Mentoring Minutes

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”  Romans 8:1 (KJ21)

Love and Lordship in Focus…So many of us love to hear those encouraging words that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ…but we struggle with the part that concludes who we are in Christ by our walking according to His Spirit and not our flesh! Make sure you are walking in His Spirit and His Word!

We’re talking now about what it means to be secure in Christ and what that looks like according to His Truth, knowing that our identity is defined by and secure in Him.

Did you know that because He has saved all who believe that, as a believer, you are forever free from condemnation (Romans 8:1-8). This does not mean that you can claim His grace and go on sinning (see Romans 6) but knowing that you’ve been saved by grace through faith you continue to walk in that identity by living in grace through faith!

Romans 8 goes on to tell us that those who are no longer condemned because they are in Christ are those who walk not according to the flesh but according to The Spirit. Your new identity in Christ, His love for you and yours for Him compels you to walk away from the things of the flesh and selfish desires and in surrender to Him, walk according to His word and Spirit!

This is your identity in Christ…know that you can daily and moment by moment choose to walk out the Truths of His Word and Spirit. That’s what He’s done for you (and me…all who believe) in abolishing the works of the Law that none of us could keep and therefore our identity was that of sin and failure. He has changed all of that!

He took all of that upon Himself and gave us this new identity with no condemnation that we can now grow in according to His Life (Spirit) in us!

Have you received Him as Savior and Lord and are now walking and growing  in your new identity in which sin and the flesh to not rule over you (it is a process – discipleship and sanctification)? Or are you claiming Him as Savior and still walking according to the flesh?

Spend time in The Word and prayer and ask Him to have His way in every part of your life as you walk in the new identity of His Spirit and without condemnation!

We continue in seeking God’s Word of Truth for who He says that we are…our identity…and the reality is that we are accepted and secure in Christ. Those are good places to be if we will let them sink in and walk accordingly by faith through grace.

Building on the just mentioned Truth, in Christ and walking in His Spirit, we are free from any condemnation as Christ has paid the price. Even if we stumble in our walk and maturity, as we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:7-9). Does that sound familiar from last week’s post?

This means that He has taken and abolished any accusations that the enemy or our own mind and flesh bring against us…we are free from any charges (Romans 8:31-34). The question is will you reject the now false charges from the flesh, the world and the enemy, and walk in His forgiveness, freedom and righteousness? Or will you allow the enemy to deceive and shame you into walking back into and committing those sins again?

You have a choice. He has taken that punishment for your sin(s) as well as made you righteous. He literally became sin and took our sin(s) so that we who believe are now made righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21). Yet another familiar promise from His Word that should strengthen us in our walk and assurance of who we are in Christ. Walk in His Truth and believe and there can be no charge held against you because He has taken it.

Are you walking in that kind of forgiveness and freedom in Christ? You can. God is on your side…Christ is proof of that! So who can stand (or bring any charges) against you?

This who you are in Christ!

I hope you’re seeing how loved you are by God in His acceptance of you in Christ and realizing that you are secure in Him. As long as you remain in Christ by grace through faith, nothing can shake you. If you are being shaken, know He is there to make and keep you secure…check your relationship with Him.

We continue with the assurance of security as we realize in His Word that we will always have what we need (not all we want because God knows us better than we know ourselves and loves us too much to give us the selfish desires of our heart) (Philippians 4:19). We have this because of His grace (undeserved favor) and mercy (undeserved forgiveness and pardon) in Christ so that we now receive all the help we need (Hebrews 4:16).

Grace and mercy are the greatest needs we have for without them we could not hope to be saved, to know Him or be assured of our eternal salvation in Christ. Because Christ has paid the price, God’s perfect grace and mercy have been extended to us in gifts that we could never deserve (salvation, sanctification, blessings, eternal life and so much more) and in pardon and forgiveness that we can in no way earn…but Christ has made it so that we have help for every need. We can come boldly (and humbly) into God’s presence because Christ has made us holy (completely forgiven) and whole (healed) so that I’m perfect in God’s sight even as I continue to mature in His grace and mercy becoming more like Christ!

