Lord, I am new in your grace. The person I was before I believed in you is gone. The person I am now rose with you to live a new life free from guilt and shame. I'm free of who I was, but sometimes I just don't feel it. I feel burdened with remembrances of my failures—with feelings that I can never be good enough for you. My mind sometimes spins, trying to figure out what one more thing I can do to please you.
Child, there is nothing more for you to do to please me! I loved you enough to give my life for you. You are accepted, and nothing can separate you from my love. The moment you believed in me, your sin washed away. It is gone—forever. You received my innocent life—my righteousness. I have accomplished the work for you to be free of sin’s debt. There is no longer any penalty. I see you through the love I died to give you. There is nothing you can do to fix your life. I fix it.
Since the moment I gave you my guiltless life, each day is a spiritual journey to convince you of the fact that you are free of guilt. That is why I had Peter tell you, "Don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. WITHOUT THESE QUALITIES YOU CAN’T SEE WHAT’S RIGHT BEFORE YOU, OBLIVIOUS THAT YOUR OLD SINFUL LIFE HAS BEEN WIPED OFF THE BOOKS" (2 Peter 1:5-9, MSG).
Child, did you hear what I had Peter say? Without spiritual growth that results in greater faith, you will be oblivious to the fact that your sinful life is gone. You will still live in debt when you have none. You will keep trying to pay for something you don’t owe. Surrender your struggle. Quit concentrating on you and think about me. Grow in your knowledge of what I accomplished on the Cross for you. Allow me to build understanding in your mind of who you are now. Yield to my Spirit.
The night before I died, I told my disciples, "When a woman gives birth, she has a hard time, there’s no getting around it. But when the baby is born, there is joy in the birth. This new life in the world wipes out memory of the pain. The sadness you have right now is similar to that pain, but the coming joy is also similar. When I see you again, you’ll be full of joy, and it will be a joy no one can rob from you. You’ll no longer be so full of questions” (John 16:21-23, MSG)!
Child, your new life in me wipes out the memory of the pain! I don't condemn you with memories of sin, child! I convince you daily of my righteousness in you. That is spiritual growth in me! When you understand who you are in me, you walk in the freedom that I imparted to you the moment you believed by faith in me. You have joy NO one can rob from you. Not you or the enemy can steal my joy when you know who you are in my love and grace.
My grace nurtures your understanding! Grow in it! Be changed by the revelation of the Word. Give my Spirit access to your mind to convince you of who you are in me. Allow me to persuade you of your true identity. With these qualities Peter wrote about spiritually coming alive in you, each day will reward you as you mature. You will be more sensitive to my Spirit. You will no longer have questions that create fear and rob you of my peace. You will have my joy that NO ONE can take from you!
I want you convinced in the spirit of your mind who you are in my love. I yearn for you to have a revelation of what my grace has given you. When you look at my work on Calvary through my eyes, you will see. Come. Allow me to teach you. Believe. Just believe.
© 2019 Lynn Lacher
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