John 12:27-50
2 Chronicles 16-17
Psalm 78:1-20
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Thoughts and Commentary on Today's Reading
In John 12:31-32, we find the most powerful key to victory - the reality of the Cross!John 12:31-32 - "Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me."The prince of this world (Satan) was cast out and defeated at the Cross (the moment when Yahshua was "lifted up"). Yet how many of us really live like it? Honestly, do you live like the devil was defeated at the Cross?
To fully understand the power of the Cross means to live in victory over our past sinful ways. Yet believers still struggle with sin in their lives. It seems no matter how hard we try, we cannot seem to break the power of sin in our lives - in a practical way.
But the problem is really a matter of love - or lack of it. In light of Calvary, God's Love for us is made plain. And Love begets love. His great Love for us awakens love for Him in our hearts. And when our love for God exceeds our love for sin, we will experience the victory of the Cross - defeating Satan - in a personal way.
Robert, of Great Bible Study. com explained it this way:
Our love for God needs to exceed our love for sin
As we come to know and understand God's rich and deep love for us, our spirits will respond and our love for Him will grow naturally. When this happens, we will begin to love the things He loves and hate the things He hates. We will be conformed to His image and become more like Him.
Romans 8:29, "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren."
As we are conformed to His image, we will begin to hate sin, because He hates sin. When we realize the great love that God has for us, and yet find ourselves in sin, it will lay a great burden on our shoulders that will make us feel awful for what we've done. We will be quick to repent because we will feel awful for the things we've done that we were wrong.
We need to come to know and understand God's love for us if we are going to break free from the power of sin in our lives. As we grow in understanding of His great love for us, our human spirits will respond. They will begin to hate sin because of their love for God. Our love for God needs to outweigh our love for sin.
How do we increase our love for God? By learning of His love for us! Spending time with Him allows us to get to know Him and build a relationship with Him that will help us understand and realize the great love that He has for us. As we learn of His love for us, our spirits will respond and our love for Him will grow.
What about resisting the devil?
We are to resist the devil, but also draw near to God at the same time. What happens when we draw near to Him? We become more aware of His love for us, which in turn helps us resist the devil and his temptations. Somebody who's trying to lose weight may love chocolate, but if they think about losing weight, their ability to resist the chocolate becomes much stronger. James 4 speaks of temptations and how to deal with them, which can be nicely summed up in verses 7 and 8:
James 4:7-8, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded."Only when we comprehend Calvary at this level, and take hold of it in a practical way, will be benefited by the powerful keys to victory which are found in John 12:
John 12:31-32 - "Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me."
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