From my family to you, I want to wish you a wonderful holiday season, a Merry Christmas, and a smooth transition into 2022. Despite the challenges and circumstances of this past year, I can truly say that it has been a time of blessing, provision, and protection. God continually proves His faithfulness to His Word…He always has, and He always will!
I’ll start by asking a simple question… Why do you celebrate Christmas? What does this time mean to you? You are probably familiar with the Christmas story and the three different accounts found in the books of Matthew, Luke, and John. Each of these accounts hold special pieces to it, but in the first chapter of John, we find the Christmas story from God’s point of view.
John 1:1, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
Another translation reads, the light shines in darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
In looking back over the past couple of years, it is easy to see where the darkness has tried to overcome the light, the church, and our nation. I am sure that you can think of some instances where it tried to overcome you, but I have news for you…it has NOT overcome you nor will it overcome you in the future!
One of the greatest truths to remember during the Christmas season is the fact that God is most interested and involved in fulfilling His Word. Jesus’ life, His birth, death, and resurrection, are a perfect illustration of this. While there have been many great men and women born into this world, I can’t think of any that have had every detail of their birth, life, death, and resurrection foretold in such great detail or so far in advance like Jesus’ life was foretold. As far back as the garden of Eden, God was talking about the birth of Christ!
Genesis 3:15, And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
The Christmas Story never ceases to amaze me, and even after years of study it is still difficult to articulate the complexity and power of this testimony. The universe, a giant clock, was ticking down the time to Jesus’ arrival, and even now it is ticking down to His second coming. Seven centuries before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah spoke of his birth, saying that he would be born in Bethlehem, that he would be from Egypt, and that He would be called a Nazarene. The Creator of the universe became a child, brought into this world by a young virgin, all because God said so!
The Creator superseded the laws of nature, “that it might be fulfilled.” Glory! Jesus’ entire life was a fulfillment of what God spoke. When God talked about His plan early on, it was for the purpose of giving hope to man and striking fear into the devil. God was bold in declaring what was coming and Satan’s defeat, and we should emulate this when it comes to our lives. What has God spoken to you? What will you allow Him to fulfill in your life in 2022?
Regardless of what has transpired in the past, your life should be a fulfillment of what God has spoken, and it’s time for you to get aggressive about this. I have been saying for years that it’s time for the church to get its shout back, and the same thing is true for us as individuals. Sometimes a shout is a praise, a laughter, or a dance. The enemy will work overtime to shut you up in order to thwart the plan of God for your life, but don’t let him have his way! Remind the devil that he is a dead man walking, and as long as you are on this earth, your life WILL be a fulfillment of what God has declared.
God was true to His Word concerning the coming of His Son, and He is true to His Word when it comes to your life, in the little things and the big things. Christmas is a time to be reminded of God’s love, for you and for others. Remind yourself of His faithfulness, His goodness, and His mercy. Rest, and be joyful in God’s Word fulfilled and made flesh, both 2,000 years ago and today!