Your New Identity and Life “in Christ”

“If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” Romans 10:9-10

Last week, we talked about the greatest love story ever told, which is the Bible. This week, we’ll talk more about how your life fits into it’s pages. This is exciting stuff, so let’s go!

The pages of the Story, that contain your life, now become more exciting. By faith, you, who are God’s beloved, have accepted the King’s plan to save your life and are enjoying a relationship with him. I want to point out that Christianity is about a relationship with Christ...NOT a religion with Christ. This means, you can go through all the right, religious motions in your week, but if you’re not seeking a relationship with Jesus, you are missing the very reason Jesus died for you. He didn’t suffer and die so you could have a religion. He suffered and died so you could have a life-giving, abundant relationship with him. There’s a BIG difference between relationship and religion.

I believe the world has troubles getting excited about Jesus because so many Christians are not excited about Jesus.   This should not be!   I assure you that once you really start pursuing him and that relationship, you will begin to experience God in an exciting, personal way. Your very best life is hidden and protected in Christ. The more you search for him, the more you will find the life you were meant to live.

When you accept Jesus as leader and Savior of your life, God changes you at your core, by placing within you his Holy Spirit, who is the “extraordinary seed.” God can now pour out his love into your heart through the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5).

I want you to stop and think about how amazing it is to have God’s Holy Spirit living inside you. Sometimes we have trouble grasping the reality of it because we can’t see the Spirit. But, if you’re a Christian, then he’s there -- right now. He is the power of God… living inside you! The Holy Spirit gives you everything you need, at just the right time and in just the right amount, to walk a victorious life in Christ.

This may be a strange illustration, but think about having an IV in your arm. You are sick and need something put directly into your veins to become healthy. If you need fluid, the IV bag will give you fluid. If you need pain meds, the bag will give you pain meds. If you are nauseous, the IV will give you anti-nausea medicine. Pretty much any nourishment you need can come through the IV.

That’s how the Holy Spirit works. God knows your heart is sick and in need of him, so he puts the Holy Spirit (like the IV) inside you to administer exactly what you need, in just the right amount and at just the right time to be a strong, healthy Christ-follower who does extraordinary things! What do you need today? Strength? Courage? Healing? Comfort? Wisdom? Hope? Peace? Faith? Discernment? Power? Grace? Mercy? Whatever it is, if it is in accordance with God’s will, the Holy Spirit will give it to you. But, you have to ask. So what are you waiting for? Ask him!

Are you struggling to find the words to pray? Ask the Holy Spirit to talk to God for you!

The Spirit helps you in your weakness and prays for you when you don’t know how to pray (Rom 8:26). He will pray for you, in accordance with God’s will. Now that is extraordinary!

OK, this next scripture is so beyond exciting!   In, John 14:12, Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”

Because Jesus left this earth and sent the Holy Spirit to take his place, that means wherever the Spirit is, amazing, miraculous things are going to happen. And, where is the Spirit? Inside you! The verse promises that you will get to do what Jesus did and will do even greater things than he! Now, that should make you want to jump up and kick your heels together…or at least give you the extra push you need to go after his extraordinary assignment for you!

I hope you’re feeling some fire in your belly!

First Corinthians 3:16 says, “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and YOU ARE THAT TEMPLE (emphasis mine).”

Not only does God get upset when someone else tries to destroy you, but he also takes it personally when you try to destroy you. We do this by destructive thoughts, attitudes and actions. Because you are God’s temple, you do not have a right to do anything that would destroy God’s property. God bought you with the price of Jesus’ blood. Therefore, you are to honor God with your body (1 Corin. 6: 19,20).

What destructive thoughts, words, actions or behavior do you need to stop? Ask God to help you. You will need his help.

One more scripture that speaks to our responsibility as God’s temple is 2 Corinthians 6:16. We are not to allow earthly things to become more important in our life than God. The Bible refers to these things as idols. What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols (verse 16)? Idols can take the form of people, money, possessions, hobbies, social media, television, work, etc.

Do you have any idols trying to share space in God’s temple?

We are told to purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God (2 Corin. 7:1). Friend, you will never experience the fullness of life God desires for you if you continue in destructive behaviors or thoughts or if you allow idols to share space in your heart with God. Spend time today asking God to reveal those things to you. Then, be quick to confess them and ask him to help you overcome them. You are more than a conqueror through Christ who loves you (Rom. 8:37)! Praise God!

We’ll continue this discussion next week! See you then!