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).
A couple of days ago we learned that we should not know people from merely a human point of view. In order to truly know who others are, we must see them the way God sees them. Once we do, we are able to discover their true identity. Yesterday we learned that we must take the same approach with ourselves. We don’t even know who we are until God reveals our true identity. Today I will continue to flow in that same vein.
Abram the idol worshipper had to be introduced to Abraham. Once he was he was able to become the Father of Faith. Moses was raised as an Egyptian. He was living as a fugitive in exile until God introduced him to his destiny at a burning bush. After this encounter Moses became a Redeemer. Gideon was living as a scared farmer when God introduced him to his destiny. This revelation helped convert Gideon from a coward to a champion. David was living as a lowly shepherd boy when the Lord introduced him to the thought of becoming king. David embraced the possibility and in the fulness of time he became the leader of Judah and then of a unified Israel. Simon the Fisherman lived all his life fishing for fish until the Lord revealed a different identity. When Simon the Fisherman was introduced to his true self he embraced it and became Peter the Apostle, a fisher of men. Saul of Tarsus spent years becoming a Pharisee of the Pharisees, until the Lord introduced him to his true self. Once the introduction was made Saul of Tarsus became the Apostle Paul. In every case two things had to happen. First, an introduction had to be made to their true self. Second, each individual had to be willing to die to the person they became on their own, in order to become the person they were called to be.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. You don’t even know who you are until God reveals your true identity to you.
2. Prior to being Born-Again you knew yourself after the flesh. After being Born-Again the Father introduces you to your true identity. At that point the Father expects you to learn to know yourself after the Spirit and not the flesh. God wants you to embrace your divine identity over the one you grew to know on your own.
3. Sometimes you are going to have to accept your divine identity by faith.
a. There will be times when you don’t ‘feel’ like the person God called you to be, but God expects you to embrace His identity anyway. You must choose faith over feelings.
b. There will be times when you don’t feel worthy of the call of God on your life. But you must accept the fact that Jesus made you worthy.
c. There will be times when you feel like the call of God on your life is simply too big for you to accomplish. God will step in and tell you that you are right. But He never expected you to accomplish it without Him. If you die to self, He will be the one doing the work through you. You can’t, but He can, and He will, if you will allow Him.
4. What God has called you to is a Spiritual thing. You must embrace your identity by faith. You must accept the enormity of the assignment by reminding yourself that it came to you by grace; not because are so good, but because God is.
5. The day you fully embrace your divine identity will be the day you begin to live the life God birthed you to live, and the results will be supernatural.
Closing Confession: Father, this is a season of refined focus for me. I bring my life into focus in 2016. I know I am called. I know I was born for a reason. I know I have a divine purpose. I am on this planet to become the person You called me to be. I declare that I do. I embrace my divine assignment. I thank You Father for introducing ME to me! I lived my life on this earth for years without knowing my true identity. I know it now. I know myself because You have revealed ME to me. I embrace the grace to live as the person I am called to be. Even when I don’t feel like it, when I don’t feel worthy, when I don’t feel up to the task, when I feel like the assignment is way too big for me, I make a decision to live by faith and not by feelings. I release my faith to walk in my divine purpose. I release my faith to walk in my divine identity. You know me, I now know me, and soon the world will know me, because I am determined to live as my TRUE SELF! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
