and that purpose has been in front of me ever since. In times of hardship, I’ve kept my eyes focused on that goal, because fulfilling that divine purpose is what my life is all about. Sometimes it seemed like all I could do was take baby steps — yet each step has been a step in the right direction. That’s the way I’ve lived my entire life focused and moving in the direction of the purpose God has revealed to me.

If you get your eyes off the goal and start focusing on how small your steps are along the way, it is probable that you’ll get discouraged and give up before you arrive. So today I want to encourage you to lift your eyes and look beyond to the joy, the victory, and the fulfillment of what God has planned for your life. Even Jesus needed a goal to help Him stay focused as He underwent intense suffering and hung on that Cross.

So today I exhort you to make a fresh consecration before the Lord to submit to His will for your life. Then exercise your authority in Jesus’ name and resist the devil (see James 4:7)! And as you move forward in obedience to the Lord’s voice, keep your eyes of faith fixed on the prize Jesus has set before you. That is what will sustain your determination to stay in place and stay on track until you can finally shout that you’ve reached your God-ordained goal!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I thank You for the example of faithful endurance Jesus displayed when He suffered the pain and the shame of the Cross for me. Jesus kept His eyes fixed on the joy set before Him, knowing He would occupy His seat at the right hand of the Father reserved for Him once His victory was complete. When You raised Jesus from the dead, Father, You raised me up also to be seated in Him. Lord Jesus, I worship You, and I fasten a steady gaze on You so that I will finish my course with joy to the glory of God!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am focused on the goal of completing God’s plan for my life. I realize that I am not my own, but I belong to God. Therefore, I draw upon the mighty strength that is available to me in Christ — and by the help of His Spirit within me, I move daily with unwavering devotion in the direction toward the prize of fulfilling my divine purpose as God has revealed it to me.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

What has God set before you as the main project or goal for your life?
If you don’t know the purpose for your life, have you ever asked God to show it to you? According to James 1:5 (see February 17 and 18), God will answer this very important question for you if you’ve met His conditions.
Can you describe what a life with purpose would look like to you? How would it change the way you are living if you knew exactly what God’s purpose is for your life?

A Full Moon, Lanterns, Torches, and Weapons!

Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.
— John 18:3

Have you ever had an experience with someone who had a wrong perception of you? When you heard what that person thought of you, were you shocked to hear it? Did you wonder, How could anyone ever think something like that about me?

The more well-known you become, the more that people hear all kinds of rumors about you — most of which are completely untrue. You know how rumors work. When one person hears a rumor, he passes it along to another person, who then repeats it to someone else — and so it goes from one person to the next, growing more and more ridiculous with each telling. Finally, an entire story is being told that has no truth in it whatsoever; unfortunately, when people hear it, they believe it! This is one reason Christians need to be very careful not to participate in gossip.

I don’t know what stories were being repeated about Jesus, but they must have been pretty wild. After all, when the Roman soldiers and temple police came to arrest Him in the Garden of Gethsemane, they were armed to the maximum! They also brought enough search lamps and lights to light up the entire Mount of Olives. What had they heard that made them think they needed to be so heavily equipped in order to find Jesus and the three disciples who were praying with Him that night?

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Judas had obviously prepared them for the worst. He had seen Jesus perform innumerable miracles, so he knew very well about the massive power that operated through Him. Judas had also been present many times when religious leaders tried unsuccessfully to catch Jesus as He seemed to vanish, supernaturally slipping through the crowd to safety. So many times Jesus’ enemies thought they had Him, but then suddenly — boom! He was gone!

When the troops arrived that night, they must have been operating on the basis of these stories. John 18:3 tells us, “Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.” Today I want to draw your attention to the words “lanterns,” “torches,” and “weapons.” When you see the impact of these words, you’ll understand that the soldiers who had come to arrest Jesus were acting on presumptions about Him that were totally inaccurate!

In the first place, Passover occurred at the time of a full moon, so the night was already very well lighted at this time of year. But Judas didn’t want to take a risk that Jesus and His disciples wouldn’t be found; therefore, Judas obviously instructed these armed forces to be equipped to search, hunt, and track them down with the aid of “lanterns” and “torches.”

The word “lantern” comes from the Greek word lampas. This word refers to a bright and shining light. It portrays something like a lampstand — a light that is intended to “light up” a room so you can see things better. A lampas was actually the equivalent of a first-century flashlight. Its light was so brilliant that it penetrated darkened areas and revealed things hidden in darkness.

