Salvation changes who you were into who you are.

When you become a believer in Christ, you become a new creation. Do you feel like a new creation? You’re supposed to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. (Phi 2:12) That means you should fully grasp all that Jesus did for you and take on who He says you are. If you are covered by His blood, you are a new creation whether you believe it or not.

To not realize your identity in Christ is to be misled by the enemy into believing that nothing has really changed. The perception that salvation means that you are who you are, except that you’ll go to heaven when you die, is wrong. You are not who you were. You are new, reborn. Now you are an heir of Christ, seated in heavenly places with Him. Before, you were not.

Why is it important to understand your new identity? Because until you do, you won’t live with the authority you’re supposed to. You need to speak peace to the storms, healing to the sick, and blessing to those around you. How can you do that until you stand firmly in your new skin?

God is waiting for you to take your place in the kingdom. Begin by confirming to yourself that you are born again. Read your owner’s manual and see what you should be doing.

Another post on being changed: Salvation = Transformation

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• Saved!

Salvation is more than making a decision to be saved.

Jesus never told us to say a prayer and get saved. He said to become a disciple. When we look at the disciples in the Bible, we see that they followed Jesus all over the place. They watched Him work and pray. They saw His relationship with His Father. They were friends.

Jesus wants us all to be that close. We need to know what He taught and how He prayed. We need to have the same relationship with God that Jesus had. None of this is academic. It’s all relational.

If we live the life of a disciple, we will be changed. You cannot be a disciple without changing. You must walk away from the old attitudes of your sinful nature and take on the attitudes of His Spirit—-love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, self-control, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness.

When you live as a disciple, you put others first. Your lifestyle becomes one of kindness to other people. Worshiping God becomes your chief joy. He will be the center of all that is important to you. You can’t help but want to share His amazing love and power to heal and bless.

If all you’ve ever done is pray a prayer to be saved, you’re on the right path. The next step is to get to know Jesus. He’s in your heart and in the Bible. Go find Him.

Another post on discipleship: Rise Up Disciple Maker

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• It Ain’t About You!

A grateful heart will keep you safe.

When bad things happen in our lives, we usually feel that the enemy is beating us up. That happens. But what about the good times? What do you do when everything you asked for comes to you? You’re happy. You’re joyful. You make plans you couldn’t make before. You can become distracted by what is good and begin focusing your thoughts and attention on all the good things and suddenly Jesus isn’t even on your radar.

Then we wonder why God has to shake things up in our lives just to get our attention again. He does what we ask Him to do and then we forget Him. Guard against this. It doesn’t have to happen if you are diligent in your praise and worship, remembering that He is the source of all that is good in your life.

Keep a humble spirit. Remember that everything in this world is transient. Give God the glory for the blessing. Thank Him for everything that He is doing for you. Keep a firm grip on your faith. When things go well, it’s because God has been good to you. Be gracious and grateful.

The enemy is sly and subtle and will use every opportunity to steal your relationship with God. Don’t let it happen.

Your best blesses other people.

Do your best and let God do the rest. That means really doing your best. A halfway effort is not impressive to anyone. Jesus said to walk the extra mile. When you do that at work, in your relationships, or whatever you’ve been called to do, you allow God to put the icing on the cake for you.

If you are not doing your best, but expect God to bless your efforts, I’m not sure it’s going to happen. Why would He do what you wouldn’t do for yourself? He’s waiting for you to give your all, then He will take that and make it so much more than you were able.

The kingdom of God is all about excellence. Substandard work by those who call themselves believers is not honoring to God at all. If other people know your faith, then they expect more from you than other people, and rightly so. To do less, to give less in front of those watching your life is a poor testimony.

Be more than you are expected to be. Be the extra blessing that is not looked for. God will honor that and it will speak volumes to others. It is by the kindness of God that people are saved, and your extra efforts show His kindness to people who need to see it.