Want to discover your freedom in Christ? Then listen in as Mike Stone and Kevin Smith talk about it. Today on grace coach, Unknown Speaker 0:10 welcome to grace coach. I am Mike Stone, and I'm with my good buddy and podcast host Kevin Smith. Unknown Speaker 0:17 What's up, Mike? How are you? Unknown Speaker 0:21 Good to be with you. Unknown Speaker 0:23 Doing great. Great to be with us. Nice, beautiful sunny day in Chicago. Unknown Speaker 0:28 Yeah, we need that here. Unknown Speaker 0:31 Yeah, I know. You said you were out in your backyard with your dog. I was out in my front yard with my dog planting grass passes today. So hopefully it will grow. That's right. Well, you know, Unknown Speaker 0:43 we put down seed. And while I was watering it, I was thinking, well, Carlos, my landscaper, he put down the seed. I'm watering it. But God makes me Unknown Speaker 0:56 Oh, amen. Well, I'm Unknown Speaker 0:58 part of this Unknown Speaker 1:01 small part. But you know, you're a part. Unknown Speaker 1:03 Yeah. So Kevin, we're going to talk about our identity today, both in the world and in Christ. So it should be a great show. Unknown Speaker 1:13 Yes, I am. So looking forward to this love just talking about the most important things in the world that we can talk about. And one of the things that I love about talking about your identity in Christ is because it's vital to understand this to enjoy your relationship with God, not just a muddle through, not just to grind it out, not just oh, okay, Sunday morning, got to wake him go to church or you know, whatever activities you're doing. But when you truly understand your identity in Christ, it really well, I would even go as far to say, you can't really enjoy your relationship with God unless you understand this. Because it's just going to be a drudgery, it's just going to be a to mark off to do list and get it done and, and go on. But when you understand that you were born in Adam, and now you are in Christ, you can you can rest. And as we get into these some of the Scriptures, when I read today, our prayer is that everyone listening, if you're not in Christ, at this very moment, that you would just surrender your heart and your life to God, and enter into a new relationship with Him. And if you are in Christ, you do understand that he is your Lord and Savior, that this would be a great encouragement. And maybe you are in that drudgery aspect. And that you can just change your way you relate to God, Unknown Speaker 2:56 our identity before we were saved, you know, up to the time of our salvation, versus in our identity, after we were saved, it's like you said, it's so different, because we did go from being in Adam, to being in Christ. But I know for me, up to the time of becoming born again, in my early 30s, I really felt like a fish out of water. I never felt like I belonged. Wherever I was, even though I might have been in a club or in a neighborhood. I never really knew who I was. I just really struggled with my identity. And then also the identity that I had was really just a 30 year old guy. It really determined what I did, it dictated my choices just like as a born again, Christian. Now, my choices are dictated because of my new identity. So dictionary.com says that identity has to do with your condition, or your character as to who a person is, and that it dictates the values that you hold. And again, it dictates the choices you make. Many of us think of ourselves as an athlete, or not everyone thinks of ourselves as an athlete. We all have these identities in the world. Maybe you're a mother, maybe you're identified by your religious affiliation, as a Baptist or as a Presbyterian or it might be based on that you're a businessman. Well, that's okay until you either go out of business or sell your business, and you're no longer a businessman. Maybe you're just now you're ready retired, and now you have a new identity, but it's always changing. That's the thing about these worldly identities, they're always changing. And we're the identity we have as a born again, Christian, that never changes, once you become a born again, Christian. Unknown Speaker 5:20 Absolutely. And, you know, we're not saying that there's anything wrong with all the other identities, whether it's a mother or a father, family member, business person, a sports star, there's nothing wrong with because it's, you can't stop that. I mean, if you're going to have that, if you're a mother, you're a mother. But what what the deal is not to put your credibility or your livelihood or who you are in those identities, because like you're saying, they all they all change at some point or another. Most most, any identity that you're going to get is going to fluctuate, you're either going to be good at it, or bad at it, or maybe not that are, Unknown Speaker 6:09 then you're always comparing yourself to other people, other mothers, athletes, other Unknown Speaker 6:16 levels. Another