In addition to these lamps, John 18:3 tells us that the soldiers also carried “torches.” The word “torch” is from the Greek word phanos, a word that describes a long-burning oil lamp. The “lamps” mentioned above were brilliant but short-lived. These “torches,” however, were oil-based, had a long wick, and could burn all night if necessary. The fact that these soldiers came with these torches strongly suggests that the soldiers and police were prepared to search all night. So when they came to the Garden of Gethsemane that night, they had enough bright shining lights (lampas) and long-burning oil lamps (phanos) to hunt for Jesus all night long.

Several hundred troops scoured the hillside, carrying brightly lighted lamps as they searched for Jesus. This was the scene that occurred that night. Were the soldiers apprehensive that Jesus and His disciples might hide from them?

A great number of caverns, holes, and caves were scattered all over the hill where the Garden of Gethsemane was located. The hillside was also a place of many graves with large tombstones, behind which a person could hide. Finally, the hill offered prime hiding spots in its many great olive trees with twisted branches. So why in the world would 300 to 600 soldiers, plus the temple police, need so many brilliantly lit lights to find Jesus unless they thought He would try to hide or escape from them?

John 18:3 also tells us that the soldiers and temple police brought “weapons” with them. The Greek word for “weapons” is hoplos, the very word that depicts the full weaponry of a Roman soldier referred to in Ephesians 6:13-18. This means the soldiers came attired in full weaponry — belt, breastplate, greaves, spikes, shoes, oblong shield, a brass helmet, a sword, and a lance. These 300 to 600 troops were ready for a huge skirmish and confrontation!

But there’s still more to this story! In addition to the weapons the Roman soldiers bore that night, the temple police also came ready to put up a fight. Mark 14:43 says, “And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.”

I want you to notice those words “swords” and “staves.” The word “sword” is the Greek word machaira. It refers to the most deadly type of sword, one that was more often than not used for stabbing someone at close range. Does this mean the temple police were ready to stab and draw blood that night?

The word “stave” is from the Greek word zhulos. The word zhulos describes a thick, heavy stick made of wood. You might say it was a heavy-duty, dangerous, hard-hitting club intended to beat someone. When you look at the combined list of weapons brought to the Garden of Gethsemane that night, you will readily understand that these Roman soldiers and temple police were prepared to be militarily engaged!

As noted earlier, the stories being repeated about Jesus must have been pretty wild! What makes this even wilder is the likely prospect that Judas Iscariot was the one who fanned the flames of these rumors! He was right alongside the soldiers with all their lanterns, torches, and weapons.

Is it possible that after Judas had walked with Jesus for three years, he himself had never really come to know the real Jesus? Did Judas himself have a false perception of how Jesus would respond in such an event? It makes one wonder what kind of relationship Judas had with Jesus to perceive Him so inaccurately. The next two Sparkling Gems will sufficiently answer this question regarding the kind of relationship Judas really had with Jesus.

As you know, Jesus willfully went with the soldiers that night. He and His disciples did not hide or put up a fight. After being supernaturally empowered by the angel God sent to help Him, Jesus rose up and went out to greet Judas and the troops. However, I’m personally convinced that when Jesus saw Judas surrounded by hundreds upon hundreds of soldiers and temple officers with lanterns, torches, and weapons, it must have stunned Him! I think Jesus was surprised to learn just how erroneously Judas perceived Him.

The next time you hear that someone has a wrong perception about you, don’t let it ruffle your feathers too much. Remember all the times you’ve had a wrong perception about someone else! You were just so sure that your opinion about that person was right, but then you discovered you were so wrong! If you’ve perceived others incorrectly at times, why should it surprise you when the same thing occasionally happens to you?

If you ever find yourself in this position, consider it an opportunity to show people who you really are! Notice that Jesus didn’t say to those who came for Him in the Garden, “How dare you think so badly about Me!” Instead of arguing or trying to prove a point, He simply surrendered, went with the soldiers, and gave His life for the very men who arrested Him. The response Jesus made with His life was the greatest comeback He could have demonstrated to them!

So when people misunderstand you, back off and take some time to think and pray about the matter before you proceed. Don’t let the devil get you all upset because you were misunderstood. This may be the greatest chance you’ll ever have to show people the truth about who you really are!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, help me learn how to avoid misjudging and misperceiving other people. I know that when I misjudge someone, it affects my opinion of that person in a way that can open a door to the devil in our relationship with each other. I don’t want to give the devil an inch in any of my relationships, so I need You to help me think cautiously, to take time to get to know people, and to give them the benefit of the doubt when I don’t understand something they say or do. Help me give people the same mercy I would expect them to give me. And help me get started on this path today!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that it doesn’t ruffle my feathers or upset me when I hear that someone has a wrong perception about me. I know I’ve made this same mistake about others in the past, so I am filled with mercy for those who misjudge or have misconceptions about who I am. I choose to be thankful for this situation and to see it as my opportunity to show people who I really am. I also take this opportunity to see what needs to be changed in my life and then to make the necessary adjustments so people never misperceive me in this way again!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Can you think of any times when you had misconceptions about someone else but later discovered that you were wrong about that person?