How reassuring is that? Do you know that regardless of what you’ve done or where you’ve been, you can freely receive His gift of grace and mercy at any time that covers every real need that you have (the Only Way)? He will see you through no matter what.

How reassuring and comforting is that security in Him? I pray that you know Him and His grace and mercy!  

Food for Thought…Do you know that regardless of what you’ve done or where you’ve been, you can freely receive His gift of grace and mercy at any time that covers every real need that you have (the Only Way)? He will see you through no matter what. I pray that you know Him and His grace and mercy!

Love in Action –

1. Read the Scriptures in this article and ask The Holy Spirit to teach you.
2. Journal what you’ve learned about your identity in Christ in this post. 
3. Make a list of those things that you’re insecure about.
4. Pray about your list and ask The Lord to show you in His Word and by His Spirit that He is your assurance and security in every trial and uncertainty.

Contact us at loveandlordship@gmail.com to find out more about how you can know God the Father, Christ His Son and The Holy Spirit.

Love and Lordship Prayer Focus…Heavenly Father, I have so many wants that I think are needs but in receiving Christ I begin to realize that my greatest needs are forgiveness and salvation and He has paid it all for me to freely receive these. I have all I need by Your grace and mercy in Him. Thank You and help me to share this with others so they can know Him and rest assured that they have all they need by Your grace and mercy. In Jesus Name. Amen.

“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:27

Love and Lordship in Focus…In Christ you have both an individual identity and an incredible identity of belonging to His Family, The Church. May we love one another in such a way to make every member confident of who they are in Christ!

In last week’s post we looked at our identity as being united with Christ in spirit as individuals and alluded to the unity of the Body of Christ. This unity is essential to who we are in Christ because we are literally members of His Body (1 Corinthians 12:27).

Paul describes our identity and unity in specific analogous terms of our own bodies and reminds us that every part is important and plays its role only as we accept our identity and humbly and diligently do our part.

As a former athlete and coach, one of the greatest things I learned and taught applies here in our identity. When we try to do things that we were not given, skilled or prepared to do we end up much less effective and often “on the bench.”

However, when we recognize our calling, abilities, preparation and roles…our IDENTITY…we find that, in humility, we are much more effective in abiding in Christ and accomplishing the purpose that we were called and created for, both personally and collectively in His Body.

If you are a believer in Christ, He lovingly and boldly calls you to walk in that identity and be confident, content and fulfilled (true humility) in His purpose in and through you to love others. The thing that most often gets in the way of us sharing, serving and loving others is our discontent with who we are in Christ because we allow the world and others define us.

Christ is the only One who can truly let you know who you are and what He has created you for…look to and be fulfilled in Him and who you are in Him!

Paul tells us in Romans that we have all sinned and are sinners. In our proud flesh that’s a hard pill to swallow because each of us thinks we’re pretty good folks. But sin is our default and it separates us from God. That’s the identity that satan wants you to carry with you to the end so that his work of killing, stealing and destroying are complete… “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;” (John 10:10a).

None of us wants that identity but we are stuck with it…that is until The One who came to bring us life and not just life but abundant life (John 10:10b)… “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” He gave His life to change it all! That’s the identity that we all truly desire because we were created for it (Ecclesiastes 3:11). We were made for, and to desire, eternity but we blew it. Christ came to restore our real identity so we could be assured of eternity.  However, without Him forgiving us and making us holy and whole we have no chance of entering into that Eternity with Him.

That’s why understanding and walking in our identity in Him is so powerful. Each of us as sinners in our natural flesh, once we by grace through faith believe in Christ, are made saints that can live forever with our God. Everyone who has received Christ and, is faithful in Christ, is addressed as saint (1 Corinthians 1:2)!

How’s that for an identity? You can live assuredly that you are saved and God sees you as a saint, even when you stumble, as long as you remain in Christ because He has already made you so.

Are you still living in a sinner identity with all the destructive repercussions of that life…OR are you living as the saint that Christ died to make you?

