A picture of Jesus and the Church

A picture of Jesus and the Church

The Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence is vital for every Christian. We all need to be baptised in the Holy Spirit and regularly coming to God for fresh filling.

A picture of Jesus and the Church.

UP, IN, OUT – looking at how our view of Jesus on the throne and the certain hope we have in His gospel and eternity with God won for us changes how we live now, how we’re radical with ridding sin and pursuing Christ in our lives now, how we love others, how we make disciples, all empowered by the Holy Spirit -  ready for that moment where we see Jesus face to face.

As Christians we have an incredible new identity, and yet it is very easy to know this identity and yet not really experience it. To really experience our identity we have to have the right foundation in place. The foundation for Christian identity is what God says, and so to experience our identity we have to make God’s voice the loudest in our life so that we are listening to what he says about us, and not what anyone or anything else says about us. Experiencing Christian identity must therefore be an active thing; we have to be deliberate about letting God tell us who we are.

Sometimes we struggle to experience the truth that we are children of God and are loved by God, because we are actually believing lies. Highlighting these lies and using the truth to battle against them can help us to begin to experience the love God already has for us. What are some of the key lies that stop us from experiencing God’s love? And what truth do we need to take hold of to destroy the lies?

Jacob wrestles with God all night and comes through on the other side a completely different man; He has a new name, a new Blessing and a new way of walking (literally). Will we be a worshipping people who are not content to sleep through the night (spiritually speaking) and wake in the morning unchanged? Like Jacob, will we enter into the wrestle with God, dare to know Him more intimately and be changed in the process?

It’s time for us to take possession of all God has for us, to proclaim over all of his promises: “I want them!”

Looking at the church in Antioch in the book of Acts, Angela reminds us of who we are as church and that God has called some of us to stay and strengthen, while others go and lengthen.