Why are so many Christians living stifled, sad, defeated lives? Aren’t we supposed to be living in joy and victory? To be honest, I often struggle with feelings of defeat and sadness. But I know God has so much more for me! He has so much more for us! It makes me angry at Satan’s cruel deceptions.
There is a deep-rooted lie that prevents Christians from living victorious, joyful, effective lives. This is the insecurity in their positions as true children of God. If a person isn’t quite sure if they’re saved, they are going to live in constant fear.
I have definitely been there before, and it has been a huge struggle in my life! Do you ever wonder if you’re truly saved from hell? Do you wonder if God really loves you? Do you ever have self-accusing thoughts like, “If I was really a child of God, I wouldn’t struggle with _____” or “If I was really a Christian, I would have more fruit in my life.” Lies like, “God can’t use me, God is mad at me, God is disappointed in me” reflect not only our lack of faith, but also a dishonouring and incorrect view of who God really is.
You can’t surprise God. God chose you in Christ before the creation of the world. “For He chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will” (Ephesians 1:4-5). God saw you when you were still dead in your sins. He chose you before you chose Him. “For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.” (Romans 11:29) He called us to be His children while we were still sinners. (See Romans 5:8)
Throughout my Christian walk, I have struggled with insecurity in my salvation, gripping fears that I am not truly God’s child.
A couple of months ago, God showed me this awesome picture of His incredible love and power. He showed me how small and weak Satan is compared to Himself.
A father is watching his child play outside. She is a beautiful little girl, who loves her father’s love for her. He adores her. As she runs around with the carefree nature of a little child, she is suddenly startled by a big dog. This dog is chained up, and starts barking viciously at the child. Now instead of running straight into her father’s arms, the child stares with big eyes at the dog. She is frozen in fear. Although that vicious dog cannot touch the child, she is certain that at any moment, she will be devoured. In fact, just looking at the dog’s sharp teeth and hearing him snarl makes her feel as if she has already been defeated. In her despair, she wonders where her father is! She wonders if she has been so bad, so sinful, that her father has disowned her and gone and chosen someone else. Meanwhile, her father is there, right behind her, patiently waiting for his precious daughter to just turn around and run into his
arms, where she will feel safe in his embrace. Even if the child runs farther from her father, she is still his child. She will always be his child. He is not so weak as to allow his precious child to be devoured. He has not a single worry in his mind about who his child is, and He has not a single worry about losing His child to that dog. He is simply waiting for her to believe that she is His child and that He will always be her father. When she runs to Him, He reassures her with these words: “It is impossible for me to lose you.”
I’ve used an earthly example here to show a glimpse of how great and awesome our God is! Words can never accurately express how far His love surpasses the love of an earthly parent. God is an uncreated being. He always existed. Satan, however, was a created being. There is no comparison. God has already beaten him! At the end of this world He will take all His children to be with Himself, and Satan will be thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, never again to deceive or harass the precious children of God.
How breathtaking, how magnificent, how thrilling, to know one’s position as a child of God! “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1). “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father’” (Romans 8:15).
If you are unsure if you are a child of God, I want to encourage you to read the following words from God’s own mouth, which will help to clarify your identity. If you have never known Jesus, then here is an open invitation to accept Him as the
Saviour of the world, to be forgiven and washed clean from your sins, and born into a brand new life!
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever
believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” – John 3:16-18
“But now a righteousness from God, apart from law [good works], has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all
have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” – Romans 3:21-24
“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. This is love for God:
to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” – 1 John 5:1-5
If you would like to experience this brand new life as a child of God, but don’t know what to do next, please don’t hesitate to send me an email! I’d be happy to walk with you on this journey, and pray alongside you.