Who I am in Christ

We are into week two of the P31 Ministries OBS Made To Crave. It has been a very thought provoking week indeed! Our word this week is determination. That really got into my heart and soul! How determined am I to have the closest relationship I possibly can with my creator, my redeemer, my love Jesus Christ!

Then there is our scripture this week; Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:7, 8 NIV). The anxiety part of that scripture really hit home with me too. The Lord had given me a very similar scripture back in September  when I was going through a very difficult time. Philippians 4:6 and 7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Oh how I love the peace of God!

In reading the blog post tonight (late tonight, insomnia hit again), i began to think about my identity in Christ. I read again the section in chapter 5  entitled "Embrace A True Identity". Who have I said that I am? I have read several of the posts and many of you have shared about being from broken homes, having endured abuse, rape. I have not had to deal with those issues but I do understand how the enemy uses them against us.

I was raised in a Christian home. My parents are still toghether after 54 years of marriage. I was not abused in any way as a child and yet the enemy still managed to get in my head and plant ideas about myself that I bought into. I am not important. I don't matter to anyone. I am too fat. I am not pretty enough. I will never have a friend I can trust. I am not as smart as _______. The list goes on and on. Most of my life I have belittled myself believing that was what others thought of me.

But God! I really began to understand who I am in relation to Christ last year when I did a study on the book of Ephesians. When I came to understand that He chose ME before the foundations of the earth, that opened up a new world for me! He chose ME!

I am a loved daugher of my Heavenly Father.

I am chosen by my Father.

I am redeemed!

I am delivered!

I am justified!

I am soooo many things because of HIM! And He will never stop reminding us of whose we are. Before beginning this study I read Beth Moore's book Believe God. In this book she says part of developing our faith is to believe we are who God says we are. And here I am again in another book with God telling me I was made for more!