A New Identity

As we trust in Christ, He becomes more and more at home in our heart (Ephesians 3:17). We gain abundant life through Christ in us. He gives us complete freedom from sin and free access to His throne (Hebrews 4:16). We rejoice in Christ who is our hope (Romans 5:17). We place our complete trust in God’s faithfulness as we live for His glory. His Spirit transforms us into the perfected image of Christ (Galatians 4:19). We no longer view our self as a defeated sinner, but as a child of the King.

Those who are living in Christ, share in His identity. We are:

A holy temple (Ephesians 2:22)
A new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Abundantly joyful (Philippians 1:26)
Accessed to His wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3)
Blessed spiritually (Ephesians 1:3)
Chosen (Ephesians 1:11)
Complete in Christ (Colossians 1:17, 2:10)
Dead, and our life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3)
Enduring no more condemnation (Romans 8:1)
Enjoying the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:30)
Enjoying faith, hope, and love (1Timothy 1:1, 14)
Forgiven (Ephesians 1:7)
Free and confident in God’s presence (Ephesians 3:12)
Full of the triune God within us (Colossians 2:9-10)
Fully mature in Christ (Colossians 1:28)
Gaining excellence and assurance (1 Timothy 3:13)
God’s children (Galatians 3:26)
Guaranteed showers of God’s love (Romans 8:39)
Holy and faithful (Colossians 1:2)
Hopeful of living in glory (Colossians 1:27)
Hopeful of resurrection from the dead (1 Thessalonians 4:16)
House the Light of the world within us (Ephesians 5:8)
Lack no good thing (Philippians 4:19)
Living as a praise for God’s glory (Ephesians 1:12)
Living stones (1 Peter 2:5)
Near to God (Ephesians 2:13)
Promised life (2 Timothy 1:1)
Reaping what we sow (1 Corinthians 15:58)
Recipients of God’s grace  (Ephesians 2:7)
Rooted and built up (Colossians 2:7)
Seated in heavenly realms with Christ (Ephesians 2:6)
Living in spiritual reality (Colossians 2:17)
Thankful in any circumstance (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
The body of Christ (Romans 12:5)

Prayer,
Father God, as You replace our identity as a sinner with the identity, which You give us in Christ, we live successfully because our Victory is in the person of Jesus Christ who dwells within us. We are no longer separated from You, but one with You, because Christ lives in us by Your Spirit. We are more than conquerors because You love us (Romans 8:31-39). We give you the praise, honor and glory due Your name.

Thought for the Day:

We are complete in Christ who lives, and moves and has His being within us. - Colossians 2:10

 

 

Father God

Read: Ephesians 3: 14-15

“In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." – Luke 15:10

God knows everything about us. We are individuals, and unique in Him. He loves us and makes a difference in our life. He knows when we sit down, sleep and rise up. He is familiar with all our ways (Psalm 139:1-3). He knows the exact number of hairs on our head, even when our brush has more than we can count (Matthew 10:29-31). We depend on Him more completely as each day passes, because we learn more about Him and grow closer to Him. In fact, eventually, when we become one with Him, we actually live and move and have our being in Him (Acts 17:28).

God made us in His image (Genesis 1:27). He is Father, Son and Spirit. We are body, soul and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:25). We are fearfully and wonderfully made. He knit us together in our mother's womb. He brought us forth on the day we were born (Psalm 139:13-14, 71:6). We are His offspring. He knew us even before we were conceived (Jeremiah 1:4-5). He chose us when He planned creation (Ephesians 1:11-12). He determined the exact time of our birth and where we would live and when we will die (Acts 17:26; Job 14:5). None of us surprised Him with our birth and none of us are a mistake, because all of our days are written in His book (Psalm 139:15-16).

Those who do not understand His ways, malign God. He is not distant and angry, but is the complete expression of love. And it is His desire to lavish His love on us, simply because we are His children and He is our Father (John 8:41-44; 1 John 4:16, 3:1). He offers us more than our earthly father ever could, because He is the perfect Father. Every good gift that we receive comes from His hand. He is our provider and He meets all of our needs (Matthew 7:11, 5:48; James 1:17; Matthew 6:31-33).

His plans for our future are filled with hope and a promise. He loves us with an everlasting love. His thoughts toward us are as countless as the sand on the seashore. He rejoices over us with singing (Jeremiah 29:11, 31:3; Psalms 139:17-18; Zephaniah 3:17). He will never stop doing good for us. We are His treasured possession. He desires to establish us with all of His heart and soul. He wants to show us great and marvelous things, which we cannot even envision (Jeremiah 32:40, Exodus 19:5, Jeremiah 32:41, 33:3).

If you seek Him with all of your heart, you will find Him. Delight in Him and He will give you the desires of your heart. He is able to do more for us than we could ever imagine. He is our greatest encourager (Deuteronomy 4:29, Psalm 37:4, Philippians 2:13, Ephesians 3:20). Jesus gave up everything He loved and died on the cross so that we might come to know Him. If we receive the gift of Jesus’ righteousness, He comes to reside in our spirit, and nothing will ever separate us from His love again. (Romans 8:31-32, 1 John 2:23, Romans 8:38-39)

He is also the Father who comforts us in all of our troubles. When we are brokenhearted, He is closer to us than at any other time. Just as a shepherd carries a lamb, He has carries us close to His heart (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Psalm 34:18, Isaiah 40:11). One day He will wipe away every tear from our eyes, and take away all the pain we suffered on this earth. For now, He is keeping every tear we shed in His bottle and records them all on His scroll. He will bring revenge on our enemies and give us His everlasting life (Revelation 21:3-4; Psalm 56:8; Hebrews 10:30).

Prayer:

Father God, You love us as much as You love Your son, Jesus. In Jesus, You revealed Your great love for us. Jesus is the exact representation of You. You are in Him and He is in us; therefore we are one with You also (John 17:23, 17:26, Hebrews 1:3; John 17:21). Jesus came to demonstrate that You are for us, not against us. You do not count our sins against us. We condemn our self through our unbelief. Jesus died so that we can be reconciled to You. His death is the ultimate expression of Your love for us (Romans 8:31; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 Jon 3:18; 1 John 4:10)

Thought for the Day:

”Will you draw near to Him? He is waiting for you.” - James 4:8; Luke 15:11-32





Thank you, Marianne Lordi, for the use of your photo.