The power of affirmation.

It is not trivial that these Words of the Father arrive at this time, when Jesus will start His earthly ministry which will end some three years later with the cross. Jesus was fully aware of who He was, at the age of 12 already He was going to tell His parents: “Did you not know that I must take care of my Father's business?” (cf. Luke 2:49). However, the Father needed to affirm His identity and His love to Jesus in a special way. Because the ministry is always based on who we are in God and not to be someone in Him… We also need to ground our lives in His love by allowing the Holy Spirit to affirm us who we are in Him…

The Father affirms Jesus and then the latter is led by the Holy Spirit in the desert to be tested there… Affirmation is a power that allows us to stand firm in all situations, because we know that we have nothing to prove, nor to win… The devil will test Jesus in three different ways, questioning the divine provision - “tell this stone to become bread” (cf. Luke 4: 3); questioning the glory that belongs to Him and His dependence on the Father - “I will give you all this power and the glory of these kingdoms” (cf. Luke 4: 6 and questioning his identity - “if You are the Son of God… ”(cf. Luke 4.9) The affirmation of the Father with regard to Jesus enabled Him to overturn these lies… In the same way, it is because you know who you are in God that you can resist in trial and temptation.

This power of affirmation is so important that the Father will reaffirm His love and identity to Jesus at the time of the end of His earthly ministry. In Mark 9: 7, the Father is going to say: “This is My beloved Son, listen to him”. And Jesus will then announce to His disciples His death and His resurrection (cf. Mark 9:31). Again the ministry of Christ is rooted in the revelation of who He is. What reveals an important aspect is that the love of God is not measured by what we can experience. No trial should be able to doubt His love for you. This allows us to go to the end of our obedience to His will to be the women and men that He wants us to be ...

If these words are here addressed to Jesus by the Father, we are invited to appropriate them for ourselves. Because today we also need to receive His affirmation… So what God says about your life is: “You are His daughter, His beloved son, you are the object of all His affection”. And that whatever you think or feel, it is the truth. Jesus is going to say “As the Father loved Me, I also loved you. Remain in His love ”(cf. John 15: 9). Go back and say aloud these words “I am His daughter, His beloved son, the object of all His affection”. Say it once again, let your ears hear this Truth and your heart to appropriate it ...

Do not hesitate to say it again several times and even every day to make sure you remain in His love. May your life and ministry be rooted in His Words of affirmation. What will allow you to enter a new freedom and a new joy, as well as to seize an assurance in the test and that until the victory… Another important aspect, in the same way you are called to know affirm the people around you. May your language and your actions be there to value and affirm those whom God has put around you. Allow them to become the women and men that God has chosen ...

There is a power in affirmation, God affirms His love for you and your identity in Him ... It is also up to you to know how to affirm, encourage and value those who are around you. You will be surprised by the result.

God has blessed you richly so that you bless abundantly ...

Luke