No Longer a Sinner - Free Indeed in Christ

 

The average Christian spends very little time meditating on the reality of our death in Christ; yet the truth of this concept releases us from our struggle with sin and our dependence on our human understanding.

We are crucified with Christ; and the life we now live, we live by the faith of Christ in us. The word "I" is eliminated from our vocabulary and the concept of Christ in vital union with us is paramount in the forefront of our mind (Romans 6:3-5).

Not I, but Christ is our mantra, our battle cry and our certainty (Galatians 2:20). We are dead and buried with Christ in God (2 Timothy 2:11; Colossians 2:12, 2:20, 3:3; Romans 6:4). We are risen and alive with Christ in us (Colossians 3:1). We sit with Christ in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:5).

We may suffer with Christ, but we gain our strength and power to live through every trial from Christ who shares with us His glory (Romans 8:17). He is the first born among many brethren, and we have all the attributes of the Trinity within us.

We live, move and have our entire being through Christ in us (Acts 17:28). Our union with Christ is as intimate as the union of the most loving husband and wife (Romans 7:4). He is our foundation upon which we are built (Ephesians 2:20-22).

Therefore, we have no more need to live in sin. We are free indeed in Christ in us, who is our hope of glory, clothed in His majesty from on high (John 8:36; 2 Corinthians 5:2).

Prayer:

Father God, as a branch, we cling to the Vine (John 15:1-10). You created us as Christ's body and He is our head (1 Corinthians 6:15, 19; 12:12). With Christ, we are all members of Your extended family (Romans 5:12, 21; 1 Corinthians 15:22, 45-49). You baptize us into this union with Christ (Galatians 3:27).

Christ sits at Your right hand; yet He also lives on this earth through His worldwide Body. To those who trust Him, He imparts Your power, purity, peace and passion to complete Your work on the earth. Thank You that we are dead to the power of sin's control over our life, and that we can now please You with our every thought, word and deed (Romans 6:11).

Thought for the Day:

We serve at the pleasure of our King; and we move, stay put or pass into eternity according to His eternal will and promises.

Our Divine Identity

 

 

Human beings are born with a body and soul, which are alive, but our spirit is dead on arrival. Our spirit is buried under the layers of generational sin since the time of Adam and Eve (Ephesians 2:1-5). Our living soul – our mind, will and emotions – is fragile and often fails under the weight of life. Circumstances beat us down relentlessly.

Our dead spirit and our unhealthy soul affect our body as well. Without Christ as our Savior we are crippled in life. We search relentlessly to find the missing piece, which will make us whole. What we lack is the vital power of God. No one is intrinsically good except God (Mark 10:18). Therefore, we need Christ to move into our life.

Once we come to Christ we are totally complete in Him (Colossians 2:9-10). Jesus is our only way, truth and life (John 14:6). We have no meaningful existence without Him (2 Corinthians 13:5). He lives through us, making good choices, which last for eternity (Colossians 3:3). He anoints us with His Holy Spirit and power (Acts 10:38).

We live, move and have our existence only in Jesus (Act 17:28). Christ actually does the work of God through us (Romans 12:15; Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 12:27). Our true identity as Authentic Christians comes from Christ living in us and expressing God’s character through us (Hebrews 13:20; Galatians 5:22-23).

We are all united with Christ in His Body. He uses us as individual members, each with unique gifts and talents. We work in ministries both to a corporate, church Body and to the dying world around us. God equips us to walk in His will through Christ in us. We live to fulfill His eternal purpose with our life (Matthew 11:29; Ephesians 2:10).

Prayer:

Father God, You give us Your eternal life, which no one can take from us (John 10:28). We are unified with You, and we are beneficiaries of Your divine will (1 Corinthians 6:17; 2 Peter 1:4). We have constant fellowship with You, Your Son and Your Spirit (1 John 1:3, 9; Phil 2:1). Thank You for seating us in heavenly places in Your Son (1 Corinthians 1:30; Ephesians 2:6). We give You all the praise, honor and glory.

Thought for the Day:

Any identity not centered in Christ is merely temporary and fleeting.

 

Worldly Gain or Eternal Power

Money, fame, relationships, employment, ambition, pride, rebellion, reputation, worldly goods, houses, etc. are all parts of our carnality, which Believers continue to cling to in this world. 

God calls us to give up worldly gain for His eternal power. There really is no contest between the two! God also gives us the power to relinquish our will to His.

Where He sends us we will go, even if we do not want to go there; and we will not go where He does not send us, no matter how much we want to go. Jesus died for us, so that we can die in Him. 

Our new life belongs to Him, not to us. We wait before the Lord each new day to hear His will for each moment. We surrender each facet of our self to Him and He purges us and breaks sin's hold on us (Isaiah 6:5-7).

At salvation, God raises us up to sit in Heavenly places with Him. We are no longer concerned with earthly issues, but we seek first God's Kingdom (Ephesians 2:1-6).  

Our salvation is provided in justification and our self-life is crucified during sanctification. God fills us with His Spirit's joy and power, which is our strength to accomplish His works with our life (Ephesians 2:10).

As we give God's Spirit full reign in our spirit, soul and body, He takes up residence as His Temple (1 Corinthians 6:19). Without reservation, we surrender to God’s Spirit, and offer our soul’s submission without any reservation (Romans 12:1). 

He renews our mind with the mind of Christ, and our character is replaced with God’s nature, which is the fruit of His Spirit and the divine life of Christ in us (2 Peter 1:4; Galatians 5:22-23).

Prayer:

Father God, when You call us to Yourself, we lay our sinful nature and our natural talents at the Cross. Although it is hard to relinquish our life to You, we know You simply require a willing attitude. 

Christ slowly becomes our whole life (Colossians 3:2-4). We live, move and have our being only in Him (Acts 17:28). Your Spirit in us enables us to enter into Your Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 10:19).

Thought for the Day:

We work out our own salvation, but it is God who gives us both the desire and the power to do this. - Philippians 2:12-13