It’s Never About Me

November 6, 2021

“Don’t think of yourself more highly than you should” Romans 12:3

  Each of us has struggles. And those struggles bring feelings that often give birth to uncertainty, fear, confusion and doubt. But, praise be to God that we can overcome all of those with the Word of God and our faith, because our victory does not depend on us, but on Him.

   The person we were, before the Holy Spirit moved in, has diminished, weakened and lost his firm grip on our lives. We are new creations. We’ve been transformed! And as such, we have total forgiveness, grace and mercy given in good measure daily as we forgive others and seek His kingdom. Our lives are supernatural. We don’t have to involve ourselves in the world’s issues and hopeless struggles because we are victors, walking through this life protected by Jesus Christ who will never leave us or forsake us. That is His solemn promise.

   1 Corinthians 2:1-2 When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. NLT

   Romans 3:21-25  But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past. NLT

Romans 5:1-8  Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.                        When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. NLT

Romans 12:1-2  So then, brothers, because of God’s many mercies to us, I make this appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to His service and pleasing to Him. This is the true worship that you should offer. Do not conform outwardly to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God—what is good, and is pleasing to him, and is perfect. GNT

   1 John 5:3-5  For this is what love for God means: it means that we obey His commands. And His commands are not too hard for us, for every child of God is able to defeat the world. This is how we win the victory over the world: with our faith. Who can defeat the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the son of God. GNT

Wrapped around His love for us, Jesus Christ has given us new life; Eternal life and victory over the world (the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 1 Jn 4:4). This means that with absolute certainty, no matter how down or discouraged we feel, our lives are securely held in His hands not only in this life but forever. Now, let us go forward in victory, wearing the armor of God, fitted just for us.