{"id":22629,"date":"2019-06-03T06:00:33","date_gmt":"2019-06-03T06:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ba.cog7.org\/?p=22629"},"modified":"2023-08-29T11:24:08","modified_gmt":"2023-08-29T17:24:08","slug":"transmission","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/baonline.cog7engage.net\/transmission\/","title":{"rendered":"Transmission"},"content":{"rendered":"

Matthew 28:18<\/h2>\n

In the previous two articles, we reflected on mountaintop experiences. We started with the transformative<\/a> experience of giving our lives to Jesus. We saw next that we often need a second mountaintop experience<\/a> before we realize that we can\u2019t overcome our old nature in our own strength. But God provides victory through surrender.<\/p>\n

Now we turn to how God can use our lives for greater good. Queen Esther was given the opportunity to trust God. At first, she saw her terrifying circumstances only as a problem to escape. However, her cousin, Mordecai, recognized Esther\u2019s problem as an opportunity to embrace. He was confident that God would deliver the Jews. The only question in his mind was whether God would transmit deliverance through Esther or through another means. The choice was hers. Through her faith in action, God\u2019s power flowed to deliver the Jews.<\/p>\n

We often look at Esther\u2019s story, and those of many other men and women of faith, and wonder if God\u2019s mighty power could flow through us too. Would we have the faith to make the choices they made? Jesus answered that question for us: \u201cOne who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much . . .\u201d (Luke 16:10, ESV). Our faith grows by exercising it. God gives us opportunities for this every day.<\/p>\n

Like Esther, we\u2019ve been given a purpose of eternal consequence. Jesus said that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him (Matthew 28:18). He could perform His mission without us, but He\u2019s chosen to work through us, just as the Father chose to work through Him. Jesus has entrusted us with His Great Commission. He doesn\u2019t want to do the work without us, and we can\u2019t do the work without Him (2 Corinthians 4:7). To understand this better, we need another mountaintop.<\/p>\n

In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus described the work: \u201cLove 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 . . .\u201d (Matthew 5:44). He said that anyone can love those who love them; that\u2019s just conditional love. But unconditional love requires the nature of God. We can\u2019t do that without the power of His Spirit in us. The good news is, in Christ we can do all things (Philippians 4:13).<\/p>\n

Jesus said that rivers of living water will flow from those who believe in Him (John 7:38). We are the channels through which His love flows to others. However, when we\u2019ve been treated unfairly, our old nature can cut off that flow if we haven\u2019t surrendered our need for justice. The power to overcome our old nature belongs to God, but the surrender comes from us.<\/p>\n

[bctt tweet=”We are channels through which Jesus’ love flows to others. – Jody McCoy”]<\/p>\n

Like Mordecai, let\u2019s remind each other of the magnitude of the opportunity before us. Like Esther, let\u2019s act in faith so that the power of God\u2019s unconditional love can flow through us to rescue those around us. Through the power of Jesus\u2019 love in us, everyone will know that we are His disciples (John 13:34, 35).<\/p>\n

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Read the previous articles in Jody’s series on following Jesus’ plan:<\/em><\/p>\n