In the middle of a divorce, at the bedside of my dying dad, lying in the hospital recovering from surgery are just a few times in my life where I felt powerless. These moments gave me clarity that I really don’t have control over anything but my choices, my attitudes, and my beliefs. However, these moments also made me aware of the inner strength, peace, and love I had because I was a disciple of Jesus Christ.
In this broken world in our imperfect human condition, we will face pain. But just like Jesus, we can overcome our thoughts and emotions when we are walking with God. As Jesus lives in us, we have his peace, his strength, his grace, and his mercy. Once we ask Jesus to be the Lord of our lives, we also are empowered with new life, an unchangeable Christ identity, and the power to love like Christ.
New Life
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Cor 5:17 NLT)
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Rom 10:9 NIV)
When we are saved through Jesus Christ, we have a new eternal spirit and life in our imperfect human condition. This is one of the miracles of God’s love and Christ’s grace. Jesus tells us that nothing can separate us from his love.
However, we are responsible for learning how to live through Christ and to be transformed into his likeness in our lives. Jesus doesn’t automatically show us how to live for him. He waits for us to seek him and to walk hand in hand with him as we learn. One day we will all have to give an account of our new lives, and he will hold us accountable.
Unchangeable Christ Identity and a Child of God
- For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (Col 3:3)
- And you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God. (1 Cor 3:23)
- For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Gal 3:26
Once we are saved, we are a new creation with the imprint of God on our spirit. Nothing can change that imprint. We are responsible for knowing who we are in Christ and to live in our Christ identity. However, unless you know who you are in Christ, there is no way for you to live in his ways.
We must all discover our Christ identity and choose to live in it instead of our carnal desires. To change our life long flesh desires, habits, and defaults, we must saturate our minds and hearts studying God’s word. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we will learn Christ’s ways and be able to thrive in his abundance. We will be able to love like Christ.
Power to Love like Christ
- Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Eph 5:1-2)
- By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. (2 Pet 1:3)
- I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Eph 3:19-19)
Because we have the fullness of Christ’s love in us, we have the privilege and power to love like Christ. As you ponder the beginning of this next year, commit to learning how to love like Christ. Make a personal plan of how you will love others like Christ each month, week, and day.
As you live in your new Christ-life and identity, let his power to love like him flow through you and out to others. Learn more about who you are in Christ by downloading these Empowering Proclamations NOW!
