Destined
For A Great Work, LLC
Scripture context: 2 Chronicles 6:21; Luke 23:34
INTRODUCTION
As we have entered a New Year of 2026, the entrusted opportunity given in this moment-of-time, is to expound on the Word of God, through the lenses of Jesus Christ, knowing all scripture is truth, for correction, edification and reproof. Romans 3:23, reads, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” This Glory of God, is the Grace of God, given through Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In this brief moment, turn your view to two scenes of truth of biblical history relevant today. In the first scene, there is King Solomon dedicating the Temple of God, and the people of God, present, he is praying to God, vocally, “Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this place: hear thou from thy dwelling place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive.” (2 Chronicles 6:21). The glorious Temple of God, built as instructed by His father, King David. It was a glorious Temple of God, the place of prayer, supplication, sacrifice, worship, and praise for the presence of God to dwell. “When thou hearest, forgive.”
Now, let us take a look up, gazing at the scene of Calvary, Jesus, on the Cross in the center of two criminals, one on the left and one on the right. Jesus' journey to the Cross, the promised Messiah, promised Savior, and Salvation was gruesome. He was persecuted and tortured without the sudden death, betrayed and rejected by His own disciples and people, whipped until flesh and blood gushed out, by His stripes, we are healed; stricken by sorrow, that we may be healed and saved, the crown of thorn beat in His head, the nails beat violently in his hands and feet, keep beholding. The people mocked him, reviled him, and tormented him the more, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.” Let us keep gazing, beholding the weeping of the women and his brother, the darkness that came over the whole earth, the pain, and suffering of Jesus. Jesus, in agony, “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.” (Luke 23:34). “Father forgive them; for they know not what they do.” The prayer of forgiveness, the path of restoration and redemptive work for all of humanity from the scene at Calvary. Jesus Christ the pure blood of atoning sacrifice, redeeming mankind to God the Father for a chance of salvation, reconciliation, and eternal life.
In this brief moment-of-time, looking through the lenses of Jesus Christ, speaking, encouraging, challenging, and beckoning all to turn with thine whole heart, mind, and soul to the true salvation and deliverance which only Jesus Christ can bring, in His purpose coming to the earth and His return for His people. The message of the hour, “The Forgiven” presented in four perspectives to “Rise up! Stand up! Step up!” What will you do after evaluating these four perspectives?
THE FORGIVEN FOUR PERSPECTIVES
Let us take a journey in the scriptures of “The Forgiven” four perspectives through the lenses of Jesus Christ.
1) The Forgiven, God’s Prodigy, God’s Instrument - Cyrus, King of Persia (Isaiah 45:1-7, 11). In this context of scripture, Cyrus, was foretold by Jeremiah (25:11; 27:21-22; 29:10) the prophet in which he prophesied of the Babylonian exile would last seventy years for the children of Israel, God’s people, after God would raise up a Ruler to allow them to return to Jerusalem, rebuild and restore their Temple. Although, Jeremiah did not specifically name Cyrus, the biblical books of Ezra 1:1-3, 2 Chronicles 36:22-23, and Daniel the prophet understood from studying Jeremiah’s writings that the time for the prophecy’s fulfillment was approaching, leading him to pray for God’s intervention (Daniel 5:30, 31). King Darius was the uncle of Cyrus.
Who was “The Forgiven” of God, God’s Prodigy, God’s Instrument, God’s Anointed? Well, Cyrus origins by pagan writers are not agreed, but He was raised in paganism, idol worship, and idol gods. He was a Mede. He did not know of God, a sinner, yet God instilled in him His Spirit, His qualities, His intellect, His wealth given, His character of Godly zeal, integrity, compassion, and His power to conqueror to accomplish the purpose of God. God called him forth by name. Some theologians foretell and tell us in this dispensation of time, in his infancy he was an outcast, left exposed to die, and was saved from perishing by a herdsman’s wife. It is incontestable, Cyrus was a genius instilled from birth by the Spirit of God, a Prodigy, a type of Christ, a type of Shepherd, a type of Ruler, and a type of Redeemer, who God chose to anoint, call out, bless, and use as His instrument, to rise up, stand up, and step up to release the children of Israel from captivity.
Cyrus was a conqueror and deliverer with the anointing of God. Herein, “The Forgiven” of God, who would acknowledge God’s righteousness and sovereignty in his success, a sinner of pagan origins and traditions (heathen), and he would do what God instructed him to do as an instrument of God. Cyrus was raised up for great things, great victories, in conjunction with a Prodigy of God, a type of Christ, of the gospel of the grace of God salvation, eternal power of God, the Godhead redemptive work from sin and death.
