At one time or another, you’ve probably heard the phrase “dress for success”. It’s a bit of often-used advice, which basically means that you should always wear the appropriate clothes for whatever position or status that you are seeking to achieve. For example, you shouldn’t attend a high-level job interview in tattered clothes; but instead in a nice outfit appropriate for the intended vocation.
Spiritually speaking, the same type of advice applies, although with a couple of twists. First of all, we don’t really dress to attain a position, rather we dress because we already have a position.
And secondly, we don’t actually dress ourselves in this case, but rather we are clothed with a dress attire, given to us by none other than Jesus Christ Himself!
This is what I want to share with you today in this study; and by seeing this truth you will be able to step into your new identity in Christ with fresh eyes and a fresh perspective on what Jesus has given to you today.
A phrase that is often heard (at least in the United States) is “Don’t sleep with the enemy” – it’s a phrase of advice, and it is basically advising against maintaining a friendly relationship with an adversary, or someone on an opposing side.
It’s good advice, not only for the physical world, but for the spiritual realm as well. In-fact there is a very interesting example of just such an occurrence happening in scripture, and through it, we can see an amazing truth and a wonderful picture of Jesus, and what we have today in Him. That is what I want to share for you today in this study.
Why did Jesus die? It’s a simple question that will get you a myriad of different answers. There is also another question that follows along with it… since He died, what does that mean for you today? It’s amazing that something so simple and so foundational to this thing known as Christianity, can be so confused and so misunderstood. But answering these questions is essential to living the live that Christ truly wants us to live… and it may not be what you expect – it probably isn’t what you have been told or what you have believed.
You see, Jesus didn’t die just for your old identity to endure – for you to remain a “sinner” and just suffer here on the earth as a broken vessel hoping and waiting for everything to be made well one day when you finally go to Heaven.
No, Jesus died for your remove that old identity from you and to give you a completely new identity, and to place His Spirit back inside of you, to indwell you fully and to give you His righteousness and a proper place as a beloved child of God.
This is the truth that I want to share with you today, and as you receive this truth, you will be able to enjoy new levels of union with Christ and enjoy the new identity that you have in Him.
The woman with the blood issue, is one of the more well-known accounts of healing mentioned in the scripture. Literally thousands of sermons (probably more) have been preached on it over the years. Many have been from the perspective of “You need to sacrifice everything and press-in through the crowd to receive healing! You need to keep on pushing to touch Jesus!”
However, what I want to share with you today, is a different perspective on the entire thing; a perspective not focused on ourselves, or our works, but one focused on the love and mercy of Jesus Christ. As I meditated on this some amazing things came to light, that I am excited to share with you today.
We’ve discussed previously about having joy in Christ – and that’s a phrase that’s fairly common; there’s even songs sung about the joy of the LORD. We know as Christians, joy is something that we are supposed to have (and happiness also, even though some deny that today), yet very few people actually seem to have joy or happiness.
I have been to far too many churches and encountered far too many people who put on fake smiles, church-masks, and take on an entirely different persona when they are around others. Inside, they really are not happy. Inside they really have no joy.
And what makes it even worse is that they are afraid, ashamed and embarrassed to mention this fact to any of their Christian friends, because then the friend might look at them differently, treat them differently, or maybe even begin to gossip to other church members (more common than you might think!)
However the reality is that the friend is probably feeling the exact same way on the inside!
So, what I want to share with you today in this study, is how to receive real joy, real happiness, which only comes from Jesus Christ and His finished work. The kind of joy and happiness that lasts, and endures. The kind that can not be taken away.
Most people who have read the book of 1st Corinthians, are familiar with the phrase from chapter 13, stating that if you do not have love, nothing else matters. Most people and most preachers for that matter present this in a way which makes it seem as though this verse is saying you must work up love, and do your best to love others – and most people tend to accept and believe that to be true.
However, what I want to share with you today is a different perspective. As we take a look at 1st Corinthians 13, through the lens of Grace and the finished work of Christ, we begin to see something different than what is generally assumed. Something less focused on our efforts to try and work-up love within ourselves, and something more (properly) focused on Christ, His finished work, and His love for us. By seeing this, you will have a new appreciation and application of the love of God in your daily life.
When talking about sickness, many people take a hopeful cautious attitude. “It’s raining outside, and the weather is cold, I hope I don’t get sick.” – “Gee, that virus is going around, I hope I am not next to get it.”
These statements are the norm, and they may even seem logical. However, are these attitudes really the way that God wants us to live? Is this the kind of abundant life that Jesus suffered and died on the cross for us to have?
What I want to share with you today, are some thought-provoking questions like the ones I just mentioned, and some scriptures that will open your awareness and increase your perspective regarding healing and health. Because Jesus didn’t suffer and die on the cross so that you would continue to suffer and die – but in-fact He has redeemed you from the curse, and as His ambassador, you should be walking in His blessings (all of them) and bringing them to others also.
One of the biggest areas of doubt for many people is a lack of hope. And as we have studied in the past many times, I am not speaking of hope as the world understands it to be, but I am speaking of spiritual hope, Biblical hope.
You see, worldly hope is like a wish, a dream, something that you don’t really expect.
Whereas spiritual hope, is a confident expectation.
In the Bible, when you see the word “hope” – especially in connection with Christ, it is always the spiritual kind of hope, the confident expectation of good.
For many people, their confidence is constantly being attacked and challenged. Their hope is always being pressed by situations, circumstances, thoughts and feelings. The world even likes to say “don’t get your hopes up!” – and that same sentiment has infiltrated churches as well.
I have been in many churches, where I have shared with my Christian brothers and sisters that I was believing for a miracle, and they would respond with something along the lines of:
“Yeah! That sure would be great… but don’t get your hopes up.”
“Absolutely! That would be amazing! But I can’t count on it.”
What I want to share with you today, is why you should go ahead and get your hope up, and also keep it up in Christ Jesus. And how by having a proper perspective through the lens of the finished work of Christ for you, you can stand against these attacks against your hope, and show others to do the same.
When someone mentions the word “curse”, how do you react? For many Christians, fear comes over them when they hear of curses… they are afraid that they can be cursed – and some that I have spoken with, even believed that a curse was on them already.
It seems that when it comes to curses, many of us have lost sight of the finished work of Christ and the truth of His redemption. We have more trust in the power of the curse, than the power of Jesus’ redemption; or we just don’t believe that He has redeemed us. In either case, the false belief must give way to the truth, and in this study today, I want to share with you the truth regarding curses – that just like the title of this study says: No Curse Can Touch You!
One of the titles of Jesus Christ that many people are familiar with is “the Good Shepherd”. There have been countless sermons preached around this title of Jesus, usually in connection with the parable of the lost sheep. And though we assume that everyone understands the meaning of the title “Good Shepherd”, it is striking how many people make assumptions about His character and behavior, that even by lower, worldly standards, would not be good at all.
What I mean, is that there are a lot of people who hold a view of God’s nature and character that are actually less than good – maybe because those are the things they have heard preached all of their lives, and so they just believe it without question; or for another reason all together – but I have heard it many times where people have told me that they have a view not of a good shepherd who loves and cares for his sheep, but instead they expect a shepherd who beats his sheep, abuses them, harms them, or refuses to feed and care for them.
But my friend, this could not be further from the truth of your real Good Shepherd.
So today, I want to encourage you with this study about how your good shepherd is really good.