The Why and How of Redemption

UV 2014/10000 The Why and How of Redemption
For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.

Jeremiah 31 v 11

This uni-verse reveals why mankind needs a redeemer and why we need redemption. Jacob is a symbol for each of us. Jacob, the deceiver is himself deceived greatly. He is influenced by the deceit the enemy plants in the heart of the woman who brought him into life. He deceives the very brother Esau with whom he was born. His act of deceiving his aged father in order to rob his brother of his rights is the beginning of his troubles in life. The common enemy of humanity and of God is the enemy of our soul. Our souls belong to God as He is the One who created us and imparted our spirit to us by breathing it into the body of man. Satan, the fallen chief of angels who wanted the place of God is strong or powerful. He is the one who has captured our souls when man broke faith with God. He is stronger, much stronger than man and man is therefore, in need of a redeemer. Satan’s strength lies in deception and he has a multitude of devices and ways of deception. We are vulnerable, weak and powerless victims in the hand of such a powerful enemy. Jacob or each of us is like a powerless worm in the hands of the enemy of our souls. But he is not in any way as strong or powerful as God Man’s greatest and deepest need is not food, clothing or shelter, though these are pressing immediate needs. but redemption so that he can live forever. Satan needs a ransom or price to be paid for our release. That price is life itself and we cannot pay for it. God paid the price through the life of Jesus, His eternal Son. When we believe these words of God, the faith that was once broken is restored. We are restored to our Father’s house, our spiritual inheritance. We are set free from every form of captivity.

Sin or the deceit of disbelief of God’s word and His nature crouches at the door of our hearts all the time. But our hearts are safe, once we let Jesus in. We now have the redeemer living in us and with us. The powerful enemy is rendered powerless in all his strategies and plans against us. Our hearts are now part of the kingdom of God. We derive our power and strength from the kingdom of God. Now we can go from strength to strength. In the areas of our fears, inhibitions, weaknesses, the Lord will give us grace or power and resources to overcome. First, we need to be redeemed by grace and then, we need to overcome. IT is not as if we got everything as a free gift. We need now to work to redeem our time, redeem our character to be Christ-like, multiply our talents, walk the extra mile, prove our commitment.

We are redeemed from every form of captivity. We experience victory and joy in all areas of life. We are redeemed not just in our lives on earth but for eternity. The enemy cannot hold us captive in our graves. We are not grave-bound people but heaven-bound. The public square of the kingdom of God is our personal relationship with the Lord. This is the sanctuary, the tabernacle of God, the Mount Zion of the Lord, the place from which we derive our strength and overcome our former weaknesses. Our spirits return to the Lord with songs of rejoicing. The kingdom of God begins here and now. It is not one either of sadness and sorrow or of eating and drinking and making merry but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. The true life in the kingdom of God is one of producing abundant, high quality fruit of the spirit. The indwelling Holy Spirit is the One who produces the supernatural fruit of love, joy and peace. All of the fruit have one common root- faith in the Word of God.

Prateep V Philip