Justified In The Spirit
Tim Webb • February 16, 2026
1 Timothy 3:16 …justified in the Spirit…
When Scripture says Jesus was justified in the Spirit, it does not mean He needed forgiveness. Rather, it means the Spirit vindicated Him, declaring Him righteous and true in all He claimed to be.
From the beginning of His earthly life to His resurrection, the Spirit testified to Christ’s identity. At His baptism the Father declared, “This is my beloved Son.” The Spirit descended upon Him, affirming divine approval. Throughout His ministry, His miracles, teaching, and sinless life bore witness that He was indeed the Son of God.
Even at the cross, where it appeared evil had won, the Spirit was still at work. And when Jesus lay in the tomb, the Spirit of God raised Him in victory. Every step confirmed that Christ was exactly who He said He was.
The same Spirit now works in believers’ hearts, confirming the truth of Christ within us. When you hear the gospel and your heart responds, that is the Spirit saying, “This is true.”
Respond:
Ask the Spirit today to deepen your confidence in Christ and help you live in daily obedience to the One fully approved by God.
KEEP LOOKING UP!
Taken from the preaching ministry of Tim Webb
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1 Timothy 3:16 …received up into glory. After His resurrection, Jesus showed Himself alive with undeniable proof. Then, before His disciples’ eyes, He ascended into heaven, received by the Father in glory. His return to heaven was not escape but victory. Today Christ sits at the Father’s right hand as our advocate and mediator. He represents us, intercedes for us, and prepares a place for us. And just as surely as He ascended, He will return again. Where the head goes, the body follows. Because Christ is in heaven, believers have the promise of joining Him there. Our future is secure, not because of our effort, but because of His finished work. This gives hope in uncertain times. Our Savior reigns, and our destiny is with Him. The story does not end at the grave but continues in glory. Respond: Live today with heaven in view. Trust Christ’s promises, and let the hope of His return shape how you live and serve now. KEEP LOOKING UP! Taken from the preaching ministry of Tim Webb
1 Timothy 3:16 …believed on in the world… To many, the gospel seems foolish. The idea that God became man, died for sins, and rose again sounds impossible to unbelieving hearts. Yet when the Spirit opens a person’s eyes, the message becomes life itself. Believers sometimes forget that their own faith is a miracle. We did not reason our way into salvation; God awakened our hearts. Once blind, we now see. Once dead, we now live. Faith produces real change. Lives are restored, homes transformed, and hearts filled with peace because people believe in Christ. What seemed unbelievable becomes undeniable once experienced personally. Belief is not mere agreement with facts; it is trusting Christ completely as Savior. When faith takes root, assurance overcomes doubt, and hope overcomes fear. Respond: Thank God for opening your heart to believe. Ask Him to strengthen your faith and help you share Christ with someone still searching for truth. KEEP LOOKING UP! Taken from the preaching ministry of Tim Webb
1 Timothy 3:16 …preached unto the Gentiles… The message of Christ did not remain limited to one nation. Though first given to Israel, the gospel spread across the world. Preachers carried the good news to cities, villages, and nations: Jesus saves. This is grace in action. Most believers today come from nations outside Israel, yet the gospel reached us. God opened the door so all people could hear and believe. Salvation is not reserved for a select group; it is offered freely to anyone who trusts Christ. Preaching still matters because faith comes through hearing the message of Christ. Yet no preacher can change a heart. Only God can bring spiritual life to those dead in sin. Every salvation is a miracle of divine grace. The same message that transformed lives centuries ago still transforms hearts today. Jesus remains the answer to mankind’s deepest need. Respond: Pray for those who have not yet heard or believed. Ask God to use you as a witness so others may hear the life-changing message of Christ. KEEP LOOKING UP! Taken from the preaching ministry of Tim Webb
1 Timothy 3:16 …seen of angels… Angels watched the entire ministry of Christ with awe. They strengthened Him in Gethsemane as He prepared for the cross. They stood ready, though restrained, as He endured suffering for mankind. They were present at the empty tomb, announcing that He had risen. These angels never sinned and never needed redemption, yet they marvel at the salvation Christ accomplished for humanity. They look into the mystery of grace and worship the Lamb who was slain. If angels who were never redeemed praise Him so passionately, how much more should those purchased by His blood lift their voices? We know personally what forgiveness feels like. We know the freedom of grace. We have tasted mercy firsthand. Heaven itself celebrates the victory of Christ, and believers join that chorus even now. Salvation is not a small thing; it is the greatest display of God’s love and power. Respond: Let worship rise from your heart today. Praise Jesus for the salvation angels admire but you personally experience. KEEP LOOKING UP! Taken from the preaching ministry of Tim Webb
1 Timothy 3:16 God was manifest in the flesh… The wonder of the gospel begins with this truth: God came down to us. Every religion tries to show man how to climb up to God, how to improve, reform, or earn acceptance. But Christianity tells how God came down when we could not go up. Jesus did not begin in Bethlehem; He existed eternally. Yet at a moment in history, He entered humanity. He felt hunger, sorrow, fatigue, and pain. He walked among us in real flesh and blood, yet without sin. Only because He became truly man could He stand in our place on the cross. Only because He took on our humanity could He bear our sin. If Jesus had not come in the flesh, there would be no substitute, no Savior, no hope of redemption. But because He did come, salvation is possible. God did not send instructions or rituals; He sent His Son. This truth moves us beyond religion into relationship. God did not stay distant. He stepped into our broken world to rescue us personally. Respond: Thank God today that He came near to save you. Let gratitude move you to live closely with the One who came so far for you. KEEP LOOKING UP! Taken from the preaching ministry of Tim Webb
