Who I Am In Christ

Chapter 31 – “I am a Minister of Reconciliation”

2 Corinthians 5:17-20: “What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!
This newness of life is from God, who brought us back to himself through what Christ did. And God has given us the task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others. We are Christ's ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to you. We urge you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with you, "’Be reconciled to God’”

Chapter 32 – “I am God’s Coworker”

2 Corinthians 6:1-2 “As God's partners (coworkers), we beg you not to reject this marvelous message of God's great kindness. For God says, ‘At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.’ Indeed, God is ready to help you right now. Today is the day of salvation.”

Chapter 33 – “I Am Seated with Christ in the Heavenly Realm”

Ephesians 2:6-7 “For he raised us from the dead along with Christ, and we are seated with him in the heavenly realms--all because we are one with Christ Jesus. And so God can always point to us as examples of the incredible wealth of his favor and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us through Christ Jesus.”

Colossians 2:9-15 “For in Christ the fullness of God lives in a human body, and you are complete through your union with Christ. He is the Lord over every ruler and authority in the universe. When you came to Christ, you were ‘circumcised,’ but not by a physical procedure. It was a spiritual procedure--the cutting away of your sinful nature. For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to a new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ. He forgave all our sins. He canceled the record that contained the charges against us. He took it and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ's cross. In this way, God disarmed the evil rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross of Christ.”

Chapter 34 – “I Am God’s Workmanship (Masterpiece)”

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God's masterpiece (workmanship). He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

To stumble and fall is not failure. To stumble and fall again is not failure. Failure is when you say, “I got pushed!” Don’t fail to try! The only difference between a winner and a loser is that the winner gets up one more time than the loser.

Proverbs 24:16 “For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, But the wicked stumble in time of calamity.”

We should seek to live up to our potential and not look for excuses, but not everybody’s potential is the same. The Lord hasn’t equally distributed gifts, talents or intelligence. But He has equally distributed Himself.

Whom do we seek to please?


Chapter 35 – “I May Approach God with Freedom and Confidence”

Ephesians 3:12 “Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come fearlessly into God's presence, assured of his glad welcome.”

Ephesians 2:18 “Now all of us, both Jews and Gentiles, may come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.”

When should we go before God?
Why do most people pray?
To whom are most people praying?
Do we need an intercessor?
What should be the subject of our prayer?

Paul’s prayers for us:
Ephesians 1:18-20 “I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future he has promised to those he called. I want you to realize what a rich and glorious inheritance he has given to his people. I pray that you will begin to understand the incredible greatness of his power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms.”

Ephesians 3:14-19 “When I think of the wisdom and scope of God's plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”

Chapter 36 – “I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me”

Philippians 4:11-13 “I have learned (by experience) to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

If You Believe You Can, You Can

If you think you are beaten-you are.
If you think you dare not-you don't.
If you want to win but think you can't,
It is almost a cinch you won't.
If you think you'll lose-you're lost.
For out of the world we find
That success begins with a person’s will;
It's all in the state of mind.
Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or the faster;
But sooner or later the one that wins
Is the one who thinks he can.

Believe the Truth

Why should I say “I can't” when the Bible says, "I can do everything through him who gives me strength" (Phil. 4: 13)?
Why should my needs not be met knowing that "My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:19)?
Why should I fear when the Bible says, "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" (2 Tim. 1:7, NKJV)?
Why am I weak when the Bible says, "The Lord is the strength of my life" (Ps. 27: 1, NKJV)?
Why should I allow Satan to have supremacy over my life, for "The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world" (1 John 4:4)?
Why should I worry and fret when l can "Cast all anxiety on him [Christ], because he cares for me" (1 Pet. 5:7)?
Why should I feel condemned when the Bible says, "There is...no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8: 1)?
Why should I ever feel alone when God says, "Never will I never leave you; never wi11 I forsake you" (Heb.
13 :5)?
Why should I be confused since "God is not the author of confusion but of peace" (1 Cor. 14:33, NKJV)?
Why should I feel like a failure when "In all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us" (Rom. 8:37, NASB)?
Why should I let the world bother me when Jesus said, "In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world" John 16:33, NASB)?

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