James 1:24 Amplified For he thoughtfully observes himself, and then goes off and promptly forgets what he was like.
We should take note of the wonderful changes that have occurred in our lives since we were redeemed from our sins.We have experienced the wonders of God’s aggressive grace that takes a sinner and thoroughly cleanses and changes us. God’s grace is truly amazing. When grace has finished its perfect work in our lives, we become a new creation in Christ Jesus. It is not wrong for us to make the confession that we have been changed and made righteous in Christ Jesus.
Once God’s grace has made us a new creation we must become totally convinced of who we are in Christ Jesus.
Do you know what has God accomplished in you? Have you taken note of the change He has made in you?
Many people fall into the trap that James described.
The word of God shows us God’s promises and everything that God accomplishes for us through Christ. We should take careful note of what God does for us in Christ.
We need to see what we become in Christ. We should rejoice and hold in high regard the transformation that God has made possible for our lives. Praise God for His grace, mercy, and favor. Celebrate in the reality of what has happened.
Then in a moment when stress or crisis arises, during the test and difficulty, it is easy to forget who we are and what has happened.
It is too easy to return to our old way of thinking and forget what we have become in Christ Jesus.
Jesus was talking to a group of highly religious leaders and teachers of the law.
He gave them the story of the Prodigal Son.
In the story, Jesus said a man had two sons. One of his sons became rebellious and forgot or did not take account of what he had or who he was. We are not told when this started happening. We know the rebellion started while he was receiving the benefits and blessings in his father’s house. He discounted and disregarded the blessing and favor he was receiving from his father. After he discounted what he had received, he lost everything and fell into a lifestyle of defeat and ruin. When he failed to remember who he was, he fell in line with the evil and vile ways of the world.
It is critical for us to never forget who we are!
It is easy for some to lapse into a lifestyle of the old sinful nature.
1 Peter 5:8 tells us to “Stay alert! Watch out for your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”
In times like these, we must never forget who we are or what God has done in us through Jesus Christ.
Don’t allow temptation, tests, or difficult times to pull you away from what God has made you in Christ.
What God has accomplished in us must be a living reality.
We need to see ourselves as we really are in Christ Jesus. This must be a workable reality in our lives.
What do I mean?
We need to really see what God has done in us.
- Do you know that you have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ?
- Do you know that God is involved in your life and has made you a new creation?
- Has the Holy Spirit really taken up residence within you and has He given you new life and power?
- Do you know the true consequences of what that means?
- Do you really know that the old things have passed away and all things have been made new?
Did you say, yes?
If you did, praise God you have started to recognize what God has accomplished when He made you a new creation.
For many people this has not become a workable living reality in their lives.
They see it in the Word of God, but they are not living in the liberty by which Christ has made us free. (Galatians 5:1) For some reason they continue to be entangled again with things that knock them off their faith. Temptations, trials and test of life are more than their faith can handle. Satan’s lies, deceptions, and attractions are more than they can resist. They are constantly trying to get back up.
We need to have a real apprehension of Jesus Christ and possession of the power of the Holy Spirit within us.
It is not sufficient to say: “Jesus Christ has changed me.” That “change” must have a real impact on our lives and daily activities.
Ephesians 1:7-9 NKJV In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself.
We need to understand, know, and live in the reality of our redemption that is in Jesus Christ.
There are some undeniable truths we need to confess as a child of God.
We have been redeemed from Satan’s dominion. We have been redeemed from the power of sin and darkness. We have been redeemed unto God.
That is the Good News, but it is not the end of the story.
God has done more for us than cleanse us from our sins. We rejoice that our sins have been taken away from us cast into the depths of the sea. God has done more than take our sins and cast them away from us to not be remembered.God has done more than defeat sin and Satan.
God has translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.
Let that take hold of our heart, mind, and life. In Christ Jesus, we have been made new. God has set up for success, blessing, and favor in Christ Jesus. God has given us the liberty by which Christ has made us free. He has established us as His sons and daughters.
