Looking up – it isn’t a one-time experience or occasional reminder; it is a daily practice.
When Jesus lived on earth, He was limited to the same human traits as we are. He got tired and needed rest, he got hungry and thirsty. He faced rejection by His family, peers and religious elite. He grieved the death of a friend.
However, He overcame those limitations by His faith and trust in the promises of God’s word. He learned the Scriptures as a boy, and He lived them as a man.
When Satan came to tempt Him in His time of weakness Jesus answered him with the word of God. It is written, it is written, it is written.
When He was criticized for His actions, this was His response.
“I came down from heaven to do what God wants, not what I want. ” John 6:38 ERV
Jesus was under the authority of His heavenly Father. Many miracles had been done by the prophets in the Old Testament. The dead had been raised, the leper had been healed, armies had been defeated, the Red Sea had opened, food fell from heaven. Men had survived a fiery furnace. Fire had fallen from heaven.
Countless miracles. And here was Jesus doing the same, but it doesn’t end there.
“ So he came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth is given to me. 19 So go and make followers of all people in the world. Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach them to obey everything that I have told you to do. You can be sure that I will be with you always. I will continue with you until the end of time.’” Matthew 28:18-20 ERV
Jesus gave His authority to the disciples and to us. The “end of time” hasn’t come yet and so we are to continue the work that Jesus started while He was here. We are to preach, teach, and do the will of God on the earth. We are to make disciples, but we can’t do it in our own power. That’s why Jesus gave us His authority before He left.
Jesus received His power and authority from the Father. We need to have that same mindset.
” If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:1-3 NKJV
We are His disciples, His ambassadors – representatives of Christ on the earth.
We have been given His authority. We need to make His thoughts our thoughts. Let’s have His mindset and touch our world like Jesus did!