2. In light of that experience, do you believe you are now more cautious about what you think and say about others?

3. Since you know from personal experience how easy it is to have a false perception of someone, in what way does this help you when you discover someone has a wrong perception of you?

We’ve looked at the word “endured” in Hebrews 12:2 and have seen what it meant for Jesus to endure the Cross for you and me. But Jesus didn’t just endure it — He actually despised the shame of it. Today I want us to look at the words “despise” and “shame” in the original Greek language so that we can better understand exactly how Jesus felt when He was physically hanging on that Cross.

The word “despised” is a translation of the Greek word kataphroneo, which is a compound of the words kata and phroneo. On their own, the word kata means down, and the word phroneo means to think. However, when these two words are compounded, the new word means to look down upon, think poorly of, despise, abhor, detest, disdain, or loathe. This carries the ideas of contempt, aversion, or something so repulsive that one is almost unable to stomach the idea of it. It is something that is simply repelling, revolting, and disgusting. Thus, the Greek word kataphroneo used in Hebrews 12:2 emphatically lets us know that Jesus looked down upon the Cross with repugnance. He literally “despised” it.

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The word “shame” is the Greek word aischune, which describes something that is base, ugly, revolting, and grotesque. By using this word, the writer of Hebrews was telling us that Jesus’ experience on the Cross as He hung naked and broken in full view of the world was disgraceful, deplorable, despicable, and reprehensible. Paintings and sculptures of the Crucifixion always portray Jesus with a towel wrapped around His waist, but this was simply not the case. Romans were not so kind as to cover the male anatomy — Jesus was stripped of all clothing and hung naked before the jeering crowd. For a Jew who respected the human body as something made in the holy image of God and who abhorred the naked idols of paganism, this indignity was utterly repugnant and embarrassing.

Imagine if you were beaten to a pulp and then hung physically naked in front of your friends, family, coworkers, and acquaintances. How would you feel? According to the Greek word aischune used in Hebrews 12:2, the Lord Jesus felt a deep sense of “shame” and “embarrassment” in that horrific moment.

Jesus paid the price for sin, for sickness and disease, for mental suffering, and for shame. Just as Jesus endured the scourging to procure our physical healing (see Isaiah 53:5), He literally took our shame upon Himself to pay the price for any humiliation that would ever try to poison our lives. As my wife Denise writes in her book, Redeemed From Shame:

Oh, how God wants us to experience His great love for us every moment of our lives! Because of His suffering on the Cross, He paid the ultimate price for us to experience His loving presence. This is possible not by any work of righteousness that we have done, but by trusting in what He has done.

So don’t listen to the lies of the devil about your past. Don’t let him convince you to give up. Instead, seek God’s face, and listen to the loving words of truth from God’s Spirit that are there for you. Jesus’ flesh was not ripped apart in vain. It was for your deliverance and freedom to become the person God planned for you to be!

Jesus took all your shame and fear so you wouldn’t have to be tormented by its wicked hold. In exchange, He freely offered you His glory and healing power. All you have to do is receive by faith what He has already given you. You are free from the bondage of shame in Him. Now it’s time to live free in Jesus’ Name!1

Have you ever felt publicly humiliated? Have you ever been ashamed because of something you’ve been through or because of something someone said? Have you felt the discomfort, pain, and even torture of embarrassment and humiliation?

If you’ve experienced these feelings, take comfort in the fact that Jesus felt them too. He took those emotions upon Himself as part of His sacrificial work on the Cross so that you and I could be set free. We don’t have to be encumbered with feelings of shame for the rest of our lives. He literally took our shame so we could be free from it!

Regardless of what has happened in your past that might have made you feel embarrassed or ridiculed, know that Jesus took your shame upon Himself and set you free. Your freedom from shame and humiliation was included in His work on the Cross, and you never have to be tormented with those hellish thoughts again — because of Jesus!

