Jesus take the wheel: Gauteng trip: week 3 — Julita Kok

Julita Kok reports on her latest road trip with Jesus — this time to Gauteng

God is such an amazing God. Some of you may remember the family I ministered to when I came to Johannesburg a few weeks ago. God set them free from sooooo many things. I posted about them burning all their “gods” and books and things. Their 2-year-old son was dedicated to Buddha when he was born, but this past Sunday, I was witness to him being dedicated to Christ and his parents committing to bringing him up in the ways of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. The couple looks different. They are smiling, laughing, singing even and just look “light”.  Truly wonderful to see how God can change a situation.

I saw beautiful places here and I think one of my favourites was Hartebeespoort. Gauteng is not beautiful in winter, but I still saw a lot of beauty while visiting with people. And Gauteng has amazing cappuccinos!! 

One of the things God explained to me the past few years, is what it is that Jesus did on the cross. We as Christians all know Jesus died for our sins and because of that we can now go to heaven to be with Him. Nothing wrong with this belief, but it was just so much, so much, so much more. And as a good Christian, being brought up in a Christian home, I too knew that Jesus died for my sins and the sins of the world and on the third day was resurrected and later went to heaven to prepare me a place for one day. This is what I have believed all my life and although I knew that this was wonderful It truly had no real meaning in my life. It was a fact that was the same fact to me like that I was a girl. I knew it to be true. But what really happened on the cross?? What did Jesus do?? What did God do?? What was the result of all that happened at the cross?

And when God opened up my eyes to the truth of it all, it changed my life and how I serve and love Him. And this is something I have been explaining to people everywhere I go as I realise people do not know. Like me, they grow up with this fact and never truly understand the full implication of the cross. It is just a good fact to most.  And every time I explain this to people, they start crying when they realise what God and Jesus have done. It reaches their hearts and it is not head knowledge anymore. Suddenly they understand His love for each and everyone of us. It started in the Garden of Eden and it continued on the cross and will continue until Jesus returns. But after I explain the fullness of the cross, people realise that they do not even care about heaven or hell. They just want to be with Him. Heaven is a perk of being with Him, BUT HE is the inheritance; not heaven. So many serve Him because they do not want to go to hell. It is a love relationship and this is beautiful to see when their eyes are opened and they SEE and understand.

I visited different areas here in Gauteng and I found the same thing. Religion all over. Even with people who think they have no religion left. We as humans tend to create a religion for ourselves all the time. We walk away from the one only to create another for ourselves.  And Jesus knew this would happen. So to me it is wonderful to just visit with people and tell them about the goodness of God and through my journeys, they see God and they realise things in their own lives. And the most wonderful thing to me is that every time this happens, I change. I draw closer to Him as I see how vulnerable we as humans are. And there is only one safe place — to be in Him.

Covid is currently hitting hard everywhere. People are full of fear because the reality of it all is staring them in the face as loved ones are dying of this terrible thing. Jesus never said that we will not suffer with the world. Disease comes to Christians too. Our legs also break. We also fall. We also suffer, just like He did. But how you handle all the challenges in these situations, that is what makes the world ask: How do you do this?? Even in the midst of it all, we should “operate” from a place of rest because we truly understand what He did on the cross. Even if we die, It is okay.

I always think of Peter in jail.

He knew that the king was to behead him the next day — as he was doing to all the Christians at that time; but Scripture tells us that Peter was sleeping. The angel had to hit him in his side to wake him up. If I knew that my head was going to roll tomorrow, I would be praying right through the night asking God to help me. Not Peter. Because Peter understood exactly who Jesus was. Just before Jesus ascended to Heaven, He asked Peter if He truly loved Him. At the end of that conversation, Jesus tells Peter that when he became old, someone else would help him get dressed and lead him around. And Peter knew at that moment in jail that he was not old yet, and that Herod had no authority over what Jesus said. Because if Jesus said he would become old, it was settled. So he slept like a baby until the angel woke him to lead him out of jail.

In these times, we should hold onto the promises of God in each of our lives and like Peter, truly believe them and live from a place of rest in Him. Many in the world are dying from Corona — even our Christian friends. But what was the word God has spoken over YOUR life?? I have not done everything He told me I was to do, so that is what I fix my eyes upon. THAT is my truth. I do not ignore what is happening, I just do not see this as MY truth and reality. What He says — that is my truth and reality. And anything that comes my way that is not in line with His promises, I deal with it accordingly. Be like Peter. Have no fear. Sleep peacefully. God is in control.

I am entering my last week here in Gauteng and will then be travelling back to Cape Town via Kimberley. I have a few stops along the way, and as is my custom nowadays, will share my journey with you.

I want to remind you at this time who Jesus is. In His own words: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” — Revelation 22:13

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