Euaggelion

 

“Oh dear! Euaggelion?” I could hear you exclaim. What’s this word, some may be asking while others may already know. So, for those who don’t let me introduce you to the Greek word translated “gospel” or “good news” in English and pronounced “yoo-ahg-gel-leon”.

Euaggelion is superlative, in that it’s of the highest quality or degree of “good news”, meaning  it goes far beyond simply “good news”; it actually speaks of too-good-to-be-true news.

It’s like the too-good-to-be-true news a young virgin received from angel Gabriel when he said to her,

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” – Luke 1:30-33 (NRSVUE)

Euaggelion is a word which was oversimplified in its English translation. Its translation of “good news” does not exude the inherent power that exists within its true meaning. Within this word is the power to generate salvation in those to whom it is proclaimed.

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good tidings, who publishes peace, who brings good tidings of good, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, Your God reigns! – Isaiah 52:7 (AMPC)

Euaggelion denotes “good tidings of good”. It is the announcement of something that is wonderful, like the news of God’s saving action through His beloved Son, Jesus Christ.

This is no ordinary worldly news; these are tidings of a positive nature that bring peace and joy unfathomable that is exclusively hinged to Jesus. It is the too-good-to-be-true announcement concerning Him.

Euaggelion is about Jesus and Jesus Himself is Euaggelion.

Pope Francis once said that we are living our lives like Lent without Easter. And that’s how it is living without Jesus Christ in our lives.

Beloved, Jesus has made it possible for you to access the Kingdom of heaven on earth. His atonement has provided everything that you need for the life of abundance, both here now and in heaven to come (see John 10:10-12).

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “Euaggelion” © October 12, 2025

 

Keep your eyes on Jesus

 

Beloved, a new day has dawned, keep your eyes on Jesus as you meditate on Hebrews 12:1-3, as it is written in the contemporary language of The Message translation:

Discipline in a Long-Distance Race:

Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins.

Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it.

Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honour, right alongside God.

When you find yourself flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he ploughed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your soul!

Amen †

 

 

 

Shelley Johnson “Keep your eyes on Jesus” ©2013 revisited October 24, 2025

Doubt, a weapon of the enemy

 

Jesus said,

“You of little faith, why did you doubt?” – Matthew 14:31

“…if you have faith and do not doubt…” – Matthew 21:21

“…do not doubt in your heart, but believe…” – Mark 11:23

Jesus commanded His disciples to not doubt. Doubt is not of God but is a weapon of our enemy, the devil. The devil plants seeds of doubt to try to negate the measure of faith that God has given us (Romans 12:3).

Doubt is a lack of belief, and if allowed to take root in our hearts it will grow into unbelief. Unbelief is a total rejection of faith. Unbelief opens the door for our enemy the devil to wreak havoc in our lives. Unbelief is a danger to us and Jesus was all too aware of this.

God has given us a weapon to combat doubt. It is the Word of God. When plagued by doubt, we must get into the Bible. Reading, studying, meditating on and hearing the Word bolsters our faith, for God’s Word is infused with His faith and as we read His Word, the supernatural faith that it carries will empower us for battle and form a shield of protection around us.

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” – Romans 10:17 (NASB)

When Abraham was attacked by doubt, he stood up to the temptation to disbelieve God’s promise and grew stronger in his faith. Faith produces endurance. It is through God and His Word that we receive the ability to believe. God prepares us for the battle and arms us through His Word.

The devil will do everything he can to weaken our faith. With his lies, he compels us to doubt and disbelieve God. He assaults our minds with doubt, but we are to ignore what’s in our heads, focus on our hearts and listen. God speaks to our hearts, a place deep within us, our inner being.

They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” – Luke 24:32

Beloved, are you in doubt? Go to the Word. As God reveals the truth of His Word to you, your heart will also burn with faith in Him. The devil’s fiery darts of doubt will not prevail against you because God’s Word creates an impenetrable shield of faith around you.

 Amen †

 

 

 

Shelley Johnson “Doubt, a weapon of the enemy” ©2013 revisited October 23, 2025

The Fearless Girl

 

We are introduced to a fearless girl in the Old Testament named Achsah. Her story is not long or what might be seen as remarkable but the lesson that can be learnt from her bravery is not to be ignored.

