This earthly journey is a constant battle against sin, fear, despair, and moments of faithlessness in our life. It is a battle to hold firm to the Joy, Hope and Faith that we have found in a relationship with our Creator, God. But how do we do that and win against the evil forces from without and within? Is there something within the covenant promises of God that gives us the assurance that we need when fears press us from every side? Where do we find the power to stand firm and hold tight to past, present and future grace? Look at what God said in Isaiah.
Isaiah 41: 10
10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.11 Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.
12 Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.
13 For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
If God is upholding me with His right hand of righteousness tightly holding onto my right hand then visually He is standing behind me, supporting me so that were I to start to fall His left arm would wrap around my waist pulling me ever closer against His chest; while the right arm firmly supports my right arm and He holds the right hand. This visual is hard to write in words; but as a nurse having assisted patients who are unsteady, I can see it clearly. It is very much like the portrait "Forgiven" by Thomas Blackshear with the exception that the right hand of the man has dropped the mallet and is now firmly placed into the hand of God. It is there that God’s Righteousness becomes the support because we have none of our own. David in a song praised God for His right hand of righteousness.
Psalm 48:
9 We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple.
10 According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness.
Yet on what basis can a just and holy God have any part with sinful man? Both Isaiah and David pointed toward the one who would make that possible. Please note in Hebrews that God spoke through many prophets in the past; yet, all was completed when Christ completed His redemptive work upon the cross and then rose again to be seated at the right hand of the Father.
Hebrews 1: God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:
So by what authority could Christ establish and complete the redemptive process so that I might be brought into a intimate relationship of being the adopted child of God, bought with a price and declared righteous?
Authority #1: Christ is 100% heir to all things on heaven and earth; thus, has full power to make good on all His promises.
Authority #2: Christ being co-eternal with the Father and a exact part of the Father (like we who have body, soul, and spirit) was present and directly engaged in the creation. (John 1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2 The same was in the beginning with God.3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Authority #3: Christ displayed and displays at all times the Brightness of the Beauty and Glory of God–a glory so magnificent that we may only see dimly now; though the glimpses of which are so magnificent that we seek, savor and long to see more and one day will.
Authority #4: Christ is the express image of the Father–In perfect righteousness, in perfect justice which demands the payment of our penalty, in perfect love which made Him willing to pay the price, and in perfect Joy that sees beyond the momentary circumstances to the final overwhelming joy of Christ himself when he sees our joy fulfilled as we stand in His presence. A dim comparison, but remember when you gave up and sacrificed something to buy the perfect gift for your child and you waited expecting until the day you could hand it to him and the sheer joy on his face made you feel overjoyed–sort of like that, but even bigger.
Authority #5: Though Christ had come in human flesh, He did not sin. This is why the word says "upholding all things by the word of his power". 2 Corinthians 5: 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
Authority #6: Christ who is perfect righteousness took upon Himself the full wrath and penalty that justice demands when he was nailed on the Cross.
Authority #7: He then having paid the price, conquering sin and death was raised again and is seated on the Right Hand of The Father. Are you beginning to see the significance of God’s right hand of Righteousness?
Ephesians 1: 17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
Have your eyes been enlightened? Or do you still see yourself in such a high esteem that you think you have anything to bring to the table for your salvation apart from Christ? And for those of you who know Christ as your Savior, why are you still downcast and burdened? Do you understand the hope of His calling and the riches of Glory which will be yours because of the Authority of Christ? Do you know the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe and know Him as our Savior?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_LEodJX3lA