1 Denise Renner, Redeemed From Shame (Tulsa, OK: Harrison House, 2004), p.

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, how can I ever begin to thank You for Your great plan of Redemption? Jesus not only became sin for me, He also bore for me the humiliation and pain of it in ways far deeper than anything I could ever imagine. I am overcome with gratitude to know that Jesus endured such unspeakable horror so I could know Your perfect love and be set me free from the torment of fear and shame. Holy Spirit, teach me how to walk in the reality of this freedom and love so that I will cause others to know the power made available through Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that never again will I allow myself to wallow in self-pity because of the pain I feel, the loss I’ve endured, or the abuse I’ve experienced. Jesus knows exactly how it feels to be humiliated and shamefully treated in the most degrading ways. Because Jesus is personally acquainted with such pain and such mental and emotional anguish, He is able to fully sympathize with all my feelings. Therefore, with confidence I come boldly before His throne of grace to receive His help in just the way I need it most!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

Shame is a horrible spiritual force that causes a person to be embarrassed of who they are. Have you ever felt this negative power? Did you know that Jesus paid for your shame as a part of His redemptive work on the Cross?
If you walked free of shame and embarrassment and never returned to it, how would that freedom affect your life? What would life be like if you never had to deal with those negative emotions?
Now that you know that Christ paid the price for your shame, can you think of anyone you need to share this message with so he or she, too, can be freed from the power of shame?

How Many Soldiers Does It Take To Arrest One Man?

Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.
— John 18:3

Jesus has the greatest power in the whole universe! When He walked the earth, He healed the sick, cast out demons, raised the dead, walked on water, changed water into wine, and multiplied loaves and fishes. In fact, Jesus performed so many miracles that the apostle John said, “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written…” (John 21:25).

Satan was terrified of Jesus. That’s why the enemy inspired Herod the Great to try to kill the infant Messiah by slaughtering all the babies in Bethlehem and the surrounding region (Matthew 2:16). When that failed, the devil tried to wipe out Jesus by attempting to seduce Him with temptations in the wilderness. And when that failed, the devil tried to kill Jesus on numerous occasions using angry religious people!

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Do you recall the many times religious leaders tried and failed to catch Jesus? The Gospels are filled with examples when He supernaturally slipped out of the hands of His aggressors. (See Luke 4:30, John 7:30, John 8:59, and John 10:39.)

Now it was time for Satan’s next attempt using Judas Iscariot — and it seems that the devil was worried he wouldn’t succeed again! Thus, the enemy inspired Judas to lead a massive group of Roman soldiers and temple police to arrest Jesus. There were far too many soldiers in this group to capture just one individual — unless that individual was the Son of God!

The religious leaders the devil was using were also filled with hate toward Jesus. Considering how many times Jesus had previously slipped out of their hands, they must have worried that He might slip away this time too.

After serving Communion to His disciples, Jesus retreated to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. John 18:2 tells us that it was Jesus’ custom to go there to pray with His disciples. Therefore, Judas knew precisely where to find Jesus that night when it was time to lead the soldiers and temple police to arrest Him.

John 18:3 says, “Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.” This verse says Judas received “…a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees.…” I want you to understand exactly who this “band of men” and these “officers from the chief priests” were so you can see the full picture of what happened that night on the Mount of Olives. I believe you will be flabbergasted when you realize the gigantic numbers of armed men who came looking for Jesus that night!

The soldiers Judas brought with him to the Garden of Gethsemane were soldiers who served at the Tower of Antonia — a tower that had been built by the Hasmonean rulers. Later it was renamed the “Tower of Antonia” by King Herod in honor of one of his greatest patrons, Marc Antony (yes, the same Marc Antony who fell in love with the Egyptian queen Cleopatra!).

The Tower of Antonia was a massive edifice that was built on a rock and rose seventy-five feet into the air. Its sides had been completely smoothed flat to make it difficult for enemies to scale its walls. Although it had many towers, the highest one was located on the southeast corner, giving the watchman an uninhibited view of the temple area as well as much of Jerusalem.

Inside this massive complex was a large inner courtyard for exercising the Roman cohort — comprised of 300 to 600 specially trained soldiers — that was stationed there. These troops were poised to act defensively in the event of an insurgency or riot. In fact, a staircase led from the tower into the temple, enabling the troops to enter the temple in a matter of minutes should a disturbance develop there. One writer has noted that there was even a secret passageway from the tower to the inner court of the priests, making it possible for troops to reach even that holy, off-limits location.

John 18:3 records that there was “a band of men” in the Garden that night. The Greek word for “a band of men” is spira. This is the word that describes a military cohort — the group of 300 to 600 soldiers mentioned above. These extremely well-trained soldiers were equipped with the finest weaponry of the day.

