Blessings of Due Process
Scripture Reading: Matthew 3:13–17
“Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him,” Matthew 3:13–15.
Blessings of Due Process
Father God, we pray for the grace of fulfilling all righteousness. Lord in this our generation of fast pace and instant everything we have lost many of the virtues of patience. More importantly, Lord, we have lost the blessings of following due process. Today, we pray that you will reveal to us the blessings of due process, which is following the necessary social and spiritual protocols. Holy Father, give us the grace to experience a revelation that causes us to be more patient, more appreciative so that we will not miss our blessings in Jesus’ name.
After John acquiesced to baptize Him, “…Jesus…, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” Matthew 3:16– 17.
There are times when actions or processes seem inconvenient and unnecessary, but we need to appreciate that there are blessings in following due process. The blessings of going through a process can be elusive, so many have been short-changed from all the things they need to become because they have not followed processes; they have not been trained.
Many Christians have not gone through discipling, have not been under anyone’s leadership; have learned everything and grown by themselves. By not being trained or answering to someone, they have missed out on a lot of blessings. I pray that God will give us the grace to appreciate from this passage the need to go through processes in all areas of our lives.
We see that our Lord Jesus Christ considered the process of being baptized necessary although He was the King of Glory, the Son of God, and the Ancient of Days. Jesus recognized the value of baptism. He instituted and directed baptism and understood He was not above it. Although it seemed out of order to John the Baptist, Jesus knew the importance of due process. When Jesus arrived for His baptism, the enemy had set up objections to deprive Him of the blessings He needed to fulfill His ministry. “But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?,” verse 14. But Jesus told John to baptize Him because it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness, verse 15. When the Lord says it becometh us, it means it decorates us; it adds value. There are certain things that are not convenient, but when you follow through, even when you have to go out of your way or travel for them, you are decorated with glory because you fulfill that righteousness.
Jesus experienced three blessings for following due process and fulfilling all righteousness:
As soon as He was baptized, Jesus went straight up out of the water and the heavens were opened to him. God opened the heavens for Jesus and when you follow through with due process, heavens will open for you.
Jesus saw the Spirit of God descending upon him like a dove. When we follow due process and fulfill all righteousness, our vision is better; we see spiritually. The Lord in His bodily form had never seen the heavens open, the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove, or felt the Spirit lighting upon him. Because we have not been processed, many of us cannot discern when the Spirit of God is descending upon us, and we miss crucial blessings for lack of spiritual understanding. I pray that God will give us an appreciation of processing so that we will receive all the blessings that we may access by following due process.
Jesus heard a voice from heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” verse 17. When you fulfill all righteousness you become the beloved of God. When you are conscious of the need to fulfill all righteousness, God makes evident the seal of His love upon you. It is like you are wearing the love of God. Jesus did not need to be baptized, but He travelled a great distance and humbled Himself to fulfill all righteousness. The Father recognized that Jesus did all this out of His love and honour for God, and God blessed Him by calling Him His beloved Son. May God call us His beloved children. When we follow due process, we give God pleasure and He is well pleased.
Follow due process, fulfill all righteousness and your heavens will open; your vision will be restored. When you give God pleasure, God will bless you indeed. When heavens open over your life, all necessary virtues, gifting, and graces will descend upon you and empower you to fulfill your purpose on earth as He did for our Lord Jesus.
Prayer Points:
I pray that God will give you a divine appreciation of fulfilling all righteousness and going through due process that in the end, none of your blessings will elude you, in Jesus’ name.
I pray that God will give you the grace to appreciate, internalize, and implement this deep message. I pray that you will experience open heavens and restored vision, and God’s voice of affirmation, I pray that you will manifest the love of God and enjoy the blessing and pleasure of giving God pleasure in Jesus’ name. Amen.
