Friday, January 9, 2015

Extreme Makeover – Spiritual DNA Edition (Faulty DNA: Our identity in Christ)

Many of us struggle to know our true identity in Christ.  Today I want to touch on three of the specific truths about our identity that we may need to allow the Holy Spirit remodel in our spiritual DNA.

1.   I am created in the image of God: Genesis 1:27 “So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”  I know many of us look in the mirror and don’t like what we see.  For years we have heard the messages and seen the images the world presents as the “perfect” figure, clothing, hair, etc.  I would venture to say that all of us have faced attacks from the enemy (often through others) about our body image and appearance.  We need to get the truth that we are created in the image of God into our spirits and hearts.  When God looks on us he sees only beauty.   He doesn't see the “imperfections” we see.  He does want us to care for our physical bodies because he loves us and wants us healthy and pain free; however, he never once looked at any of us and saw a physical imperfection.  It bears repeating here: He sees only beauty!

2.  I am a child of God: Galatians 3:26 “For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”  No matter what our earthly parents were/are like, we have a perfect Father.  He loves us unconditionally, without reservation.  He paid the highest price to make us his own (the death of Jesus.)  He will never turn his back on us or disown us no matter how we may fail.  When we come running back to him, he is waiting with arms out stretched to draw us back into the warmth and safety of his embrace.

      3. I am a joint heir with Christ: Romans 8:17 “And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.”  I am an heir to the promise of eternity in heaven.  I am an heir to the provision that is Christ’s.  I only need to ask and my Father will give me what I need.  He will not hold back what he knows is good for me.  Everything that is Christ’s became ours the moment we accepted his gift of salvation.  When our children need something we do everything in our power to provide it for them. When we ask our Father, he doesn't have to worry about whether he can provide it for us or not.  Imagine with me for a minute: Our Father holds the entire universe in his hand. Isaiah 40:12 “Who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale?” How big does a hand have to be to hold everything we can see? Our Father not only holds what we see, but all that exists beyond the scope of our abilities to see.  If our Father can hold all of that, how can we fail to believe that he has us securely in his grasp?  If he has us in his grasp, how can we fail to believe he will care for our needs?

The Remodel: God’s Word has many truths about who we are in Christ.  Every promise/truth belongs to us.  The issue is not whether the truths are ours, but whether we claim them and believe that they are true for/about us?

As we meditate on these three truths about our identity in Christ, let us ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any other truths that we still need to have remodeled in our DNA. 




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