The Destroyer

February 4, 2016

Devotions:

        “"Behold, I Myself have created the smith who blows the fire of coals And brings out a weapon for its work; And I have created the destroyer to ruin.”  ‭Isaiah‬ ‭54:16‬ ‭NASB‬‬

        We are so quick to take judgment upon ourselves because we see ourselves as guilty before God.  In ourselves we are but we look to God who justifies by carrying our guilt and shame and paid the price for them.  We think that we might do something wrong and then the destroyer that God created will come to destroy us.  So we live in fear.  But that is not the one that God wishes to destroy. The destroyer is Jesus and came of one purpose, to save us not to destroy us. So the destroyer to ruin that God created is an act of salvation, not judgment.

        “the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭3:8‬ ‭NASB‬‬“

        If we refuse the gracious offer of salvation from the Lord and reject Jesus we will be destroyed with the works of the devil.  But when we receive Jesus, He comes to break us free from the works of the wicked one by taking our full punishment upon Himself and giving us His righteousness. 

        “and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.”  ‭1 Peter‬ ‭2:24‬ ‭NASB‬‬

        He set us free from the condemnation and guilt so that we could choose to serve Him and walk in intimacy with the Father and Jesus.  The more we believe in His righteousness in us the more we walk in the presence of Jesus and the Father and the more Jesus' presence destroys the shackles of sin that try to hold us in bondage.  In whatever circumstance you find yourself in confess that what God has said is true, that you are the righteousness of God in Christ.