Devotions

In one sudden, glorious moment, Jesus provided total, unrestricted access to the Father. The Bible says that at Golgotha, on a blood-stained cross, “Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom” (Matthew 27:50-51).

At the moment of Jesus’ death, the veil in the temple in Jerusalem was literally ripped apart. That’s the moment our destiny was sealed. In the instant that our Lord gave up the ghost, we were given total, unrestricted access to the holy of holies: “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh” (Hebrews 10:19).

This tearing of the physical veil represented what took place in the spirit world. Finally, we were able to enjoy something that generation after generation could not. We have a privilege even Abraham, Moses and David did not have—access to the Holy of Holies, the very throne room of almighty God. The door was no longer shut to us. Unrestricted access was made possible.

Moreover, at His death, Jesus became our High Priest. He ascended to the New Jerusalem, to a temple not made with hands, where He took on the role of high priest. He walked right into the holy presence of God and, with the incense of His own intercessions, presented His blood at the mercy seat. Then He sat down at the Father's right hand, with all power, might and glory.

At that point, Jesus claimed His Covenant right to receive into one spiritual body all who would repent and receive Him as Lord. And He sent the Holy Spirit to issue a call to His children: “I have opened the door to the Father. You are now accepted simply by being in Me by faith. So, come boldly to the throne! I’ll take you into the presence of My Father, who is now your Father. You have unrestricted access to Him, day and night.”
 

Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross would be sufficient for all time. His saving, forgiving, cleansing power and victory are available to every person in every era, from the most devout believer to the most hardened sinner.

Even as a young boy, I understood my need for Christ’s gift of salvation. I knew that when I accepted Jesus, His saving work on my behalf had been achieved once and for all. But not long after I accepted Him my anger erupted at one of my siblings, as happens so often among kids. Suddenly I was aware that I needed Jesus’ cleansing blood in my life all over again. I felt utterly lost, wondering whether my salvation was real.

Eventually I learned that I needed not only Christ’s salvation but His cleansing power in my life daily. Jesus demonstrated our need at the Last Supper when He took a towel and basin and began washing His disciples’ feet. Peter puzzled over this symbolic act, saying, “Lord, if You’re going to wash my feet, why not clean my head too?” (see John 13:9). Jesus answered, in essence, “Peter, you’re going to be saved by My blood. But you still live in a dirty world, and as you walk through it you’ll get dust on your feet. You’re going to need Me to wash your feet just as much as your heart.”

It’s true that Jesus has made us new creatures, having justified us once and for all. But as we walk through the mire of a dark and evil world, we can’t avoid picking up flecks of its anger, lust and hardness. Jesus says to us, just as He told Peter, “If your life is going to be pleasing to Me, I have to rid you of these things daily.”

To walk in His holiness, we must realize that Jesus wants to drive things out of our lives. In Matthew 21:12-13 when He ran the moneychangers out of the temple, He was ridding the church of a certain callousness that had overcome them. It wasn’t so much the exchange of money that upset Jesus; that practice had existed for years, as a convenience to faithful believers who traveled great distances to Jerusalem. What upset Jesus more was the focus on commerce, which had overtaken people’s passion for God. In their hearts, a house of prayer had been turned into a house of trade.
 

“A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, ‘I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!’ Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this. But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, ‘I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?’ Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered.

“The story of what happened spread quickly all through Ephesus, to Jews and Greeks alike. A solemn fear descended on the city, and the name of the Lord Jesus was greatly honored. Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices” (Acts 19:13-18, NLT).

What a story! We see in it, clear as day, a picture of thousands of churches, ministries and believers today. Notice a few characteristics of the sons of Sceva. They had a religious background, a second-generation tradition with a history of rituals and religiosity. They had standing and reputation in God’s house, for they were sons of the High Priest. They knew the Scriptures, and they had learned well the jargon of spiritual warfare.

But they were pathetic parakeets repeating the words, intonations, and prayer formulas while having no true communion and relationship with God. They had the lingo down pat, but there was no victory, no true supernatural authority. They knew how to keep up appearances, but had no power, no divine capacity to deliver; they were just a pale imitation with illumination. They wanted to cast out demons but they had not developed their relationship with God in the secret place. The result was dreadful and dangerous.

