Hosanna Restoration Church

Do you remember that stray cat I have written about before that is now of course no longer stray. She had two batches of kittens and somehow, we ended up with another pet! It is interesting, because they come when I whistle for the dogs and they walk at the track with us as well. The mother always comes, but the youngster is sometimes too lazy and just watches and then races in so he can declare himself the winner. So, what does that have to do with anything?
Those cats will sit on the driveway watching in the window for someone to come out to either pet or feed them. Once they see activity in the window, they move to the steps to be right there when we come out. If you push the garage door opener they race out there expecting to be fed. They anticipate our kindness; they prepare for our appearing, and act when it all takes place.
As I have read in anticipation of Easter, I have noticed something new in my understanding. Jesus spoke the word in preparation. He would speak of what was coming for the Son of man. He would repeat what was written of Him. He would speak of both the terror and the victory as He prepared Himself. As He pointed out in this passage, God not only told Him what to say but how to say it. Jesus declared the Word of God confidently long before it every came to pass so that when things did come to pass he was prepared. In other words He prepared for what was to come by speaking what had already been said. At the same time, what he said activated what He was preparing for.
So, how does this relate to us? I am certain many of you already knew this, and some are already seeing the picture. For me, I see more clearly that He was not only preparing His followers, but Himself for what was to come.
We too have what God has said. We have warnings of what may come. We have solutions that are already in place. By speaking to those very things, we have the promises of God that we can anticipate, because we have prepared and activated it the way He said we should.
We know that Jesus was not looking forward to the misery He was about to face, but we also know that was prepared. So for the joy set before Him, He endured. He was confident in the victory. He spoke of it often. He had God’s assurance and that was all He needed.
It was because of His confidence in God that even when He experienced the one thing we never will experience in this life, the emptiness of being forsaken by God, He entrusted it all to God still confident in the victory. We have all that we need to be more that conquerors in Christ Jesus. We can be sure He will never leave or forsake us. Great battles produce great victories.