Power Flowing from the Cross

As I write these words, I am flooded with the verse from Eph 1 where the Bible tells us that we are "blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus." All spiritual blessings that we have flow down from the cross.

Jesus compared the cross to the snake that was lifted up in the desert. The people were grumbling against God and He sent fiery snakes among them to bite them with poison and they were all dying. Then, in His mercy and grace He told Moses to fashion a snake of bronze and to put it on a pole (forming a cross). Those who would look to the snake would recover. Everyone else would die.

Not only is there power to save from the serpent in the cross, the power of forgiveness of sin, but the power of the cross extends to our daily lives as Christians. There is untold power waiting for our request from God that was already purchased for us by Jesus when He died on the cross. The cross still drips with power to give us "every spiritual blessing." What are the spiritual blessings that He is talking about? I think some of them are the spiritual gifts, the fruits of the Spirit, God's favor and the joy that accompanies a life lived under the smile of God.

Some people of the "name it and claim it" ilk have cheapened the Christian life by saying that God will make us healthy, wealthy, etc. in this life when God is most concerned with blessing us with health and wealth in the life to come (and He tells us to place our focus there), but now, His character is available for us, His giftings are available to us, and His favor and smile are ours now. We are truly blessed people.

So, go boldly to His throne and pray for these blessings. They are yours. Need more grace. Pray. Need more love or patience? It's yours. Desire to prophesy? (1 Cor. 14:1) Want to dream dreams? (Acts 2:17-18) Wish that God would give you a heart of compassion? In Jesus, all the promises of God are yes and amen! Those things have already been paid for by our Savior! Just ask and they are yours for the taking. May His kingdom increase and His will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.

Hidden in Christ,
Scott