Living Like What We Believe

If we profess to be Christians, I do not believe we should send out mixed messages. If we truly believe that we have been born again, Spirit-filled and washed in the blood of Jesus Christ, then that testimony should be a reality in our practical life. It is so important for individuals to live like what they believe, even if it means being misunderstood.

In order to live out scriptural Christianity, we will have to get a firm grip on God’s truth. God desire is that we be steadfast, unmovable, and always abounding in His work (see 1 Corinthians 15:58). He does not want to see us stumble through life stranded on the back roads of our faith, and isolated from the truths that propel us to higher heights. No matter how stressed out this life gets, we should not be so mixed up that we forget who God is and what His Word promises.

We need to understand that who we are is the result of who God is and what He has accomplished for us through the cross of Christ. A life of fruitfulness will begin for us when we believe that everything the Word says about us is true. We may not ever feel like we are "more than conquerors", but since it is written in the Word of God, then we should live everyday like we are mighty warriors. We must expect no less than what God says.

I think one big problem that Christians have is that we take one section of scripture and use it as a "quick fix" for the issues in our life. We take that scripture and we quote it, and we anoint our house, and we shout it back to God and assure God that He said it. Then after a month or so, when the problem stands firm like a rock, we get weak in the faith. We need to understand that many of the problems we face have no simple solution, and to expect a "quick fix" from God is totally unrealistic. If we would just be patient, and allow God to work on us while He delivers us from the problem, we will discover that a lot of our confusion is so unnecessary. We need not fear our problems when we have the greater One inside of us.

What we believe effects how we act. When we know that we have been justified by faith and have peace with God, then we can glory in tribulation because we see that the outcome of our faith will work to our advantage. If 1 John 3:2 is true, then we aren’t running around trying to be a Son of God, we are a Son of God right now. We are not trying to work to gain acceptance, we already possess it. Since we have it, we should live like it.

The Word of God gives us so much insight into who we are. God wants us to live like what we believe. According to Romans 8:1, There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." We should never listen to the voice of the devil bringing accusation against us, no matter what we do. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us (Romans 8:34). The devil didn’t die for us, he didn’t suffer for us, nor did he shed one drop of blood. Even if we sin, it is between Christ and us. Whenever we make a mistake along the way, always go to the One who died and intercedes for you. Don’t ever listen to someone who has no lot nor right whatsoever in the matter.

Most Christians don’t have a problem feeling accepted when they are doing everything right. The problem comes when they do something wrong. I have five daughters. My oldest daughter’s name is Terri. Not only does she have my last name, but she also has my blood flowing through her body. That means we are related by blood.

There is nothing that Terri can do to change that blood relationship. If she were to run away from home and live in another country, she would still be my daughter. If she were to disown me, change the writing on her birth certificate, even take me to court, she would still be my daughter. All of her efforts would be vain because nothing can be done to change a blood relationship. In fact, sometimes when there is a question as to whether or not a man is the legitimate father of a child, a blood test is used to settle the issue.

But when it comes to the harmony in our relationship, that’s different. There are a countless number of things that Terri can do to threaten our harmony. The relationship issue was settled when she was born, but the thing that determines whether or not we live together in harmony is trust and obedience. If she trust and obeys me, we live in harmony. If she disobeys, we get out of harmony and that brings on problems, mainly for Terri. Yet, whether in harmony or out of harmony, I will always be her dad.

The same is true in the spiritual realm. When we are born again and spirit-filled, we are born into the family of God. Our relationship is based on the blood of Jesus Christ. Once we become a child of God, there is nothing that we can do change it. Who shall separate me from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us Romans 8:35,37. Our relationship with God is settled, and don’t allow any doctrine to persuade you otherwise.

But when it comes to the harmony aspect of our relationship with God, many things can interfere with it. Harmony with God depends on trust and obedience just as a natural family relationship does. When we trust and obey God, we will have harmony in our relationship. Our prayer life will flourish and we will grow in the fruits of righteousness. But when the harmony in our relationship with God is disturbed, our spiritual life will suffer and our natural life will soon follow. There are many Sons of God in hell because they got out of harmony with God, and didn’t make it back. This is the echo of many loving parents who lost their sons to the fast life. They lived and died in disobedience and distrust.

When we start truly believing the Word, it will effect how we view people, especially those in the family of God. If we view saints as weak, ignorant, hypocritical, and a loser, then we will approach them that way. We will listen to them halfheartedly, and we won’t value their opinion or presence. Listen. God doesn’t have any losers. If our identity is all the bible says it is, then we need to strive to not only see others that way, but to treat them accordingly.

We can change the way people behave if we were to treat them differently. When saints stop coming to church and fall into unbelief, we label them "backslider". We view them as a backslider, treat them like a backslider, and they act like a backslider. But they are a child of God who has gotten out of fellowship (harmony) with the Father. So why shouldn’t we treat them like a child of God, and let them know that they are still in the family. They when they go back in sin, they will feel out of place and homesick.

Studies show that in the average home, there are ten negative statements for every one positive statement (schools scored seven to one). So our kids are growing up thinking that they are losers because that is how we view them. We treat them like losers and talk to them like losers. Every day of their lives we pass on to them what we believe about them. We affect others by our words and opinions of them.

If you were to buy a beautiful new suit that fit you perfectly, and one person criticized it, you would take it back for a refund. Why? Because what others say about us has an impact on us. I’ve had enough of what others say. I am going by what God says. I know for sure that what God says if true. We could resolve most of the problems in our homes and churches if we would obey just one of many New Testament scripture dealing with our view of others. Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear Ephesians 4:29. If we believe that scripture, then we need to live like by saying things to build others up.

We are God’s children, and He loves us. We may get off track sometimes, but God never condemns us. But each time we look into the perfect law of liberty (His Word), we see the truth about who we are in Christ. His Word is the most reliable thing we have, so let us begin to live like who we truly are.