YOUR HEART MUST NOT BE TROUBLED

WEDNESDAY 08 MARCH 2023

Jesus knew that the hour had come for Him to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. However, through this topic, I want to reveal the two entities of the Godhead regarded as inseparable, yet believing in them on the inside and on the outside, as a Christian, forms a positive and dominating stronghold that keeps a troubled mind and heart far from us.

Reference: John 14:1 New King James Version (NKJV) "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me."

Aside from the truth that Jesus was addressing His disciples because He was about to leave them, there is an important lesson to learn from this Scripture. Jesus says, "Believe in God and also in me", because we know that there are those who believe in God alone, and do not believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the true God. You'll be eager to believe in God the Father, and God the Son, when you function more in the Spirit. In fact, beyond the belief realm, you will desire to grow in the knowledge of God and His Son Jesus Christ, when you have constant fellowship with them, because truly, our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ (1 John 1:3 NKJV).

Looking at the bigger picture, believing in Christ is an acknowledgement, those whom God has called for eternal salvation, must do in their lifetime. They shall be saved and brought to Christ. When Jesus is persuading you to believe in God and Himself, understand that both are the entities of the Kingdom of light, and so He wants you not to doubt any of them because God can speak to you directly, and also, you're called by God to have personal encounters with Christ in your Christian journey. When you have an encounter with God, believe that it is God the Father; when you have a convincing encounter with Christ, believe Him too, as the Son of God.

For instance, when Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do you say I am?", Simon Peter replied with an assurance, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Then Jesus replied, "You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being" (Matthew 16:15-17 ESV). What this actually means is that Peter believed in God's revelation about Christ, when it hit his human spirit. Another instance is when Saul had an encounter with Christ, he fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," He replied. "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do" (Acts 9:3-6 NIV). With these two instances, you can perceive how Peter had an encounter with God, not Jesus, and Saul with Christ, not God, and both without any doubt and unbelief.

More so, Jesus already knows that Satan, the deceiver is nearby, scheming lies ahead so as to engage you with a doubtful mind (see 2 Corinthians 2:11 NASB). Remember, Jesus once said, "I don't have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches. He has no power over me" (John 14:30 NLT). This implies that the devil is always looking for an opportunity to lay hold of your interest, but do not give place to the devil (Ephesians 4:27 MEV).

Therefore to function properly in the Kingdom of light, you must believe in God the Father and God the Son. There is no middle ground. If you don't believe in them, then you are of the devil, "Satan", who heads the kingdom of darkness. For this reason, Jesus began to point out and describe the benefits of the Kingdom of God, in order to strengthen your belief system, boost your interest in the Godhead and keep you far from being enticed by the defeated head of the kingdom of darkness. How? "You may ask." The very next verse confirms this truth. In fact, let me put both verses together so you can grasp my cognizance.

John 14:1-2 (NKJV): "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you."

The image of these Scriptures is derived from the vast palaces in the Kingdom of God, in which there is an abode not only for the twenty four elders, representing the 12 tribes and the 12 apostles that surround the throne of God, but also for all the heirs of the Kingdom, however numerous we may be. So Jesus wasn't just addressing His disciples here, but also every born again Christian. Remember that Romans 8:17 says, "and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ...(ESV). Shalom!

Scripture Reading - 1 Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 11:6; 1 Timothy 4:10; John 3:18.

Guided Prayer: Heavenly Father, your presence makes a resting-place for my existence, without entertaining a troubled mind and heart. I believe that you are the only true and living God and I believe in your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. I stand in awe of your greatness and presence, and with the eye of my faith, I acknowledge that you are more than enough, as I believe you in every way, in Jesus' Name, Amen!