December 4, 2022
Jesus
It is impossible to write a book about ride or die men of God without including the ultimate example, Jesus.
Philippians 2 tells us that to fulfill His purpose, Jesus had first to give up a lot.
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
(Philippians 2:6-8, NIV)
This time of year, we focus on the birth of Christ. Yet, before Jesus was born, He made a ride or die choice to give up all of Heaven and come to earth.
He left the perfection, the grandeur, the beauty of Heaven to come and be born in a stable to poor Jewish parents.
Even though He was God, He took on a human body. Even though He couldn’t get sick, He could feel pain, exhaustion, heartache, and a full range of emotions.
He grew up a Jewish man in a world dominated by the Roman Empire.
Even though He created everything and was literally the king of the world, He took on the form of a servant. As a man, He worked hard, He paid bills, and until He was thirty years old, He had the responsibility to provide for His Mom and siblings.
During His ministry, He suffered hatred and persecution from the religious leaders and chose to reach out and touch the common person.
He suffered betrayal by one of His disciples and was let down by all of His closest friends.
Yet, He chose to ride and die so that God’s purpose could be fulfilled.
Jesus was born for one purpose and one purpose only. He knew what His purpose was, and He chose to ride or die to fulfill His purpose.
Jesus was born to be the needed sacrifice for man’s sins. He was born to live and die for every one of us. The only way we could be reunited with God was for Jesus to take on humanity to die for our sins. He was the only one who could do it. He faced mocking, ridicule, and even persecution as He walked the earth, but He chose to ride or die with his Father’s purpose.
Even in the garden of Gethsemane, He said to his Father, “Not My will, but Your will be done.” He was basically saying, “Father, is there any chance I don’t have to do this…but if I must, I will ride or die with You and the purpose You have given to Me.”
Jesus went to the cross to fulfill His purpose. Even on the cross, beaten and abused, He faced the temptation to give up on His purpose. “Come down from the cross if You’re all You claim to be,” they mocked and jeered.
Jesus could have come right off of that cross. He had the power to send an army of angels to silence His enemies. But with a ride or die sense of purpose, He ignored their taunts. His work was too great, and He couldn’t come down!
Jesus is the ultimate ride or die man of God.
Today, a risen Jesus challenges all of us to follow His example and give everything to God just as He gave everything to us.
Following His example, today, you must decide that your work, your purpose, the one thing God created you to do, is too vital for you to surrender. You cannot come down!
You must choose, like Jesus, to commit yourself to discover what your true purpose is in life. Then you must choose to give it all you got.
No matter what obstacles you face or what comes against you, you must ride or die with purpose.
Like Jesus, each of us must submit our will to God and say, “Not my will, but Your will, be done in my life. Whatever You ask, I’ll ride or die with You to the end.”
Today’s Scripture:
Have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11, NIV)
By Jamie Holden
Founder, Mantour Ministries
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.