Daily Journal: 21 December

H.O.P.Emmanuel.

H.O.P.E. has a name. Emmanuel. God with us.

Matthew 1:23 (TLB)

‘Listen! The virgin shall conceive a child! She shall give birth to a Son, and he shall be called “Emmanuel” (meaning “God is with us”).’”

This was prophesied by Isaiah about 700 years before Jesus was born. The prophecy was, imminently, a sign to King Ahaz that enemies who were coming against him would be destroyed. This is what Emmanuel does. He destroys enemies. God was showing Ahaz he had no need to fear because God was with him. God gave him hope.

Isaiah 7:14 (TLB)

All right then, the Lord himself will choose the sign—a child shall be born to a virgin! And she shall call him Immanuel (meaning, “God is with us”).

Immanuel and Emmanuel (spelt with an I or an E) are both correct translations. In brief, the “I” stems from the Hebrew translation and the “E” stems from the Greek translation ^{*footnote below}.

Many people don’t think they need God with them. But the blessing Emmanuel, God with us brings, is victory over every spiritual enemy, immeasurable peace, immeasurable joy, immeasurable wisdom, despite the war of the world that goes on around us, and life with Him forevermore. We will never be separate from Him again.

When we submit to Emmanuel, we receive His boundless favour. His blessing. His Warrant of Fitness. We need His WOF because when we submit to Him we engage in a spiritual battle that is raging behind the scenes of our ordinary lives. There is nothing ordinary about our lives. When our spiritual eyes are opened we receive the truth.

When we engage in this battle, we are given armour and we are taught about the battle.

The greatest part of our dress code isn’t strategy, although that’s important. It isn’t readiness, although that’s essential. It isn’t even courage, because that’s given when we need it and it develops as we understand truth.

The greatest part of our dress code is humility, obedience and purity. These three attributes we must choose to put on, because we can’t stand in this battle and prevail without them. This isn’t an ordinary, earthly battle. This is a spiritual battle and the rules of engagement are different because they’re based on God’s natural realm not ours. That’s why we need God with us.

Humility is something we must learn. It’s what we replace pride with. Pride is in each of us and is cunning. It hides in places within where we don’t think to look and it hides in plain sight. Humility is something we must learn to love above ourselves. It’s something we must constantly choose to put on.

Obedience doesn’t come without humility. Obedience is not a fashionable term today. It almost seems archaic in the world’s mindset but without obedience there is rebellion and anarchy.

Purity is the cool pool that anoints humility and obedience and we can learn to be refreshed in. We need its healing powers and the only way to receive it is through the only One who is pure; who models it’s supreme power. Emmanuel. God with us.

Matthew 28:20 (NLT)

Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

H.O.P.Emmanuel is our ultimate resource and direction, our strength, our courage, our vengeance against evil, our strategy and our light in the darkness, our cup of fullness and readiness. Through it, we become His Glory.

Psalm 23:5 (NET)

You prepare a feast before me in plain sight of my enemies. You refresh my head with oil; my cup is completely full.

*https://www.gotquestions.org/what-does-Immanuel-mean.html#:~:text=Immanuel%2C%20spelled%20with%20an%20I%2C,Hebrew%20to%20Greek%20to%20English