12/10/2010 - The joy for being a Christian

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“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,[a] for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” (Romans 1. 16)

It’s not good to be ashamed of the Lord or of His Word. The apostle Paul stated that He wasn’t ashamed of the Good News which tells us about what Jesus has done to humankind. It’s unbelievable but there are people that don’t feel at ease to preach IT. I suppose those people haven’t been delivered yet and that’s precisely the reason why demons keep on dominating them and the reason why they’re still troubled. In fact, everyone should feel joy in being a Christian.

The message of the Gospel is the Good News of the Kingdom of God and it’s the most precious thing men can hear of or be granted. IT not only tells us about what has been done to us; it also provides us the power we need to make our rights worth it with faith. Nobody can get rid of their suffering or take possession of what Jesus did at His death without listening to the Gospel. It’s with that ability they’ll give our God the true worship.

It feels so good to hear the Gospel! We only have to believe in what IT teaches us to be granted the power of God which is enormously stronger than any assaults from the devil. We’re strengthened by Him for the battles in order to take possession of what belongs to us. Then, we become stronger with that covering than the evil forces. There are more riches in the Word of God than those we can ever dream of.

The Gospel brings salvation, reconciliation, a sense of achievement in all senses. All that’s left without the knowledge of what was done by Jesus in our favour is a weak, cold and dithering religion. Yet, once we’re aware of what was done to us at our Lord’s death we can be happy and face life with satisfaction and fearlessly. There will be no barriers to prevent us from taking possession of that very thing we owe once we’re strengthened with the power of God.

Those who accept the Gospel are born again to become a new creation – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new (II Corinthians 5. 17) – that’s why they shouldn’t be at risk to any assaults from the devil at all. Be it a temptation that might take them away from the unique presence of the Lord, be it a disease that might have come to destroy their lives. A converted person mustn’t let anything bother them or get them away from the communion with the Lord. They’d rather use the authority they’ve been granted, in the Name of Jesus, to rebuke evil and to demand all devilish assaults to stop from operating.

The Gospel is the power of God for the salvation of those who are near – the religious and the Jews – and also for those who are away, like the Greeks who still worship other gods. Men are free to serve God with righteousness and holiness in Him. Those who have already heard the Good News can guarantee that there’s nothing worth more than the joy of being a Christian and that they don’t exchange that for anything at all.

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares