As we enjoy the beauty of Spring and the Holy season of Easter, Christians everywhere reflect and celebrate the life, love, and sacrifice of Jesus. He is our Savior, King, and friend. More than any other time throughout the year, we speak of the atonement, the cross, the crucifixion, and the resurrection. We know that He was broken for us, but do we realize that it was in His brokenness that we were made perfect and whole? Do we know that Jesus was perfectly broken for us?

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities;

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, 

And by His stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5

His Complete Sacrifice

He was neither held by the constraints of death, nor defeated by unthinkable suffering that day. For us, “the joy set before Him”, He overcame it all. He was resurrected, and in His resurrection, we live! We cannot attain righteousness or holiness by any means other than Jesus Christ. Yet, many Christians and even in Christian songs and teachings refer to the breaking, crushing, and misery of the believer as if these things make one more holy or spiritual in some way. If that were true, then the sacrifice of Jesus was in vain.

No amount of difficulty or pain in this life makes us more spiritual, holy, or acceptable than the blood of Jesus already has accomplished for us. There is nothing to add to it. He was perfectly broken so we could be made whole, bruised so we could be free, and beaten so we could be healed. He was completely crushed so we could live in total victory! Trials, tribulations, and pain in this life do not compare to the overwhelming perfection He secured for us in Him. 

I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]. – Jesus (John 10:10)

There was nothing lacking in the sacrifice of Jesus. Because of the blood He shed, the torment He endured, and the battle He won, we can experience truly abundant life. This doesn’t mean circumstances and difficulties don’t arise, but it does mean we can keep our eyes on His all-sufficient gift, apply His victory and authority by faith, and walk out of any trial triumphantly, because of what He accomplished on our behalf.

His Perfect Peace

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. – Jesus (John 14:27)

Our victory is not found in our own crushing or breaking. Instead, it is wholly found when we put our eyes on the One who was perfectly broken for us. Then, and only then, can we experience the perfect peace He came to bring us. There is tremendous power in that peace, even when violent storms may rage all around. When we choose to meditate on the totality of His offering instead of the circumstances that come against us, the weight of the world is lifted off our shoulders, and we are free to walk by faith, fully confident in Him, knowing that He always leads us into triumph!

And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Col.2:15)

Your brokenness holds no power. It is only in Jesus that we have the authority and strength to overcome. Regardless of symptoms you may feel in your body, lack that may be coming against your finances, or turmoil that may be threating other areas of your life, look to the brokenness of Jesus today. He carried every burden, sin, and sickness to the grave and arose in absolute conquest over the enemy and his schemes. There is nothing more powerful that His grace and love and it covers you every step of the way.

It is Finished

It is finished. – Jesus

There is no situation you or I face today that Jesus has not already overcome on our behalf. We find every answer and all power, victory, peace, and abundant life fully and solely in Him. Rest in His perfection, rely on His strength, and realize that because He was perfectly broken, you are whole today! His suffering was unthinkable, His defeat of the enemy profound. His sacrifice lacked nothing. It is finished and we are free! This week is the perfect time to reflect on the perfection of His brokenness and rejoice in His resurrection and victory for us! It was more than enough!

__________

For more articles like this, join me at www.jilltomlinson.org

Read more on the GOD TV blog here