for you have heard of my former life in judaism, how i persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. and i was advancing in judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was i for the traditions of my fathers. [galatians 1:13-14]
paul could have defined by his past.
however, God did not let his violent past as an abuser of souls and murderer of lives define paul. pretty sure paul could not change his identity, but i am sure God could and did. he is the only one who can. he is the Master of changing us into new creations, giving us new lives, new hope, new character – new identities in Christ.
today, God wants to speak over you and define you anew in him. he wants to speak over you – your new identity in Jesus Christ his Son. hear his voice, submit to the Lord’s, your Lord’s voice, and ask him to help you believe this is who you are.
speak Lord …
john 1:12 ~ yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God
ephesians 1:7 ~ “ in him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.“
john 15:16 ~ 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.
romans 6:6~ for we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.
1 peter 2:9 ~ but you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
galatians 2:20~ i have been crucified with Christ and i no longer live, but Christ lives in me. the life i now live in the body, i live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
john 15:15~ i no longer call you slaves, 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.
ephesians 2:10~ for we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
philippians 3:20~ but our citizenship is in heaven. and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ
colossians 3:1-4~ since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. for you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. when Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
romans 8:37~ no, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
2 corinthians 5:17~ “therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
ephesians 1:3-6~ even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. in love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
~ john ryan