OUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST BLOG SERIES
It Is Not About Me It Is About Him and What He Has Done For me
(He gave me a new life and identity)
We live in a world today that is filled with constant attacks on our identity in a variety of ways.
Covid -19 Mob Protestors -Hate Crimes-Abortions- The list goes on. I will be doing a 6-part blog on this Our Identity In Christ
I have a service I bought into a few years ago that I hope that I would never have to use which is called “Lexington Law and All Clear ID”. Now, this isn’t an advertisement for them, however I had to use them for I was a victim of identity theft 3 times, decides they did provide some backup to help get me out of that mess. I guess one doesn’t really know if it works until you need them and I had too, and it did provide some sense of security.
In addition, the Word of God lets us know there is one part of Satan’s work that he does his best at and that is to be “the accuser of the brethren” yet we can see that one day he will be dealt with for all of eternity:
Revelation 12:10 (NKJV) 10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.
I’m glad for that day that will come soon, but for now, we know that the enemy’s desire is to trip you up in your mind by making you feel like you are “less than” when God has declared that you are “more than”!
Most of the accusations coming from the enemy try to convince us that we aren’t who God says we are, and in fact, never will be!
I’ve been going back and forth as to if I should share a series of blogs messages on “Our Identity in Christ” and as I watched the movie “Overcomer” with my wife awhile back , it served as a confirmation that indeed the time is now to share this Series with you and will most likely consist of about 6 messages as follows:
Message 2 – More Than a “Work”
Message 3 – More Than a Servant
Message 4 – More Than Chosen
Message 5 – More Than Crucified
Message 6 – More Than a Conqueror
Throughout this Series, we are going to be sharing many scriptures that bring out the truth that we are IN CHRIST and CHRIST IS IN US!
For now, I want to read 2 Scriptures that share this powerful truth:
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Colossians 1:27 (NKJV) – 27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
If you have seen the movie “Overcomer” then you have been blessed to watch a movie that is powerful and inspirational. If you have not seen it, then I encourage you to go watch it, or at least get the DVD or check to see if it is on Vudu. And by the way, bring your tissues as it will grab you by the emotions and not let go too quickly. (yes, I got teary eyed)
There is a scene within the movie that hit home when I watched it and I have no doubt, it did with you as well and I wanted to play it for you now. (check the link below)
Keep in mind that the man lying in the hospital bed is blind, and since many of you haven’t seen the movie, I don’t want to give his story away. Yet he asks a question that each one of us need to consider in our own lives.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgqaGu9KlDw&list=PL1xkCp_xGsnrMQCOn-RNytRDBqsvP9-yR&index=7&t=0s
If I were to walk around the sanctuary today asking each one of you this question “Who Are You”, then I imagine I would receive quite a variety of answers. We are much better at asking this question of people “So what do you do”?
I get it that it’s a great way to open a conversation with people but “what people do” doesn’t really define who they are!
I was asked the other day by someone in the church if they knew what someone else in the church who has attended here for years does for work, and while I was a bit embarrassed I didn’t know, at least I was happy that I know them for more than “what they do”.
Of course, I know what many of you do for work, but I would encourage you to never let that be what determines “who you are”. Never allow that to be the measure of other people as well!
The statement that was made in this clip is powerful:
“Your identity will be tied to whatever you give your heart to”
We are going to get to this point later in the message, but when we know “who” we are, then we will find it far easier to find out “why” we are.
If we begin to realize that the “who” we have become is out of line with the Word of God, then there is nothing so important as getting back in that place we need to be.
I’m going to take a moment to be a bit transparent with you and perhaps you can relate a bit to what I’m about to say.
There are times in my life I talk to myself- (a lot). I’m sorry, but that’s just the case. No, I haven’t really started to answer and I’m hoping that doesn’t happen thanks be to God.
I’m not the healthiest person I have several medical conditions to include PTSD, at times I feel incredibly sad that I’m not able to do the things I want to do with my family, or afraid something might trigger my PTSD.
Here’s my “confession” during these moments – I will say under my breath “What a dummy, what a loser you served in the military and cannot even walk a half a mile” – Almost immediately a conviction comes into my spirit that those are words I shouldn’t be saying because eventually, I might just believe it! Proverbs 23:7 King James Version (KJV)7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
There’s nobody here today that enjoys criticism, but I’ve found that the one who is harder on me than anyone else, is myself!
To be honest, I think we get in the way of God getting through to us about who we are in Him more than anyone else!
Together we are going to learn some powerful things throughout the Series of WHO we are in Christ and realize that there is a purpose for the Believer in knowing this. Please keep me in prayer as I work on this blog
It changes our outlook on the past, present and future!
1 John 3:2 (NKJV) 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
Not only do we need to Know Who We Are:
- WE MUST REMEMBER WHO WE WERE
Now, before you begin to think this is a bad thing and that I’m encouraging you to stay anchored to your past, please know that it’s a good thing to remember who we were so that we aren’t tempted to repeat that in our lives.
Ephesians 2:11-12 (NKJV) 11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh--who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands. 12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
While this scripture might seem that it doesn’t relate to us today as we often don’t even think about the fact that we are Gentiles who have been invited into this great covenant of promise given to the Jewish people, but in fact, this is the case!
Look and Listen to what Paul and Barnabas told the believers in the early church:’
Acts 13:46 (NKJV) 46 Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, "It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.
When they said “spoken to you first” meant that the Gospel or Good News of Jesus Christ was shared with the Jewish people first, but since they (for the most part) rejected it, then the Gospel was being opened up to the Gentiles which includes most, if not all of us here today!
But he told them to remember something as we can see in verse 12 and that is that they “had no hope” and were “without God in the world”!
