Most of us know the story of Adam and Eve and the fall. Before the fall, God gave them dominion (authority) over ALL the earth. When they were deceived by satan, they lost their authority and gave it to him. When Jesus was crucified on the cross, He reinstated our authority over the earth. He didn’t just die so we could get to heaven, (though that in itself would be enough), He died so we would be restored to our rightful place, He died that we would bring heaven here on earth, He died to redeem our value.

The Word tells us who Jesus is:

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 any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. John 1:1-4 (KJV)

This proves that Jesus was God.

I would like to reflect on what Jesus went through to redeem us. The humility of it all blows me away. Jesus, the maker of heaven and earth, leaves heaven and His glorious spirit body to be born in a human body with all its frailties. The man that was God, pooped, peed, sweat, became tired and got hungry like us. The way He ate and drank, I can’t help but wonder if He also had gas. This I’m not too sure about as I question if gas is part of the curse before Jesus redeemed us.

Jesus was also tempted as we are. In Matthew 4, you can read the account of Jesus being tempted three times by satan. The first and second temptation, satan sought to get Jesus to question His identity by saying, “IF you are the son of God…” The third was wealth and glory. satan had the right to offer it to Jesus as Adam handed it to him when he (Adam) sinned. Hebrews 4:15 tells us that Jesus was tempted in every way, therefore when we are tempted, Jesus gets it, however, He never sinned.

He was beaten beyond recognition. Anyone else would have died but Jesus not only lived, He walked to Calvary, carried His cross and was crucified. So why didn’t he die from the gruesome beatings? Remember what He said in John 10:18 (TLB), ” No one can kill me without my consent—I lay down my life voluntarily. For I have the right and power to lay it down when I want to and

also the right and power to take it again. For the Father has given me this right.” He died when our debt of sin was paid and declared “It is finished.” In three days he rose from the dead and restored to us what satan had stolen.

The most awesome thing that Jesus restored to us is the relationship with the Father. No longer do we need someone to go to the Father on our behalf or offer animal sacrifices. Because of what Jesus did, we can come boldly before the throne, plus we can have intimacy with the Father.

We are made in the image of Christ, So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Genesis 1:27 (KJV). We are created to represent Him. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Luke 4:18-19 (KJV) If we are made in the image of Christ then He has given us the authority to accomplish everything that Luke 4:18-19 says.

Of all that Jesus restored, I believe health is the most controversial. There are many of the belief that the Lord uses infirmity to teach us a lesson or suffer for His sake. If this is the case, why do the same people go to the doctor or take medication? Why not just suck it up and suffer? Please understand, I am not being condescending. Just trying to make a point and keep it real. Isn’t it written? But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 (KJV) The key word here is “are.” We are healed, Christ paid for it, receive it!

I could go on and on about this topic but before I close, I just want to mention a few other things Jesus has restored and achieved for us. He restored us from death and given us everlasting life, He restores the years the locust have eaten, He restores our joy, He is the restorer of life and nourisher of old age, He makes our crooked paths straight, He gives us a hope and a future, He gives us abundant life, and so much more.

When reading the gospels keep in mind when Jesus is talking to the disciples, He is talking to us too. We can walk in the same authority they did. I pray in the year 2016, we all come into a deeper relationship with the Lord and walk in the

authority He died so violently to give us. Let us bring heaven to earth!

Happy New Year! Be Blessed!