HIS ACCEPTED, ADOPTED CHILD


1 John 3:2


Beloved, now we are children of God.


Having a right relationship with God begins with settling once and 
for all the issue that God is your loving Father and you are 
His  accepted, adopted child. That's the foundational truth of your 
spiritual heritage. You are a child of God, you are created in His 
image, you have been declared righteous by Him because you trust that 
what Christ accomplished in His death and resurrection is applicable 
to you. As long as you believe that and walk accordingly, your daily 
experience of practical Christianity will result  in growth. But when 
you forget who you are, and try to produce in your daily experience 
the acceptance God has already extended to you, you'll struggle. We 
don't serve God to gain His acceptance; we are accepted so we serve 
God. We don't follow Him in order to be loved; we are loved so we follow Him.

That's why you are called to live by faith (Romans 1:16, 17). The 
essence of the victorious Christian life is believing what is 
already  true about you. Do you have a choice? Of course! Satan will 
try to convince you that you are an unworthy, unacceptable, sin-sick 
person who will never amount to anything in God's eyes. Is that who 
you are? No, you are not! You are a saint whom God has declared 
righteous. Believing Satan's lie will lock you into a defeated, 
fruitless life. But believing God's truth about your identity will 
set you free.

Your perception of your identity makes such a big difference in your 
success at dealing with the challenges and conflicts of your life. It 
is  imperative to your growth and maturity that you believe God's 
truth about who you are.

The Bible says, "See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon 
us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are"  (1 
John 3:1). Tragically, many believers are desperately trying to 
become something they already are, while others are living like 
something they aren't. It's true: "Beloved, now we are children of 
God" (1 John 3:2).


Prayer:


Lord God, I affirm anew that I am Your blood-bought child. The evil 
one cannot touch me as long as I live according to my position in  Christ.