God's Adopted Children

 

"I can't!" and "I quit!" are two powerful statements. They denote a desire and decision to stop trying in our human efforts. They lead us to realize that we can, only in Christ (Philippians 4:13).

They help us to die to our self and to rise to walk in the new life, which God has planned for us (Mark 8:34-35; Ephesians 2:10). His peace in our spirit confirms His will, and His joy is our strength (Philippians 4:7; Psalm 28:7).

We are dead, and our life is now hidden with Christ in God. Christ is our whole life (Colossians 3:3-4). We empty our self of all of our plans, goals and dreams, and live according to God's counsel (Ephesians 4:11).

God changed us from sinners to Saints, His adopted children who will inherit His Kingdom. All that is His, now belongs to us as well (1 John 3:2; Ephesians 1:5; Galatians 3:26). We are no longer strangers and aliens, but we belong in God's family (Ephesians 2:19).

The Christian life involves much less striving than many Believers think. There is no need for us to use our humanity to accomplish anything in the Spirit (Ephesians 2:8-9).

We walk in the Spirit and exhibit His fruit in our character (Galatians 5:15-25). This enables us to trust in the Lord with every fiber of our being and not to depend on our human reasoning at all (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Jesus died for our salvation from sin and eternal death (John 3:16 -18). Offering our life to His service in our vocation and calling is our daily commitment to Him in return.

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for validating our worth through Your presence in our life. You set us free to live, move and have our being in You (Acts 17:28). Your mercy and love granted us forgiveness while we were still sinners (Romans 8:5), so that we in turn can forgive our self and others who wrong us during our lifetime (Matthew 6:14).

Teach us to discern the difference between the carnal or satanic voices and Your voice in our mind; so You can lead us throughout our day. Remind us not to expect certain results when we obey Your promptings, because Your ways are so much higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Thought for the Day:

We do not allow success or problems to approve or negate God's will for us, because we may not see the eternal plan, which God accomplished through us regardless of the results. - 1 Peter 4:12

Walking in God's Light

There is a trend in the world today to dabble in the mystical paranormal, which is Satan's counterfeit for God's supernatural power. It leads to death and destruction.

People who participate in the occult open themselves up to demonic oppression or possession with the same intensity that Believers are filled with God's Holy Spirit.

Satan provides a fleshly fulfillment in a person's life, satisfying their carnal desires until they sell their soul to him. God provides us with fulfillment in our spirit, which is Born Again by His Spirit.

Satan's demonic spirits, who are fallen angels, appear as angels of light, but carry with them the seal of eternal death to everyone who opens up their soul to them (2 Corinthians 11:14).

Authentic Believers realize that we need no mystical events in our life, because we have the constant presence of God's Spirit in us, filling us and enabling us and giving us wisdom in every trial.

We do not seek visions of angels or signs and wonders, because Christ is enough for us. He is the head of His Body and He supplies all of our needs through His glorious riches (Philippians 4:19).

Jesus is our all in all (Ephesians 4:6). Therefore, we trust in the sufficiency of Christ and His Word. We reap His benefits as God's children (Psalm 103:2) rather than the consequences of entanglement in demonic forces.

We walk in the Light, as Christ is in the light, and we want no part of the darkness of this world. We have fellowship with other Believers and the blood of Jesus purifies us and makes us whole (1 John 1:7; Isaiah 2:5; John 12:36; Luke 11:36; 2 Corinthians 4:6).

Prayer:

Father God, we thank You for all of Your blessings to us each moment of the day. Remind us to thank You for the sun on the leaves of the tree, the clear air to breathe, the bird songs, the taste of the delicious foods You allow to grow in the earth. These are all blessings, which we so often take for granted.

Even in the midst of abject poverty, physical ailments, rejection from loved ones, hard physical labor and unending trials, we feel Your love, which gives us hope, and your joy, which is our continual strength.

Thought for the Day:

We were once in darkness, but now we abide in the light of the Lord. - Ephesians 5:8