What does it mean to start fresh? To begin again at ground zero? Jesus called it being Born Again, and the understanding of that term was beyond the religious leaders of the day and it seems to be beyond us even today. Sometimes we try to make the things God does too difficult to understand, so God gives us His Word as an ongoing reminder of His pure truth. We must rely on this truth, ALL of this truth to live the abundant life Jesus promised. For some reason, we have also tried to minimize what the abundant life is and our humanistic slant on what the Bible says minimizes the depth of our faith. This should not be, but it is....
Perhaps all we need is a fresh touch by the Holy Spirit in our lives. A touch that changes reality as we know it into a spiritual reality as God knows it. Maybe that is just "too far out there?" I don't think it is too far out there and for me, A New Anointing is a fresh start in our belief of who God is and what God can do. Jesus said in Matthew 19:26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” The impossibility of the "ability" to receive salvation at the time was natural when thinking in a humanistic way. A rich ruler comes to Jesus and inquires about how to receive eternal life and in the people's eyes he was blessed because of his riches. Jesus quickly denies human reasoning when it comes to the salvation He is offering. Jesus makes the following statement which astounds the disciples. Matthew 19: 23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
Talk about "missing the point!" These disciples were looking at this whole thing with the wrong eyes, worldly eyes. A rich person was considered someone to be blessed because of their wealth and thus qualified them to the front of the line if they kept all the commandments. What would our salvation look like if that were true? It would have some human elements in it, impure elements. For those wanting to work their way to heaven, this doesn't make sense. For the rich man wanting to "wealth" his way to heaven, it also did not make sense! Jesus is giving a major "reality check" and the check He was writing had great worth because Jesus explained that our salvation is nothing we can make happen, except that we believe. The rest of the whole is only God!
Perhaps you have grown cold in your relationship with Jesus and the reasoning of the world has crept into your mind and heart. The above verses are a vivid reminder of the miracle of salvation and being born again. Jesus asked the rich ruler to give all his wealth to receive eternal life and the man walked away sad because he had great wealth. Keep in mind a sacrifice has already been given for our salvation and that was given by the Son of God, Jesus. Don't minimize all that He did for you by thinking anything you could ever do or prove of your worth could even begin to match His sacrifice. Our wealth will always fall short of being enough to receive eternal life because the greatest sacrifice of wealth and pure perfection was given by Jesus and nothing else matches it. It actually would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, which is impossible, for us to get to heaven on anything we have to offer. Wealth or even a pure life will always fall short.
What could be your new beginning today? It might be realizing the fact that without Jesus we are hopeless and lifeless. Or it might be that I need His grace for every moment of my life. Or it might be that with Jesus all things are possible like the Word of God says. Whatever it is for you, get settled in your reliance on God's power and let A New Anointing begin, and that new anointing might be where the Holy Spirit affirms your faith and brings you back to a total life surrender to Jesus. No longer live a life of mediocrity that is self-reliant depending on yourself. Give your all over to the Lord and He will come alive in you. That might be your new and fresh anointing. It may seem impossible to start afresh, but remember with God all things are possible.
The Pilgrimage Continues
David Warren
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