Do You Understand How Different You Are Now Because of Jesus?
Photo by Axel Holen
When you chose Jesus, your life changed. You became a different person. You are not who you used to be—you are now a child of God.
Someone who belongs to Him, fully and unconditionally. Someone who is light because He is light, who carries His light in the world, and who belongs to the kingdom of light.
Graham Cooke writes, “You are not in a fallen state. You are in a new state learning how to be brilliant.” You aren’t what you were—you are different now. Yes, there are places where you still need to be healed, but you are a part of His kingdom now, and this trumps everything else.
Here are three thoughts about who you are, now that you know Jesus, and what it means to be a child of God. When the enemy tries to convince you that you are a failure, alone, unworthy, or anything else—remember these three things.
1. You belong to the kingdom of light.
You used to belong to the kingdom of darkness, but you don’t anymore.
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. (Col. 1:13 NIV)
God has done such a work in you that you “go with” no kingdom but His. Not only has your allegiance radically changed, but you cannot be considered part of the kingdom of darkness anymore. That part of your life is over.
The enemy will try to tell you that you still belong to him, but you don’t. You can trust that the work of the Lord has been thorough and good inside you. You (like all believers in Jesus) have areas where you need to mature, but He has separated you from the enemy’s kingdom forever.
Journaling idea: Ask God to tell you one way He has changed you from darkness to light, and really believe Him when He speaks to you.
2. You are holy and blameless.
A lot of God’s children act like they don’t fully believe in His ability to make them holy and blameless, but that’s what He does.
This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. (Col. 1:21–23 NLT)
In the past, you were separated from God, but you are not separated from Him now. Everything the Bible says about His children is true about you. You live in His presence, and as you realize how loved and accepted you are, the heaviness will drop off of you, and the enemy won’t be able to torment you like he has in the past.
Everything is different now, and it’s very important for you to understand how much the Father treasures you. He has laid claim to you, and that holy claim trumps everything the enemy is saying and trying to do.
Journaling idea: Ask God to speak to you about the holiness you have in Him. Whatever He tells you, pray about it and return to it several times over the next week. Think about it deeply, and if you need to, take your questions to a mentor.
3. You are more than just yourself.
We often feel alone—alone in hard times, alone in decision-making, alone as we struggle to take next steps. But the Bible tells us plainly that we are more than just ourselves. God lives inside us.
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Gal. 2:20 NKJV)
However, the person who unites himself with the Lord becomes one spirit with him. (1 Cor. 6:17 NOG)
We used to be alone…but now we have Jesus. Any battle we face involves more than just us. If we’re struggling with depression, we aren’t in that battle alone. If we’re dealing with self-hatred or self-rejection, we are not alone in that fight. He lives here, and we are one spirit with Him. We can’t even get out of bed without Him being there.
Expect the Lord to be with you, because He is. Look to see Him. Apply your faith in this regard.
Journaling idea: Think of an area in your life or thoughts where you really need to see the Lord. Ask Him to show you something about His presence in that area.
Declarations for This Week
Here are a handful of declarations based on the previous thoughts:
I belong to the kingdom of light.
I do not belong to the kingdom of darkness.
I have chosen God, and God has chosen me.
I am holy and blameless.
I am not far away from God.
I am not alone.
Jesus loves me so much that He gave Himself for me.
In every struggle I face, I get to rely on God’s strength, not just human strength.
I expect the Lord to be with me, because that’s what the Bible says.
I am a different person now.
Jesus is here.
Does your heart need to remember who God is? Check out these other devotions:
For more information on sex, marriage, and finding the person who is right for you, get a copy of Becoming the One by Salomé Roat. Click here to learn more. The book is also available in Spanish.