YOU ARE RIGHTEOUS!
Can you stand in front of a mirror and look yourself in the eyes and say, “I am righteous; I am perfect; I am clean, ” and truly believe it? Do you live free from guilt, shame, and condemnation? Have you let your past mistakes, unhealthy decisions, and lies that you believe be washed away?
If the answer to these questions is “no,” then like me a few years ago, being a Christian, knowing the Bible, acknowledging the cross, and proclaiming Jesus as your Savior has not benefitted you in any way. In fact, it appears that you may have fallen for a moral self-help program (religion) instead of a Savior who, overcome with love for you, willingly gave his life to make you righteous, guaranteed your unbreakable union with him, and provided everything you would ever need to thrive.
Several years ago, as I was still struggling with believing that I was indeed righteous, perfect, and forgiven of all my mistakes, God led me to Colossians 1:19-22. He asked me to read it, to picture it, and to feel the truth contained within it. As I began to form a picture of the cross in my mind, I heard him whisper, “Write down on separate pieces of paper all the mistakes, poor choices, lies, and ugliness that you carry inside of you that you think are too much for me. Now take each one of those pieces of paper and nail them to that cross.” When he was sure that I had gotten them all and had nailed them all to the wooden beams, He began pouring His blood over each one. As the blood washed over each mistake, each poor choice, each lie – suddenly, one-by-one, each mistake, each lie, every thing I thought was ugly or bad turned into a white butterfly and flew away. Pretty soon, I was left with nothing that I could use to prove that I was unworthy, unloveable, or unacceptable. I was clean! As I meditated on this, truth and revelation began to wash away all the condemnation and guilt I had felt for years.
So let’s spend a few minutes reading these scriptures to see just how “righteous and free” we truly are.
Colossians 1:19-22 (The Passion Translation) tells us that God was satisfied to have all his fullness dwelling in Christ. And by the blood of the cross, everything in heaven and earth is restored – brought back to himself – back to its original intent, restored to innocence again. Even though we were once distant from him, living in the shadows of our own thoughts and actions, he reconnected us back to himself. He released his supernatural peace to us through the sacrifice of his own body as the sin-payment on our behalf so that we would dwell in his presence. And now there is nothing between us and God, for he sees us as holy, flawless, and restored!
And here it is again in Ephesians 1 (The Message Bible):
Long before He laid down earth’s foundations, God had us in mind. He had settled on us as the focus of His love, to be made whole and holy by His love. Long, long ago He decided to adopt us into His family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure He took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of His lavish gift-giving by the hand of His beloved Son. Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the cross, we are a free people – free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in Him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth.
So, tell me, “What was left outside of His love? What situations, needs, and plans did He not already foresee? What sin, obstacles, ugliness, or mistakes of yours are too big for the cross?
Take some time this month to meditate on these words. Begin a practice of standing in front of your mirror and declaring that you are loved, forgiven, and free from condemnation.
If you would like to use my “Daily Truth Card – Embracing Identity” that I read over myself, here it is:
God chose me from the foundation of the world and He loves me! He united me with Himself through Christ and made us one! He takes great delight and pleasure in who I am because He designed every part of my being in His likeness. He declares that I am righteous and holy. I carry His DNA. I am a new creation, part of His family, and a co-heir with Christ. I have His fullness living inside of me and I radiate light and love! He set His seal on me and guarantees His promises over me! I have been given everything I need to thrive! I am His beloved!
You can also receive a printable version of this under our “Daily Truth Card” or “Resources” tab!
Blessings to you!!! – Kami
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