Finishing your race strong: Jesus is our ultimate example

Jesus: Our Ultimate Example Jesus could not have completed the work of the Father on earth if He had yielded to offense. He had every logical reason to be offended: He knew no sin, He did no sin, and there was no sin in Him, yet He was punished and murdered for sins He did not commit. He was despised and rejected. He was falsely accused, mocked, spat upon, beaten, scourged, crushed, crucified, and nailed to the cross. And while He was still experiencing ridicule, pain, and suffering, Jesus prayed: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” — Luke 23:34 This is the Kingdom way. Jesus teaches us that we do not have to become what has been done to us. We can choose to forgive. If God in Christ Jesus has forgiven us such a great debt of sin we owed, we can forgive one another (Ephesians 4:31-32). Some people hold on to unforgiveness and bitterness as though it is a right or privilege they are entitled to. If you know how much God has forgiven you, what price Jesus had to pay for your sins, you have no right to hold on to unforgiveness. We can choose to love. We can choose to trust God. We can choose not to be offended. We can choose to continue walking in obedience to the Lord even when people mistreat us. Know this: Just as Jesus did, we can choose to forgive, to love, and to obey God. Every day, we can choose to love our spouse, choose to take no account of wrongs done to us, and choose to let go of any hurt or abuse we might have experienced in the past. Matthew 5:44 says: “But 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.” This is how we operate in the Kingdom of God. When we live as Jesus lived, we can say with Him: “For the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.” — John 14:30 The devil could not find anything in Jesus that he could use to accuse Him, control Him, or turn Him away from the Father's will. Jesus understood the enemy's devices, and He never surrendered to his deception. As a result, Jesus completed His assignment. He finished the work the Father gave Him. He rose from the dead. He ascended to heaven, and He sat at the right hand of the Father, where His enemies are being made His footstool. Jesus finished His course without allowing offense to derail His purpose. #mindset #faith #grace #jesuschrist #mindsetshift #jesus #thoughts #mind #mindsetmatters