The Covenant Life Blog – A Blog About Living With Jesus Today

“IT IS FINISHED!”

John 19:30

    30   “So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.”

During this week when we remember and celebrate the things that happened to Jesus over 2000 years ago, we need to remember what He accomplished for you and me.  This week is the culmination of the reason He came to Earth and was born.  He was born to die!

What He suffered Thursday through Sunday was to complete His mission and having restored everything that had been lost in the garden of Eden He had established a “new covenant” in His blood and He cried out “IT IS FINISHED !”

Imagine looking at Leonardo da Vinci’s famous Mona Lisa painting in the Louvre museum. Would you think of adding more brush strokes to it? Of course not! It was done by a master, so what could you possibly add to the painting to improve it?

In the same way, that is how we are to look at the work of Jesus on the cross. He cried out, “It is finished!” You cannot complete a completed work. You cannot finish a finished work. Our salvation is won – it is a finished work. Our sins are all forgiven – that too is a finished work. We are made forever righteous by His blood – this too is a finished work. Christ paid completely and perfectly for our total forgiveness, righteousness and every blessing!

In fact, these three words, “It is finished”, come from one Greek word “teleo”. In the days of Jesus, a servant would use it when reporting to his master: “I have completed the work assigned to me.” (John 17:4) The word means, “It is finished, it stands finished and it will always be finished!” Perhaps the most significant meaning of “teleo” is how it is used by merchants: “The debt is paid in full!” When Jesus gave Himself on the cross, He met fully the righteous demands of the law. He paid our debts in full!

Today, it is not our works that will bring us the blessings. It is Christ’s finished work. Christian living is not about doing, but believing in His finished work. Under the law, we must do. Under grace, it is done!

Maybe you are faced with overwhelming odds today. Jesus promises, “It is finished!” You are not going to be delivered because you have already been delivered. You are not going to be healed because you are already the healed! God healed you 2,000 years ago! Isaiah 53:5 declares, “By His stripes you are healed!” You are already pregnant with healing. Keep resting in His finished work and it will manifest!

My friend, the work is finished. The victory is won. Our blessings have been bought by His blood! Live life knowing that there is nothing for you to do — only believe! It is finished!

‘All That I Have Is Yours’

Luke 15:31
31… ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.

After running a few errands for his parents, a little boy went to his father and said, “I know why you and mom had me.” “Why?” asked his father. “So that you guys would have someone to run errands for you!” exclaimed the boy.

Like the little boy, do you see God as a Father who demands obedience and service from you? Have you ever felt that unless you obey Him and keep all His commandments, you don’t have a right to be blessed by Him?

Jesus shared the story of the prodigal son to show how some of us call God “Father” and yet don’t know His heart. There are two sons in this parable. We know what happened to the prodigal son, but we can also learn something about the older son. This is what he said to his father when he discovered that his father had thrown a party to celebrate the return of his irresponsible, spendthrift brother: “Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.” (Luke 15:29)

Now, this son believed that his father had brought him into the world to serve him. He saw his father as someone issuing commandments to him all the time. And he saw himself as someone who had to obey those commandments to enjoy his inheritance. But the truth is that the father had already given him his inheritance. (Luke 15:12) The father even reminded him lovingly: “Son… all that I have is yours.” And I am sure that that inheritance included more than one goat!

Have you, like the older son, failed to understand your Father’s heart? Your heavenly Father already gave you a rich inheritance in Christ when you became His son. He wants you to know that you have received the Spirit of sonship. (Romans 8:15) So call out to Him, “Abba, Father!” and know how much He loves you. Because you are His heir, all that He has is yours to enjoy today!

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You Are Never Alone, You Are Always Cared For

1 Peter 5:7
7casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

It does not matter how tightly knit our families are or how many close friends we have. When we go through a difficult time or trial, many a time, we still feel all alone and that no one really cares or understands.

Martha knew that feeling. She had on one occasion cried out to Jesus, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?” (Luke 10:40) Jesus’ disciples also knew what it was like to feel small, alone and in trouble. They cried out, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” when they were swept up in a terrifying storm. (Mark 4:38)

Today, maybe the cry of your heart is also, “Lord, do You not care that I am left all alone… that I am going under… that I am perishing?”

My friend, the Lord does care for you. He loves you so much that He wants you to cast all your cares upon Him — not just some but all your cares. He wants both your big and small cares. There is nothing too small or big for Him. If it is a care in your heart, He wants you to cast it upon Him.

When the apostle Peter wrote “casting all your care upon Him”, he was talking about the continuous act of casting all your cares upon the Lord. As a care comes, God wants you to cast it to Him. That is the lifestyle He wants you to adopt. Why? The verse gives us the reason — “for He cares for you”. You are casting all your cares upon the One who loves you, and who left all of heaven to come and die for you. That is who you are casting your cares to. It is not just any person, but it is the One who gave His life for you!

When you are going through a difficult time, God wants you to believe that you are never alone because He Himself has said that He will never leave you nor forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5) As the object of His care, He will take care of you for the rest of your life. You are never alone and always cared for!

The Key to the Christian’s Victorious Life

Jesus said to anyone who had problems and was weary from the mental load to come to Him and He would give them REST. In Hebrews we are instructed to diligently pursue entering into His REST. In the 23rd Psalm we are told that He is our Shepherd and we shall not be in want, need, or lack. He would lead beside still waters and into green pastures. Does that sound like He wants us to be burdened with the cares of this life?

Satan’s goal for the Christian is to get us to focus on what he is “doing” rather than on what Jesus has “done”. We are told we have been seated in heavenly place in Jesus far above the frays of this world and above any thing that can come against us. We are to be just “as He is” – at REST and in PEACE in a sitting down position. That, my friend, is our “position in Christ” – at REST. Satan does everything he can to get us to move out of that position, but he can’t unless we let him.

Scripture tells us to set our minds on the things above, not on the things of this world. Paul instructed to “think on these things”. We humans have a tendency to do the same thing Eve did in the garden with the forbidden fruit – we focus our attention upon it and end up losing our position of REST and victory.

Focus your attention upon what Jesus has done for you and not on what Satan is trying to do “TO YOU”.

Remember “I am what I AM says I am” and you ARE what He SAYS YOU ARE – not what Satan says you are.