INTRO:
The life and death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is THE ANSWER to an age-old problem of Sin. For some people they don’t consider Sin a big deal and for some they don’t even believe sin exist (e.g. Atheist and Relativist), but for God it certainly is a big deal (knowing that He is HOLY AND PERFECT).
?Do you know why it’s a big deal for God? Because Sin could alter the future of every person on this planet infinitely, that means, ETERNALLY! Starting from Adam and Eve, until the 2nd Coming of Jesus Christ.
?Here’s the short version of the backstory of what really happened on planet earth…
?Responsive Reading: After the creation Adam and Eve sinned against God. Romans 5:17 ”For the sin of this one man, ADAM, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, JESUS CHRIST. 18 Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation (guilty as charged/convicted) for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right RELATIONSHIP (NOT RIGHT RELIGION) with God and new life (brand new/good as new) for everyone. 21 So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
MAIN POINTS:
I.NO LONGER SLAVES
?Types of Chains:
?Physical Chain (E.g. rope, leash, hand cuffs, iron chains, shackles, prison bars).
?Mental or Psychological Chains (which affects emotions) (E.g. Slave mentality, inferiority complex, weak, sickly, dumb, ugly, failure).
(Cause: The Voices of Lies from the Devil:
(Remedy: The Voice of Truth).
?Spiritual Chains (E.g. sin, guilt, shame, condemnation, meaninglessness, death (spiritual)). Cause by unbelief in God.
?Do you know what the ultimate bondage in life is? BEING A SLAVE TO SIN Is The Ultimate Bondage.
?Why? Because SIN is the mother of all SICKNESS, AND SCARCITY, AND SUFFERING, AND ETERNAL DEATH, AND EVERY KIND OF EVIL.
?John 8:34-38 MSG Jesus said, “I tell you most solemnly that anyone who chooses a life of SIN is trapped in a dead-end life and is, in fact, A SLAVE.
?Platforms used by the Devil to Enslave people:
?News
?Social Media
?Education
?Books
?Movies
?Music
?People’s Opinions
?Religion (This is never about Religion…
These are good things that can become powerful tools for evil things.
?Romans 6:6 We know that our old sinful selves were CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are NO LONGER SLAVES TO SIN.
II.MAKE THE SHIFT
?Testimony: I’ve been a Christian all my life, raised in a Christian family, My Dad and my Mom are ministers. I serve in Church since I was very young and still serving now here in Live Freely Church and still very young(LOL). But I didn’t really understand about our “New Identity in Christ.”
?I went through depression and despair when I was in high school through college years. I always felt sad and lonely and always felt sick. I was looking for meaning and purpose of life but couldn’t find any hope. I didn’t tell anyone because I was too ashamed and too confused.
?I believe that real transformation comes from Faith and understanding the Word of God and faith as the Bible says, comes from hearing the Word of God.
(Identity: the set of qualities that make a person different from other people). - Webster
QUOTE: Most people don’t live by who they really are, they live by who they think they are. - D.G.
?Someone once said: Often, we feel the pressure to define ourselves through our jobs, financial status, successes, grades, appearance, what other people say about us and many other means.
?Benner states that “an identity grounded in God would mean that when we think of who we are, the first thing that would come to mind is our status as someone who is DEEPLY LOVED by God.”
?Ephesians 1:3-14. In this passage, Paul addresses the church in Ephesus, explaining the new identity given to a person when they are in Christ.
?According to Ephesians 1, we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing; we have been chosen, adopted, redeemed, forgiven, grace-lavished, and unconditionally loved and accepted. We are pure, blameless and forgiven.
?When you experience an encounter with Jesus THERE HAS TO BE A SHIFT: (to exchange for or replace by another : CHANGE) in your Identity, from…
?Lost To Found,
?From Darkness To Light,
?From Slave To Free,
?From Sinner To Saint.
?From Victim to Victor.
?From Death to Life.
?You could call yourself a Christian all your life but haven’t made the shift. You could be active in Church Ministry for 5 years but haven’t made the shift. You could be preaching the Word of God and healing the sick but you still haven’t made the shift.
