In yesterday's sermon we learned what makes for firm faith in the fire, from Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace. One point that resonated with many friends had to do with living from who God says we are in His story, rather than living out of lies we've believed about ourselves from our family of origin, significant reltionship failures, or the whispers of the evil one. I offered that if we listen to our self-talk, particularly when things go wrong, we can often identify the false names we have internalized for ourselves. And if they come out in our self-talk, we are living by those lies. The way to kill those false identities? Replace them with the truth - of who God says you are, in Christ, if you are a Christian.
If you are a Christian, the only way to experience and live out the freedom Christ died to give you is to know your identity. Who are you, really? If you and I still think of ourselves as a 'sinner whose sometimes, every once in a while, a saint,' then that will be our experience, a self-fulfilling prophecy, I will think of myself as a sinner who loves sin, so I just can't help it. If instead we take God at his Word, that because we are in Christ and Christ is in us by faith, we are 'saints who sometimes sin,' we can actually experience increasing victory over, and freedom from, the sin which so easily entangles us. Because we are learning to actually believe what God says happened to us IN CHRIST.
The more you and I agree with God about our identity in Christ, the more our behaviour will reflect our God given identity. Learn to see yourself as God sees you. Accept what God says about you and become the spiritual person you are. God's opinion is the one that counts. NOT your opinion or your unbibilica self-talk if you are a Christian ('I've always been that way,' 'my dad/mom/ex is right, I'll never change...' 'I'm a loser,' 'God doesn't like me,' etc.).
The ugly duckling acted like a duck as long as it thought it was a duck. When he discovered his true identity as a swan, he was free to live out that nature. That's true of you and me - your sin nature (ugly duck) died with Christ on the cross - your nature is now that of Christ's very life (swan), because of 'Christ in you, the hope of glory.' My fellow Christian, are you walking around today talking to yourself like you're an ugly duck? Then you are living out of a false identity.
Your identity doesn't depend on something you do or have done. Your true identity is who you are in Christ.When you are in Christ you are a new creation, the old has passed away. It's time to stop living out of who people say you are, or who you are when you live out of your old, before-Christ identity, and grab hold of the truth of God's word about WHO YOU ARE.
Because you are in Christ, every one of these statements is true of you.
- Christ is in me, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27
- I am a Beloved child of God in whom he is well-pleased. Matthew 3:17
- I am a saint. Ephesians 1:1
- I am righteous and holy. Ephesians 4:24
- I am chosen of God, holy and dearly loved. Colossians 3:12
- I am part of the true vine, a branch of Christ’s life. John 15:1,5
- I am reconciled to God and am now a minister of reconciliation. II Cor 5:18,19
- I am the light of the world. Matthew 5:14
- I am loved 1John 3:3
- I am accepted Ephesians 1:6
- I am a child of God John 1:12
- I am Jesus' friend John 15:14
- I am a joint heir with Jesus, sharing His inheritance with Him Romans 8:17
- I am united with God and one spirit with Him 1Corinthians 6:17
- I am a temple of God. His spirit and his life live in me 1 Corinthians 6:19
- I am a member of Christ's body. 1 Corinthians 12:27
- I am a Saint Ephesians 1:1
- I am redeemed and forgiven Colossians 1:14
- I am complete in Jesus Christ Colossians 2:10
- I am free from condemnation Romans 8:1
- I am a new creation because I am in Christ 2Corinthians 5:17
- I am chosen of God, holy and dearly loved Colossians 3:12
- I am established, anointed, and sealed by God 2Corinthians 1:21
- I do not have a spirit of fear, but of love, power, and a sound mind 2Timothy 1:7
- I am God's co-worker 2Corinthians 6:1
- I am seated in heavenly places with Christ Eph 2:6
- I have direct access to God Ephesians 2:18
- I am chosen to bear fruit John 15:16
- I am one of God's living stones, being built up in Christ as a spiritual house 1 Peter 2:5
- I have been given exceedingly great and precious promises by God by which I share His nature 2 Peter 1:4
- I can always know the presence of God because He never leaves me Hebrews 13:5
- God works in me to help me do the things He wants me to do Philippians 2:13
- I can ask God for wisdom and He will give me what I need James 1:5
Simply choose to believe what God says about you,. Mitch White and I counsel everyone who ever joins Lake Forest Church to meditate on these truths constantly until God's view of you becomes your own view of yourself. When MItch first discovered these truths about his identity, he put two at a time on a notecard, posted it on his bathroom mirror until he memorized and internalized those two. Then he went on to the next two. This can lead to becoming the person Christ died to transform you into - a man or woman who is peaceful they are accepted, secure, and significant.
Friends, live out of your true identity today, not a false one.
(To take this subject further visit http://aelm.org/message/ , a website representing the ministry my dad has been affiliated with for years as he has discipled people into their true identity in Christ)
