February 10th, 2025
by Joel Sosa
by Joel Sosa
In our journey through life, we often find ourselves searching for freedom - freedom from anxiety, depression, confusion, and the burdens that weigh us down. But what if the path to true freedom isn't what we expect? What if freedom actually starts at the bottom?
Just as skyscrapers need to dig deep foundations before soaring into the sky, our lives need a solid base to withstand life's storms and reach new heights. This foundation isn't built on the visible or tangible things of this world, but on something much deeper - our identity in Christ.
Many of us build our lives on shaky ground without realizing it. We place our hope in fleeting things - our achievements, possessions, or even our struggles. But Jesus offers us a different way. In Matthew 7, He shares a powerful analogy:
"Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won't collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn't obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash."
This isn't just a nice story - it's a wake-up call. Where are we building our lives? On the shifting sands of this world or on the solid rock of Christ?
The apostle Paul echoes this sentiment in Colossians 3, urging us to set our sights on the realities of heaven, not on the things of earth. Why? Because our real life is hidden with Christ in God. This is a profound truth that many of us struggle to fully grasp and live out.
Here's a sobering reality: the fastest way for a Christ-follower to have a subpar life is to have zero idea who they are in Christ. Our lives will behave according to our strongest beliefs. If we believe we are defined by our anxiety, our past mistakes, or our accomplishments, we'll live accordingly. But if we truly believe we are who God says we are, everything changes.
So what does God say about us? Let's break it down:
1. You are forgiven.
Many of us carry the weight of our past sins like a heavy burden, always ready to pull them out as evidence of our unworthiness. But God says in Isaiah 43:25, "I, yes I alone will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again." Psalm 103 tells us He has removed our sins as far as the east is from the west. That's an infinite distance! If you're in Christ, you are forgiven. Period.
2. You are loved.
Romans 8 delivers one of the most powerful messages in all of Scripture: nothing can separate us from God's love. Not death, life, angels, demons, our fears, worries, or even the powers of hell. God's love for you isn't based on your performance or what you can offer Him. He loves you because you're His child. Full stop.
3. You are paid for.
1 Peter 1:18-19 reminds us that we weren't ransomed with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ. The price has been paid. You don't need to earn God's love or approval - Jesus has already secured it for you on the cross.
These truths form the bedrock of our identity in Christ. When we build our lives on this foundation, we can withstand any storm that comes our way.
But here's the catch - your identity in Christ is always a choice. God won't force it upon you. You have to choose to believe and live in light of these truths. It's like having a spiritual inheritance of billions of dollars but living as if you're broke. Many of us are spiritual billionaires who have forgotten who we are in Christ.
So how do we start living from this place of identity? It begins with changing our belief system. Instead of being defined by what we've done, what we do, or what we have, we need to root ourselves in who God says we are.
This doesn't mean ignoring our struggles or pretending everything is perfect. But it does mean approaching those challenges from a place of security in Christ rather than letting them define us. When anxiety knocks at your door, remember that your identity is not "anxious person," but "beloved child of God." When past mistakes haunt you, cling to the truth that you are forgiven and made new in Christ.
Living from this place of identity is not always easy. The world constantly tries to pull us back to its value system, tempting us with physical pleasure, material possessions, and pride in our achievements. But as 1 John 2:15-17 reminds us, all of these things are passing away. Only those who do the will of God will live forever.
As we journey through life, let's commit to building on the right foundation. Let's choose daily to root our identity in Christ, not in the fleeting things of this world. When we do, we'll find a freedom and security that can weather any storm.
Remember, you are forgiven. You are loved. You have been paid for. These aren't just nice sentiments - they're the bedrock truths of your identity in Christ. Let them sink deep into your soul and transform the way you live.
In the end, true freedom doesn't come from achieving more, acquiring more, or even overcoming all our struggles. It comes from knowing who we are in Christ and living from that place of unshakeable identity. So let's stop trying to make God love us - He already does, more than we can imagine. Instead, let's learn to live our lives not based on how we believe, but on how Jesus believes in us.
