Today we continue our series entitled, “God Loves You”, under the overall theme for the year of, “Supernatural Manifestation.” We have been looking at John 3:16 for over a week now. In my last message I told you that everyone is a candidate. God does not discriminate, so neither should we! Let’s go back to John 3:16 this morning and continue to receive from God.
The Apostle John said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16 KJV). Today I want to go back and focus in on the words, “should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Today’s message is entitled, “Embracing Eternal Life!”
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
- God gave us access to eternal life through His Son, Jesus the Christ. Jesus paid for our sin and redeemed us from death. He did this with His own blood. His part is done. Our part is to believe and receive the gift of eternal life by faith. Our faith accesses God’s grace for salvation.
- The English word translated “everlasting” in John 3:16 is the Greek word ai?nios. This word means: without beginning and end; that which always has been and always will be; never to cease; eternal. When we receive Jesus as Lord we access the ‘life of God’. This life is eternal, without beginning or end. We are living in a finite world, but when we receive Jesus, the infinite life of God becomes our reality. We get to live in the finite with the infinite living on the inside of us! We get to live in the limited, with the limitless living inside of us.
- The English word translated “everlasting” in John 3:16 appears again two chapters later, when Jesus said, “I assure you, anyone who hears what I say and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life. They will not be judged guilty. They have already left death and have entered into life.” (John 5:24). Jesus tells us that three things are going to happen for those who hear what He said and believe on the one who sent Him: (1) They would receive eternal (unending) life, (2) They would not be judged guilty (other translations say, “They will not come into condemnation”, and (3) They have already (past tense) past from death unto life. Once you accept Jesus as Lord, you are Born from above, you are dead to self, and you have done all the dying you are going to do.
- Embracing eternal life — or better stated, the God-type of life — is critical for believers, because you will never expect the supernatural to be manifested in, with or through your life, until you accept the fact that the supernatural IS your reality. You are supernatural NOW! The supernatural is supposed to be natural to you!
- If you believe you can lose the life God has given you, and that His power, presence and anointing will only be available to you if your performance is righteous, then you will never operate in God’s power, because the devil will see to it that you spend more time focused on your performance than God’s.
- Performance-based religion is powerless, because human performance is not perfect. If the supernatural were contingent upon you, then it would be rare at best. But the supernatural is NOT based on your performance. The supernatural is based on God’s performance. Jesus was perfect for you. Jesus was sinless for you. Jesus was righteous for you. God put your sin on Jesus and He put Jesus’ righteousness on you. The day you fully embrace this, will be the day you truly open your heart to the supernatural.
Closing Confession: Father, this is a year of Great Victory for me. I have accepted Jesus as Lord. I have been Born-Again. I am born from above. Your Spirit lives in me. My old man is dead and I have done all the dying I am going to do. I have eternal life NOW! I have the infinite, unending, everlasting, limitless life Jesus died to give me, and I have it NOW! I don’t have it based on my performance. I have it based on Jesus’ performance. I know I will never lose the life You have given me. Now that this issue is settled, I open my heart to the supernatural. Use me Father for Your glory! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
