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.
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