Achsah was Caleb’s daughter. Caleb being one of twelve spies sent by Moses, in obedience to God’s command, to investigate the land of Canaan. While ten spies came back with a negative report filled with fear and dread, Joshua and Caleb had a completely different perspective and delivered a faith-filled report (see Numbers 13).

For his act of bravery, Caleb was given land of his choosing, however the land he chose was already occupied. He proceeded to remove its occupants.

It’s no wonder that Achsah would demonstrate similar fearlessness as her father Caleb; their story is recounted in Joshua 15:13-19.

Caleb said, “I will give Achsah my daughter in marriage to whoever strikes Kiriath-sepher and captures it.” So Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s brother, captured it, and Caleb gave him Achsah his daughter in marriage. (v 16-17 CEB)

In those days it was not uncommon for a father to offer his daughter in marriage as a reward. This is exactly what Caleb had done and it was his brave nephew who won Achsah’s hand in marriage.

Now when she arrived, she prodded Othniel into asking for a field from her father. (v 18a CEB)

We aren’t told the reason why Othniel did not comply to his wife’s prodding but from the second part of this verse, we see that Achsah did the asking, not Othniel.

For a female to approach her father with a request was unheard of but from the time Achsah arrived Caleb obviously knew that she had something to ask because immediately he said to her, “What do you want?”

The fearless girl, no longer astride her donkey, said to her father,

“Give me a blessing. Since the land you’ve given me is in the arid southern plain, you should also give me springs of water.” So he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs. (v 19 CEB)

Now that is a bold request. Achsah didn’t plead or beg, instead she approached her father with respectful confidence and made her request known to him, and her father honoured her request.

Achsah and Othniel were given land but there was still a need as the land was located in the Negev desert (see Judges 1:15), so water would have been a necessary requirement. Achsah did not murmur, complain or gripe, she got off her high “horse” and fearlessly asked her father to fulfil her need.

Beloved, Apostle Paul says this,

 Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.  – Philippians 4:6 (AMPC)

Notice that Achsah didn’t ask for just water but springs of water, which would ensure a consistent supply. She was very definite in her request to her father and so should we to our Father.

Notice too that in answer to her need, Caleb gave her more than she asked for, her blessed her with the upper and lower springs. Her need was fulfilled far beyond her expectations.

Beloved, though Achsah’s story can easily be overlooked, it is yet another beautiful lesson of how your heavenly Father treats with his children that lies hidden within the pages of the bible. Know that you can fearlessly approach your Father through prayer, making your definite requests known while thanking Him for all that He has already done and for all that’s to come.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “The Fearless Girl” © October 12, 2025

 

Being Lazarus Part Two

 

You have accepted Jesus as your Saviour.

You acknowledged and confessed with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believed in your heart that God raised Him from the dead.

At that point you were saved, born again, re-born, born from above, a new creature in Christ, who awakened you from spiritual sleep [a form of death], brought you out of the darkness of your tomb of carnality and into His marvellous Light [new life] (1 Peter 2:9).

But are you ready to continue on from there?

Are you ready to walk in the Light of Christ?

Are you ready to put to death your own dreams and visions, and ambitions and plans for your own life and begin to really live a new life in Christ?

Along your Christian journey, every death you experience is followed by a resurrection experience. Daily as you die to your self-centred desires and the things of this world, the Lord raises you up, exalts you and promotes you to new levels of spirituality right here on earth.

What you believed to be dead is given life anew!

Jesus commands the barriers of doubt and unbelief to be rolled away and calls forth a new manifestation!

Like Martha, Lazarus’ sister, believe Jesus even when you do not understand what He is doing or saying (John 11:20-27).

John 11:45 says that many people put their faith in Jesus after the resurrection of Lazarus, but Jesus is telling you to place your faith in Him before you see the physical manifestation. You must believe before you see! 

“…if you believed you would see the glory of God” (John 11:40 ESV)

First believe and Jesus promises you that you will see the glory of God.

What you thought was dead is now alive again!

