God defines His identity by who He is. Who He is defines what He does.
God is love. Perfect love of equal love. He is good and perfect in every way. He is holy and just, right and true.
It is important we understand that God does everything out of love. His heart's desire is that no one should perish. He wants to make everything right. That all things be restored to perfect harmony and peace.
Look around us, no one can deny everything is not right in this world.
Science tells us that the earth is continually striving to equalise itself. Air currents and water currents are constantly trying to equalise temperature around the globe. Trying to make itself right, to be restored to perfect harmony.
Humanity is the same. We are searching, striving, trying to make things right. Yet we have created a world of fake news, fake reality, fake relationships, fake goodness and even fake identities.
Humanity will never succeed without Jesus, because in the depths of our heart, is the corrupted self. Self driven motives for self gratification.
Yet because God so loves He stepped down into our chaos and made a way for all who are willing, to know and experience their true identity. For a renewed humanity, and ultimately a renewed heaven and earth.
Colossians 1:19-20 For it pleased the Father that in Him (Jesus) all the fullness should dwell, ?and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
When we choose to receive Jesus as our saviour and Lord we receive His Spirit, God's presence within. We begin the daily journey of being in perfect love relationship with the Living God. Discovering our true identity in Him. Not as a result of what we do, but because of who He is.
Colossians 2:6-7 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, ?rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding ?in it with thanksgiving.
Walk in Him is not an instruction. It is a statement of the result of being rooted and built up in Him and established and abounding in the faith of Him
How are we rooted in Him?
When we receive Jesus as our saviour and Lord, at that moment in time we become rooted in His love, truth and power. Sealed with His Spirit within.
The more we know and experience the true identity of God the Father, through Jesus the Son, ?the more we can live in the reality of our true identity in Him.
Just like the growth of a tree is directly proportional to it's roots. The deeper and wider the roots, the higher and wider the branches. Everything comes from the roots. Everything comes ?from our relationship with Jesus.?
When we receive Jesus we are rooted in Him. It is the will of our Father to know and experience Him more each day.
How are we built up in Him?
Built up means super abounding, beyond measurable scale, overflowing and exceeding. ?In the continual present tense. So every day built up in Him.
Being built up in the knowledge and experience of Him is a work of the Spirit. We simply be ?willing to know and experience Him more, spend time in His presence, in His Word, allowing ?Him to go deep.
As the growth of a tree is directly related to the growth of its roots, so too are the depth of the foundations of a building directly proportional to the height of the building. The ability for the building to stand, depends upon the depth and solidity of its foundation.
The deeper and wider we allow God to establish His love, truth and power in our hearts and minds, the stronger our ability is to stand. His presence within then super abounds.
When we know and experience Him more each day we are empowered to stand in the storms ?of this life. It is the will of our Father that we stand.
How are we established in the faith in Him?
In this context, in the faith mean the truthfulness of God. Established in His truth, His faithfulness, His assurance, His character, His identity.
God in Jesus became one of us, born of Spirit in human form, so we being born in human form, can be born of Spirit and receive His identity, His kingdom, His presence.
This is the will of God. That all things be one in Christ Jesus, reconciled, renewed and restored. ?Be rooted in His love, truth and power, built up in Him, knowing and experiencing Him each and every day. Living in the reality of our true identity in Him.
Colossians 2:9-10 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.
The fullness of the Godhead dwells in Jesus' physical body and we are His physical representation on earth.
?The fusion of heaven and earth began in Jesus. He in us, we in Him.?
Complete in Him. Complete in this verse means to fill, be liberally supplied, render full, to carry through, bring to realise, bring to completion. This is a present and future reality.
All we know and experience of God is found in Jesus and is a work of the Holy Spirit.
?Our identity is in who God is and who He says that we are in Him.?
We are: holy, righteous, kings and priests, conquerors, overcomers, chosen, beloved, most loved, adopted, heirs, redeemed, justified, reconciled, saved, cleansed, healed, empowered, transformed, strengthened, renewed, appointed, blessed, forgiven and given in Christ.
What does it mean to know and experience our identity in Christ Jesus?
Knowing we have our identity in the Living God, we can let go of the need to be affirmed by others.
If someone rejects us we can let go of that rejection, knowing God will never reject us.
Yes of course we will still feel let down, but the difference is that rejection does not become part ?of our identity. As a result rejection has no place or power in our life.
?Knowing and experiencing our true identity as most loved is the will of God.?
Knowing we have our identity in the Living God, when we receive affirmation from someone, or we are honoured or praised in any way, we know and acknowledge that every good thing is a gift from our good, good Father. As a result pride has no place or power in our life.
Knowing and experiencing our true identity as blessed and chosen is the will of God.
Knowing we have our identity in the Living God, when we think a bad thought we can let go of that thought and nail it to the cross. Thanking Jesus He has paid the cost, knowing we are forgiven, ?set free, holy before Him. As a result that bad thought has no place or power in our life.
Knowing and experiencing our true identity as forgiven and holy is the will of God.?
When all the stuff of this world is constantly around us, we can stand. Knowing and experiencing being rooted and built up in Him, established in His truth, love and power. Nothing or no one can take that away from us.
?It is a daily journey. Each day is an opportunity to know and experience Him more.?
This is the heart and will of the Father, that each day we know and experience Him more. ?He is calling us deeper still. There is always more with God and he always satisfies.
May this community of believers be a place where people find their true identity in the eternal identity of the Living God. With each individual a witness of the living God, carrying His presence and true identity into every situation. Living in victory surrendered to the will of our good, ?good Father.
The fusion of head knowledge and heart transformation is His will, His work, His glory.
His kingdom of light and life, peace and harmony, equality and respect dwells within us and ?is a reality wherever God's will is done.
Time is short. None of us know when our time on this earth is up. Now is the time for the fusion ?of head and heart, heaven and earth, to know and experience living in the victory of surrender.