2) The “Forgiven” in Rebellion - Reading, Isaiah 30:1, 8-13; 1 Samuel 15:23. Biblically, to define rebellion, is to go against the instructions of God or Jesus Christ, which produces sin. Rebellion is to know between good and evil, and choose to partially do good, not following the instructions, what is good, and the voice of God in totality, doing evil in the sight of God. The severity of rebellion is equated with witchcraft and idolatry (1 Samuel 15:23), King Saul disobeyed God, doing things his own way, not following the instructions of God. Temptation will come, but humans are always given a choice between right and wrong, good and evil, and life and death. Whereby, God offers a path of forgiveness for rebellion (sin) to those who truly repent (change their mind, turn from the sin, and turn to God). The Prophet Hosea, declares with instructions, “Come, and let us return to the Lord; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight.” (Hosea 6:1-3).
In the wisdom of God, a person or group of people can become a codependency of rebellion by people working under the influence of Satan, in disobedience, knowing what is right and wrong, not repenting or turning to God, doing things their own way. Reflect back on the opening scripture in Isaiah 30:1 8-13 and 1 Samuel 15:23, read the full scope of the chapters. Let us look at some examples of “The Forgiven” in rebellion:
- Herein, rebellion started with Adam and Eve the first humans on the earth, created by God, in Genesis 2:16-17, “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Genesis 3:4-6, “Then the serpent said to the woman, You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.” They did not follow the voice of God, instructions of God, knowing the command of God. God made a pathway for repentance and forgiveness, spoken into existence of salvation through Jesus Christ, coming from the Seed of Eve, Genesis 3:15, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”
- The Forgiven in Rebellion, The Woman Caught in Adultery - In the context of scripture John 8:3-11; The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman into the Temple of God to be put on trial, the place for the presence of God to dwell to bring hope, restoration, and worship, brings her before Jesus Christ. Jesus knew at that moment-of-time, He was the only path to forgiveness, restoration, redeeming the woman to salvation. As they tested Jesus in the Law of Moses, Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. As they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” Again, He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Whatever, Jesus wrote, perhaps “What Things” brought a conviction revealing their own sins, and the accusers all went away. Jesus raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” We can overlook this passage, the woman had an encounter with Jesus Christ, the woman acknowledges Jesus as Lord, turning to Him knowing her sin, and submitting to Him. Thus, Jesus spoke to them again in the temple, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” Herein, there was a transformation of forgiveness. The forgiveness was not just a pardon, it led to being made new in Christ and empowered to live differently (Colossians 3:13).
- The Forgiven in Rebellion, The Prodigal Son - In the context of Luke 15:11-24, the Prodigal Son, decides to take his inheritance, leave his father’s house, to do things his own way, lost. He finds himself driven by Satan, spent all he had, a severe famine arose, and joined himself to a citizen in that country which led him in the fields to feed the swine. He would have began to eat with the swine and go further down to what Satan presented to him, but he came to His senses. For just a moment, Jesus allowed the view of the Spirit drawing one back into the fellowship of the Father, who walked away. A prodigal, in a backsliding state spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically. But, loved by God the Father, extending His mercy and love through Jesus Christ. The prodigal son, thought in his spirit, mind, and body, total being, “I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. And I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” Jesus illustrates the parable, how the Father receives those who are lost, coming back to acknowledge their sins in repentance against heaven and the Father, to come home to the Father, in the right fellowship and relationship. Thus, Jesus gives the response of how the Father, the Believer’s, and church body must receive the lost, coming home to the Father in true repentance and confession, turning from their ways, and turning to the Father. (Luke 15:21-24).
3) The Forgiven Capsized in the Storms of Life, But Saved - Let us define the significance of capsized. Capsized is a spiritual state effecting, affecting, and threatening the moral state and well-being of a human being considered to be a child of God, unaware and aware of shipwreck or storms in the perils of life, to lust after evil things, to be entangled with evil things, or to play with evil things. The Apostle Paul, figurative use 1 Corinthians 10:11-13, admonishes to look at the past mistakes to prevent a capsized state, “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” He also had his moments of capsized and shipwrecked, but saved by the grace of God. (Acts 21, 22:18, 23:11-12; Acts 27). Secondly, a capsized state, “fear of” what will happen or association of what is happening to another, can trigger a capsized, turned over, going in a direction, not intended by God the Father or Jesus Christ. Thirdly, a capsized state, literally symbolizes spiritual trials with natural, mental, and emotional striking of a shipwreck state, without losing faith, hope, reliance, and rescue of Jesus' divine power and authority. Capsizing gives an individual a chance to reverse that of capsizing, by evaluating what is needed to restore oneself from danger through God’s provision, reliance on faith over fear, faith over confusion, and faith to overcome. Let us look at one example of “The Forgiven” capsized in the storms of life:
- The Forgiven Capsized, The Storm of Fear, But Saved - The Apostle Peter, one of the chosen twelve disciples, hand picked by Jesus Christ. Peter, who confessed, Jesus as the Christ, Son of the Living God, and Peter, which Jesus said, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build My church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on the will be loosed in Heaven.” (Matthew 16:16, 18-19). Peter, who was in the boat with the other disciples, a storm rose, tossed by the waves and the wind, the disciples cried out of fear, when Jesus appeared walking on the water to help them in trouble. Peter, who walked on water after the command of Jesus, and Peter, who began to sink, capsized in fear looking at the storm, waves, and wind. But, Peter, who knew Jesus would rescue him, “cried out saying, Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:24-31). Peter, who Jesus would rebuke, Peter, who stumbled and denied Christ openly, because of fear and what could happen to him. Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” (Matthew 26:34, 69-75). Peter, who went to the tomb of Jesus, after His resurrection, and did not find Him there. Peter, who Jesus, comes after to restore him into the fellowship of the Father and of Himself to accomplish the Word of Promise spoken over Him. Peter, recognizing Jesus, came to restore and rescue him. Asked one question, Jesus said Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?” He said to Him “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, "feed my sheep.” (John 21:15-17).