1 Timothy 3:16 — And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. Paul declares that the truth about Jesus Christ is not shifting or uncertain. It is settled. It is confessed by all who truly know Him. In a world full of debate, opinions, and changing ideas, the believer stands on something firm: Jesus is exactly who He claimed to be. Life brings hardship, loss, confusion, and questions. Yet through every valley and every uncertainty, this truth remains unchanged. Jesus is still Savior. He is still King. He is still enough. No matter what you have faced or what lies ahead, Christ remains faithful and sufficient. The world may see our worship as strange or unnecessary. Some wonder why believers gather faithfully and cling to Christ so confidently. But once the Spirit opens a heart to the truth, doubt gives way to assurance. What once seemed mysterious becomes glorious reality. Jesus did not merely teach truth; He is the truth. He did not merely show a way; He is the way. The foundation of our faith is not an idea but a living Savior who changes lives. Respond: Rest today in what is certain. Thank Jesus that your faith stands on unchanging truth, and trust Him fully in whatever you face next. KEEP LOOKING UP! Taken from the preaching ministry of Tim Webb
1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Daniel did not chase promotion; it followed him. He did not manipulate his way upward; God raised him up. When Daniel chose obedience over compromise, God honored that choice in His time. After interpreting the dream, Daniel was elevated to a position of great influence. His friends were raised with him. But the promotion came after the stand, not before it. God did the exalting, and no one could take it away. The temptation is always to go along to get along, to bow now so we can be elevated later. But God does not bless shortcuts. True promotion comes from faithfulness, not fear. When we obey God rather than men, we can trust Him with the outcome. Daniel’s life teaches us that compromise may offer quick results, but obedience brings lasting fruit. God knows where you are. He knows how to place you. And He knows when the time is right. Respond: Commit your position, future, and influence to God. Resolve to stand for Him and trust Him to lift you up in His time. KEEP LOOKING UP! Taken from the preaching ministry of Tim Webb
Daniel 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed. Daniel revealed to Nebuchadnezzar that his great empire was only temporary. Babylon would fall, Persia would rise, Greece would conquer, Rome would dominate, and all would eventually fade. Human power is impressive, but it is never permanent. The dream of the great image reminds us that even the strongest kingdoms grow weaker over time. What looks solid today will one day crumble. Yet in the dream, there was a stone cut without hands, a kingdom not made by men. That stone destroyed every earthly kingdom and filled the whole earth. Daniel boldly declared that God’s kingdom would never be destroyed. No election can remove it. No army can defeat it. No time can weaken it. Jesus Christ is King of Kings, and His reign is eternal. This truth puts everything into perspective. We respect earthly authority, but we never worship it. We participate responsibly in this world, but our hope is anchored in another kingdom, one that cannot be shaken. Respond: Evaluate where your hope rests. Thank God today that your future is secured in a kingdom that will stand forever. KEEP LOOKING UP! Taken from the preaching ministry of Tim Webb
Daniel 2:28 But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets. This phrase may be the heartbeat of the entire book of Daniel: "There is a God in heaven". Kings rise and fall, empires come and go, but God remains sovereign. Daniel lived under multiple administrations, yet his confidence never shifted because his trust was not in rulers, it was in God. When Nebuchadnezzar demanded the impossible, Daniel did not panic. He prayed. He gathered others to seek the mercy of God. And when God answered, Daniel gave Him all the glory. He made it clear that wisdom did not come from himself, but from the God who reveals secrets. This truth carried Daniel through captivity, pressure, promotion, and persecution. When laws changed, when threats came, when the future was uncertain, Daniel anchored his life in this unshakable reality: God is still on the throne. Our circumstances may change. Our culture may change. Our comfort may change. But the truth does not change; there is a God in heaven who sees, knows, rules, and reigns. Respond: When fear or uncertainty rises, remind yourself aloud: there is a God in heaven. Place today’s concerns back into His hands. KEEP LOOKING UP! Taken from the preaching ministry of Tim Webb
Daniel 1:12 Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. Daniel stood firm, but he also stood graciously. He did not demand or threaten. He respected authority while refusing to compromise truth. This balance is rare but powerful. Daniel had the right stand and the right spirit. He could have said, “I’m standing for God, deal with it.” Instead, he said, “Let’s prove it.” He cared about the official who would suffer consequences if things went wrong. Daniel’s faith was not obnoxious or disrespectful, instead it was confident, calm, and considerate. Too often believers lose influence because they confuse boldness with harshness. Standing for God never requires being difficult, rude, or unkind. Daniel’s approach showed wisdom. He trusted that if God was in it, God would prove it. And God did. After ten days, Daniel and his friends were healthier than those who ate the king’s meat. Obedience brought God’s favor, and faithfulness opened doors no argument ever could. God honors conviction that is clothed in humility. When you stand for truth with a Christlike spirit, God takes care of the results. Respond: Examine not only where you stand, but how you stand. Ask God to give you firmness without pride and courage without cruelty. KEEP LOOKING UP! Taken from the preaching ministry of Tim Webb