John 18:3 also tells us that on the night Jesus was arrested, this band of soldiers was accompanied by “…officers from the chief priests and Pharisees….” The word “officers” is from the Greek word huperetas. The word huperetas has several meanings in New Testament times, but in this case, it described the “police officers” who worked on the temple grounds. Once a judgment was given from the religious court of law, it was the responsibility of the temple police to execute these judgments. This fearsome armed force worked daily with the cohort stationed at the Tower of Antonia and reported to the chief priests, the Pharisees, and the Sanhedrin. These were the “officers” who accompanied the Roman soldiers to the Garden of Gethsemane.

We can therefore conclude that when the Roman soldiers and temple police arrived to arrest Jesus, the hillside where the Garden was located was literally covered with Roman soldiers and highly trained militia from the Temple Mount. I want you to really see what a huge crowd of armed men came that night, so let’s look at what the other Gospels tell us about this same incident.

Matthew 26:47 says it was “a great multitude” of soldiers, using the Greek words ochlos polus to indicate that it was a huge multitude of armed men. Mark 14:43 calls it “a great multitude,” using the Greek word ochlos, indicating that it was a massive crowd. Luke 22:47 also uses the word ochlos to indicate the band of soldiers that came that night was enormous.

It makes one wonder what Judas had told the chief priests about Jesus that made them think they needed a small army to arrest Him! Did Judas forewarn them that Jesus and His disciples might put up a fight? Or is it possible that the chief priests were nervous that Jesus might use His supernatural power to resist them?

Certainly Jesus was known for His power! After all, He had ministered for three years — healing the sick, cleansing lepers, casting out demons, raising the dead, walking on water, changing water into wine, and multiplying loaves and fishes. The stories of Jesus’ power must have already been legendary even during His lifetime here on earth!

Even Herod heard of Jesus’ powers and longed to be an eyewitness himself of the miracles He performed (see Luke 23:8). We saw what the apostle John said about this in John 21:25: The world itself couldn’t contain all the books it would take to record every one of Jesus’ miracles. So it’s not too hard to imagine that the majority of people in Jesus’ day had heard stories of the extraordinary power that flowed through Him.

It thrills my heart to think of the power of Jesus Christ! Even more thrilling is the knowledge that the same power that flowed through Him when He walked on this earth now flows through you and me. The same Holy Spirit who anointed Jesus to fulfill His ministry has been sent to empower you and me to do the same works He did! In fact, Jesus prophesied that we would do even greater works (John 14:12). This is the kind of power that operates in you and me!

Anytime the devil tries to insinuate that you’re not a serious threat to be feared, you need to rise up and remind him of Who lives inside you! Tell the devil (and remind yourself at the same time) that the Greater One lives inside you (1 John 4:4) and that you are a world overcomer (1 John 5:4). Remind yourself every day that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead now lives inside you and is at your disposal 24 hours a day. And the next time you’re faced with a situation that requires power, open your heart and let it flow — because the anointing that was on Jesus now rests on you!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I am so thankful You possess the greatest power in the whole universe! I’m not serving a dead god; I’m serving a living Lord who is interceding for me at the right hand of the Father at this very moment. Jesus, I come to You as my Great High Priest, and I ask You today to fill me with Your power 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. I don’t want to just intellectually know about You; I want to truly know You. I want to experience Your power and walk in Your ways!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I declare by faith that the Greater One lives inside me. I am a world overcomer! The same power that raised Jesus from the dead now lives inside me and is at my disposal 24 hours a day. When I’m faced with a situation that requires power, I open my heart and release the immense power of Jesus Christ that is stored up deep inside me. This power is continuously resident in my heart and is more than enough to face and overcome any obstacle the devil ever tries to throw in my way!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Do you live with a constant awareness of God’s power living inside you?

2. What are some scriptures you can confess about the power of God that is available to you? It would be good for you to write them down and put them in a visible place so you can be reminded of them every day.

3. Can you think of some times in your life when the anointing of God was upon you so strongly that you were consciously aware of that mighty power flowing through you to others? If someone asked you what it felt like when the anointing was flowing through you, how would you describe it to them?

Right now believers on every continent of the world are preparing for the Easter season — one of the three biggest annual Christian holidays, with the other being Pentecost and Christmas. Regardless of where you live, Christians will be celebrating Easter and singing jubilant songs that commemorate the resurrection of Christ.

But before there was a resurrection, there was first the Cross. There could be no resurrection without the Cross that preceded it, and that Cross represents the most horrible event Jesus could have ever endured. Yet He endured it all without complaint — for you, for me, and for all who would later come to repentance.

