Mirroring an image that is no more

You may be asking yourself “mirroring an image that is no more,” what does that mean? or does that even apply to me !

Well, let me tell you, at one time or another in our lives as a believer we have all been a victim ( yes, a victim).

Why a victim you might say, a victim because you were either tricked or duped into thinking it was okay to revisit what you use to do or engaage those people you use to be around or even visit the places of familiarity just to see how strong your faith is or how much you love the Lord..

Let’s just call it a test of faith…or, even the trick of the enemy…. had you thinking ” I got this”, I won’t be effected “, ” we got this Lord”, only to find out that you weren’t ready, and that you weren’t as strong as you may have thought you were.

You start to notice just from that first or second encounter that your talk isn’t what it use to be, or your thoughts started to get bombarded with memories of the past that use to be, and it felt good……. actually to good for comfort……then you’re reminded ” hey!! get a grip, you don’t live here anymore remember”…..

So, you quickly come to your senses and say “the old you may be”, but the you-you are now ( oh no).

So, what went wrong…..how did you get there, to that place you are no longer a victim too? Let me tell you…..

It is either one or two ways you have journeyed back to that old familiar place that no longer mirrors the image of who you are now…

Well, this is the image of who you are not, and if you’re being honest with yourself you know this is not you, but maybe you have started to conform back to that old person because you have allowed the old person(s) places or things back into a place you have not yet handed all the way 100% over to God. { 2 Cor. 5:27 } ( Isa. 43:18 ) NIV

Or, you’re just trying to fit in….fit into someone or something you died to years ago….. Listen to what the Word of God has to say about that….. Matthew 12:43-45

God says to forget the old ( why) because He has brought you out of that bondage, out of that victim mentality, out of that Spirit binding bondage and He now needs you to hold on to every word that He has spoken to you, whether through His word, a friend, or the Holy Spirit Himself. ( 2 Cor. 3:18)

I speak on this subject today because I received a very heartfelt message today from one of my followers, asking me ” What do I do when my past won’t allow me to be free, and walk in my newness?” I sit here telling you the same thing I told him, You have to be reminded of all that God has delivered you from and see it for what it is, His un-abiding Love for you to be delivered. And, you know what folks…..He wants all of us to live, breathe, talk, and walk in that newness each and every day…..Col. 2:12-13.

God wants us to pass our newness on to those lost or just don’t know how to call on the name of the Lord to be free of their victim mentality, and live free as well. So, let Him know just as Jesus did( Father, into Thy hands I commit my spirit ) Luk 23;46 NIV…..knowing that you have died to the old and living daily in the new.

For all of you that are reading this and who are not saved but seeking a new way of living please be reminded ( or know ) that God loved you so much that He gave His one and only son to die in place of your sins, however it also states that WHOEVER believes in him ( Jesus) shall not perish (die) but have everlasting life ( John 3:16)

Next, it is your responsibility to believe it and confess it by saying……

Heavenly Father, I come to You in the Name of Your Son Jesus Christ. You said in Your Word that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13) Father, I am calling on Jesus right now. I believe He died on the cross for my sins, that He was raised from the dead on the third day, and He’s alive right now. Lord Jesus, I am asking You now, come into my heart. Live Your life in me and through me. I repent of my sins and surrender myself totally and completely to You. Heavenly Father, by faith I now confess Jesus Christ as my new Lord and from this day forward, I dedicate my life to serving Him….. Yes, just that simple.

Just remember though that this is not the end, it doesn’t end right there, but only begins….the beginning to something new like…….

Go to a church – that is going to teach you the Word of God… A Bible teaching church Heb. 10:24-25

Read the Bible – find a bible lesson and a Bible that you can follow daily ( a study Bible)

Pray – when you do pray, Ask Him to help you pray the right way…praying is having a conversation, It is a personal, spiritual exchange – a dialog, whether you pray out loud or silently in your heart, God will hear your prayer. express your heart to Him….. talk to Him with respect and honor

Get baptized……In the Spirit and in the water

But what is that???

What you first need to understand is that baptism does not save you, your confession did that…… Baptism does not wash your sins away……the blood of Jesus did that……Baptism is a symbolic act that reflects what we read in Romans 6:4: “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so, we also should walk in newness of life.”

in Luke 3:16 where John ßpoke to the people about the true baptism….. And, Acts 1:5 where Jesus says to his disciples, “John baptized with water, but before many days you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Then in verse 8, he says, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be my witnesses.” these two promises came on the day of Pentecost.

Acts 2:2–4 says, “And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributed and resting on each one of them and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

Now pass it on to others…..

Be Blessed…….