Ladies,
Two days ago, we looked at insecurity in the post “Trying to Find Security in All the Wrong Places.”
Yesterday, we looked at “The Roots of Insecurity, ‘Low Self Esteem,’ Sinful Jealousy and the Desire to Control”
Quite honestly – what I am addressing in these several posts could easily be a book or two. We are BARELY scratching the surface here. But these are EXTREMELY important and foundational concepts in our walk with Christ and in our relationships with other people. If we have a faulty foundation here – our lives will be a disaster, because we are building on sand instead of the Rock – which is the truth of Christ.
SECURITY IS ONLY FOUND IN JESUS!
- I will be disappointed if I look to another human to meet the needs for security, salvation, joy, fulfillment, purpose, acceptance and unconditional love. People cannot replace Jesus in my life.
- I will be devastated if I look to my beauty, looks, figure, weight or shape to find contentment and security and happiness in life. These things fade and are fleeting. Things cannot replace Jesus in my life. They cannot offer real joy. In fact, if I make these things my idols, I will destroy myself with them. That is what idolatry does. Whatever we “worship” eventually destroys and consumes us – whether it is bitterness, food, fame, wealth, sex, men, career, weight, beauty, education, self, being in control, people’s approval, people pleasing, addictions … If I set up something or someone in the place of God in my life – God will make sure that I will never find contentment, that I will only find dissatisfaction and emptiness and if I continue in this sin, He will allow my idol to destroy me.
GOD IS GOD, I AM NOT.
That is a VERY foundational concept that I MUST grasp!
This was Satan’s sin – to elevate himself and exalt himself to be equal to or greater than God.
This was my sin, too. It was not a conscious thing, but I lived as if I believed I was in charge. I trusted self, not God, for many years. And I had the disappointment, anxiety, fear and loneliness that always accompanies pride and idolatry of self and being in control.
WHO AM I ONCE I AM IN CHRIST?
Well – this really should be a book, or more than one book. But we will look at a few things that God says about those who trust Him by faith and who devote themselves wholeheartedly to live for Him in obedience to His Word. If you are not living in obedience to Christ, Jesus says, you do not love Him. “Anyone who loves me will obey My commandments.” John 14:23a, “Anyone who does not love Me will not obey my teaching.” John 14:24
- We were chosen by God (Ephesians 1:11)
- Our purpose is that our lives might bring praise to the glory of Christ (Ephesians 1:12)
- We are marked with a seal – the Holy Spirit who guarantees our salvation and keeps us, working in us to bring us to maturity in Christ (Ephesians 1:13)
- We are to be fully submitted to Christ. (James 4:7) He is LORD of our lives.
- We are slaves of righteousness and slaves of Christ now (Romans 6)
- We are no longer slaves of sin (Romans 6). We are set free from sin!!!!!!!!!!
- We are no longer spiritually dead in sin, but ALIVE in Christ! (Ephesians 2:1)
- We have a “new man in Christ” instead of our old sinful self now. (II Cor 5:17)
- We are recipients of grace because of the faith God has given us to have in Jesus. We cannot and do not earn heaven or a right relationship with God. We have no room to boast. “Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe!”
- We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10). Good works don’t get us salvation. Salvation, Jesus in us, produces good works. That is a really important distinction!
- We are at peace with God. Jesus has absorbed all of God’s wrath that we deserved and has taken our sins away as far as the east is from the west! (Ephesians 2)
- We are at peace with other believers in Christ (Ephesians 2).
- We are sons and daughters of the Most High God!
- We are joint heirs with Jesus to all of heaven.
- We have total access to approach God in prayer – greater access than even the High Priest in the Old Testament times had – because of what Jesus, our Great High Priest, has done for us!
- We have access to the spiritual riches, power and treasures of heaven. (Ephesians 3)
- We are able to know God more and more. (Ephesians 3, John 17)
- We have been given gifts to serve Christ and His body (Ephesians 4)
- We live on God’s Word. His Word is real spiritual food and drink. We hunger and thirst deeply for Him, His presence, His Spirit, His power and His Word daily. (Matthew 4:4)
- We are soldiers for Christ, who are to be fully armed and wearing our armor, ready for spiritual battle constantly (Ephesians 6).
- We are part of the bride of Christ, the body of Christ, the church.
- We are gifted by the Spirit to serve and build up the body of Christ (I Corinthians 12)
- We have the peace of Jesus Christ – it is a promise He has given to us. (John 14:27)
- We can do nothing on our own, Jesus is the Vine and we are the branches. We must constantly abide in, live in, soak in the nourishment Jesus gives us from His Spirit and His Word and His presence. (John 15)
- We are hated in the world because Jesus was hated. (John 16)
- We are one with God and Jesus and other believers in Christ (John 17)
- There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!!!!!! (Romans 8:1)
- We are controlled by the Spirit – our mind is life and peace. (Romans 8:6)
- We identify with Christ in His sufferings by suffering, also – that God might make us more mature and more and more like Christ. (I Peter)
- We are inseparable from the love of Christ!!!!!!!! (Romans 8:35, 39)
- In all trials, obstacles and difficulties, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us!!!!!! (Romans 8:37)
- We are living sacrifices to Christ (Romans 12:1)
- We are imitators of God (Ephesians 5:1)
- We are citizens of heaven, and we are aliens here. (Phil 3:20)
- We are God’s temple (I Cor. 3:16)
- We are complete in Christ (Col 2:9-10)
- We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Phil 4:13)
WHEN WE REALLY GET THIS – OUR LIVES WILL NEVER EVER BE THE SAME!!!
If I truly understand the depth of the meaning of who Christ Jesus is and my identity in Christ – all my fear and insecurity has to vanish! Perfect love casts out all fear. (I John 4:18)
Suddenly,
- The numbers on the scale aren’t really very important anymore.
- If my husband doesn’t meet my needs, I can remain unshaken as I trust in Christ, depend on Him and He empowers me to bless my husband.
- The approval of people doesn’t matter anymore, only the approval and pleasure and smile of Jesus!
- Other’s sin against me becomes forgivable in the power of Christ because He has forgiven me MUCH. I am not free to love Him MUCH.
- I desire to treat people only the way Jesus treats people, I DELIGHT in obeying Him.
- The numbers in my checking account don’t matter much because it all belongs to Him, I want to be a godly steward and spend as Jesus would have me spend and I know that He is able to provide for my every need. My faith is no longer in my job, my 401K or the economy – my faith is squarely in Christ Jesus.
- I do not worry because my Lord is SOVEREIGN and He promised me that He would cause ALL things to work together for my ultimate good (by His definition) and His glory (Romans 8:28)
- Worldly things begin to be very uninteresting and only the things of God seem to really matter.
- God’s Word SPRINGS to LIFE every time I open it – I can’t get enough of Him!
- I have Jesus’ priorities and desires. He gives me a new heart and a new mind in Him!
- I don’t care about my will, I only want His will.
- I am willing to lose my life in order to have His life in me.
- I live by faith, not by sight.
- I see God answer prayers in miraculous ways in His power for His glory and in His timing.
- God makes me fruitful in His kingdom and I cannot help but share the GREAT NEWS of Jesus with those around me!
RESOURCES:
Identity in Christ sermon index at www.desiringgod.org – John Piper
Identity in Christ sermon index at www.radical.net – David Platt