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May 2013

Welcome! Let us continue this month by learning to declare who we are and the things we have in Christ Jesus. "And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ ."1

As God answers the above prayer, you will become more generous in your relationships as you understand and experience how generous God has been to you in Christ. For this to happen, your faith must increase by hearing and meditating on God's Word. 2

The A to Z Identity System . . .

This system is a useful tool to help us meditate, understand and experience your identity in Christ. I pray that you will pick up this simple technique to remind yourself of who you are in Christ. Let's stat with "A" saying:

  • I am accepted.
  • I am anointed.
  • I am the apple of God's eye.

Now move to the "B" and so on, saying:

  • I am blessed.
  • I am the beloved, so I be loved.
  • I am blood bought.
  • I am a child of God.
  • I am compassionate.
  • I am delivered
  • I am eternally secure.
  • I am forgiven, free, etc.

The Lord gave this tool to me while teaching a class in the prison chapel. The men and myself picked it up and ran with it. Before we knew it, we were at "Z," saying, "I am zealous" and then we jumped around to all the letters having fun as the joy of the Lord filled our hearts to overflowing.

The brothers in the class along with myself see one another daily reminding each other who we are in Christ by shouting out a letter, such as "R," with responses, "I am the Righteousness of God in Christ."

Meditating the Promises . . .

Meditation is a constant looking at one thing until that becomes an inner image and the inner image becomes so real that you begin to speak as though it is already in existence. For us, we're ". . . looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."3

Let your throne room reality become so real that you see yourself sitting there in Him. Then, you speak of the reality of who you are in Christ finished work until you see yourself as He is in this world " . . . raised up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus."4

  • I am crucified.
  • I am buried.
  • I am risen
  • I am seated.
  • I am hidden
  • I am reigning.

This A to Z meditating tool helps to keep you covenant minded. As you read through the Bible, especially the New Testament Epistles, you bring to mind inner images of God's promises from A to Z. For instance, when you hear a promise, meditate on it and then proclaim it:

  • I Peter 2: 24 - "I am healed."
  • John 3:16 - "I am loved"
  • 1 Corinthians 12:27 - I am a member of Christ's body."
  • 2 Corinthians 5:17 - I am a new creation."
  • Colossians 1: 12 - "I am qualified."
  • 3 John 2 - "I am prosperous in the soul."

As you find more and more words describing who you are in Christ, plug them into your A to Z system. You can write them down, but the idea is to plug them into your memory for meditation. You'll be able to have several words for each letter, such as "I am saved, sound minded, sanctified, significant and secure in Christ."

Challenging Every Thought

The enemy of our mind brings all sorts of thoughts contrary to the promises of God, saying: "I'm sick and tired," "I'm dying," "I'm losing my mind," "I'm worried," and others. We are not to place faith in those lies, but instead ". . . casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."5

As we recall our A to Z Identity System, we keep ourselves on track to the knowledge of God by bringing every thought captive to the knowledge of the truth.

"You [God] will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You."6

  • I have the mind of Christ.
  • I have a sound mind in Christ.
  • I have perfect peace, because I trust in God.

We have a responsibility to be assertive in Christ against the thoughts of the enemy. Thank God, He has given use the grace [ability] to respond through the power of the Holy Spirit. I believe when we confess the Word of God, He creates our reality.7

Projecting Christ . . .

It is a proven fact even in psychology that we project upon others what is in our hearts. The apostle John writes:

"And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid of the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world."8

Our spirit is made perfect in love when we are born again, but our soul [mind, will, emotions] is always growing to become more perfect in love. As our thoughts line up with God's thoughts of who we are in Christ, His love lows forth as the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.9 As the apostle Paul wrote to Titus, "Everything is pure to those whose hears are pure..."10

  • I am loving.
  • I am joyful.
  • I am peaceful.
  • I am patient.
  • I am kind, etc.

When you see yourself as God sees you, you'll begin to project that upon others. What you have in Christ, you'll see others. What you can do in Christ, you'll see others able to do as well. Your whole view of God, yourself and other will be changed, ". . . because we live like Jesus here in this world."

  • I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

An Exhortation for you . . .

Dear Friends,

You must build each other up in your most hold faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God's love.

And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.

Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present and beyond all time! Amen.11

Scripture References (NLT):

1. Philemon 6 
2. Rom. 10: 17
3. Heb. 12: 2 (NKJV)
4. Eph. 2.6
5. 2 Cor. 10: 5 (KJV)
6. Isa. 26:3 (NKJV)
7. Matt. 12:35-37
8. 1John 4:17
9. Gal. 5: 22-23
10. Titus 1:15a
11. Jude 20-25