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You will never live beyond your identity.
He raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:6 ESV
Secular education and self-help consultants know this, which is why schools, conferences, and books all teach “you.” You can do this. Be true to yourself. Whatever you want, just work hard enough.
The problem: as much as we try to talk ourselves to greatness, deep within, we know it isn’t true. We are failures. All the fame, the money, a gold medal, or being valedictorian – what we can achieve doesn’t help.
Deep within we know something is wrong.
We sin, we fail, we betray, and we do it naturally. It is easier to do what we know we shouldn’t rather than what we know we should! The crack between false self-help and the “real us” provides the opportunity for devil-placed discouragement.
Read the following scriptures. Allow them to speak to your identity. Truth sets you free.
One:
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
Two:
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1
Three:
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10
Four:
It is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Philippians 2:13
Five:
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Colossians 3:1
Six:
For whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Hebrews. Hebrews 4:10
Seven:
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. 1 John 3:1
Our works and our efforts cause despair, as sooner or later we fail. Scripture identifies our problem and gives grace. Our identity is in Christ. In Christ, we find forgiveness, our calling, our future, and mercy.
In Christ alone. Remember one, two, three, four, six, and seven above! Oops!… missed five.