Awaken Your Salvation!

SALVATION: The doctrine of Salvation forms the core of our Christian faith by proclaiming God’s victory over sin in our lives. This truth results in deliverances, healings and restored lives. Whether a new member or a mature Christian, every believer should have a clear understanding of salvation and the difference this truth makes in our lives and churches.“Are there ever really any second chances in life? Surprisingly, the answer is yes. The Bible calls it Salvation. Salvation is God’s second chance for every one of us.”

Romans 3:23–28 NLT

23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26 for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus. 27 Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. 28 So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.

Romans 6:23 NLT

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

We Need Jesus to Save Us!

There is no way we could make it to heaven without Jesus. We would not be saved without Him! When we awaken our salvation, we constantly remind ourselves of this fact. We continue to live a life of thanksgiving being faithful to Him! After all, we owed a debt we couldn’t pay and Jesus paid it for us with His precious blood!

300 Illustrations for Preachers Unable to Pay a $81 Billion Debt

Juan Zamora of Richland, Washington, owed a bill he could not pay for a charge he did not make. After filling up with gasoline and charging the $26 to his PayPal debit card, he arrived home to a message on his answering machine. The message, from PayPal, asked him to verify a gas purchase of $81,400,836,908 and notified him of a $90 dollar overdraft fee. Imagine that. Juan did not have over 81 billion dollars in his PayPal account to cover the charge.

The debt we owe is our own, but we could not pay it any more than Juan Zamora could pay his $81 billion debt. Juan was eventually able to convince the company that, while gas prices may be extremely high, his Camaro would not hold $81 billion worth of gas. In our case, Jesus paid our debt for us

Ephesians 1:3–8 NLT

3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. 7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 8 He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

We’re Adopted Into His Family!

Did you see what is written here? God chose us before He created the world. He chose you and I to be in saved before we even appeared! He forgave our sins, and purchased our freedom! Salvation proves God’s goodness and kindness towards us even though we don’t deserve it.

Colossians 3:1–4 NLT

1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

We Think on the Things of Heaven!

When we awaken our salvation, we think on the things of heaven and not about the things of earth. There are a lot of tragic things happening and we have all seen what’s going on around the world. We don’t need to focus on those things because they actually change everyday. But the things of heaven remain constant. You and I can build our lives on them. Our real life is not the flesh and blood body we see. Our real life is a life of salvation that is hidden in God. Awaken our Salvation!

1 Peter 2:5–9 NLT

5 And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. 6 As the Scriptures say, “I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” 7 Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him, “The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.” 8 And, “He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them. 9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

Salvation Has Made Us His People!

In the natural, we might not be the most talented. We may not be the most handsome or beautiful person around. We might not be a billionaire or a famous person. But in the Spirit, we are a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and God’s very own possessions. This gives us the ability to show others the goodness of God. We were once in darkness but now we are in His wonderful light. This is why we must awaken our salvation. We have a responsibility to be His people to reach others. When we meditate on these and other scriptures concerning our salvation, we awaken our salvation.

Psalm 51:10–12 KJV 1900

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from thy presence; And take not thy holy spirit from me. 12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; And uphold me with thy free spirit.

Let’s awaken the joy of our salvation!