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Have you ever felt that you were thrust into a situation that you didn’t ask for or didn’t desire? Did you find that there was nothing you could do to escape it? How did you deal with the situation? How did you endure it? If that is a description of how you are feeling about life right now, then pay close attention to today’s Sparkling Gem, because as you will see, this is precisely how Jesus felt when He hung on the Cross.

Jesus lived a pure, sinless life. If there was ever anyone born on this earth who didn’t deserve the Cross, it was Jesus. However, it was part of God’s plan for Him to procure the salvation that today we gloriously and freely possess!

Jesus accepted His assignment, but the Bible plainly tells us that He did not relish the experience. He had to set Himself to “endure” it as a part of the assignment the Father had entrusted to Him. Hebrews 12:2 says, “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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

This verse makes it abundantly clear that Jesus “endured” and “despised” the Cross. In yesterday’s Sparkling Gem, we discussed what it meant for Jesus when the Bible says He “endured” the Cross. However, today I want to take that discussion further.

As we saw yesterday, the word “endured” is a translation of the Greek word hupomeno, which is a compound of the words hupo and meno. The word hupo means under, and the word meno means to abide or to stay. When the two are compounded, the new word portrays a person who is under some type of incredibly heavy load but who refuses to stray from his position because he is committed to his task. Regardless of the load, opposition, stress, or weight that comes against him, he is not going to move. He is going to stay put in his spot and not surrender it to anyone for any reason!

That word “endured” tells us emphatically that Jesus refused to stray from His position. If He had wished, He could have called upon 12 legions of angels to deliver Him and destroy His enemies (see Matthew 26:53), but He refrained because the Cross was the path of redemption that the Father had entrusted into His hands. His experience on the Cross was unimaginably horrific, yet it was the necessary price to be paid for the forgiveness of sin. If Jesus had shirked His responsibility and refused to accept the Cross as a part of His divine calling, then you and I would still be bound by our sin today.

I’ve never hung on a cross as Jesus did, and I can’t even imagine the thought of it. However, there have been times when God has asked me to endure some very hard things that I could escape only by disobeying His instructions. Regardless of how difficult it was to be obedient, I had to keep my eyes fixed on the prize before me and endure the moment. And one thing I have found to be sure: On the path of obedience, difficult or painful moments eventually come to a conclusion — and when they do, resurrection and exaltation follow.

You may be enduring a difficult situation right now because God has called you to do a certain task. Or perhaps there is no other way out but to go through a situation rather than run the other way. Regardless, I encourage you to focus on the example of Jesus and learn from Him. He utterly despised the Cross; yet He endured it nevertheless as a necessary part of His assignment to procure our salvation. This may not sound like something that makes you want to shout. But when you endure to the end and accomplish your divine mission, I promise you’ll be thankful that you did not throw in the towel earlier when you were tempted to give up.

I want to encourage you today to lift your eyes and set them on the goal before you. God’s plan is not that you remain in this difficult place forever. His plan for you is a place of victory and resurrection! For a season — and only God knows how long that season is — you may be called to simply endure. But if you know you’re where you’re supposed to be, simply embrace the opportunity to trust God in the midst of it all and refuse to let any person or any devil from hell move you out of position! With God’s power, you can stay in the right place and get the job accomplished that Jesus has asked you to do!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I look to Jesus in all things as my Example of how to live and to walk in a manner that is pleasing to You. Jesus endured the Cross for me and remained committed to His task without weakening beneath the weight of all that opposed Him. Because Jesus refused to abandon Your plan, even when it cost Him greatly, I will not run from my responsibility to obey Your plan for me, despite the difficulty of what I am facing. I draw upon the power of His might to declare that although I may feel weak, I am strong in Him. Just as Jesus endured His Cross, knowing that it was crucial to His obedience to and fulfillment of God’s divine plan, I take up my cross and follow Him — knowing that as I endure to the end, I will see the salvation of the Lord on my behalf.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that no temptation is beyond my ability to resist it and no trial can come to me that is not common to man or beyond what I can endure. But God is faithful to His Word and to His own compassionate nature. He is at work in me, creating both the desire and the ability to do what pleases Him. I know and trust that He will not allow me to be pressed beyond the measure of my ability and my power to endure so that I can bear up under it patiently. I let patience have its perfect work in me so I can come out on the other side of this situation strong in character and in spirit, lacking nothing.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

Can you recall a time when you were called upon to do something very difficult that your flesh didn’t want to do, but you knew it was God’s will for you to endure it and stay there regardless of how tough it felt at the time?
When you look back at that difficult moment, I am sure you had times when you didn’t know if you could endure it. What do you think would have happened if you had quit and thrown in the towel? What would have been the result of caving in to that temptation?
Do you know individuals who are exactly where they are supposed to be and doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing, yet that place and time is accompanied with hardship? What can you say or do to encourage them to remain faithful in spite of the temporary hardness?

