The greatest gift any of us can ever receive is the gift of God’s marvelous salvation. We must realize we all come into this world as sinners in need of a Savior, and Jesus is that Savior. It is only when we turn from a life of sin and self to Jesus for our forgiveness and cleansing we can be saved by faith in him. The great news is God gives us the ability to repent of our sinful condition and to believe.
The greatest gift any of us can ever receive is the gift of God’s marvelous salvation. We must realize we all come into this world as sinners in need of a Savior, and Jesus is that Savior. It is only when we turn from a life of sin and self to Jesus for our forgiveness and cleansing we can be saved by faith in him. The great news is God gives us the ability to repent of our sinful condition and to believe.
One of my favorite books in the Bible to turn to and see what God’s great salvation is all about is Isaiah. The name Isaiah means “Salvation of Jehovah.” The key word in this book is “salvation” and Isaiah is preeminently the prophet of redemption.
Now, let’s look at this great salvation more closely. First, we see wells of salvation to save and satisfy us in this life. In Isaiah 12:2-3, we read these words, “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation. Therefore, with joy, shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.”
One of the greatest lessons I have learned is only Jesus can satisfy the soul, and only He can make us spiritually whole.
A second thing Isaiah shows us is the joy of salvation to keep us ever rejoicing as seen in Isaiah 25:9, “And it shall be said in that day, ‘Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.’”
After David sinned against God with Bathsheba (II Samuel 11), he cried out to God as recorded in Psalm 51:12, “Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation.” The Bible reminds us in Nehemiah 8:10, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” Peter describes the joy of the Lord as “unspeakable (or indescribable) and full of glory,” in I Peter 1:8.
We find in Isaiah, also, the walls of salvation to protect us from loss. We read in Isaiah 26:1, “In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; we have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.”
If we know Christ as Savior and Lord, the devil and all the demons of hell cannot touch us. The devil had to ask God’s permission before he could affict Job and, even then, he could only do to Job what God allowed. The Scriptures tell us, “Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world (I John 4:4).” If he could, Satan would kill us and throw us into Hell but, thank God, he can’t.
God not only saves our soul, He is also our protector and safety. “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it and are safe (Proverbs 18:10).”
My what a great salvation we have in the Lord!
Randy Zinn is pastor of Russell Missionary Baptist Church, Russell, Ark.; formerly of Okmulgee.