Are you thirsting for an anointing of freedom, authority and victory? Do you burn with the desire to walk by the faith which “gives life to what was dead”? Cry out with me, “Lord, increase my faith.” There is no limit to the delivering power, protection and strength that will be yours if you stand against the enemy with faith that says, “To men this is impossible; but to God all things are possible” (see Matthew 19:26).

Claude Houde, lead pastor of Eglise Nouvelle Vie (New Life Church) in Montreal, Canada, is a frequent speaker at the Expect Church Leadership Conferences conducted by World Challenge throughout the world. Under his leadership New Life Church has grown from a handful of people to more than 3500 in a part of Canada with few successful Protestant churches.
 

As the New Covenant was being made, the heavenly Father and His Son foresaw that many would neglect Christ. These people would grow lukewarm or cold, eventually falling away. So, the Father and the Son made an agreement: If any sheep got lost or went astray, Jesus would go after it and bring it back to the fold.

The truth is, dead humanity can be brought back to life by a fresh flow of healing waters. “These waters . . . go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed” (Ezekiel 47:8). When God’s healing waters begin to flow, green things start springing up all around—a blade of grass here, a small plant there. Soon an entire garden is thriving.

Dear saint, God still yearns over you and He still has plans for you. In fact, you can start your life over today. He promises to restore everything that has been eaten and wasted from your life, no matter how long it has been. “I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten” (Joel 2:25).

You can still be His habitation, still learn His secrets and receive His revelations. Here is your way back: Acknowledge that you have neglected Him. Admit you’ve been too busy, with time for everything but Him. Confess you have not listened when He has called you. “Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light” (Ephesians 5:14).

Cry out to Him now: “Oh, God, heal me. Awaken my soul. Shake me out of this slumber. I want to change. I know you have to do the work in me, Lord. I long for Your fresh touch.”

Jeremiah shows us God’s heart toward a people who neglected and forgot Him: “Return, thou backsliding Israel . . . and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you; for I am merciful, saith the Lord . . . Only acknowledge thine iniquity . . . turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you . . . and I will heal your backslidings” (Jeremiah 3:12-14, 22).

God is saying to you, “My child, for a while I was angry with you. I gave you over to your emptiness and loneliness. But now I’m going to restore to you everything the devil has destroyed.”
 

God’s Word warns: “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation” (Hebrews 2:3). There is a great price to pay for ignoring Christ.

Ezekiel 47 speaks of a river of life that flows from God’s throne. This river is made up of holy, healing waters and as it flows through the desert, it brings life to everything it touches. It expands ever wider and deeper, until there is enough water to swim in.

“These waters . . . go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed. And it shall come to pass, that everything that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live” (Ezekiel 47:8-9).

This river of life represents the preached gospel and it has been flowing since Calvary. Today, millions who hear and receive God’s Word are being healed and the truth of Christ is awakening them to their neglect, sloth and apathy. Now their eyes are wide open, and they delight in Jesus. They seek Him daily, love His Word, share intimacy with Him.

So, what has happened to you? Are you swimming in God’s healing waters? Or do you allow this river to flow right past you? Note what happens to the desert areas where these waters don’t flow: “But the miry places thereof and the marshes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt” (47:11).

Maybe you are guilty of ignoring Jesus. You have been prayerless, disobedient, neglectful of His Word and now your neglect has become a way of life. In truth, you have aborted all the anticipation Jesus once had for you.

What does it mean to be “given to salt,” as Ezekiel states? It means total barrenness . . . fruitlessness, emptiness, dryness, loneliness. Think of the Dead Sea in Israel. It is a body of water totally given over to salt. No fish can survive in it and no plant can grow in it or around it. It is completely barren.

Have you become this kind of miry place—an isolated, dried-up marsh? Is your life barren of fruit for God? Is your daily existence empty, dry, lonely? All around you, others are bearing fruit and growing in Christ. They have been healed by God’s holy waters but you don’t possess any of the resources they have. You have become a Christian in name only.

It’s never too late to start over! Let the Lord make this the first day of a new beginning for you.