Mark 16:6 (NKJV): “But he said to them, ‘Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.’”

From the moment we are born the culture around us dominates how we view the world. Mindsets are very powerful – they can either restrain us, or propel us to receive the fullness of the finished work of the cross. Take Nathanael for example, in John 1:45-46, when Philip told him they found the Messiah who came from Nazareth, he asked whether anything good could come from Nazareth. This sarcastic statement was not because Nathanael was rude and unbelieving. People from Nazareth had a reputation of not amounting to much – it was an unfruitful place. God, in His wisdom, chose to use this lowly and forgotten place as the training ground – where Jesus would spend much of His life. When Jesus, the Nazarene died on the cross, and was raised to life three days later, everything changed. To this day people from all over the world travel to Nazareth to see where the earthly life of Jesus began. And that man who seemed to be nothing more than ordinary at first, proved to be the Son of the Living God! Psalm 113:7 says God lifts the poor from the rubbish dump and sets them amongst princes where He bestows on them a throne of honour. This is the portion of every person who lays down their old, obscure life, and chooses to live a brand-new life in Christ Jesus. In spite of limiting mindsets, and preconceived ideas, Jesus will lift you up to be seated in heavenly places with Him, and ensure that your story is one of victory – just like His is.