“And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased’ ” (Matthew 3:17).

When God, the Father, spoke from heaven at Jesus’ baptism He fulfilled an Old Testament Scripture that referred to Jesus. A psalm declares, “I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have become your Father’ ” (Psalm 2:7). Interestingly, the next verse of that psalm states, “Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession” (Psalm 2:8). It is as if God was saying to Jesus, “Now that You have been faithful to Me, I will begin to touch the nations by what You are doing.” Jesus had come to save the world and now God was releasing Him to do that.

God’s approval is something that doesn’t just come as a result of ministry; it is given at the beginning and is the foundation of ministry. Jesus, at thirty years of age, began His public ministry with His Father’s announcement from heaven, “With him I am well pleased.” Jesus had been sent by His Father to redeem us and this announcement of God’s approval released Him to begin the three most exciting years in the history of the world.

When we have God’s love and approval there is assurance that we can do what He has called us to do. The question then becomes, “How can I obtain God’s approval?” The answer is what Scripture is all about. God approves of those who believe in His Son, Jesus. When we believe in Jesus we can hear the same words God spoke at Jesus’ baptism, “This is my son (or daughter), whom I love; with him (or her) I am well pleased.”