Hebrews 12:1-3. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
The Christian life God desires for you is not about what you can do for Him, but about knowing Him and His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus defined eternal life in this way: “Now this is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent” (John 17:3).
When people once asked Jesus, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” He answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent” (John 6:28–29). In other words, the greatest work you can do is not deeds for God, but faith in Christ. Everything else flows from this foundation of believing and resting in Him.
Yet many of us fail to start from this fundamental truth. Instead of resting in the finished work of Christ, we turn the gospel into religion. We measure ourselves by performance, striving under rules and rituals, and in the end, we grow weary and lose heart. True power, however, is found not in what we do, but in knowing and believing that Jesus is the Christ—the True King, the True Priest, and the True Prophet.
When Jesus reigns as your King, no one—not even the devil—can touch you (1 John 5:18). The enemy has lost his grip. His lies no longer define you, and his demands no longer enslave you. Your King holds you securely in His hand. Scripture promises, “The Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one” (2 Thessalonians 3:3).
Even when you fear failure, your King Jesus will deliver you from every evil deed and bring you safely to His heavenly kingdom (2 Timothy 4:18). When you fall, He will lift you up and make you stronger. So do not fear. “No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you” (Isaiah 54:17). The victory of the cross guarantees that “the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Romans 16:20). Therefore, stop dwelling on failure and begin celebrating the triumph of your King.
Since your True Priest Jesus lives in you, no one can condemn you. “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1–2). Your guilt, shame, and regret do not define who you are in Christ. By His own blood, Jesus entered the Most Holy Place once for all and obtained eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12). You were bought at a price, and you are God’s treasured possession—no matter how you feel about yourself or how the world measures you.
The blood of your Priest is powerful. At the cross, Jesus removed the curse and judgment of original sin, the bondage of generational sin, and the penalty of your personal sin. With His final words, “It is finished” (John 19:30), He declared that nothing more is required. You cannot undo the past, but you can embrace the finished work of Calvary. Live at the foot of the cross where your Priest interceded for you, and know that His blood has made you whole. Through the one sacrifice of His blood, Jesus has made you perfect forever, even as you are continually being made holy (Hebrews 10:14).
Since Jesus came into your life as the True Prophet, you experience heaven on earth. He opened a new and living way into God’s presence (Hebrews 10:20). Because we could not reach Him, He came to us: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). By tearing the veil through His body on the cross and rising from the grave, Jesus destroyed the gates of death and Hades (Revelation 1:18).
Why did He do this? Out of His infinite love for us. He chose the cross because it was the only way to reconcile us to a holy God. Now, as the True Prophet, He speaks God’s Word to you daily. He knocks at the door of your heart and says, “If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20). When you hear and respond, He invites you to feast with Him every day, even preparing a table in the presence of your enemies (Psalm 23:5).
You are no longer bound by the shadow of hell. Instead, you have been anointed to proclaim His works to the world (1 Peter 2:9). To this end, Jesus calls you to remain in Him as the branch abides in the vine: “If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Knowing and enjoying Jesus is everything.
This truth echoes in the lives of the great cloud of witnesses in Hebrews 11. What did they all share in common? They lived in the power of God despite hardship, suffering, and trials. They walked by faith, not by sight. “The world was not worthy of them” (Hebrews 11:38). They fixed their eyes on the Christ to come—the pioneer and perfecter of faith. The secret of their strength is the same secret for you today: keep your eyes on Jesus.
You, too, have a race to run. Fix your gaze on your Lord Jesus Christ, and do not give up until this gospel of the kingdom is preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations (Matthew 24:14).
Prayer. Father, I thank You for calling me into a life of power and freedom, not of regret and fear. Fix my eyes on Jesus Christ, my True King, Priest, and Prophet. Fill me with Your Spirit so I may fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen.