All of us can now say, "It is finished," when it comes to the year 2008! But what about your spiritual walk with Christ?
When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” Then bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.—John 19:30
- God always finishes what He begins (Phil. 1:6).
- God never speaks a word without ensuring that it comes to pass (Isa. 55:11).
- Christ is both the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end (Rev. 1:8, 17).
- Christ is as much at the end of His work as He is at its beginning.
Jesus was given an enormous mandate. He was to live a sinless life, remaining absolutely obedient to His Father. Even the manner of His death was to fulfill numerous prophecies that had been foretold in Scripture (Matt. 26:24, 31, 54, 56; 27:9, 35, 46; John 19:28, 36–37). Yet, despite the extremely complex assignment Jesus received from His Father, He could shout triumphantly from the cross, “It is finished!”
Christ now resides within each believer. His assignment today is to complete God's will in each Christian. He is just as determined to do this in us as He was to complete God's will for Himself.
You will have to resist Christ in order to remain out of the will of God. As we come to the close of another year, stop and ask yourself some deep, penetrating questions:
- What is it God wants to do in you?
- Are you living in the center of God's will for your life?
- Have you allowed Him to complete what He has begun?
- Are you walking daily by faith, submitting your life to the Lord?
God will not force you to receive all that He has for your life. If God's work has not been brought to fruition in you, it is not that Christ has not been diligently working toward that end. Rather, you may need to release areas of your life to Him and be as determined to see God's work in you completed as Christ is.
Review the things God has said to you over this last year. Are there promises God has made to you that you have refused to allow Him to complete? If so, commit to yield your will to God today.
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