You were made for more. You were made for greatness. You were made to be God's child. And in Christ, that's exactly who you are. Now go and live like it.
Just as skyscrapers need to dig deep foundations before soaring into the sky, our lives need a solid base to withstand life's storms and reach new heights. This foundation isn't built on the visible or tangible things of this world, but on something much deeper - our identity in Christ.
Many of us build our lives on shaky ground without realizing it. We place our hope in fleeting things - our achievements, possessions, or even our struggles. But Jesus offers us a different way. In Matthew 7, He shares a powerful analogy:
"Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won't collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn't obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash."
This isn't just a nice story - it's a wake-up call. Where are we building our lives? On the shifting sands of this world or on the solid rock of Christ?
The apostle Paul echoes this sentiment in Colossians 3, urging us to set our sights on the realities of heaven, not on the things of earth. Why? Because our real life is hidden with Christ in God. This is a profound truth that many of us struggle to fully grasp and live out.
Here's a sobering reality: the fastest way for a Christ-follower to have a subpar life is to have zero idea who they are in Christ. Our lives will behave according to our strongest beliefs. If we believe we are defined by our anxiety, our past mistakes, or our accomplishments, we'll live accordingly. But if we truly believe we are who God says we are, everything changes.
So what does God say about us? Let's break it down:
1. You are forgiven.
Many of us carry the weight of our past sins like a heavy burden, always ready to pull them out as evidence of our unworthiness. But God says in Isaiah 43:25, "I, yes I alone will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again." Psalm 103 tells us He has removed our sins as far as the east is from the west. That's an infinite distance! If you're in Christ, you are forgiven. Period.
2. You are loved.
Romans 8 delivers one of the most powerful messages in all of Scripture: nothing can separate us from God's love. Not death, life, angels, demons, our fears, worries, or even the powers of hell. God's love for you isn't based on your performance or what you can offer Him. He loves you because you're His child. Full stop.
3. You are paid for.
1 Peter 1:18-19 reminds us that we weren't ransomed with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ. The price has been paid. You don't need to earn God's love or approval - Jesus has already secured it for you on the cross.
These truths form the bedrock of our identity in Christ. When we build our lives on this foundation, we can withstand any storm that comes our way.
But here's the catch - your identity in Christ is always a choice. God won't force it upon you. You have to choose to believe and live in light of these truths. It's like having a spiritual inheritance of billions of dollars but living as if you're broke. Many of us are spiritual billionaires who have forgotten who we are in Christ.
So how do we start living from this place of identity? It begins with changing our belief system. Instead of being defined by what we've done, what we do, or what we have, we need to root ourselves in who God says we are.
This doesn't mean ignoring our struggles or pretending everything is perfect. But it does mean approaching those challenges from a place of security in Christ rather than letting them define us. When anxiety knocks at your door, remember that your identity is not "anxious person," but "beloved child of God." When past mistakes haunt you, cling to the truth that you are forgiven and made new in Christ.
Living from this place of identity is not always easy. The world constantly tries to pull us back to its value system, tempting us with physical pleasure, material possessions, and pride in our achievements. But as 1 John 2:15-17 reminds us, all of these things are passing away. Only those who do the will of God will live forever.
As we journey through life, let's commit to building on the right foundation. Let's choose daily to root our identity in Christ, not in the fleeting things of this world. When we do, we'll find a freedom and security that can weather any storm.
Remember, you are forgiven. You are loved. You have been paid for. These aren't just nice sentiments - they're the bedrock truths of your identity in Christ. Let them sink deep into your soul and transform the way you live.
In the end, true freedom doesn't come from achieving more, acquiring more, or even overcoming all our struggles. It comes from knowing who we are in Christ and living from that place of unshakeable identity. So let's stop trying to make God love us - He already does, more than we can imagine. Instead, let's learn to live our lives not based on how we believe, but on how Jesus believes in us.
You were made for more. You were made for greatness. You were made to be God's child. And in Christ, that's exactly who you are. Now go and live like it.
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