The great tragedy of this world is not the fall of mankind, but the realization that multiplied millions don’t know what Jesus has done for them. They don’t understand that they have been released and set totally free from slavery to the effects of sin and darkness—and all God is asking them to do is believe it and receive it!
1 Corinthians 2:16 tells us that as new creations in Christ, we have been given the mind of Christ! When we cooperate with the Holy Spirit to renew our minds to God’s Word, we begin to think and respond as Jesus in the earth, instead of like the world does!
“We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18 HCSB). How do we become more like Christ? As we see Him here in this life through God’s Word, we are transformed into His image in our spirit, soul and body. There is no, “If you do, then I will” in this verse. It doesn’t say we qualify if we are good enough, if we pray enough or if we give enough. He has qualified us by His sacrifice, His blood, and His victory over Satan. The key is to allow Him to transform us by the renewing of our minds!
Jesus paid every penalty and removed every judgement that was against us. He was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. By the stripes He received on the whipping post, we were healed! “The Lord has taken away the judgments against you; He has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil.” (Zephaniah 3:15)
When King Nebuchadnezzar observed the three Hebrew children in the flames of the fire he threw them into for not bowing to his image, he was shocked to see a fourth man walking in the flames with them (Daniel 3:25). Regardless of the kind of fire you may be in—whether it’s a fire of some type of sickness or disease, or a struggle in your finances—there is another identity in your midst! The Lord Jesus Christ is with you in the midst of every struggle, abiding IN you, operating THROUGH you and working FOR you each and every day! “The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil” (Zephaniah 3:15).
When you were born again, you instantly became holy and blameless in God’s sight, because He sees you in Christ! In God’s eyes, your past is removed and your sins are forgotten as if they never happened. You have been released from all condemnation and shame, because Jesus bore it all for you. Don’t take anything back from the devil that Jesus paid with His life to remove!
Simply stating you believe something in God’s Word isn’t what produces results. Results are seen through being convinced of the reality that His Word is operating in your heart, your mind and your soul, along with the recognition that as you release your faith, this faith works by love. Not our ability to love God, but rather His amazing ability to love us!
You are a new creation IN CHRIST! What does that look like in your daily life? You can expect miracles! You can confidently expect the best and believe the best! You can love and have compassion on others without hesitation, because you have been given God’s love poured out into your heart! All of this means you can make a difference in your world, no matter how big or small!
Imagine with me for a moment what God has done for each one of us. He’s made us totally new creations by putting us into Christ. He’s rewired us with the mind of Christ, and poured His love into our hearts. He has pledged to do the work in us to want to do and do the things that please Him. We are born of the Spirit—righteous, fresh and alive to a loving, joy giving God! (Galatians 2:20; 1 Cor. 2:16; Romans 5:5; Phil. 2:13)
Romans 8:32 tells us: “He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him [Jesus], graciously give us all things?” You don’t have to pay for it, you don’t have to crawl on your knees until they’re bloody to show God you’re willing to pay a price to receive His grace. No, the bloody knees were on Jesus. God has freely given us all things because of the blood of Jesus Christ!