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As iron sharpens iron, one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
In this session, you will explore what the Bible has to say about our new identity in Christ and take steps to live in response to these truths.
Jesus modelled a deep heart passion for the Father exalting Him at every opportunity. Jesus loved being alone with the Father. He desired to hear His voice, know His heart and get direction. He went to great lengths and developed personal disciplines to ensure he nurtured this priority.
35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
How about you? Are you following the model of Jesus and spending time with the Father? This is such an important discipline for growing as a disciple and a leader. Pausing our life, sharing our hearts and listening to Him keeps our hearts softened and sensitive. We need to keep encouraging one another to pursue time with the Lord.
Read Psalm 119:1-11.
1 Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,
who walk according to the law of the Lord.
2 Blessed are those who keep his statutes
and seek him with all their heart –
3 they do no wrong
but follow his ways.
4 You have laid down precepts
that are to be fully obeyed.
5 Oh, that my ways were steadfast
in obeying your decrees!
6 Then I would not be put to shame
when I consider all your commands.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart
as I learn your righteous laws.
8 I will obey your decrees;
do not utterly forsake me.
9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
By living according to your word.
10 I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.
How do you think of yourself? According to your family background? Your social status? Your work? Your education? Your accomplishments? Maybe you think of yourself based on what others think about you. But are any of those things really you?
Read your assigned verses and then tell the group:
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Sometimes the internal conversation in our minds emphasizes those things that are negative about us instead of our accomplishments. If those close to us have spoken harshly or made us feel we are not valued or loved, we can begin to think that we are worthless or insignificant. We also
can become susceptible to the lies of the evil one. He will constantly accuse us.
16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!
In the next few moments, we want to examine some important passages to remind us what Christ did for us and who we are in Christ.
Read your assigned verses and then tell the group:
| Matthew 5:13
13 ‘You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. |
I am the salt of the earth. |
| Matthew 5:14
14 ‘You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. |
I am the light of the earth. |
| John 1:12
12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – |
I am God's child. |
| John 15:1
1 ‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. |
I am a branch of the true vine, a channel of His Life. |
| John 15:16
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit – fruit that will last – and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. |
I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit. |
| Acts 1:8
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ |
l am a personal witness of Christ's. |
| 1 Corinthians 3:16
16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives among you? |
l am God's temple. |
| 1 Corinthians 12:27
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. |
I am a member of Christ's body. |
| 2 Corinthians 5:17-18
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: |
I am a minister of reconciliation for God. |
| 2 Corinthians 6:1
1 As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. |
I am God's co-worker. |
| Ephesians 1:1
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: |
I am a saint. |
| Ephesians 2:6
6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, |
I have been raised up and I am seated with Christ. |
| Ephesians 2:10
10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. |
l am God's workmanship. |
| Philippians 3:20
20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, |
I am a citizen of heaven. |
Read your assigned verses and then tell the group:
| John 15:15
15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. |
I am Christ’s friend. |
| Romans 5:1
1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, |
I have been justified. |
| 1 Corinthians 6:17
17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit. |
I am joined to the Lord and I am one spirit with Him. |
| 1 Corinthians 6:20
20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your bodies. |
I have been bought with a price. I belong to God. |
| 1 Corinthians 12:27
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. |
I am a member of Christ's body. |
| 2 Corinthians 5:21
21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. |
I have been made righteous. |
| Ephesians 1:5
5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will – |
I have been adopted as God's child. |
| Ephesians 2:18
18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. |
I have direct access to God through the Holy Spirit. |
| Ephesians 2:19
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, |
I am part of God's household. |
| Ephesians 2:19
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, |
I am a fellow citizen with the rest of the saints. |
| Ephesians 3:12
12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. |
I may approach God with boldness and confidence. |
| Colossians 1:14
14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. |
I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins. |
| Colossians 2:10
10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. |
I am complete in Christ. |
Read your assigned verses and then tell the group:
| John 1:12
12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – |
I am a child of God. |
| Romans 8:28
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. |
I am assured that all things work together for good. |
| Romans 8:35
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? |
I cannot be separated from the love of God. |
| Romans 8:1
1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, |
I am free forever from condemnation. |
| Romans 8:33
33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. |
I am free from any condemning charges against me. |
| 2 Corinthians 1:21
21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, |
I have been established, anointed & sealed by God. |
| Ephesians 1:13-14
13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory. |
I have been given the Holy Spirit as a pledge, guaranteeing my inheritance to come. |
| Colossians 1:13
13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, |
I have been delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred to the kingdom of Christ. |
| Colossians 3:3
3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. |
I am hidden with Christ in God. |
| Philippians 1:6
6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. |
I am confident that the good work that God has begun in me will be perfected. |
| Philippians 4:13
13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength. |
I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. |
| 2 Timothy 1:7
7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. |
I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. |
| Hebrews 4:16
16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. |
I can find grace and mercy in time of need. |
| 1 John 5:18
18 We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. |
I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me. |
What we believe affects how we live. The reality is that we are new creations in Christ and the rest of life is learning to live out what is true about us. Satan can successfully attack us when we do not fully trust what God says about us in Scripture. Who we are in Christ – not what people say
about us, not what we have done, nor what we will do – is how God sees us and our real identity.
WHO I AM IN CHRIST (Adapted from http://ficm.org/about-us/#!/who-i-am-in-christ)
Version 2.10
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