4) The Forgiven, Ambassadors for Christ - In the context of scripture (2 Corinthians 5:12-21) vv. 20-21, “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” The core message, stating that God has reconciled us to Himself through Christ and given us the “ministry of reconciliation” in essence representing God as a “diplomat for Christ” representing His character, acting on His behalf, appealing to the world. The Believer represents God’s Kingdom embodying characteristics like Christ, demonstrated through actions, words, and a lifestyle focused on God’s values, not relying on worldly values, while relying on the Holy Spirit for empowerment, transformation, and cleansing from sin (1 John 1:7). Let us look at a universal example:
- Universal Ambassadors for Christ - Everyone, without racial barrier or cultural barriers, who accept Jesus Christ, acknowledging Him as the Son of God, acknowledging He is the cleansing of sin, in which the only source of salvation, one can be saved, confessing of sin, turning to Him, at that moment-of-time, is in drafted as an Ambassador for Christ. In which, we as The Forgiven, Ambassadors for Christ, are given the opportunity as a living testimony and living epistles of the forgiveness of Christ, salvation, restoration, grace, and embodied in the reconciliation ministry as a new creation in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:12-17). As the Apostle Paul, eloquently states, we become Ambassadors of Christ, in the chains of Christ. “And for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel. For which I am an ambassador in chains that in it I may speak boldly as I ought to speak.” (Ephesians 6:19-20). The Ambassadors for Christ in chains are compelled to live in the righteousness of Christ, representing Christ, the King of Kings. (Roman 3:22; Roman 8:10).
- What are the Key Characteristics with Biblical Basis?
- Christ-like Life: Your daily actions like love, forgiveness, humility, mercy, fear of God, peace of God, mind of Christ, boldness, truth, faith in God, confidence, obedience, wisdom of God, justice of God, serving, shining as the Light of Christ, and the speech of Christ. (Proverbs 9:10; Matthew 5:16; John 14:27; Philippians 1:27, 3:8-9,4:7; 1 Corinthians 1:20-21, 30; 1 John 1:7, 4:7; 1 Peter 1:13; 2 Timothy 1:7; Ephesians 3:12, 4:15; Hebrews 10:11; 11:1, 6).
- Reconciliation Ministry - The Believer carries the message of reconciliation to God through Christ Jesus. (2 Corinthians 5:12-21).
- Kingdom Focus - Your priorities are heavenly, not worldly, as you await Christ’s return. (Matthew 6:33, Colossians 3:2).
- Empowered by the Spirit: You rely on the Holy Spirit for strength, power and authority, guidance, and to live out the Fruit of the Spirit (John 14:16-17,26, 15:26, 16:8-15; Acts 1:4-8, 2:1-4; Galatians 5:22-23).
- The Great Commission - This reinforces the call to all believers to spread the Gospel to all nations, a core duty of an Ambassador of Christ. (Matthew 28:18-20).
CONCLUSION
Concluding, “The Forgiven” produces many perspectives of the Grace of God, Glory of God, and Redeeming Power of Jesus Christ throughout history. In this brief moment-of-time, the entrusted opportunity, I pray, as the vessel and instrument of the Lord Jesus, I have bridged a gap leading to Jesus Christ and connection to meet the spiritual need, no matter what stage you are at in this life. Let us together, “Rise Up! Stand Up! Step Up!" Let us be intentional entering 2026 for the great things, excellent things, and the Glory of God to be manifested in our lives. Ending with this scripture, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." This is how much God the Father love humankind.
In His Excellency Service,
Prophetess Cynthia Kelly
THE FORGIVEN
RISE UP ~ STAND UP ~ STEP UP
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