Welcome back to the One Thing Podcast. Sharing a word from the Book of John chapter 14, and verse 18. And these are the words of Jesus, He says, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” And this is Jesus; He’s about to enter into His mission to go to the cross and He’s going to meet with the Father in Heaven. But He’s saying, “Even though I’m going to go away, even though you won’t see me physically, I will not leave you as orphans.”

“...it’s the power of God that He promises though the Holy Spirit to give us everything that we need to survive”

And when you think of an orphan, an orphan is a child or a person that has been abandoned; left for themself, left to fetch in this life which can be difficult on their own - to go through life trying to survive without a parent or a loved one taking care of them and to guard them. But, the Lord says, for those that trust in Him, for those that have set their heart on walking in this life with the Lord Jesus, He says “I will not leave you as orphans, I’m not going to leave it to you to accomplish what I’ve called you to do. I will do it through you. And yes, your hands and your feet will move with Me.”

"Look to Me son, look to Me daughter. Look to me to overcome."

But ultimately it’s the power of God that He promises though the Holy Spirit to give us everything that we need to survive; but not only survive but I believe even thrive - Thrive in the power of God, thrive by overcoming our sin; by being able to subdue that thing that has been a snare to you in your life. Being able to subdue that darkness, that stronghold, that you and I on our own could never overcome, but because He hasn’t left us as orphans we can overcome, because He says, “I will come to you.” In other words, He says, “I will come on the inside of you, and I will empower you so that the world would know that although sin had entered this world, this place, and has separated man from God, that yet the hope of the Lord Jesus has come.” That those who look to Him are not left as orphans, not left to fetch to this world in darkness and in sin, but able to be a light that shines the power of God.

“...truly make it to be what it is; the promise of hope, the promise of light, life, and holiness…”

“I will not leave you as orphans.” Maybe today you have literally been an orphan. I pray today that you will look to the Lord Jesus, that He would take you into the family of God by faith. And for others, maybe you've been trying to do it in your own strength up to this point; trying to live righteously, trying to do the right thing with God, but you fail over and over. I pray you find encouragement in these words: “I will not leave you as an orphan. Look to Me son, look to Me daughter. Look to me to overcome. Look to me to do the work of the kingdom. I will give you what you need to be distinguished and to have what you need in order to show and display the power of My kingdom in your life.”

So, once again, may we be encouraged this day, knowing that Jesus said that “I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you, I will be with you as you call upon Me, as you look to Me and you make Me your only hope, I will be with you.” So I just thank God today for His words. I thank the Lord for His promise, and I pray that we would not just speak of His promise, but we would truly make it to be what it is; the promise of hope, the promise of light, life, and holiness that comes through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Be blessed today, and may we be those, not orphaned, but taken in to the kingdom of God.