A Brand New Identity

Before Christ, our natural man had no comprehension of the meaning of spiritual things (1 Corinthians 2:14). Believers were foreign to us, and we made fun of them. Before we surrendered our life to Jesus Christ, our human nature controlled us. We were slaves to sin and death. When we came to Christ, He gave us victory over Satan and destruction (Romans 6:2-6). Now God’s love always surrounds us, fills us and lifts us.

Our former self died in Christ and we are now hidden in Christ with God (Colossians 3:3). Although we still live on this earth, it has no more power over us. We are justified, as if we had never sinned, and God’s Spirit is sanctifying us from one stage of glory to the next (2 Corinthians 3:18). We live by the faith of Christ, who loves us and gave Himself over to a cruel death for our sake (Galatians 2:20).

This free gift is not the result of our goodness or any works, which we perform (Ephesians 2:8-9). It comes from Jesus, through whom we are crucified to the world and the world to us (Galatians 6:14). The world and the lusts of it have no power over or attraction for us anymore. The nature to sin is replaced by the divine nature of Christ (Ephesians 2:1-3; 2 Peter 1:4). We live in the Spirit now, rather than in the flesh (Romans 8:8-9).

As a new creation, our life is transformed from sin and deprivation to righteousness, peace and joy through the Spirit (2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 14:17). We rest in God’s love and stand firm in His power, devoting our self to His Kingdom (1 Corinthians 15:58). God’s Spirit provides us with God’s divine power to live a Godly life, and He accomplishes God’s victorious life through us (2 Peter 1:3; Ephesians 2:10).

Prayer:

Father God, knowing that Christ crucified our flesh on Calvary’s cross allows us to choose to live in holiness rather than in disobedience to You. Once we are Born Again, we only sin when we fail to acknowledge You and seek Your plans for our day (Proverbs 3:5-6). Thank You for directing our feet on the paths of life and for protecting, guarding, directing and loving us with Your amazing grace and love.

Thought for the Day:
When we choose to sin, we act out of character with our new nature and new identity in Christ.

A New Nature

Jesus learned obedience through the things, which He suffered, just as we do (Hebrews 5:8). He dealt with the common curse of His pesky human flesh all the way to cross, just as we do (Hebrews 4:15). He laid down His human life on Calvary’s cross and came forth from the grave in His immortal glory, just as we will, once He returns for His Bride (1 Corinthians 15:54). We receive our redemption through His blood, and we gain the indwelling of His Holy Spirit through His resurrection and ascension.

When we come to intimately know the living Lord, we start to experience eternal life right here on this earth (John 17:3). He gives us the love, which God gives to Him (John 17:26). We live in this world, just as God sent Jesus into the world, to accomplish God’s will for our lives (John 17:18, 20). At the same time, Jesus gives us a new nature and makes us holy (John 17:17-19; Colossians 3:10). The Spirit teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live disciplined, holy and Godly lives, not by our own self-efforts, but through Christ Jesus within us (Titus 2:12).

Slowly, the Spirit changes us from glory to glory until people see Jesus when they look at us (2 Corinthians 3:18). In Christ all the fullness of the triune God dwells and Jesus dwells in us, at the same time that we are in Him (Colossians 2:9; Romans 6:8). We are united to the triune God through Christ. Our spirit is infused with power through His Spirit, and Christ lives in and through us (Ephesians 3:16-17). Since Christ is in us, even though our body is dying, His Spirit gives us His life (Romans 8:10). We have supernatural strength regardless of how we feel in body and soul.

When Jesus moves into our spirit, we walk by the direction of His Spirit (Galatians 5:16, 25). Following the leading of God’s Spirit moment by moment throughout the day results in physical productivity, a healthy mental and emotional life, spiritual power and material blessings that we cannot even imagine! We submit our negative thoughts to the Lordship of Jesus Christ for healing. We even lay down our positive thoughts; and, instead, take up His thoughts as our own (Philippians 2:5). We submit our will to His will. Out of God’s glorious riches, He provides all of our needs (Philippians 4:19; Matthew 6:33).

Rather than to spend our financial blessings on frivolous amusements and earthly treasures that are here today, but gone tomorrow, we actually prefer to donate to our local church and to missionaries doing the work of the Lord. This makes the fruit of our labor last into eternity; 1 Corinthians 1:9, 6:17; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 1:3-14, 4:32, 5:22-33; Galatians 5:22-23; Acts 15:28). When Christ is foremost in our thoughts and we pray about His order for our day, even cleaning the house, tending the children, working in the secular world, ministering at church, preparing meals and spending time with our family is the result of a spirit-filled life.

Prayer:

Father God, You love us so much and You reveal Yourself to us in a multitude of ways all throughout the day (John 14:21).  We often get too busy to even notice Your blessings. We spend our time so absorbed in our own plans and the issues in front of us, that we fail to see Your provision and direction for us in the midst of it all. However, You continually give us exceedingly great and precious promises of salvation, for the purpose of us partaking in Your divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). You sanctify our heart of flesh and give us Your Spirit to perfect us. As we keep our focus on Your glory within us, we are transformed into the likeness of Christ with ever increasing holiness, which comes from the sanctifying work of Your Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18; Romans 12:2).

Thought for the Day:

We have the potential of becoming spiritual beings in a carnal world, because of the divine power and authority of Christ in us. - 1 Corinthians 15:48



Thank you, Peter Dehart, for the use of your photo.