Crucifixion

I'm reading in the book of John about Jesus telling His disciples he was "going to the Father." The verses in John 13:1-3 say a lot about the mindset He had before His own crucifixion . . . which should help us when we are facing crucifixion in our own lives.

Jesus knew He had come from God.  He knew His identity.  In Jesus' identity was the work He did also, or  His mission.  Our enemy satan accuses us so that we will forget we belong to God, and think that there is really nothing important for us to do here on earth.  The only way to win this battle is to know Whom we belong to.

Jesus knew where He was going. He was going back to God.  Belonging to God is a relationship that endures after our physical life ends.  Satan throws dirt on us so that we will think that God rejects us. Perhaps this is where the helmet of salvation comes in . . . it protects our mind from thinking we are not saved.

Jesus knew that His Father had put all things under His power.  What was about to happen was His own death by crucifixion.  Jesus could have walked away.  But to be gloried by His Father (Jn 12:23), Jesus needed to lay down that power, submit to His coming death, and pick that power up again on the other side of the cross. Sometimes we think we'll get through our trials by sure will-power.  I think this could be partially right; it's setting our mind on God's will, and on what is on the other side of our cross (Phil 3:4 & Heb 12:12).

I truly believe that God does not set crucifying trials in to our lives to crush us beyond repair.  Using the above points I believe that God gives us tools to overcome satan, and that we never lose the mission for which God has set up upon this earth, our identity with Him, our salvation (due to the trial), or our choice in the matter. They crucified Jesus because they did not see Who He was and thought He was an impostor. But it was because of Who He was that we are saved.  So too, with us, satan accuses us in a similar manner.  But it is because of who we are in Christ that we will show Christ to our families and the world, and satan eventually will be defeated.

Do you see yourself as a person who has the power of God to pick up?  who is certain of belonging to God?  who is on this earth for a purpose?  God does.