Seems the Holy Spirit has had us flowing in the teaching stream of Divine healing and health these past few weeks. Perhaps, we are being prepared for future challenges as sincere believers in God’s unchanging Word. Maybe we are being called unto a higher dimension of faith as we seek to walk closer to the Lord. Nonetheless, in most cases, the Heavenly Father’s involvement in physical problems and maladies is invited as an “if it be Thy will” courteous call for assistance or an afterthought when all else fails. Not so here.

It takes great effort to begin to believe God’s promises. It is actually spiritual work, or rather, warfare. One must war through unseen forces of unbelief and doubt. The flesh rises up and imposes its will and strength against our decision to delight in the law of God according to our inward man (see Romans 7:22). Demonic powers will taunt and terrorize, dangling death and dying in our face. Many just give up and turn to the false comfort of man’s cup of wine mingled with myrrh. The pain is just too much.

What would Jesus do? Well, what did He do?

First, He faced and bore the cross. He looked beyond that experience and saw great joy. The cruel, crushing terrors of pain and the pitch-black darkness of death’s threats were overcome by the goal of the Father’s “well done” and achieving the summit of Mount Zion. He moved against the fear and shame by submitting to His Father’s will.

Second, He admonished His disciples (hopefully, you and me) to follow His magnificent example. His (so called) “bucket list” was not humanly admirable, but it was certainly spiritually victorious; so He tells us “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” He also warned:  “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”

“Oh, He really didn’t mean that,” some would say. Surely, He does not want us, as Christians, to suffer so. The fact is, there is no other Gospel; there is no other Jesus; there is no other Spirit.

Who has taken the liberty to water-down this Gospel? Who has the authority to help us avoid our cross experience? No one.

Be not deceived, few there be that find this. Many are called, but few are chosen.

Oh, Father, I want to be one of those You chose.

Steve