Free From False Beliefs- The Big Lie
Ephesians 1:3-8NLT
The Big lie: Performance and other people’s opinion of me determine my self worth.
I have to perform to a certain level in order to feel good about myself. (It seems I never get to that level!)
Consequences: Fear of failure: Perfectionism- withdrawn- manipulation.
Romans 5:1NLT Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.
Results: Freedom, greater love for Christ.
Secondly, I have to obtain approval from others.
I must have the approval of certain others in order to feel good about myself.
Galatians 1:10NLT Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.
Consequences: Fear of rejection- Please others at any cost- Withdrawal to avoid disapproval- over-sensitive to criticism.
God’s solution: You are totally accepted by God.
Colossians 1:21-22NLT This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
Results of God’s solution: Freedom from fear of rejection- willingness to become open and vulnerable, and able mohave peace. A new desire for God no matter what others think.
Thirdly, The Blame game: Blame others or blame myself.
Those who fail are unworthy and deserve punishment.
Consequences: Fear of punishment, or punishing others. Blaming others leads to a dry Spiritual life.
God’s solution: We are deeply loved by God. We no longer have to fear punishment or punish others.
Results of God’s solution: Patience and kindness towards others, being quick to forgive, while devolving a deep love for Jesus Christ.
Fourthly, Shame: I am what I am and I cannot change.
Consequences: Fear of the future, Hopelessness, destructive habits, Inferiority feelings.
God’s solution: We have been made brand new- According to Colossians 2:10 We have been made complete through Christ.
Fifthly, Condemnation- I’m always guilty- I live with the thoughts, I might go to hell, and because of that, I sure can’t trust Jesus.
Consequences- Trust nothing- Everything is temporal- Faith might not work for me.
The truth: God loves me!
Today’s Text Ephesians 1:3-8NLT All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. 7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 8 He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.
As soon as you became a believer, you entered into a blood covenant that became 100% complete, because of Jesus Christ becoming your substitute.
Jesus Christ became our Substitute; He bore our curses!
Listen to Galatians 3:13NLT But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”
Verse 3 of Ephesians 1 reads, You have been blessed with every heavenly Spiritual blessing because you’re united with Christ.
In a world consumed with thoughts of itself, filled with people impressed with each other, having disconnected with the only One worthy of praise, it’s time we return to Theology 101, and sit silently in His presence. We need a fresh glimpse of Him who, alone, is awesome and incomprehensible.
Can I remind you that satan hungers to confuse your identity. Remember Genesis 3:1NLT The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” He creates self-doubt, condemnation, shame, along with inferiority. He makes you think no one cares because I’m less than.
Did you heard about the 100 Thing Challenge back in 2008 &09? It was a "grass-roots movement in which otherwise seemingly normal folks were pledging to whittle down their possessions to a mere 100 items." It was started by on-line entrepreneur Dave Bruno, who believes in this simple truth: "Stuff starts to overwhelm you."
You should set aside a few minutes to read the whole article. It's filled with interesting quotes and stories from folks who have taken on the challenge. I also found a section featuring professional organizer Julie Morgenstern to be engaging if only because of the acronym she lives by: SHED—
Separate the treasures.
Heave the trash.
Embrace your identity from within.
Drive yourself forward.
Not sure I need to list for you the angles on this one, but here it goes: materialism, consumerism, identity, the tension of treasures (earthly/kingdom).
For millions, they are trying to find their identity and self-worth through these things.
Ask most millionaires how much is enough, and they’ll say- “a little bit more.”
Verse 4 of Ephesians 1 reads, you are without fault and holy in the eyes of Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 1:4TM Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love.
Important Fact: Everything you are is because of His love!
Ephesians 1:5NLT God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
--John Calvin, in a sermon on Ephesians, May, 1558
Although we cannot conceive either by argument or reason how God has elected us before the foundation of the world, yet we know it by His declaring it to us; and experience itself vouches for it sufficiently, when we are enlightened in the faith.
Be reminded that God elected the whole world and every generation to Himself.
Ephesians 1:5TM Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!)
Jesus loves for you to take pleasure in His benefits!
What are some of HIs benefits? Eternal Salvation, Peace, Love, Joy, Faith, Heaven, Humility, A good confession Etc.
Ephesians 1:6TM He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.
The gifts that Christ left are to equip mankind, to build them up, to give them full confidence in and through Him! P.H.
Ephesians 1:7-8TM Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we’re a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free!
You can be free! Free from opinions, free from blame, free from shame, and free from performance, all because Jesus paid it all!
Everything Jesus was and did were prophesied about in Isaiah 53, and every reader and believer can see them fulfilled through Matthew- Revelation.
Isaiah 53:1NLT Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?
Benediction.
