You followed the ways of this world and obeyed the devil. He rules the world, and his spirit has power over everyone who doesn't obey God. ONCE WE WERE also ruled by the selfish desires of our bodies and minds. We had made God angry, and we were going to be punished like everyone else.
Ephesians 2:2-3 CEV
You might be reading these verses above and think "how is this AT ALL encouraging?" Well, there are so many liberating truths in these verses so I encourage you to open up your heart and let God show you what He has in store for you - which is always good, will always strengthen you and will always mature you.
The above verses talk about how you lived your life before you believed in Jesus and what you allowed to influence you, to direct your life, how you made your decisions and what you valued. This also speaks about your old nature or identity before believing in Jesus. Your actions is a result of your nature(identity), actions are determined by identity. Before you became a child of God, you wanted nothing to do with God, your nature and identity at its core WAS selfish, self centered, full of pride and all about you. BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS, that this is no longer who you are anymore! YOU HAVE A NEW NATURE AND IDENTITY, you are a new creation because of believing in Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17). He created a new nature and identity (source) in you that produces completely different results in your life. Your previous nature and identity was always self-focused, self-centered, always thinking about "what can I get out of things, how can this benefit me." BUT NOW your new identity and nature in Jesus Christ produces unconditional love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Your new identity is not focused on other people or concerned with comparing because in Jesus you are satisfied. Grace has satisfied you (your every need has already been met BY Jesus) and you are so blessed to be a blessing to those around you. Therefore, because of your new identity in Christ, you now seek to bless others because you have been blessed.
Ephesians 2:2-3 shows how we were influenced by the devil and his desires, and that's why we were so selfish, self centered and it produces all kinds of death in our lives. BUT NOW, because you believed in Jesus and you were made a child of God, your nature is no longer influenced by the devil and his desires but, YOUR NATURE IS INFLUENCED & EMPOWERED BY GOD HIMSELF and His nature produces life in every area of your life. AGAIN, very important, as you embrace and believe this truth about who you are and your new nature and you allow your thinking to be changed according to what God's Word says about who you are and your new nature, you'll start to release and experience this life of God in your everyday life, which is love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and much more. Without you believing it, you won't experience it. Your mind allows you to experience what you believe.
How does this truth you learned today impact your view of God?
How does this change and affect my relationship with other people?
How does this change and effect the way I see and the way I approach situations and circumstances in my life?
Who can I share this truth with?
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