When Jesus hung on the Cross, beaten almost beyond human recognition, He was subjected to intense, ugly verbal abuse. The soldiers at His feet scoffed, religious leaders laughed, and even a criminal being crucified nearby sneered at Him. In this eternally pivotal moment, all of creation should have rejoiced, for the Creator of the universe was paying the ultimate price for the redemption for mankind. It was the single greatest act of love the world had ever witnessed. But instead of comprehending the supreme price Jesus was paying that day, the crowd arrogantly jeered, mocked, and scorned.

Have you ever pondered how all of this ridicule affected Jesus’ emotions when He was dying on the Cross? Let me ask you — what if you were hanging on the Cross and people laughed and mocked you as you died for them? How would you be tempted to feel at that moment?

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Jesus’ body had already been ripped to shreds by the vicious beating He received in the residence of Pontius Pilate. Roman soldiers in Pilate’s court laughed at Him, mocked Him, and played humiliating games with Him. One by one, a whole cohort of soldiers took turns spitting on Him, slapping Him, and striking His face with a reed they took from a nearby fountain in Pilate’s palace. It was extreme verbal, mental, and physical abuse.

Then the soldiers jammed a crown of thorns so firmly on Jesus’ head that the long, sharp spikes perforated His skin and scraped across His skull, causing blood to stream down from His brow like a river until His entire face was covered with it. The thick, sticky blood matted His eyebrows and eyelashes, making it difficult for Him to see. Huge, nine-inch iron nails were driven through His hands and feet, which pierced His nerves and sent signals of pain throughout His entire body. The weight of Jesus’ body hanging from those nails dislocated His shoulders, and His joints were pulled out of place. He struggled to breathe every breath as His lungs began to fill with fluids that would eventually suffocate Him.

Making this unimaginably horrific experience even worse was the fact that Jesus had been completely stripped naked and hung on that Cross humiliated before the hostile crowd. Putting one’s naked body on public display was a great indignity in Jewish culture, thus making the ordeal especially shameful for Him.

Yet Jesus endured all of this agony, pain, and embarrassment willingly. Why? Because His death was the price demanded to purchase forgiveness and redemption for the very people who had done all of this to Him. He was dying for the very people who sneered at Him, for the criminals who laughed at Him, for the soldiers who mocked Him, for the religious leaders who demanded His crucifixion — and for you and me. (In Sparkling Gems 1, April 21-24, I wrote vivid descriptions of the scourging and crucifixion of Jesus. If you have not already read it, I encourage you to do so. It will give you a greater understanding of what Jesus endured to purchase your salvation.)

But how do you think Jesus felt about this experience at the time it was happening? Hebrews 12:2 gives us insight to this question. It says, “Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

First, I want you to notice that this verse says that Jesus “endured” the Cross. The word “endured” is from the well-known Greek word hupomeno. It is a compound of the words hupo and meno. The word hupo means under, and the word meno means to abide or to stay. When the two are compounded, the new word portrays a person who is under some type of incredibly heavy load but who refuses to stray from his position because he is committed to his task. Regardless of the load, opposition, stress, or weight that comes against him, he is not going to move. He is going to stay put in his spot and not surrender it to anyone for any reason!

This word depicts one who refuses to bend, break, or surrender because he is convinced that the territory, promise, or principle under assault rightfully belongs to him. It denotes a refusal to give up. One expositor has rightfully translated hupomeno as staying power. However, my favorite translation of the word hupomeno is hang-in-there power!

The fact that the Holy Spirit chose to use this word to describe Jesus’ time on the Cross tells us emphatically this was not an enjoyable experience. Regardless of how difficult and humiliating the experience was, Jesus was committed to “endure” it because the shedding of His blood was the only way to purchase our freedom from Satan, sin, and the effects of the curse that Adam’s disobedience brought upon the human race.

The Cross was so unpleasant that Hebrews 12:2 goes on to tell us that Jesus “despised” it. This is very important because it reveals exactly how Jesus felt emotionally about His time spent on the Cross. According to this verse, He “despised” the whole experience. The word “despise” is from the Greek word kataphroneo, a compound of kata and phroneo. The word kata means down, and the word phroneo means to think. When the two are compounded into one word, the new word means to think down on something or to despise it. It could be translated to loathe, to spurn, to detest, to abhor, to have an aversion, or to find something revolting or repulsive. The Cross was a degrading, crushing, and humiliating experience. In fact, crucifixion was the lowest, crudest, and most barbaric form of death in the Roman Empire.

