DOZ Issue 32 June 2018 | Page 7

Jesus’ Righteousness in Us (Part Three in the Identifying with Jesus’ Love Series) Angela Steele As a Christian, what do I identify with on a daily basis? Do I identify with the crucified sin nature or Christ’s nature in me? Am I a fearful slave or am I a daughter of the King? Am I a beggar of bread or the Bride of Christ? What is true of me at my core? Core is defined as the central or most important part of something. Is what I feel and my feelings about myself at my core true? Only what Jesus says about me at my core is true. Who Jesus is in me is the truest thing about me. If I see and identify myself contrary to how God sees and identifies me, then I am believing a lie at my core. My core, my heart determines the direction of my life. The only way to break free from a cycle of sin is to believe at my core that Jesus already made me righteous, based on His works, not mine. Webster defines righteousness as “the state of being right with God; justification; the work of Christ.” Because of the Blood of Jesus, there has been a complete change at the core of who I am. Daily, I ask the Holy Spirit to help me see myself and identify with who God has already made me to be in Him. I am not attaining to or striving for righteousness or to be righteous. As believers, we are already righteous. The Holy Spirit will produce that fruit in my life as I trust and rely on Him to help me see myself through God’s eyes of love and acceptance. The Holy Spirit will bring about those heart changes as I turn to Jesus and rely and trust Him to change me from the inside. Since Jesus is my Savior, there has been a change at the core of who I am. It’s whether I recognize it and see it. Only the Holy Spirit made the Light go on for me. Only the Holy Spirit can give revelation. We enter a supernatural rest as we believe the truth of who we are in Christ and who He is in us. Jesus is coming back for a pure and spotless bride. Because of Jesus and the finished work on the cross, we already are pure and spotless, not based on our works, but based on the completed work of Christ on the cross! “For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13 NASV “What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn’t work. So I quit being a “law man” so I could be God’s man. Christ’s life in me showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with Him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not ‘mine’, but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I am not going back on that.” Galatians 2:19-21 MSG Father, please, open the eyes of my heart. Give me a greater revelation of who You are in me. Heal my heart. Set me free. Give me joy based in Your love for me. I turn to You, Father. I’m asking You to help me trust You to filter things away from my life and heart that doesn’t align with Your Words and how You already see me righteous in You, because of Jesus. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen. DOZ Magazine June 2018 7 «