How do we identify with Jesus Christ? So far, we have looked at attributes of God in Him and seen our need. If we focus on our need and not on Jesus, we falter. Satan's accusation against us in condemnation robs us of the energy to be strong in the Lord and so "take the land" that is given to us. With our head we know what we should possess in Him, but until we walk in victory over that land, it is not available to use. Paul's writing to the church at Rome, (with both Jew and Gentile believers) addresses this struggle. As I read several chapters this morning and realized how much it applies to the church today, I saw the bottom line that was written in Abraham. Without the law, and before the covenant was ratified, Abraham believed God. Before he had made any covenant response, he believed. Isn't that what happened when you first saw the light and accepted God's covenant provision in Jesus and became a new creature in God? You did nothing to justify yourself, but the weight of darkness and sin rolled off and joy and love filled you. You believed, no matter how great your sin and need was, He loved you and wanted you. You may not have known it, but at that moment you identified with Jesus.
Faith is the key to identification with God. Faith that is in Who He is and the great love He has for us, keeps our focus on Him. It took faith for the disciples to leave their livelihood and follow Jesus. It takes faith to leave behind all that we had trusted to sustain us, give us pleasure and "a place" of esteem, to just follow. When faith waivers, we seek to "return". We lose sight of the Lord and we have to find a substitute to follow. Israel is such a good example, but the deception is, that it is just history being recorded and does not apply today. Egypt meant bondage, but they desired to return and even wanted to make a god to lead them back. That god was the same one Egypt worshipped. When we pick up our own control and seek to return to the slavery of self, we use the same gods the world worships to lead us back.
Keeping step with Jesus is to follow through "richer or poorer, sickness and in health, through thick or thin, good or bad" until He leads us to His purpose for us. He led Israel with a pillar of cloud and fire. He leads us by the Holy Spirit that He gave us to dwell in us. We don't have to understand the circumstance, but we do have to understand He will never leave us and nothing can separate us from His love.
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