Who Do You Think You Are? Series

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.