thing it's people's opinion of you in that role, is going to change. And that's the killer of putting any stock or value in those identities. Because compared to your identity in Christ, that as a child of God, that is never going to change that is rock solid. Hebrews chapter six, verse nine, as this hope, is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls, it leads us through the curtain into God's inner sanctuary. And it's really the hope of having the hope of being in Christ. Hebrews is a great book, but that's just one of the anchored identities Unknown Speaker 7:07 that we haven't cried. And that's a great description. When do you think of a ship? And when they throw out their anchor, they're doing that so that it doesn't move any anywhere? And yeah, this anchor we have of being in Christ, it, it's an anchor for our soul, because it doesn't change, it doesn't move. Once you are born again, in Christ comes to live inside of you. So it's just awesome. You know, one of the things that we want to talk about is what does it mean? What does identity in Christ mean? What does it look like? Unknown Speaker 7:48 Yes. So what is your identity in Christ mean? Let me read Galatians 220. And it will kind of frame it up a little bit. In fact, it's a foundational verse Galatians 220 says, I have been crucified with Christ and is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me, in a life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me. And if you go through the the New Testament and just look at the word in, and I know we've talked about this, about being in Adam and in Christ, but please, readers, and listeners, don't just skim over that and kind of look forward to what is going on. But that small little word in is very pivotal to really understanding where you're at. You're either in Adam, or you're in Christ. And you can see that so many times through the New Testament. Unknown Speaker 8:54 Yeah, first, john five, I believe it's a nine to 11 says that if you have the sun, you have life, eternal life, if you do not have the sun, you do not have eternal life. So we're born into this world, spiritually dead separated from God. And that's our condition. That's our identity. That's who we are. Yes, we are in Adam. And Jesus came to not only take away our sins, but to offer us eternal life that anyone who believes in Him shall not perish. And when you believe in Him, you will now have a new identity. That is a great anchor for your soul. And you are in Christ and Christ is in you. He's not around you is not in front of you. He's not behind you. He is inside of you. And living it. Yeah, that's just great confidence to have no matter where you're at no matter what situation you're in, to know that Christ is inside of you. Unknown Speaker 10:07 So let me read this Second Peter one four says, by which he is granted to us as precious and very great promises, so that through them, you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. So we have a divine nature, we're partakers of the divine nature, that is God's God is the divine nature that comes and lives inside of us, as Peter says, and that's Unknown Speaker 10:46 actually Jesus Christ Himself. Yes, he is God, and He lives inside of us. Yeah. That's why we're partaking in the divine nature. Because he's, like Galatians 220 says, it is not no longer I who live but it's Christ who lives in me. Yes, so crucial. Unknown Speaker 11:10 Yeah, just another side note on that I think a lot about Yes, the Bible says that many, many times, you know, Christ has come to live inside of you. But think about the Trinity. And it's the whole package is the Holy Spirit. Christ said, I'm going away, and I'm going to send the comfort to you. Because it's good to send a comfort to you, because Christ could not be everywhere he was, he was limited in the sense of his human body. But the Holy Spirit is not limited, the Holy Spirit can go and live in each one of us. And as, as Jesus, in the book of john, when disciples are hiding in a room, Jesus came, he breathed the Holy Spirit on that tongues of fire came to rest on him. And he just foreshadow what's going to happen in Pentecost. So it's Christ is in every single believer, get it, get it out. Unknown Speaker 12:13 And you know, Kevin, you know, so many people struggle with anxiety. I mean, this is a an epidemic, going out, especially coming out of COVID. You couldn't get into seer counselor if you wanted to today, because there are two months booked out. So many people are dealing with fear and anxiety. And there's only one answer to that. And not any specific drug which alters your thinking, until the drug wears off. But it's knowing that Christ lives in you. And I understand some people do go on medication, and it gets them through. And I understand that. But ultimately, if they're really going to overcome fear and anxiety, it's all about them, knowing that Christ is living inside of them, and that