Praise God, I’m Saved: Moving from Darkness to Deliverance

-

 


When was the last time you paused, took a deep breath, and simply said, "Thank you, Lord, for saving me"? 

    If you have been saved for a while the answer to that question might be a bit embarrassing, but not surprising. Truth be told the longer a person is saved, the more likely it is for the excitement of your salvation to be just as thrilling as it once was. Its a rare thing to see someone who has been saved for several years to still have the same passion, drive and enthusiasm that they had when they first received the gift of salvation for themselves.  

In the hustle of our daily routines—juggling work, family, and endless to-do lists—it is easy for the miracle of our salvation to become "old news." We know we are saved, we know Jesus died for us, and we know our eternity is secure. But has the wonder of that reality faded into the background? Has the fire you once had when you first were saved cooled down to a simple smoldering ember? Well if so your not alone! This is the reality of a great number of believers but it does not have to stay that way. 

    When we lose our sense of gratitude, we often lose our sense of joy. We begin to live as though our spiritual freedom was something we earned or a minor footnote in our lives, rather than the most transformative event in our history. To live a life of purpose and peace, we must reconnect with the sheer magnitude of what God has done for us.

The Heart of the Matter: A Radical Change

    The Apostle Paul understood this better than anyone. Before he was the great missionary, he was Saul of Tarsus—a man dedicated to destroying the church. A man who was passionate yes, but passionately sinning against God, all while thinking he was doing the Lords work!

    Paul after a blinding encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, his life was turned upside down. Years later, writing to a church in Colossae that he had never even met, his heart overflowed with praise as he considered the miracle of salvation. I want you to look at what he had to say about salvation. 

"...giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins."- 1:12-14 (NKJV):

In these three short verses, Paul paints a picture of a total spiritual overhaul. He doesn't just say God "improved" our lives; he uses words of rescue and relocation.

  • Delivered from Darkness: Paul tells us that God has delivered us from the power of darkness. The sin soaked world has a grip on us all. So many things in this world points us to all sorts of directions that in the end lead us to destruction. There are many voices that call to us to follow them but then the direction they lead us leads us to our own doom. 

We are much like a person lost in the darkness of a deep and dangerous cave. What we need most is a light to direct our path and lead out in safety. Jesus Christ is that very light. He leads us out from the darkness and deception of this world. He delivers us from destruction and leads us to light and life. 

  • Transferred to a Kingdom: God didn't just pull us out of the wreckage; He gave us a new home. He "conveyed" or transplanted us into the Kingdom of His Son. You are not just freed from sin and saved from destruction. You now have a home in heaven. You are now adopted into the family of God. Your no longer a citizen of some nation here on earth, but now you are a citizen of the Kingdom of God, and not just a citizen but apart of the royal family! 

  • Qualified by Grace: Paul notes that the Father qualified us. We didn't pass a test or earn a high enough score. It was a gift. It was a gift we did not earn, nor a gift that we deserved. Your salvation had nothing to do with you, your past or even what you might do down the road. Your salvation was offered to you simply because of the Grace and Mercy of God. Its the love of God for you that has made your salvation and mine even possible. 

    James Harrison, is known as "The Man with the Golden Arm." For over 60 years, Harrison donated his blood. That alone is note worthy. However the reason why James donated is what makes his story really stand out. James Harrison has a rare, antibody-rich blood. His rare condition makes his blood particularly valuable for babies who suffer from Rhesus disease. He has donated his blood over 1,170 times, ultimately saving the lives of an estimated 2.4 million babies from Rhesus disease.1

    While Harrison’s sacrifice is staggering, Jesus’ sacrifice was ultimate. His blood didn't just provide a medical cure for a few decades of life; it provided a spiritual cure for eternity, redeeming us and forgiving every sin we have ever committed. Salvation is free, but it was not cheap! You salvation was purchased by the very precious blood of Jesus Christ! 

    True freedom begins when we admit we are powerless to save ourselves. When we realize that we have been "delivered," "qualified," and "redeemed" entirely by His power, our prayers shift from a list of demands to a song of thanksgiving.

How can you apply this today?

