Rise

Are you ready to rise? Not in judgment or retribution, but to walk with Jesus and do what He is doing. “Near the time He would be crucified and rise again, Jesus set His mind to go to Jerusalem, and wanted to go through Samaria to get there. The Samaritans of a village wouldn’t receive His messengers asking to host Him, because they believed where they live should be the center of worship, and were offended at where He was going. James and John, in turn, were offended by them, and asked Jesus if they should call down fire on them, as Elijah had done centuries before. Jesus rebuked them, ‘Don’t you understand what kind of spirit that is? The Son of Man did not come to destroy lives, but to save them.’ And they walked on to another village” (Luke 9:51–55, paraphrased).

Rise above it.

There are times when anger, self–righteousness, bitterness, and fear look like they’re in charge. Times when people will reject you for who you are, condemn all you say and do, and devalue what you believe. But don’t you know that can’t contain you? You’re no longer defined by fear or pain. You’re free. You’re a completely new creation. You don’t have to live in the mud anyone tries to drag you into. Your heart and mind live in a very different place. For God “raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6).

Rise above it.

God has been dealing with your fears, not just of angry people, but your fears of failing, rejection, and loss. He wants to renew your mind to see everyone and everything with the love He does, including yourself. He wants to strengthen your heart to give that love away, regardless of the circumstances. You’re invited to see this world as He does, including the arrogant, hypocritical, and hateful.

From the perspective of His overwhelming love, you can better understand Jesus’ words: “I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you…be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:44 & 48). “Perfect” here doesn’t mean without mistake, it means complete, whole, mature, filled with character, integrity, and honor. Every time someone tries to break your identity, it’s actually an opportunity to accelerate the wholeness of who you are, and the maturing of who you are becoming.

Rise above it.

You are who God says you are. You’re His child, His royal heir. You carry the presence of your Father, and you are powerful beyond words. You are capable of transforming despair to hope, hate to peace, pain to joy, and fear to love. This world needs you to boldly give away His goodness, peace, righteousness, wisdom, joy, healing, and grace.  “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:7 & 8).

Rise above it.

Rise until the prisoners of the enemy are set free, the wounded are healed, and the dead are raised. Take His hand, and rise into all He says is possible.