Know Who You Are in Christ

2 Corinthians 5:21

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. 

JESUS MADE US RIGHT WITH GOD

Romans 5:1

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.

YOU ARE JUSTIFIED BY FAITH IN JESUS

John 15:5

Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

YOU BECOME PART OF THE TRUE VINE WHICH IS JESUS AND MAKE YOU CAPABLE OF INFLUENCING THIS DYING WORLD ABOUT ITS NEED FOR A SAVIOR.

John 15:15

I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.

REMAINING IN JESUS YOU BECOME HIS FRIEND AND CONFIDANT; HE WILL SHARE WITH YOU WHO GOD REALLY IS, HIS TRUE NATURE, HIS TRUTH, HIS PLAN AND HIS PURPOSES FOR YOU.

Ephesians 1:6

So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.

 GOD ACCEPTED US AND GIVES US HIS GRACE OF SALVATION THROUGH JESUS

Acts 1:8

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere

YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SHARE WHAT JESUS HAS DONE FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU BECOME HIS FIRST HAND WITNESS OF THE TRANSFORMATION HE HAS DONE FOR YOUR LIFE.

John 15:17

You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.

WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO TRANSFORM THE WAY WE THINK ABOUT LIFE WITH THE HELP OF JESUS AND WORK OUR WAY TO BECOME LIKE HIM, JESUS HAS CHOSEN AND APPOINTED US TO SHARE WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED FROM GOD, HIS PLAN OF SALVATION THROUGH JESUS; GOD UNCONDITIONAL LOVE FOR HIS CREATION; PRAYERS ANSWERED ACCORDING TO GOD'S COMMANDS; PROTECTION IN ANY GIVEN LIFE ADVERSITY; GOD'S FAVORS IN OUR GOING OUT AND COMING IN; AND ABUNDANCE OF GOD'S BLESSINGS EVEN IN THE MIDST OF THE WORLD'S TRAGEDIES.

Ephesisans 2:10

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

 EACH ONE OF US IS GOD'S MASTERPIECE. WHAT MORE WHEN JESUS WASH OUT OUR SINS WHEN WE ASK HIM TO FORGIVE US AND MAKE HIM OUR LORD AND SAVIOR. GOD PLACES A NEW HEART AND FILLS THE VOID IN OUR HEART TO DO GOOD THINGS NO MATTER WHAT ADVERSITIES IN LIFE WE FACE FROM FRIENDS, FAMILIES AND THE WORLD. GOD CONTINUALLY MOTIVATES US TO BE WHAT HE CREATED US TO BECOME--GOD'S WITNESSES FOR HIS UNDYING LOVE FOR US SINCE THE TIME HE CREATED ADAM AND EVE.

Romans 8:37

No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

IN SPITE OF ADVERSITIES IN LIFE, PERSONAL PROBLEMS AND FINANCIAL NEEDS, WHEN WE STAY IN GOD'S PLAN AND WILL FOR OUR LIFE, WE STAND VICTORIOUS AND OVERCOMERS THROUGH OUR FAITH IN GOD, AND NOT VICTIMS OF THIS WORLD.

1 Peter 2:5

you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

 IN OUR FAITH IN GOD THROUGH JESUS, GOD CONTINUALY WORKS IN OUR LIFE, TEACHING AND GUIDING US TO BE HOLY BEING BUILT STRONG IN CHRIST LIKE LIVING STONES; IN ALL THE THINGS WE DO SACRIFICIALLY GIVING UP ALL THAT ARE UNACCEPTABLE TO GOD. AS JESUS SAID, WE ARE IN THIS WORLD, BUT WE SHOULD NOT BE LIKE THIS WORLD WHICH IS RULED BY THE DEVIL. THE WORLD IS THE DEVIL'S DOMAIN WHERE HE USES PEOPLE AS HIS PAWNS/HOSTAGES TO DO HIS DIRTY WORKS AGAINST GOD. BUT IF WE HANG ON TO GOD NO MATTER HOW THE DEVIL TEMPTS OUR MIND, EMOTIONS AND OUR PRECIOUS HEART, GOD GIVES US HIS ABUNDANT REWARDS HERE AND IN THE ETERNAL LIFE WAITING FOR US.