We’re talking about Love and identity in Christ. My hope and prayer is that you understand what that means and by knowing Christ you truly know who you are in Him.

Another part of our identity in Christ is found in one of the most beautiful revelations about who we are not only in Christ but with Him. John 15:13-15 plainly tells us in the context of being branches in The Vine (Christ) and walking in His Love that He has called us friends. I am a friend of God, of Christ, as I walk and remain in Him as my Savior and Lord!

Do you realize that as a believer in Christ you are in an intimate friendship with Him? Are you living and growing in that friendship with Him? What does it look like to be in and build a friendship with anyone, including God Himself?

I pray you do know Him and are walking as His friend because that is what He has called you. Are you spending time with Him, in His Word, prayer and listening to Him…that’s how you grow a friendship! I pray that just as Christ has made The Father known to you that you will make Him known to others…that’s true friendship!

We have been focusing on our identity as being accepted of God as His children, friends, redeemed, saints, a part of His Body, The Church, forgiven and whole, all in Christ.

We close today’s message with the reality (don’t miss this word in all of these things that we’ve been discovering or rediscovering that we are in Him) that we are secure in Him and all the ways that we are…

Because of God’s great Love given to me (to you and all believers) in Christ, I am now reborn of God and because of His Love and Grace the evil one can’t touch me (1 John 5:18). I may choose to step out of that and enter into sin, which invites the enemy and sin back into my life and in so doing have to deal with the consequences. I can be forgiven as I recognize, confess and repent of those sins (1 John 1:7-9). But as long as I choose by grace through faith to remain in all that He has given me in Christ then I belong to Him, reborn in Christ, secure in Him and protected from the enemy.

Food for Thought…As a believer in Christ as Savior and Lord, you have the security and assurance of being born of God in Christ, protected from all the enemy brings against you as you remain in Him. You also have the assurance that you are an integral and much needed part of His Body, The Church! Are you allowing Him to define you and do you know who you are in Him?

Love in Action –

1. Read the Scriptures in this article and ask The Holy Spirit to teach you.
2. Journal what you’ve learned about your identity in Christ in this post. 
3. Take it a step further and journal how God has recreated you in Christ, gifted you for His purposes, and how you are/can be used of Him for His Glory.

Contact us at loveandlordship@gmail.com to find out more about how you can know God the Father, Christ His Son and The Holy Spirit.

Love and Lordship Prayer Focus Heavenly Father, Your Word has made it so clear that, in Christ, I’m saved and set apart for a specific purpose in my life! It also declares that in Him I have a purpose in fellowship with others in His Church to fulfill Your will, build Your Kingdom and bring You Glory! Thank You for making me who I am in Christ! In His Name. Amen.

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?For you have been bought for a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Love and Lordship in Focus…It cost God, in Christ, everything for us to be saved and to be His sons and daughters, to be His masterpiece and workmanship. Is there anything that keeps you from giving your life back to Him?

We continue to look at who we are and how we are accepted by God in Christ. We are His children, adopted, redeemed, restored and forgiven, and we are complete and whole in Him! That alone is enough but there is much more.

You are all of the above because He chose to pay the price and give His Life for you (and me and all who believe)…there is no greater value that could ever be placed on you! You have been bought with the highest of prices…the blood of the Perfect Lamb of God, Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)!

How are you responding to the reality that Christ considered you so valuable that He would give Himself in your place so you could be His…bought with His sacrifice? What are you doing with your body, mind, soul and spirit that honors Him and lets Him know that you understand that you are accepted…valued and esteemed…above everything else in all of Creation.

You and me, all who believe in Him, are priceless…there is no other price that could, or needs to, be paid for He paid it all…just for you!

If you haven’t figured it out yet, trying to do it on your own and allow the world to dictate who you are by comparisons, ratings and rankings, never works. You will always come up short. Only in Christ and the price He paid will we find fulfillment as we belong to God.

You belong to God but He will not force the relationship. Love compels us, just as it did Him, if we will understand it according to His Word and Christ’s living it out for us, and by faith through grace receive His Gift and choose to belong to The King of kings and Lord of lords!

