There’s a place of brokenness that God will call you to. I didn’t quite understand this principle until I experienced it first hand for myself!

I had already experienced heartache from man and I had experienced enduring to establish who I was. I had even experienced warfare against spiritual wickedness and darkness. Last but apparently not least, I had experienced many trials and tribulations in discovering my purpose …

But Oh, my sweet Lord Jesus, I did not expect another “experience” of brokenness TO WALK OUT MY AFOREMENTIONED PURPOSE!

This breaking is one I have NEVER quite felt before IN ALL MY LIFE! (37 years in counting …)

But in the deepest part of my being, there is a subtle “knowing” that it isn’t my adversary behind this experience, but GOD!

When God reveals your purpose He also reveals who you are and where you’re going! And scripture supports this!

Let us dive into the Word …

Scripture reveals who Jesus was when He was baptized. He was identified as the Lamb of God, High Priest, and Son of God.

Let’s break it down

1. “Behold, there goes the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” John 1:29.

When John the Baptist saw Jesus approaching him as he was baptizing in the Jordan River, his response identified the purpose of Jesus’ identity.

John’s purpose was to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah by baptizing those who repented of their sins and believed in the God of Israel. John’s ministry was the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah: “He is the voice shouting in the wilderness, Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!’ The valleys will be filled, and the mountains and hills made level. The curves will be straightened, and the rough places made smooth. And then all people will see the salvation sent from God.” Isaiah 40:3-5

Only the high priest could determine the lamb fitting to be sacrificed for the remittance of sin. It was the priest’s responsibility to examine the lamb, ensuring it is without spot or wrinkle so that it was presentable to offer to God the Father. John the Baptist, as the son of Zechariah, was fully qualified to identify such a lamb and when he saw Jesus, who he was as a priest concurred with who Jesus was as the ultimate sacrifice.

John baptized for the remittance of sin, but Jesus was without sin, so why did Jesus seek baptism?

This leads us to #2.

2. The Mikveh is a collection of living water that is used for ritual washing or ablution in Judaism. It is used in two ways:

a.) Tevilah – a full body immersion. The purpose of tevilah, according to the rabbinic oral tradition, is to remove ritual impurities. It was interpreted exegetically by traditional rabbis straight from Leviticus 22:6-7: “Unless he has washed his body in water, when the sun sets he shall be clean.” Rabbis and Talmudic Law expressed this text to mean that a full immersion must be accomplished just as the sun sets fully every evening.

b.) Netilat yadayim – washing of hands or feet by dipping a cup and pouring over the hands or feet.

Rabbinic tradition from the Talmud pulls primarily from the oral tradition from Sinai (Mishneh Torah Laws of Mikva’ot 1:2) suggests that every place the Torah speaks of rachatz–washing of flesh or clothing to purify the intent is of a full or total immersion in the mikveh.

Now, that we have this knowledge, it is plausible to conclude that Jesus was baptized not for the remittance of sins but to be immersed into the mikveh in preparation of His purpose as priest.

Jesus at 30 years old was entering into His purpose the day He was baptized by John the Baptist. This is significant because it is the age required to become a candidate for priesthood. The same oral tradition recorded in the Talmud suggests that when a priest is selected whether by birthrite or lot, three things must take place:

A.) The candidate must be immersed in the mikveh for purification.

B.) The candidate is anointed with oil representing the Holy Spirit.

C.) The previous priest, usually in the lineage of the candidate, declares that the candidate is his heir/son to whom they are pleased to pass on the mandate of priesthood.

John the Baptist was the son of a priest, Zechariah, which gives him legal right to perform such a ritual. His entire purpose was to prepare the way for the Messiah who will continue the mission but by the fire of the Holy Spirit. I would imagine the same connection between the two of them that caused John to leap in the womb was still leaping when he saw Jesus approaching him at the Jordan River. John 1:31-34 tells us that John did not recognize Jesus as the Messiah but was baptizing with water so that the Messiah might be revealed to Israel. God gave John a prophecy to identify the Messiah as the one in which the Spirit of God descends upon.

Then there came the dove … the Holy Spirit

John the Baptist quickly understood the identity and purpose of Jesus of Nazareth.

