The cry of victory, “It is finished”
Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:28-30 The cross represents the love of God. His arms hang and muscles paralyzed all because He loves us. His love went to the extent that He was willing to suffer for our sin and to be separated from the Father. Christ died for our sins so He could fulfill all that was written in the Scriptures. The moment He said, “I am thirsty,” He was fulfilling Psalm 69:21, “they offer me sour wine for my thirst.” God promised that He will fulfill what He started (Philippians 1:6). He did not say anything that will not come to pass. “It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it” (Isaiah 55:11). Christ is both the beginning and the end. “I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One” (Revelation 1:8). Even His death on the cross was the fulfillment of prophecies (see Matthew 26:24, 31, 54, 56; 27:9, 35, 46; John 19:28, 36-37). In spite of the complexity of His assignment as He fulfills the will of the Father, He shouted in victory, “It is finished.” Once you come to know Christ as Lord and Savior, He will reside in your life through the Holy Spirit and will fulfill His purposes for your life. His determination manifested in fulfilling His purpose in coming in this world will also be the same determination He will have as He works His will in your life. Are you allowing Him to complete what He begun in your life? Have you opened up your life to Him and released those areas of your life you struggled surrendering to His working? His cry of victory at the cross was not because He was dying of horrible death but because “God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:21). He took our place at the cross so we will not die the horrible death as payment for our sin. Come to Him empty-handed relying only on the righteousness He obtained for us and not on the merits of our good deeds. To insist on our own effort so we could be right before Him is a great insult to all He did for us at the cross. Yield to Him and let His glory be reflected in your life.
Blessings,
Noel De Guzman www.my-wbc.com
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