Hebrews 12:2 goes on to tell us that Jesus despised the “shame” of this experience. The word “shame” is aischune, which depicted disgrace, embarrassment, or humiliation. In the New Testament language, the word aischune carries mostly the idea of shame. By using this word, the author of Hebrews was telling us that the Cross was something that brought shame to Jesus. It was an act of indignity which degraded, debased, and dishonored Him.

Just before He died, Jesus cried out and said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). In this amazing statement, I want you to take note of the word “forgive.” It is from the word aphiemi, which means to release, as in releasing a prisoner or setting someone free from an act they have carried out. It is the decision to not hold something against someone, but rather to liberate a person from the consequences of his actions. When Jesus cried, “Father, forgive them,” He was saying, “Father, release them…” or “Father, do not hold this against them….”

When you are facing unfair criticism or being blamed for something you didn’t do, it is imperative that you keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and the example He set for you. He lived a perfect, sinless life and did not deserve the punishment that was laid upon Him. Yet He willfully carried our sicknesses and bore our diseases. And when that sin and sickness was laid upon him, He did not retaliate or strike back! The Bible tells us that “when he was reviled, he reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to Him that judgeth righteously…” (1 Peter 2:23).

There are rare times when nothing can be done to change a situation, and we are required to be silent and trust God to take care of it. First Peter 2:23 says that when Jesus was reviled, He did not revile again, and when He suffered, He threatened not. The word “reviled” is the Greek word loidoreo, which means to speak abusively, to insult someone, or to speak words that are crude and vile. We would call this verbal abuse. However, when these kinds of words were hurled at Jesus, He didn’t return them to his offenders. Instead, He remained silent and “threatened not” when He suffered — even though He could have called upon all of Heaven to deliver Him or to obliterate His enemies. The use of the word loidoreo in this verse emphatically means that Jesus didn’t threaten his enemies when they began to threaten Him.

Instead, Jesus “committed himself to Him that judgeth righteously.” The word “committed” in First Peter 2:23 is from the Greek word paradidomi, which means to entrust, to hand over, to surrender, or to commit. The fact is, there was no way for Jesus to escape the Cross without abandoning His divine mission on earth. Rather than fight it or becoming angry and vengeful toward His abusers, Jesus chose to turn His eyes to the Father and entrust Himself entirely into God’s hands in that very difficult moment.

Likewise, if you are in a situation that you cannot change, you are called to follow Jesus’ example and entrust yourself into the Father’s care. Retaliating against your offenders or verbally returning words they have said to you will not help you or them. It will just make the situation worse. When you are in a situation that you have no power to change, you must pray for strength to endure the situation, and you must also entrust yourself to God who judges righteously. You can be sure that God is watching, and He will not overlook your prayers of faith or the price you’re paying for the love of Him.

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, I want to say thank You for sending Jesus to die for me on Calvary. What a terrible price He paid to purchase my freedom from sin. When He hung on that Tree, it was for me, and for this I want to say thank You from the depths of my heart. Today I ask You for grace to forgive those who have sinned against me, just as Jesus forgave those who sinned against Him. The devil has tried to make me bitter, but I know Your grace can make me better. Rather than focus on the injustice I have experienced, I am fixing my eyes on You and entrusting myself completely into Your loving care.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I joyfully declare that God is my judge and He is watching everything that is taking place in my life right now. I do not have to worry or fret that God doesn’t know what is happening, because I have entrusted myself into His care and He is lovingly watching over me. I will not fight those who have wronged me and I will not retaliate with ugly words. I have made the decision to follow the example of Jesus. So today, I confess that I am not abandoned, I am not alone, but I am resting safely in the arms of my Heavenly Father who deeply cares about me and all that I am going through in my life right now.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

Has there ever been a time in your life when you knew that fighting back would accomplish nothing, and you knew that you needed to simply be silent and trust God to work on your behalf? When was that time in your life and what happened as a result of silently trusting God?
Can you think of someone who is going through a difficult season in life and needs to be reminded that God is watching and that He will take care of those who surrender themselves to Him? Do you need to pick up the phone and call that person today to encourage that person to keep surrendering his or her situation to the Lord?
What did you specifically learn from today’s Sparkling Gem that was new for you?