he'll never leave them once he's inside of you. Because many teachers, you could lose your salvation. We've talked about that on other shows, that's a terrible identity to have. Because that's not an anchor for yourself. That's something that you have that you could lose based on your performance or behavior, you think that he doesn't forgive you, he doesn't, and that he left, he left you because of your sins? Well, that can happen. Because Jesus took away all of our sins. So not only does he come to live inside of you, but he never leaves you once he's living in you. Unknown Speaker 13:51 Yes. And so I just want to circle back on that, as far as the medical, you know, people taking drugs for medicine. And I know that there are many respected doctors out there that, you know, we're not doctors, we don't, we don't know, you know, all the whole ins and outs of your brain makeup. And I know there's respected doctors who do say that, you know, there's medicines that help out the brain function. And, you know, I've got two really close friends who totally ascribe to, you know, drugs, helping them out just an a, you know, being able to be in a right frame of mind, even to understand the truth of So, we're not throwing, like Mike said, we're not throwing medical medications totally under the bus. But we do have a greater hope that you definitely do not want to overlook and that is the hope in Christ and just understanding you know, this these great truths that will go So much further in your anxiety and we wholeheartedly believe that there is a battle for your spiritual soul. There's a battle for our spiritual soul. The Satan wants to destroy us He wants us to getting. He wants us to think anxious thoughts. He wants us think there is no way out that I've got to kill myself that I've got to take drugs. I've got to drink that I've got to go to other things in the world to medicate myself. Well, we're here to tell you. I'm here to tell you. I've tried many. You Sex, drugs, rock and roll? I've been down it. I've smoked crack cocaine. I've done many, many things that the world offers. And is a not not the answer. Jesus right answer. So got on a little rabbit trail. Now. Well, Unknown Speaker 15:57 thanks for sharing that. Hey, Kevin. So one another question about identity is when you when do you receive your identity. And I wanted to read Ephesians, 113 and 14 beautiful because I think that tells us exactly when we receive our new identity. And it says and you were also included in Christ, when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, when you believed, you are marked in him with a seal, the promise Holy Spirit, who is a deposit, guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possessions, to the raised praise of his glory. So it says when you believed you were marked in him, with a seal, you are marked as a born again, Christian in Christ, you receive the promise Holy Spirit. And he is a deposit guaranteeing our salvation, our inheritance, until the rapture until the redemption of those who are God's possession. What a great verse. That was, who we are, when it happened, and where we're going. Unknown Speaker 17:25 I love that man, that just that's that is the whole deal right there. Unknown Speaker 17:30 So yeah, there's just some great, great things about our identity in Christ. You know, the confidence that we have this new identity of who God says we are, that we're a child of God, we're forgiven, we're reconciled. We're born again, we're righteous. And now we have this great hope of eternal life. We have this great hope of the coming of Jesus to rescue us from Planet Earth here one day, and that will all gonna meet together in the air with Jesus and all be together. It'll be a great and glorious day when that happens. Unknown Speaker 18:16 Amen, amen. Amen. And France, we just hope that as you've listened to this podcast, and really that you can now I just enjoy your relationship a guide, but also a part of that enjoying is resting, resting in the confidence that Christ did the work and you receive the gift and just rest in that and that's, that's really kind of goes back to the whole stress and anxiety aspect of it when when you're resting. You're not you're not so anxious. You're not striving you're not striving if you know the God of the universe who created the world thinks you are a okay 100% that he can't wait to see you that he is sealed. You are always spirit. And he is literally counting the days in order for you to go to the great wedding feast in the sky with his son. Come on now. I mean that he How can you be anxious? If that's your destiny, if that is who you are. Unknown Speaker 19:35 That is good news. Unknown Speaker 19:38 Thank you for listening to grace coach. If you want to connect with us, we would love to engage with you. Email us at the Grace [email protected] visit our Facebook page or visit our website Grace coach.org Transcribed by https://otter.ai