Imitating Jesus

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Man is God in ruins." It's true. Much has gone wrong in the hearts of men. At the same time, there are significant remnants of dignity. There still remains a good strength that is part of man's original glory that God intends to restore.

We see this original glory most clearly in the life of Jesus. He was the perfect model of kindness and strength. Those who were down and out, oppressed, and treated like outcasts had no better friend than our Lord (Mt. 9:36; Jn. 8:1-11).

Those who were in the service of the kingdom of darkness and oppressing the disadvantaged, however encountered a very different side of Jesus. Just ask the money lenders whose tables He knocked over and chased out of the temple just days before His execution
(Mk. 11:15 - 17; Lk. 19:45-46).

Jesus was the most gracious man ever to set foot on this planet, but He also possessed an intense, loving strength. As a human being, His strength was based on knowing who He was. He listened and believed what His heavenly Father said about Him: "You are My son, whom I love; with You I am well pleased" (Lk. 3:22).

His strength also came from knowing His purpose. He knew why He was here. He knew His role in God's story and what He had come to do (Mt. 20:28).

Finally, He knew who His real enemy was and what he would attack.
He knew the real enemy wasn't people. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood" (Eph. 6:12). He knew it was Satan, the same adversary who deceived and lured Adam and Eve into rebelling against God. And Jesus also knew that the enemy would attack His identity. Twice in the wilderness temptations, Satan called into question the very identify God the Father had given to Jesus when he sneered, "If You are the Son of God" (Lk. 4:1 - 13).

As a follower of Jesus, you too can hear God speak to you. You can know with more and more certainty that you are His son and that you are capable and strong. You also can start to find your purpose and mission in life (2 Th. 1:11).

This is the place in God's ongoing story of rescue and redemption where your strength is needed the most.

Finally, you should expect the same kind of attacks from the enemy. He poses the greatest threat to the life God has for us. Like it or not, all of us were born into a world at war. It's the war behind every war - the spiritual clash between good and evil that has been taking place ever since Satan tried to overthrow God (Isa. 14:12-14).

In fact, your wounded strength is a casualty of the life-and-death battle between good and evil.

Jesus said that Satan is a "thief" who is out "to steal and kill and destroy" (Jn. 10:10). He will do whatever he can to make you doubt God, yourself, and your ability to carry out God's calling in your life. He will stop at nothing to lure you back into a false strength.

This battle can become quite fierce. But you don't have to sit there and take it. Like Jesus, you can stand your ground and resist the enemy's lies and attacks as you continue to live a life of surrender (Jas. 4:7).

By Jeff Olson