IN THE BEGINNING THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, April 9, 2018
Divine Inspiration
Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them , and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. John 20:19-23 KJV
Jesus left his heavenly dominion to dwell with man, to became Emmanuel, God with us; he became poor, covered himself with flesh and blood, so that we could be rich, spiritual and divine—giving all of us who call on the name of Jesus an inheritance that is far beyond what our eyes have seen or ears have heard, or even that we can ever imagine.
Jesus’ work was accomplished in his earthly ministry and finished on the cross. While he walked upon the earth as the Son of man, the son of David, he fulfilled the Word of the prophets. He was careful to fulfill all the law and the prophets and opened the way for complete communion with God. “Peace” Jesus proclaims after his resurrection. And Again “Peace.” Our peace has been purchased. We have Peace with God. We are at once holy and righteous and worthy to be called the sons and daughters of God. That is our position; there is no condemnation.
After Jesus proclaims Peace, Jesus immediately turns to the work of establishing his earthly kingdom through the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus, the second Adam, breaths on his disciples. This is not the breath of life, but this is the breath of the quickening spirit!
In Genesis we read: And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. After Jesus’ Resurrection he breaths on the disciples to receive the Holy Spirit. This is the breath of eternal life. This breath is resurrection power life; This is the breath of the Overcomer’s life! The “man cannot hinder me” life. This was Divine Inspiration passed to us from the Christ!
In the Resurrection of Jesus, God raised His Son from the dead through the power of the Holy Ghost. Jesus’ breathing on his disciples signifies the Grace of God. The Holy Ghost will carry on the mission of the overcoming life forevermore through the witness of his disciples. The Holy Spirit would live in us as He divinely inspired us in everyway.
This breath of Jesus is also a commissioning breath. “As the Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” It is the Spirit that continues on to this day, working in you and in me. It is the Spirit of power to prove the points God would have us to prove and to fulfill every Word and pleasure of God. The Father sent Jesus for the very same purposes that Jesus sends you and me. “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” So we are to go, bold as a lion, with divine inspiration and destroy the works of the devil. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost as stated in Luke 19:10: For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Filled with the Spirit, we are to go to seek and to save the lost. And whose soever sins you remit they are remitted. And whose soever sins you retain, they are retained! We hold the blessing and power and divine inspiration of God given to those who may receive it.
