Daily Devotional: Day 189
“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing” (2 Corinthians 2:14-15).
God is unstoppable. So is His Word. In Christ Jesus, God always prevails in His Word. As the Lord testifies in Isaiah 55:11, “so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (ESV). The Lord sends His Word through the ministry of Angels, Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, and many others. These servants of the Lord are unstoppable, too. The enemy may successfully stop some of them, but he cannot stop every messenger of God’s Word. In the end, God’s Word will prevail, accomplishing its divine purpose – by convicting, healing, encouraging, rebuking, correcting, exhorting, and revealing the secrets in people’s hearts.
Paul, an eminent Apostle of Christ, knew about this prevailing power of the Lord. Writing to the believers in Corinth, he praises God who always causes us to triumph in Christ. Paul and his companions in ministry encountered obstacle after obstacle, yet somehow, the Lord made a way for them to send His Word to the intended recipients. Through us, Paul continues, God manifests the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. Knowledge of God is like a fragrance. Through many messengers, the Lord diffuses this fragrance among people. And, the fragrance is unstoppable.
Then Paul adds, “we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.” This means, to God, messengers of the Gospel are the fragrance of Jesus Christ. Wherever they go, this fragrance is revealed and diffused. Now notice the remaining part of today’s Scripture. Paul says that God’s messengers are the fragrance of Christ among two groups of people: those who are being saved, and those who are perishing. Not everyone receives the fragrance of Christ unto salvation. Some reject this fragrance, and in so doing, perish. Others, however, receive the fragrance unto life by submitting to the Lord’s message.
Today, know that God is counting on you to make a difference, too. As a Christian, you are – by default – a messenger of God. It is, therefore, important how you carry yourself. Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, and whomever you are with, God’s purpose is to manifest the sweet-smelling fragrance of Christ through you. Make yourself available to Him. God doesn’t accept a mixture of fragrances: Christ fragrance plus sin fragrance or the worldliness fragrance. It’s all fragrance of Christ or nothing. Go out today and spread the fragrance of Christ in your deeds and words. Amen.
May the power of God’s Word prevail in your life and cause you to triumph in all things. Amen.
For further study: Romans 6:11-23
Higher-Self Realities 