Level playing Field

John the Baptist was called a fore-runner for the ministry of Jesus. He prepared the way for people mot be able to receive the ministry of Jesus Christ. Isaiah 40:3-5

“The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made (4)straight, and the rough places (5)plain: and the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and ALL FLESH SHALL IT TOGETHER: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.”

In my Bible, there is the number 4 next to the word “straight” and in the margins it defines the or given clarification of what the word means in the Hebrew Language. In the scripture above is says, straight means “straight places”. The same thing with the word, “plain”. It means plain places.

When the priest and Levites from Jerusalem asked John the Baptist, “Who are you?” John the Baptist clearly says,

“He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.” John 1:23

John’s ministry leveled the playing field for ALL to able to received from the hand of God. God designed the system. We are living in a day and time where good people, smart people are not able to receive from the Hand of God. It’s not because God’s system is unfair, but the god of this world has blinded their minds so that they can’t receive.

1 John 5:19, says the whole world lies under the sway of wickedness or the Wicked One, as in the sense of a deep sleep. Comatose would be a good word to described the reality of darkness working in the hearts of unbelievers.

What was so unique about John’s ministry?

When I was growing up in my earlier Christian years, I was overwhelmed by a sense of lack and poverty even though I had a good job. I was in debt. I constantly struggled with inferiority. I was always depended on others for my needs.

What changed my life is when I finally realized that God made it possible for every single person to be able to receive from the hand of God. He made a way in the desert, a highway. He elevated every valley. He leveled the mountains and the hills. He made the crooked places straight and the rough places plain, in other words, he leveled the playing field.

God not only did that in Jesus and John’s day, but for all humanity today. Look at Ephesians 2:4-7

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”

Although we are on earth, God has raised us and MADE us to be seated in Jesus Christ. There are no inequalities there. There is no lack, no sickness no disease. Politics and politicians doesn’t hold sway there. There are no holes, ditches, pits, afflictions.

Luke 4:18

Jesus read from the book of Isaiah 61 on the Sabbath day in his synagogue beginning in Luke 4:16-21,

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captive, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. To preach the acceptable day of the Lord.”

The next thing that Jesus said, was so amazing, so overwhelming, so awesome, especially for me because when I understood what he was saying, I no longer saw myself as inferior, busted, broken, needing a loan just to survive for another day.

Jesus said, this

“And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture FULFILLED IN YOUR EARS.” Luke 4:21 (KJV)

THIS DAY, even our day and every other day is this scripture being fulfilled. How did his audience respond to him? They got offended and tried to throw him off a cliff, head first.

Even though Luke 4:18, tells us the playing field has be leveled, there is that inability to received from the hand of God.

We have all suffered from depression at one time or another in our lives. There is a depression so overwhelming that people sometimes seek suicide to escape its torment. But the good news is, God has leveled the playing field. It is as easy saying yes, I receive. Read Romans 10:6-13

He is the One who originally commanded light to shine out of darkness. According to 2 Corinthians 4:6, God commands the light of the knowledge of his glory to shine in our hearts.

John 1:5, Light shines in darkness and darkness could not put it out.

Satan can never put out The Light but he can convince you to say no what has been purchased and paid for in full, that is the grace and goodness of God.

Christ shall give you Light,

Ephesians 5:14, awake, arise from the dead and Christ shall give you light. This neutralizes anything and everything the world throws at you.

One thing about the Light, its effectiveness is in your ability to receive it, embrace it and give it time to work itself out!

I have come across people who have more faith in there sickness than they do in the goodness of God. Or maybe they were never told that the field of life has been leveled.