Security Clearance in Jesus

Introduction

If you have ever worked a government job or knew someone in the military, working at the white house or an important job with the government, these jobs have a security clearance. Typically the government clearances are broken down into three parts. There are three levels of security clearance: confidential, secret, and top secret.

The first is confidential it’s typically the easiest of the three to get and be mindful that these clearances aren’t a one and done investigation it’s continuous, the next is secret clearance which grants an individual access to secret information that can cause serious damage to the country if disclosed. Instead of 15 years like the confidential clearance it’s re-evaluated after 10 years. One must go through a credit check, and sign a non-disclosure agreement.

Last but not least is a top secret level clearance. This requires US citizenship, it also requires sponsorship from a federal agency, Things such as psychological well being, financial consideration, allegiance to the United States, alcohol consumption and your history of handling protected information.

The commonality of these clearances is the fact that each one of them grant you access. As Christians we have access as well. Our clearance is granted to us through faith and according to the grace in which we stand. This access should promote characteristics such as endurance, proven character, hope, love and devotion to God no matter the circumstance.

These clearances come with training. Often times in the event that a soldier is captured by the opposition they need to be prepared to be tortured in effort to get them to reveal secrets that could damage the power of our country.

There’s a sense of responsibility that comes with secrets! Those who are given secrets should be tough enough to be ready to die at the expense of protecting their country. You might be wondering what does this have to do being a Christian, understand that the enemy wants to destroy your access by any means necessary. Your top secret clearance is determined on how well you handle affliction! There is blessing in your affliction. Understand through God we have a hope that never disappoints. Fret not over evil doers my friends, because at the right time, even in our most helpless state Christ died for those who needed God the most.

Your Background Checks Out

Being a Christian is a justification! If you are a Christian this morning you’re already justified. What does it mean to be justified? Justification is the act of clearing someone of transgression— to acquit, to set free, to remove guilt acquittal. Understand what Jesus did for your justification, Romans 5:18 “Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.”

There’s not a tradition that will justify you a group of people that will justify you , you are only justified by your faith! The grace of Jesus is that when He does a background check he is only looking to see how to help you to move forward, what resources to provide for you!

A background check determines what has already happened. Understand, the way you are feeling about yourself does not determine the goodness of God. We have already been justified, I have peace because I know what God has done for me.

I just have to surrender and submit! Understand that a lot of times we become shackled to our past, how could Jesus die for someone like me, how could Jesus forgive someone like me. How could Jesus love someone like me!

Hold On To Your Access

In conjunction with your justification you have obtained access. Experiencing something and obtaining something are very different!

Many of us experience things daily, we may even experience worship but to obtain access, to understand faith, to understand grace and mercy is something to boast about!

The root word of obtain in the Greek means to have, according to ability.

2 Corinthians 8:11 “but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have.”

2 Peter 1:15 “Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.”

Don’t forget what you have! Faith has brought us to this place of peace! Stand in your grace! Grace is what sustains us! But hold on to your access! That access is going be necessary when times get tough.

Romans 5:11 “And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”

Ephesians 2:18 “For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.”

We’ve obtained grace from God, we’ve obtained favor on behalf of God and that is something we should be thankful for. Grace is not just a gift from God but a gift in itself because God is giving himself unto us.

The caveat is this, understand that you have access! This is the introduction of Jesus, we don’t have that access unless we have Jesus, he is our access. Similar to a top secret clearance you need a sponsor to get you that introduction.

Stand In the Grace of God

Take inventory on what you’re standing in. Many of us are standing in things that do not promote the grace of God. We’re standing in grief, gossip, and negativity and fail to understand why Grace isn’t flowing in our life like it should.

The ability to stand in the presence of God and reap the benefits of His power is something to boast about. Understand this word boasting isn’t bragging or adding a comparative flare to what you’ve been through, but it’s a rejoicing of the fact that there is a blessing in my affliction, because my affliction brings about endurance!

The blessing doesn’t stop at the fact that endurance is on the other side of affliction. This endurance isn’t just the ability to handle storms, it’s the capacity to continue to bear up under difficult circumstances. Basically difficult circumstances do not hinder my ability to find joy and peace in the midst of my circumstance.

1 Thessalonians 1:3 “remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father,”

Understand that if you desire a proven character then you have to be willing to go through some things. A proven character doesn’t happen because you just want to be great, greatness happens after you’ve had a few losses, bumped your head a few times. Endurance is steadfastness, it is a peace that is more than just being unbothered but a peace because its an expression of reconciliation. Peace is two sided in the sense that it’s a reflection of your relationship with God but it’s also a true indicator of our mental health and wellbeing.

Even within the confines of the federal government there’s some characteristics one must possess to have access!

Stability

Trustworthiness

Reliability

Discretion

Character

Honesty

Judgment

Unquestionable loyalty to the U.S.

Access to God works in a similar way! But God is just a little bit greater. See this country might let you down but God’s love and Holy Spirit has been given to us and hope in Him doesn’t disappoint.

See there’s a criteria for the secret service, helplessness is not a benefit in the secret service, but helplessness is a blessing with Jesus because for while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly!

With dreams of being a chef and looking for a way to pay for culinary school, Shoshana Johnson enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1998. Then, while serving as a cook in a support unit during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Johnson’s life changed completely.

It was March 23, 2003, and Johnson was in a convoy traveling through the city of Nasiriyah. The convoy, however, made a wrong turn and came under enemy attack. No one in Johnson’s unit, including Private First Class Jessica Lynch, was a combat soldier, yet they found themselves in a deadly firefight.

Sometimes you’ll end up in unexpected fights, but regardless of your calling this morning a soldier must be ready for war!

With dreams of being a chef and looking for a way to pay for culinary school, Shoshana Johnson enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1998. Then, while serving as a cook in a support unit during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Johnson’s life changed completely. It was March 23, 2003, and Johnson was in a convoy traveling through the city of Nasiriyah. The convoy, however, made a wrong turn and came under enemy attack. No one in Johnson’s unit, including Private First Class Jessica Lynch, was a combat soldier, yet they found themselves in a deadly firefight. “We lost 11 in the ambush,” Johnson tells “Oprah: Where Are They Now?”. “Eight of us were taken as prisoners of war; two died in captivity. Jessica was kept in Nasiriyah and five of us were taken to Baghdad.” While in captivity with her fellow prisoners of war, Johnson ― the first African-American female POW in U.S. history ― says her mind kept racing. She thought of her 2-year-old daughter, her terrified family and whether or not she would survive long enough to see any of them. “There were lots of times when I thought in captivity, ‘This is it. I’m going to die,’” Johnson says. “I also thought, ‘Well, I made it through the ambush. Why did God take me through the ambush to let me die now? I just got to hold on.’”

- IF you made through the ambush keep holding on! After 22 frightening days of facing the unknown, Johnson’s ordeal finally ended. “It was like a miracle,” she recalls. “Basically, the heavens opens up and these giant Marines came in to the rescue.”

- At her most helpless moment, Calvary shows up. You might be in your most helpless moment right now but just know