This morning we continue our series entitled, “Refined Focus”, by continuing with our mini-series entitled, “Focusing on Dying To Self”. Last week I introduced you to the following passage and we began to walk our way through it. Let’s get back to it today and continue.
The Apostle Paul said, “The love of Christ controls us, because we know that one person died for everyone. So all have died. He died for all so that those who live would not continue to live for themselves. He died for them and was raised from death so that they would live for him. From this time on we don’t think of anyone as the world thinks of people. It is true that in the past we thought of Christ as the world thinks. But we don’t think that way now. When anyone is in Christ, it is a whole new world. The old things are gone; suddenly, everything is new!” (2 Cor 5:14-17 ERV).
Today we will continue to focus in on this line: “From this time on we don’t think of anyone as the world thinks of people.” The Contemporary English Version of this verse reads, “We are careful not to judge people by what they seem to be.” Yesterday we focused on relating to other according to their God-given identity, and not merely their earthly identity. Today we will ‘flip the tables’ and turn the focus inward. Not only should you NOT see others from a worldly point of view, but you should not see yourself that way either. Once you are Born-Again and once God reveals His divine purpose for your life, He wants you to accept, embrace and walk in His divine identity. As you die to your old self, you can become the person God called you to be.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
- Once God reveals the plans He made for you before the world began, you are then posed with the decision. You can die to self and your own plans in order to become the man/woman God called you to be, or you can selfishly continue down the path to your own desires, knowing that God has something else for you. If you choose self over God, He won’t stop you. But His plans will be waiting for you when you get tired of living life on your own agenda. God will never give up on you and He will never change His plans.
- Once God reveals His plans for your life, your part is to accept and fully embrace the grace to become the man/woman God planned.
- Just like you should no longer relate to others after the flesh, you should no longer relate to yourself after the flesh either. When you look in the mirror you should see the man/woman God called you to be.
- In the world people’s actions shape their identity. In God’s Kingdom your divine identity shapes your actions.
- You are who God says you are. You can do what God says you can do. Not by your power, but by His unearned and amazing grace.
- When you are Born-again your perspective of everything is supposed to change; especially your perspective of yourself.
- When you see yourself the way God sees you, you don’t get caught up in your past failures, and you don’t see limits in your future. All you see is the person God called you to be.
- The day your opinion of YOU lines up with God’s opinion of YOU is the day you are in position to be used of God to change this world!
I will stop here for today. I still have a lot more to say about this.
Closing Confession: Father, this is a season of refined focus for me. I bring my life into focus in 2016. If I can change my focus, if I can change my perspective, if I can change my thoughts, I will change my life. So I declare, by faith, that I see myself the way You see me. I embrace the grace to become the man/woman You called me to be. I am who You say I am. I can do what You say I can do. I will become the person I was born to be. I will leave a mark in this world that will not be erased. I won’t do this by my power. I will do this by Your grace. It will be You Father, living in me, giving me the words, and performing the work. But in order for You to do it, my opinion of me must match Your opinion of me. From this day forward I declare that it does. I die to self and selfishness. I die to limits and human ability. I only see what You see and that is a life empowered by grace, driven by faith, and fueled by love! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