  1. Stop and Recount: Take five minutes today to list three specific ways your life is different because of Jesus.

  2. Vocalize Your Praise: Don't just think it—say it. "Praise God, I'm saved" Take some time to sing some songs that talk about the blessings of being saved. Songs like "Blessed Assurance" or "Amazing Grace".  Just spend some time with the Lord and thank Him for all He has done in your life. 

  3. Share the Story: Epaphras heard the gospel from Paul and traveled 100 miles back to his hometown to share it, starting a new church in the process. Who in your life needs to hear about the light that found you in the darkness? Share your testimony with someone today and point them to the Savior who saved you! 

A Final Thought

    Remember: You are no longer a resident of the darkness. You have been given a new heart, a new kingdom, and a new hope. The next time the weight of the world feels heavy, go back to the initial question: When was the last time you simply thanked Him for saving you? Let that gratitude be your strength today. You are redeemed, you are forgiven, and you are His. So now go out and have a blessed Day! 

Location: Ashmore, IL 61912, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

In case you missed it

Ruined but Renovated

-
When I moved to Ashmore IL a little under 10 years ago to answer the call to pastor Ashmore Baptist church a lot of things have changed. For instance Sarah Bush Lincoln Hospital in Charleston IL has expanded and grow exponentially. I have seen businesses come and go. Pastors of other churches have come and gone. But one thing that has not changed was the eyesore across the street from the church. What is interesting is at one time this house was a very nice house in Ashmore. You can tell that this house at one time was beautifully constructed and well made. It was a house that at one time sheltered families, where children would run and play in the yard. It was a home where memories were made, and families were raised. However over time, as it changed from owner to owner. The house slowly became neglected. Needed repairs were not made and the small problems started to grow into bigger problems. So a once beautifully made house that housed families, and rasied children and m...
Read more

What is Your Story?

-
 I am excited for this Thursday night. Me and my wife will be going to a red carpet showing of "This is Our Story",a project of EIU that will highlight several stories about Ashmore, Oakland, and Kansas. If you would like more information on this project and watch it when it comes on the air check out this link . As I was thinking about this project and looking forward to seeing the finished product. I thought about how everyone really enjoys stories. This is something that I have learned in the past several years and something that I have added to my ministry/ preaching. Most of Jesus teaching ministry was focused on telling stories. In fact the vast majority of the bible is story after story, many of which have stood the test of time.  The reason this is the case is because stories connect us together. Stories speak to us, we relate to them on a personal level. The stories we hear and love relate to us because it speaks to our common problems, or our common loves, or hopes ...
Read more

Straddling the Fence: Christ’s Treatment for a Divided Heart

-
     Have you ever found yourself "straddling the fence"—holding onto your faith with one hand while flirting with the world’s values with the other? It is a common struggle in our modern walk. This is especially true as we see the divide between God and the world to continue to widen.       We often try to hide our compromises and our hypocrisies. We strive to keep on pretending we have it all together, but Jesus reminds us clearly: "I know where you dwell". You might try to cover the scent of compromise with the "perfume" of religious activity, but God sees right through to the truth of our conduct. We play church on Sunday and live like the Devil throughout the week and think that we have fooled everyone. Yet you will never fool God!       The church in Pergamum was exactly in this position. They were living in a "corrosive culture" and, while they held onto their faith in some areas, they had begun to ignore sin and false teachi...
Read more

Taking God's warning seriously

-
    Cindy had just got a new job at her town's Dairy Queen. As she worked there she could not help but notice something that concerned her. She could not help but see how blackened, crusted the ventilation duct was in the ceiling over the top of the grills. What concerned her even more, is that she began to notice that the grill seemed to smoke a lot more than she thought it should.  Each day she worked she continued to observe this more closely.        Finally she could not help but bring her concerns to the Manager, supervisors and to her co-workers.  However no matter how much she tried, they seemed to not pay to much attention to her warnings or her concerns. They would tell her "Oh it's ok, Its been that way for years and there is nothing to worry about. Cindy could not help but feel that the more she called this to there attention, the more and more annoyed with her and her warnings they became. No matter she was insistent that they nee...
Read more