Paul didn’t just tell them to forget about the fact that they used to be hopeless, but he told them to remember it as we read in Eph. 2:11 – “Therefore Remember”
Often, we can’t really appreciate the blessings we have now without realizing what we didn’t have before knowing Christ!
There’s a song Brenda has sung called “It’s My Desire” to live for Jesus and the lyrics go like this:
“If you could see where Jesus brought me from and where I am today, then you would know the reason why I love Him so”
I’ve never quite understood why people turn their backs on God only to go back to a life of hopelessness –
Perhaps they were told the lie that the Christian life is one of total bliss without problems, instead of the fact that we do indeed have problems, but at least now we have a wonderful Savior to walk the journey with us!
Paul makes sure that this reality is not just skipped over or ignored so they can get to the reality of - Ephesians 2:13 (NKJV) 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
He recognizes that one of the best ways to appreciate the nearness of Christ is that we take some time to remember how far away we were from Christ!
This is why I believe in the tremendous value of having groups like Teen Challenge in to share not only where they are now, but also how far they’ve come.
They often share testimonies not to glorify the past, but to appreciate their present and future even more! Also, to give warning to those who might think a life of sin is the way to go.
In a couple of month we will go through another Anniversary of the terrible attack on America we often refer to as 9-11 – As the years go by and we get farther away from the attack, there is a tendency to forget about that day so we often hear these words “Remember 9-11”.
Why would we be encouraged to remember something that was such a tragic event? Not just to appreciate the freedom we have now, but to also make sure we don’t repeat mistakes that led up to 9-11 in the first place!
I believe it’s especially important that we remember where we were without Christ! I realize that may be more difficult for some such as those of us who grew up in the Church, but I pray the Holy Spirit opens our eyes to the “hopelessness” there was and continues to be without Christ!
We are told in Ephesians 2:12 to “remember” but we are told by the same writer, Paul the Apostle in Philippians 3:13 to “forget” - Philippians 3:13 (NKJV) 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
The context of this scripture in Philippians 3 is that he had gained tremendous knowledge of Christ in the past and had victory after victory. Yet, the idea is that he would not settle on those accomplishments but that he would press on for more of what God had available for him.
In other words, while he was satisfied with what Christ had done for him, he knew there was more to have, and he was willing to leave it all behind to reach forward to the great things ahead!
Remember the past, but don’t be overcome by the past!
Your past should not determine your future!
Even your past victories are nothing in comparison to your future victories!
I believe that if we KNOW WHO WE ARE, and REMEMBER WHO WE WERE, it will also help us as:
John 15:16 (NKJV) 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
Jesus chose these disciples and appointed them to spread the gospel and bear fruit for God’s kingdom. The Lord chooses each believer to be a branch in the Vine—a branch that bears fruit that will last.
The remaining, or lasting, fruit means either new believers whose faith perseveres, or the enduring quality of the fruit of the Spirit—especially brotherly love.
I may not know much about growing and harvesting apples, but this I do know. If I were to plant an apple tree and it grew to the point that it could soon produce apples, and I decided that I wanted to cut one of the branches off, put it in a planter in my house so I could watch the apples grow, it just wouldn’t happen!
Why? Because at the point it was separated from the tree, it lost its purpose. It was no longer a branch that would bear fruit and it wouldn’t matter how much you watered it or talked to it.
The purpose was for it to bear fruit and the ONLY way it could happen was by staying attached to the tree where it would be nourished and fed.
You and I are called to produce fruit, and fruit that remains. In other words, as Disciples of Christ, we are called to produce more Disciples of Christ. In addition, we are to get involved in Kingdom work, and do our best to involve others in Kingdom work.
We can be involved in a lot of things and those things may be good things, but are they going to produce fruit for the Kingdom of God?
John 15:4-5 (NKJV) 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
This relationship with Christ goes both ways. When we abide in Him, and He abides in us, then the natural (or supernatural result) is that we will bear much fruit!
While we all have been called to bear fruit, God uses each one of us in a different way to accomplish the task.
We don’t all bear fruit the same way, but the important thing is that we are staying connected to the vine!
If you read the entire passage of John 15:1-7 it mentions the word “abide” a total of 8 times.
The word “abide” comes from the Greek Word “meno” which means “to stay connected to, immerse yourself in, draw upon, rely upon, depend upon” –
In other words, just like the Son could do nothing apart from the Father of eternal value, so you and I cannot function to our full capacity without staying connected to the Vine (Jesus).
Again, your specific “why” is most likely different than anyone else around you,
but your general “why” is that you bear fruit!
I pray that you will experience fulfillment and joy like never before as you know and understand your “why”. As you function in God’s perfect plan and will for YOUR life and realize with Him “in you” and “you in Him” tremendous things will be accomplished for the Kingdom!
How do we abide in Christ?
- Prayer or communicating with Christ
(Don’t always be looking for “a word”, when you can go to “the Word”
Attend Church FaithfullyThe Bible says in: John 15:7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
It is interesting that the Lord moves away from “Abide in me, and I in you” that we see earlier in John 15, and he says now, “if my words abide in you” –
It’s important to know that when we truly abide in Christ and allow His words to abide in us that we are going to be so full of the presence of God that the farthest thing from our minds will be asking for “things” that we believe will finally make us happy.
When we have the mind of Christ, we recognize that like Jesus, souls coming to Him and doing the Will of the Father will be bread and water for our hungry and thirsty souls.
John 4:34 (NKJV) 34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.
While I believe we serve a God who wants to meet our needs, and He does when we obey Him, He knows that when His words abide in us, we want to do His will more than our own!
- Do you need to know Christ today as Savior?
- Do you struggle at times against the accusations of the enemy?
- Do you need to take hold of God’s promises about your future?