2 Timothy 1:7

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

BEING IN CHRIST, GOD GIVES US POWER TO LOVE OTHERS EVEN AT TIMES WE DON'T FEEL LIKE LOVING OTHERS. GOD GIVES US POWER OF SELF-DISCIPLINE TO CONTROL OUR EMOTIONS, OUR MIND AND OUR HEART MAKING THEM HEALTHY TO ALLOW US TO BE SPIRIT FILLED AND HAVE LIFE THAT'S GOD CENTERED IN ALL THAT WE DO.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." (Galatians 5:22)

LOVE AND THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT WELL DESCRIBE WHAT GOD'S TRUE NATURE IS. GOD IS LOVE AND THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, HE REVEALED AND MANIFESTED HIS UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. GOD MADE A SACRIFICE THROUGH HIS SON SO WE WILL KNOW AND SEE HIS INNERMOST HEART AND HIS TRUE CHARACTER. GOD IS SO AWESOME. HE DESERVES OUR PRAISE AND OUR LOVE. GOD HAS BEEN WORKING ACTIVELY SINCE ADAM AND EVE FELL OUT OF HIS GRACE, SO WE WILL KNOW HIS PLAN/INTENTION TO SAVE US. GOD EVERSINCE WANTS US TO SPEND OUR DAYS HERE WITH HIM TO PROTECT AND BLESS US IN MANY WAYS THAN ONE AND; GIVES US OUR ULTIMATE REWARDS IN HEAVEN.

Hebrews 4:15-16

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

BEING IN CHRIST, WE HAVE JESUS AS OUR HIGH PRIEST WHO IS FAMILIAR WITH OUR SUFFERINGS HERE ON EARTH. HE WAS CONDEMMED, STONED, WAS CURSED BY PEOPLE TO THE POINT OF CRUCIFYING HIM, AND YET HE WAS SINLESS. HE IS OUR EXAMPLE OF AN OVERCOMER, A VICTOR, A CONQUEROR AND A WINNER. HE FEELS FOR US AND SYMPATHIZES WITH OUR WEAKNESSES. HE KNOWS WE ARE SINNERS, ARROGANT AND HAUGHTY IN OUR CHARACTER AND IN OUR HEART BUT HE IS WILLING TO TRANSFORM US TO BE PURE AND WHITE AS SNOW. HE IS WILLING TO TRANSFORM OUR EMOTIONS WHOSE SO SENSITIVE AND ALWAYS ON A PITY-PARTY WHICH CAUSES ALL KINDS OF HEALTH PROBLEMS IN OUR LIFE. HE IS WILLING TO TRANSFORM OUR MIND TO LEARN THE THINGS OF GOD AND SEE THE WORLD IN GOD'S EYES. BEST OF ALL HE IS WILLING TO HEAL OUR HEART AND REMOVE THE VOID THAT MAKE US DISCONTENTED, UNHAPPY, DESPERATE, DESPAIRED AND DEPRESSED.

THROUGH JESUS WE CAN APPROACH GOD WITH CONFIDENCE THAT HE WILL LISTEN AND ANSWER OUR NEEDS, EMOTIONALLY, PHYSICALLY, FINANCIALLY. WE CAN ASK GOD FOR ANYTHING BECAUSE WE HAVE JESUS AS A PERMANENT RESIDENT IN OUR HEART.

GOD GIVES US AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST. DON'T STAY IN THE BOAT, GET OUT AND WALK ON THE WATER  WHERE JESUS IS WAITING TO TRANSPIRE US TO SOMEONE INDESTRUCTIBLE BY OUR COMMON ENEMY WHO IS THE GREATEST DECEIVER OF THIS WORLD.

^{Matthew 14:  27} But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!^[c]”

 ²⁸ Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”

 ²⁹ “Yes, come,” Jesus said.

   So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the strong^[d] wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.

 ³¹ Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”

In Christ, we are winners, overcomers, victors and conquerors in anything that we set our mind into.

Five Principles That Lead to Victory

Stop Focusing on your circumstances and begin focusing on the promises of God.

....Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"

 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" Matthew 14:29-31

Be Willing to make a commitment not to give up

Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him;
       I will surely ^[a] defend my ways to his face. Job 13:a5

Claim your position in Christ

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

...."Never will I leave you; 
      never will I forsake you."  Hebrews 13:5

Cling to the anchor of your soul--- the Lord Jesus Christ

No matter what anyone says to you, once you know that God has set the course for you to travel, be willing to cling and endure, and you will enjoy His goodness in a way that you have never felt. When you are anchored to Christ, you will not be blown off course.

Cry out to God

This poor man called, and the LORD heard him;
       he saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, 

and he delivers them. Psalm 34:6-7

The Reasons for Problems and Trials

Our priorities get out of line, and He wants to show us how to readjust them

Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Luke 12:22

But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Luke 12:31

God allows adversity to touch our lives so that we will turn to Him

Nothing gets our attention any quicker than adversity. Nothing has the power to threaten our sense of peace and joy the way tribulation does. Many times, God uses difficulty and heartache to draw us back to Himself and to make us aware of His intimate love. He enjoys our company and wants to build a personal relationship with us.

You are operating in your own strength--doing whatever you felt would be right and not considering God's specific plan for your life.

God uses adversity to purify us and prepare us for greater service

What is the focus of your heart? Are you fixated on the details of your life or are you focused on God and His will and provision for your life. If the wind and the rain have your attention, then you will struggle because you will not have a strong sense of who God is or of His great love for you. Oswald Chambers reminds us, "Kept by the power of God--this is our only safety."

God uses adversity to conform us to His image

It is hard to imagine how we can learn to think like God, but we can. We never will have His infinite knowledge, but we can learn to think and reason with His perspective in mind. However, it takes discipline. In the eye of a storm, you may even conclude that you will make it through the difficulty because God is with you. However, a few days later, you find that your faith has dwindled, and you feel helpless and not able to continue.

Christ came to them walking on the water! He heard their cries. The fact is these men were in God's classroom. They were learning what it meant TO TRUST HIM ENTIRELY--no matter how threatening the winds and waves of adversity appeared. (Matthew 14:22-33)

God allows adversity so that we may experience His comfort.

Jesus Christ will care for you in an even greater way (Luke 10:30-36). He binds up your broken heart and though the storm clouds may rest over your life for some time, He does not become weary or threaten to abandon you. He is committed to taking care of your needs and listening as you express the fear your heart is feeling. However, the moment you release your doubts to Him, He changes the way you view your situation. Instead of feeling defeated and as if the end is near, He gives you hope to hold out and fresh courage to face any and every difficulty. When adversity strikes, your first reaction may  be to wonder, "Why me, Lord?" But Like Paul who suffered many trials and emerged a victor, your life will be used to bring comfort and hope to those who are hurting and have never known the love of the Savior. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

The storms of life reveal the depth of our convictions (a fixed or firmly held belief, opinion)

Your convictions reveal who you are and what you believe. When we are weak, God is strong (1 Corinthians 4:10). And when we stand on the convictions we have in Christ, then we will be able to weather the storms of life victoriously.

Adversity can signal an oncoming change.

God uses adversity to get our attention and redirect our lives.

In a split second, Paul went from being a man who was breathing threats against the followers of Christ, to a person who was completely humble in the presence of breathing threats against the followers of Christ, to a person who was completely humble in the presence of God. His human blindness was a doorway to spiritual insight. Suddenly, he knew that Jesus was Lord and all he wanted to do was to serve Him. In that short moment, Saul of Tarsus became Paul, a committed follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. His eyesight was restored, but he never forgot the time He saw Jesus.

When problems come and you do not understand why, ask the Lord, "What are you saying to me? Do you want to reshape something in my life? Are you purifying me for a purpose, redirecting me for a reason?" God always will make His way through the storm clear to you. You may not understand why the clouds have appeared, but you can trust the One who has allowed them to gather.

God never wastes your sorrows. Whatever you are facing today, you can be sure that He will use it in some dramatic way tomorrow to bring glory to Himself and to bless you.

Excerpts from: How to LET GOD Solve Your Problems by Charles F. Stanley