3. “This is my Son to whom I Am well pleased” identified Jesus as the Christ and solidified His purpose as priest. Jesus’ purpose has now been established acknowledging Him as Lamb of God, Priest, and Messiah.

All of this took place just before He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted.

Why?!

“To whom much is given, much is required”

The Spirit led Jesus to the wilderness to establish the final element of His purpose–His destination. Where Jesus was purposed to go, God had to test Him to prepare Him for His fate.

In the wilderness, Jesus fasted and prayed and met His adversary. The devil tested Him three times. Each time was an attempt to steal Jesus’ identity:

Test 1. “If you be the Son of God, turn this rock into bread.” Luke 4:3 (Lust of the flesh)

Test 2. “I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them…I will give it all to you if you worship me.” Luke 4:6-7 (Lust of the eye)

Test 3. “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the scriptures say, “He will order his angels to protect and guard you.” Luke 4:9-10 (Pride of life)

Jesus came out of the wilderness prepared for His purpose because He had been tested and passed. The enemy offered Him an alternative path with false promises and lies of a reward that he didn’t have access to. But Jesus stood firm on His purpose and trusted the Word of God.

Unlike Jesus, we fall to the sufferings of isolation and our fleshly appetite (lust of the flesh, lust of the eye, and pride of life) and we succumb to the lies of the enemy. In so doing, we have to repeat the wilderness and the test. But we don’t have to.

The enemy only operates in what we allow. He knows that in order to be successful he must penetrate the soul (mind, will, and emotions). The fight is all about the soul which is why Jesus taught that we must “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” Matthew 22:37.

Fixate your soul on the Word of God, just like Jesus. Every twisted lie the enemy fashioned towards Jesus’ purpose and identity, Jesus responded with the Word. We must do the same!

When the enemy tempts us, we have to respond with the Word. We have to stand on faith that God is a good God and has good plans for our lives. We must trust the process is for our good and that when we finish, we will be ready to walk out the kingdom mandate on our lives. God will not fail us, if only we believe and trust that the equipping is necessary for our mark of the prize in Christ Jesus.

Now let’s fast forward three years through Jesus’ ministry and stop in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Gethsemane is on the Mount of Olives and literally translates as oil press. It is also known as the a place of agony because of the measure of pressure Jesus was under the night He was betrayed.

This is the place of brokenness that God allows us to enter so that we can be strengthened to fulfill all purpose.

It is important to note that Jesus entered this very place fully human. He was under the greatest pressure of His life and He was truly in agony. He asked His Father to remove this cup because of the pain that He knew He would suffer. BUT as He prayed and lingered in the presence of the Holy Spirit, He relinquished His will to do the will of His Father.

So often we are faced with the agony of pressure that is required to do the will of God. But do we relinquish our will for His will?

Jesus did in Gethsemane. And it was only the beginning.

Scripture tells us that from that moment forward, Jesus endured more and more suffering in obedience to the will of God. He understood His purpose and endured through the process until the end.

All of it was purposed.

The Via Dolorosa or Way to the Cross, where Jesus was beaten, degraded, humiliated, abused, mistreated, slandered, ridiculed, broken, shamed, and ultimately rejected by all to include God the Father.

Yes, I know many have never heard it put that way but God had to reject His Son on that cross because Jesus became sin for our sake.

When Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have thou forsaken me?” That cry came from a place of brokenness and rejection. But Jesus, as the priest and lamb, knew that God is close to the brokenhearted. So, He gave up His spirit entrusting His purpose was for His good.

Jesus knew who He was as the Son of God and yet He still faced the temptation and brokenness. His heart and mind had to be renewed daily to maintain His posture and submit to the will of God. And as our example, Jesus illustrates how to walk in who you are in Christ and how to walk in purpose.

Jesus endured until the end and rose with all power, seated on the right hand of the Father. His heart and mind stayed centered on the most important key–God’s purpose.

And because of Him, we can rise with Him and enter into His kingdom as priests, kings, and heirs to His throne!

So, beloved, don’t give up on purpose! Especially when the temptations increase and you enter into agony. Believe in who you are in Christ AND trust that God purpose is for your good and His glory!

You can make it!

And I’m preaching to the choir, y’all!

I can make it!

WE WILL MAKE IT!!

Endure until the end …

Selah

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