Do you recognize how valuable you are? I pray you do and if you don’t know or fully understand it contact us at loveandlordship@gmail.com.

Unfortunately we are all sinners apart from Christ (Romans 3:23). That’s not a good identity and as a matter of fact it is the one thing that causes us to seek our identity in any and everything but Him. This is fleeting and destructive…but we have a new and incredible identity in Christ and this is what we continue to unpack so you can know and love who you are in Him.

If you believe in Christ you have been bought with the precious invaluable blood of Jesus (no greater price could be paid for you or value placed on you) and you have been forgiven and redeemed.

In this state and with this identity, each of us in Christ, has been justified (Romans 3:24)…(“just if I’d”) never sinned. Your sin, guilt, shame and brokenness have been removed…they no longer identify who you are because your sins have been completely wiped away! Having been justified you are now at peace with God (Romans 5:1). This is your new identity and the only way you go back to your old identity is by choosing in your own free will to return to sin.

By faith through grace you can daily walk as never having sinned because Jesus has justified you before God and you’ve received the gift of eternal life (Romans 6:23)!

Why would you ever choose to continue in or go back to your old identity when Christ has made you totally new and taken away your sin – justified…again, “just if I’d” never sinned. What a great identity!

You can have this new identity in Christ and allow Him to change and make you over and carry that new identity into your relationships, marriages and families because of Christ in you.

When you come (or came) to know Christ you were forgiven of all your sins and given the gift of The Holy Spirit. Because Christ’s blood and sacrifice has made you Holy and whole, The Holy Spirit now dwells in You.

This means many things but for starters we simply want to recognize that by The Spirit we have direct access to our Heavenly Father (Ephesians 2:18). The Holy Spirit goes directly before us and intercedes for us right before God Himself (Romans 8:26-27).

This is who you are and because of your identity in Christ you have a direct line to God! Know who you are in Christ and by His Spirit take full advantage of your access to Almighty God in everything!

Do you know Him? Are you availing yourself of the access you have as a child of God indwelt by The Holy Spirit directly into God’s very presence? You can. That’s incredible!

As we continue with what God’s Truth says about the identity of those who are in Christ and how we are loved and accepted by Him, His Word tells us that as children of His, made right in Christ, that we are literally united with Our Lord (1 Corinthians 6:17)!

We are in a relationship with Him, we can stand completely unashamed in His Presence and His Holy Spirit dwells within us, that very same Spirit makes us one with Him. Our spirit unites with His Spirit. If that doesn’t help you recognize how much you mean to Him and your identity in Christ, what will it take?

The same grace and faith that saves you indwells you and strengthens your spirit by His Spirit. You can choose moment by moment in His grace by your faith to love and obey Him…and know that You are His, valued and treasured so much so that He has paid the price for you and united Himself with you. PTL!

This is not only essential to who you are in The Lord but also to who you are in His Body, The Church (Ephesians 4:2-6). He calls us and saves us to be One in Him and One together in Him… that’s how each of us and all of us as His Body shows the world His Truth in humility, patience, gentleness and Love!

Food for Thought…Do you know Christ as Savior and Lord? Do you know that you are so highly esteemed that if He is your Savior and Lord that you are one with Him? You can. Why wouldn’t you?

Love in Action –

1. Read the Scriptures in this article and ask The Holy Spirit to teach you.
2. Journal what you’ve learned about your identity in Christ in this post. 
3. Spend time in God’s Word and prayer and ask The Holy Spirit to show you what it means to be all that Christ has made you based on the His sacrifice and His promises in His Word.

Contact us at loveandlordship@gmail.com to find out more about how you can know God the Father, Christ His Son and The Holy Spirit.

Love and Lordship Prayer Focus…Heavenly Father, when I think of all that You Are and all You’ve created and done, including giving me life and even when I’ve failed, giving me new life in Christ by grace through faith. How can I think of myself as anything less than Your Word proclaims me to be and Christ’s sacrificial Gift has made me as I believe in Him? Thank You for the incredible oneness and identity that I have with You in Christ! In His Name. Amen.