By Annaika Dastine | Founder, Who Is This Jesus? Ministry

GRATITUDE: WHAT IS YOUR LIFE TESTIFYING?

"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace."

Gratitude! How is your gratitude?

When we think about gratitude, we often think about being thankful for the things God has given us: our families, our health, our provision, another day of life. But Apostle Paul’s life challenges us to look even deeper.

Paul lived a life of complete surrender to Jesus Christ because he understood the grace and mercy he had been given, grace he knew he did not deserve.

Paul never forgot who he was before Jesus encountered him. He had persecuted the followers of Jesus, yet instead of receiving the judgment he deserved, Paul encountered the grace of Jesus Christ.

In 1 Corinthians 15:10 (NIV), Paul declared:

"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect."

Paul’s gratitude was not simply expressed through his words. His gratitude showed in how he lived.

He understood his mission. His purpose was to testify and complete the task Jesus had commissioned him to do. His encounter with Jesus transformed the direction of his life.

That is why Paul could say in Acts 20:24 that his life was worth nothing to him compared with completing the task the Lord Jesus had given him.

He also understood that his life on this earth was worth nothing compared to what awaited him in Christ Jesus. He knew that he was a foreigner in this world.

Scripture reminds us in Philippians 3:20 (NIV), "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ."

Paul knew where he belonged. And because he knew where he belonged, he knew how he was called to live while he was here.

My friend, how about you?

Does your lifestyle declare to those around you that you belong to God?

Is your gratitude for the grace of God visible only through what you say, or can it also be seen through the way you live, the decisions you make, the words you speak, and the things you choose to follow?

My friend, I can relate to Paul. I long to be with Jesus daily, knowing that my life on this earth is worth nothing compared to the eternal freedom I have been given through Jesus Christ.

But while I am here, I have a task to complete.

I remember when Jesus came and set me free from the demonic spirits that were tormenting me and gave me a mission to warn the world about the final battle for humanity’s souls.

That experience changed the way I see this life.

It taught me that there is more happening around us than what our physical eyes can see. Scripture warns us that our struggle is not merely against what is visible.

Ephesians 6:12 (NIV) tells us:

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

My friend, how can you fight your enemy if you don’t even acknowledge that he exists?

The Scriptures warn us that we have an enemy whose goal is to lead humanity astray.

Revelation 12:9 (NIV)

"The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him."

Notice the warning: Satan leads the whole world astray.

This is not a warning that humanity can afford to ignore.

My friend, when you opened your eyes this morning and your mind started going, your enemy was right there waiting for you.

The spiritual battle does not begin only when something terrible happens. The battle reaches into our thoughts, our choices, our desires, our words, our relationships, and the direction of our lives.

Scripture warns us in 1 Peter 5:8 (NIV):

"Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."

Why would Scripture tell us to "be alert" if there were nothing to watch for?

Satan is becoming the unspoken enemy of humanity, because the less we speak about his existence and influence, the easier it becomes to ignore how deception can manifest through our actions, decisions, speech, and life in general.

Yet Scripture does not expose the enemy so that we will live in fear.

It exposes the enemy so that we will know where to turn.

And that is why I will continue walking in the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ—the power that brings salvation.

Paul declared:

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile."

There is an enemy who desires to lead humanity astray, but there is also a Savior who came to set humanity free.

Jesus said in John 8:12 (NIV):

"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

That is the hope of the gospel.

We do not have to remain in darkness.

We do not have to remain deceived.

We do not have to remain enslaved to the enemy’s lies.

Jesus Christ has made another way available to us.

So as you enter this new month, I want you to reflect on more than what you are grateful for. I want you to consider what your gratitude is producing in your life.

If you are grateful for God’s grace, what is your life testifying?

If you are grateful that Jesus has offered you salvation, does your lifestyle show that you belong to Him?

If you know there is a spiritual battle for your soul, are you living spiritually alert?

And if Jesus has given you a task to complete, are you completing it?

Every day we are given on this earth is another opportunity to choose whom we will follow.

What is your daily life testifying?

Do you know that every breath you take is part of a spiritual battle?

My friend, Jesus is calling.

He is offering salvation.

He is offering freedom.

He is offering light in the midst of darkness.

What will it take for you to heed Jesus’ call to eternal freedom?

Weekly Scripture Acts 20:24 NIV