?I’m not telling you but I’m calling you into action to make the shift now if you haven’t done it yet or you want to make sure that you’ve done it to MAKE THE SHIFT NOW, MAKE THE SHIFT, MAKE THE SHIFT… it’s called IDENTITY-SHIFT.
?Tell your neighbor to “MAKE THE SHIFT”
QUOTE: As Martin Luther so beautifully expressed: “He has made His righteousness MY RIGHTEOUSNESS, and my sin HIS SIN. If He has made my sin to be His sin, then I do not have it, and I am free. If He has made His righteousness my righteousness, then I am righteous now with the same righteousness as He. My sin cannot devour Him, but it is engulfed in the unfathomable depths of His righteousness, for He himself is God, who is blessed forever.”
QUOTE: Most people don’t live by who they really are, they live by who they think they are. - D.G.
?The question is, who do you think you are? I’m not asking about your name, nor your vocation or profession, nor your status or your achievements. WHO ARE YOU without all these things?
?When you Encounter Jesus and you make Him your Lord and Savior. In your innermost being YOU ARE NOW GOD’S OWN CHILD. YOU HAVE BEEN ADOPTED BY GOD FROM A SLAVE TO A SON; A Slave to A DAUGHTER OF GOD BECAUSE JESUS PAID THE ULTIMATE PRICE AND BOUGHT YOU WITH HIS BLOOD THAT HE SHED FOR YOU AND ME AT THE CROSS.
?Galatians 4:7 (NLT) “Now you are no longer a slave but GOD’S OWN CHILD. And since you are his child, God has made you HIS HEIR (manononod).” NOT JUST A CHILD OF GOD BUT ALSO AN HEIR!!
?2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT) “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ HAS BECOME A NEW PERSON. The old life is gone; A NEW LIFE HAS BEGUN!”
?This NEW LIFE is your NEW IDENTITY IN CHRIST!!! Everyone say, “I AM A CHILD OF GOD” A CHILD OF A KING!!
?Ask your neighbor, Who are you?
?Sing - Who the Son sets free, he is free indeed. I’m a Child of God, Yes I am… In my Father’s house…
?From Lost To Found,
?From Darkness To Light,
?From Slave To Free,
?From Sinner To Saint.
?From Victim to Victor.
?From Death to Life.
MAKE THE SHIFT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!
III.LIVE IN RESURRECTION POWER EVERYDAY
?The question is HOW? First is, you have to free yourself from you. We’re too egotistic and too selfish. Our motto is always “What’s in it for me”
?CHRIST IS FREEING YOU FROM YOUR OLD YOU WHEN YOU WERE STILL SEPARATED FROM HIM, BUT YOU ARE NOW IN CHRIST AND HE HAS MADE YOU BRAND NEW.
?Galatians 2:20 MSG: …”Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. MY EGO is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. CHRIST LIVES IN ME. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
?Romans 8:11 (NLT) The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, LIVES IN YOU.
?When you activate the power, LIVE HEALED, AND LIVE FREE—you will live in resurrection power every day!
CLOSING:
This afternoon, I would invite all of us to live in the DIVINE ENCOUNTER; that is to LIVE IN RELATIONSHIP TO JESUS.
?LIVE IN Resurrection power EVERYDAY— HOW?
?Stop doing Christian ways, rather BE A CHRISTIAN. STOP DOING CHURCH, BE THE CHURCH.
?“…Forget those things that are behind you and reach forward to what is ahead for you.” (Philippians 3:13).
?YOU REPRESENT CHRIST IN YOUR COMMUNITY! YOU ARE CHRIST’S AMBASSADOR
?YOU’RE NOT LOST ANYMORE NOW YOU ARE FOUND
?YOU’RE NOT IN DARKNESS ANYMORE NOW YOU ARE LIGHT
?YOU’RE NOT A SLAVE ANYMORE NOW YOU ARE FREE
?YOU’RE NOT A SINNER ANYMORE NOW YOU’RE A SAINT.
?YOU’RE NOT A VICTIM ANYMORE NOW YOU’RE VICTORIOUS.
?YOU’RE NOT DEAD ANYMORE YOU ARE LIFE.
AGAIN THE QUESTION IS, WHO ARE YOU!
?I AM A CHILD OF GOD,
?DEEPLY LOVED BY GOD
A SON/DAUGHTER OF A KING.
