Focused Identity

INTRODUCTION

RE:FOCUS

Part 1: FOCUSED FORWARD

Part 2: FOCUSED DIRECTION

Part 3: FOCUSED ACTION

Part 4: FOCUSED ATTENTION

Part 5: FOCUSED IDENTITY

TENSION

Our culture is in a massive IDENTITY CRISIS.

The body of Christ also has an identity crisis. The prevailing mindset of Christians is this: “I’m a sinner saved by grace.”

This is one of the most devastating things we can possibly believe and say when it comes to our lives as believers in Christ. Many of us still struggle in sin, when the Bible actually says we don’t have to anymore.

1 John 3:4–10 (NLT)

Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God. And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him. Anyone who continues to live in him will not sin. But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know him or understand who he is.

Philippians 3 - Paul strives toward perfection - complete fullness of Christ and Christlikeness is the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

2 Peter 1 - Peter says we’ve obtained like precious faith, we’ve received everything that pertains to life and godliness, we’ve been granted His great and precious promises, and are partakers of His divine nature. Because of these things we are to add to our faith with all diligence seven qualities (moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love). He goes on to say that if you practice these things…you WILL NEVER STUMBLE!!

Hebrews 12:1-2 NLT

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith…

TRUTH

You are NOT a sinner saved by grace. You WERE a sinner who HAS been saved by grace. That salvation gave you a NEW IDENTITY.

But it all comes down to WHAT DO YOU IDENTIFY AS?

Proverbs 23:7 (NASB95)

For as he thinks within himself, so he is.

2 Corinthians 5:17, 21 NASB

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come… He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

I am no longer a sinner. I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.

SPIRIT – SOUL – BODY

John 20:22 – Jesus breathed into disciples, and they received the Holy Spirit

Romans 5–

Romans 6:1–14 (NLT)

Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.

Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.

Colossians 2:11–15 (NLT)

When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature. For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.

You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

SPIRIT – SOUL – BODY

SARX VS. SOMA and the cutting away of SARX (THE FLESH)

God is not working on your sin, so you should stop working on your sin!

John 16:7–10 (NASB95)

“But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.

“And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment;

concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me;

and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me;

The Holy Spirit does NOT convict you of sin. He is NOT working on your sin, He is working on your RIGHTEOUSNESS! His CONVICTION is a CONVINCING of RIGHTEOUSNESS. Why do we feel guilty when we sin? It’s our HEARTS/CONSCIENCE that convicts us when we are wrong, not the Holy Spirit.

1 John 3:19-20 AMP

By this we will know [without any doubt] that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart and quiet our conscience before Him whenever our heart convicts us [in guilt]; for God is greater than our heart and He knows all things [nothing is hidden from Him because we are in His hands].

APPLICATION

DAILY EXCHANGE

1) CONSIDER YOURSELF DEAD TO SIN AND MADE ALIVE AS A NEW CREATION

Proverbs 23:7 NASB For as he thinks within himself, so he is.

Romans 6:11 AMP Even so, consider yourselves to be dead to sin [and your relationship to it broken], but alive to God [in unbroken fellowship with Him] in Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:17 AMP

Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life].

Colossians 3:1–10 (NASB95)

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.

For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience,

and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.

But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.

Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices,

and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—

2) TAKE OFF THE OLD, PUT ON THE NEW

I am no longer a sinner. I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 4:21–24 (NLT)

Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

Every time you recognize something remaining in your mindset/soul from the residue of the old…throw it off…cast it aside…put it off through repentance and put on the new nature you’ve been given through prayer. Make the exchange.

I am no longer a sinner. I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.

3) LET THE HOLY SPIRIT RENEW YOUR MIND/SOUL BY CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT THE IMAGE OF THE ONE YOU ARE BEING FORMED INTO

Ephesians 4:23 (NLT)

Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.

Romans 12:1–2 (NKJV)

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

2 Corinthians 5:18 AMP And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.

LANDING

I am no longer a sinner. I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.