Look again at the prodigal son and his failure.
Although he was a son and lived in his father’s favor and blessing, he did not have wisdom or prudence to face every possible event.
God has made us His heirs in Jesus Christ and joint heirs with Jesus Christ.
We are now God’s children, (1 John 3:2). This demonstrates a dramatic change that has occurred in us. If we are children of God, we should act like a child of God. We should take the place or position of a child of God. We should do the work of a child of God. We should bear the nature and character of a child of God.
If you have been adopted into the family of God, you must never forget Whose son or daughter you are.
You have been redeemed out of the world and have been made an heir and joint heir with Jesus Christ. The significance of that should not be minimized.
Don’t lose your identity.
1 John 4:4 NKJV You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
We need to know what we have in Jesus Christ. We have been given the powerful name of Jesus. We have the Spirit of Christ living in us. We have been given His authority and power.
Do you know what you are in Christ?
When the Prodigal Son reached the bottom and came to himself, he knew he needed to get back home.
He came to the realization of what he had under his father’s care, blessing and favor.
It is tragic to see Christians forget what God has done for them in Christ Jesus.
- Never forget what grace has done in you.
- We should live like we have been set free from sins.
- Never forget that the name of Jesus Christ has been put upon you.
- Never forget that the Holy Spirit has moved into your lives.
- Never forget that God has made you righteous in Christ.
- Talk like and act like you have been redeemed.
1 John 4:4 NKJV You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
You want God’s blessing and favor on your life. You want His victory and liberty that overcomes the world. You want His power that defeats Satan.
God’s blessing and favor cannot rest on our lives if we do not remain in Him.
This fullness, blessing, and favor are positional.
John 15:7-8 NIV If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
This is a pivotal position of power and victory for our lives. Our completeness, fullness, and perfectness derive from remaining in Christ Jesus. When we remain in this position we are destined to triumph, and liberty in Christ.
2 Corinthians 2:14 NIV But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.
Right now, in this world, we have this triumphal procession of victory in Christ Jesus.
This triumphal procession is the process of making Christ known everywhere we go by what He is doing in us. In Christ Jesus, we have a new position of triumph.
God has so much pleasure in Christ Jesus our Lord, that He fills us with the aroma of Jesus Christ.
God has set the aroma of Jesus Christ in us so that Christ may be known where ever we go. God has made us to be His righteousness in Christ. We are rich with His riches. We are strong with His strength. We are a new creation in Christ Jesus. We have new life and newness of life in Christ. Satan has no dominion or power over you.
When the Prodigal came to himself he went home.
That was just the beginning of the good news. What happened when he got home is an amazing demonstration of God’s radical grace and mercy.
When he came home:
- He was not kept on the outside but was brought into the inside.
- He was not made a slave but was restored to the honor of a son.
- He had access to his father and everything that means.
- He was restored to fellowship and favor.
- He was given new robes to cover his body and new shoes to protect his steps.
- He was given a ring as a sign of position and rank as his father’s son.
If you really want to have a party, you cannot do it in the far country.
If you are God’s child, you cannot sin and get by with it. You may descend into the pigpen of sin and defeat. You never will enjoy it.
There will come a day when you are going to say: “I will arise and go to my Father.”
What a day of rejoicing it is when we remember who we are. The Bible tells us that there is rejoicing in the presence of God in heaven when a sinner comes home. No wonder Jesus said the father had a banquet when the Prodigal Son came home.
We have a standing invitation into the throne room of heaven.
The blood of Jesus Christ has made us clean and ready for the greatest celebration. He has cleansed and changed us. We have been given bold access to the Father’s presence. We can take the place of a child of God.
Remember this so we never disgrace Him by acting like we don’t belong.
Never forget what manner of person you are. You are a member of the fruit-bearing body of Christ. You have been accepted and changed. God is working out His pleasure in you. He has taken you out of your old life. You have been identified with the Lord Jesus Christ.
