Editor's note: It's Good Friday! Enjoy today's devotion from Jesus Calling for Easter by Sarah Young.
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I give you My shield of victory, and My right hand sustains you. I won the ultimate victory through My sacrificial crucifixion and My miraculous resurrection! I did this for you, for all who trust Me as Savior-God. I accomplished everything! Your part is just to believe: that you need a Savior to pay the penalty for your sins and that I am the only Way of salvation.
Your saving faith sets you on a path to Heaven. Meanwhile, My victorious shield protects you as you journey through this world. Use the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.
When you’re in the thick of battle, call out to Me: “Help me, Lord! I trust in You.”
As you live in close dependence on Me, My right hand does indeed sustain you, holding you up. I have indescribably great Power! Yet I use My mighty right hand not only to protect you but to tenderly lead you and help you keep going. Sometimes I even gather you in My arms and carry you close to My heart.
You give me Your shield of victory, and Your right hand sustains me; You stoop down to make me great. — Psalm 18:35
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” — John 14:6 NKJV
In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. — Ephesians 6:16 NLT
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Take hold of the hope that I offer to you — and be greatly encouraged. The hope of Heaven is your birthright as a Christian. Many, many blessings flow out of that glorious promise into your present life in this world. Notice, however, that take hold is an active verb — requiring effort on your part.
As the apostle Paul taught, you need to press on toward the goal and live up to what you have already attained. This requires you to exert yourself — grasping onto the heavenly hope from which so many blessings flow.
One of those blessings is encouragement. Be encouraged is a passive form of the verb. You receive encouragement as a free gift from Me when you make the effort to hold on to your hope — focusing on what I’ve already done (died for your sins), what I am doing (living in you), and what I will do (take you home to Heaven). I love to give good gifts in generous proportions.
So cling to hope, beloved, and you will be greatly encouraged.
God [confirmed His promise to Abraham] so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. — Hebrews 6:18
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained. — Philippians 3:14–16
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. — Galatians 2:20 NKJV
Excerpted with permission from Jesus Calling for Easter by Sarah Young, copyright Sarah Young.
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Your Turn
It’s Good Friday today — a somber yet glorious day. Let’s reflect on Jesus’ love-gift to us, His sacrifice on the cross to restore us to Himself. ~ Devotionals Daily