When Lazarus came out, Jesus ordered his release from his burial wrappings; in the same way, when Jesus causes great things to happen in your life, when He resurrects you to a life in the Spirit, you will be set free from the bonds of your old spiritual influences.

Beloved, Jesus is calling you to, “Come out!” and truly surrender your life to Him, for you are Lazarus, ‘he whom God helps’.

Amen †

 

 

 

Shelley Johnson “Being Lazarus Part Two” ©2013 revisited October 21, 2025

Being Lazarus Part one

 

The Bible tells us that when Lazarus had fallen ill, his sisters Mary and Martha had called upon the Lord for help. But Jesus did not come right away.

Actually, Lazarus died before Jesus came, and by the time He did come Lazarus had not only been dead four days but “by this time there is a bad odour” (John 11:39).

The sisters weren’t the only ones waiting on Jesus, Lazarus was also waiting. All of us, at some time, have called upon the Lord for help in desperate circumstances and have had to wait. Like Lazarus, we’ve waited and waited, and our situation just got worse and worse until all seemed lost.

Very often God will allow your situation to go from bad to worse until it stinks but it is during these desperate times that you become stronger and stronger spiritually.

It is during these times of endless waiting that God is planning to do great and powerful and wonderful things so that you will have no doubt that He is God.

Beloved, you are to trust God even in the delays. Soon the time will come to roll away the stone.

In the meanwhile, “Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD” (Psalm 27:14).

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “Being Lazarus Part one” © 2013 revisited October 20, 2025

Breaking Out

 

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and violent people take it by force. – Matthew 11:12 (NRSVUE)

This verse has always given me pause; it’s a little confusing to me. I get the first part, “the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence” but it’s the “violent people take it by force” that baffles. It just seems contrary to Jesus’ usual teachings.

So, time to go under the surface of the words for a deep dive.

In going beneath the words, I was led to a passage of scripture found in the Old Testament.

 I will set them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture; it will resound with people. The one who breaks out will go up before them; they will break through and pass the gate, going out by it. Their king will pass on before them, the Lord at their head. – Micah 2:12-13 (NRSVUE)

“Breaking out” and “breaking through” conjured up a picture in my head. I envisioned a mass of people pushing and shoving their way out of a place through a too-small opening.

Then I recalled a scene that I’d got caught up in many years ago. It was after a concert, where for reasons unknown to me, there was mass hysteria to leave the venue. The crowd was thick, and the gate to exit narrow and suddenly I was being pushed from all sides until my feet left the ground. I did not panic but remained still and allowed those “violent people” to shuttle me right out the gate.

That crowd was not violent in the way we may think of violence, and this is what I believe is meant by “violent people” in this verse.

Jesus’ original audience and us today, are expected to rely on imagery as we listen to or read His words.

Violence here speaks of our being steadfast in our resolve and determination to acquire the Kingdom right here on earth as it is in heaven, to become members of the movement which Jesus established with His disciples over two thousand years ago.

Nowadays being a part of a group is the norm. I am positive that most, if not all, of you are in several group chats on WhatsApp, then there’s Instagram and Facebook and those of you who fight for Human Rights, and are activists for the environment, and are members of groups regarding your profession, various clubs and so on – these are all movements in one form or the other. 

Yes, we are always fighting for something, not an all-out physical brawl but it’s a fight nonetheless. Being a member of the Kingdom is no different, we are supposed to fight and to conquer. The great news is that Jesus, like John The Baptist before Him, has already done the breaking out for us. Jesus, our Lord and King, the Head of this Spiritual Movement has passed on before us.

Understand that as part of His movement, Jesus has given you the authority over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will ever harm you (see Luke 10:19).

he gave them power and authority over all the demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. – Luke 9:1-2 (LEB)

Beloved in this Spiritual Movement, you come into contact with the supernatural power of God which penetrates the natural realm from the spiritual realm, touches you and enables you to “do greater works” (see John 14:12).

When we, the followers of Jesus begin breaking out of our spiritual complacency, “take [the Kingdom] by force” and truly do that which we have been commissioned to do in the world (see Matthew 28:16-20), maybe then the Church will begin to truly impact the lives of all mankind and make the difference that Christ originally intended. Amen?

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “Breaking Out” © October 12, 2025