God is for you

In Romans 8 Paul explains we are set free from sin and death and brought into the family of God. He goes on to explain we are adopted as sons into God’s family and given an inheritance. He concludes the chapter with an awe-inspiring statement about God’s love:

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31-39)

Paul looked at everything God did for us and concluded nothing could stand between him and God. God gave everything for him. He is the one who stands as our judge and Jesus is the one who took our punishment so condemnation has no longer has a place in our lives. Jesus and Holy Spirit both pray for us and come before Father on our behalf. We are also more than conquerors through Jesus. Everything is under His feet. We are in Him and He is in us so by extension we have conquered everything as well. This means nothing, absolutely nothing, can separate us from God’s love. Condemnation no longer has a place. Things in the physical and spiritual realm no longer rule over us.

This is available to everyone. God longs to adopt you into His family. A few chapters later Paul states, “For the Scripture says, ‘Everyone who believes in [Jesus] will not be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Ro 10:11-13).

God has such good things in store for you. His heart is completely turned toward you. He wants to pour out blessing over blessing on you. We cannot earn holiness by what we do for Him. We cannot earn righteousness by the number of people we help. We cannot earn a relationship with God, but we can accept one with Him. He chose us as His own. He adopts us as sons. He gave us a big brother Jesus we can model ourselves after and Holy Spirit to live in us and teach us how to do so. Father God did not stop there either. He gave us purpose. He gave us a kingdom to rule over. “It is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Lk 12:32). It is His good pleasure to do so.

God wants you to know His deep love for you. He is not trying to buy our love with all these blessings. He is a good gift-giver and cannot wait to give you these things. He has dreams abundantly for you. He has assignments for you that will challenge you and bring adventure and refinement. He is with us every step of the way. Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness, so when we do not know what to do (and even when we think we know), we only need to ask His help because He is right there with us.