Boasting is usually wrong, but not when it involves Christ.
So often, Satan gets us to believe that we are nothing, we're weak, pitiful, cowardly,etc. you get the point. To sum it up, Satan makes us think that we are nobody, but if you're in Christ, you're SOMEBODY, somebody VERY special.
You ARE a citizen of heaven (Philip. 3:20), God's workmanship (Eph. 2:10), God's temple (1 Cor.3:16), justified (Romans 5:1), complete in Christ (Col. 2:9-10), born of God (1John 5:18), hidden from evil (Col. 3:1-4, 1 John 5:18), can approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3:12), and it continues.
So why the constant struggle in our minds? Why do we allow toxic thoughts of "I am worthless" to bombard us every day? I believe we are afraid to start walking in the truth of Christ's work because it requires that we boast.
The apostle Paul said
"Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—though I myself have reasons for such confidence. (Philippians 3:1-4)
The Greek word used here as glory, means "boast". We put no confidence in the flesh, but we boast in Christ. To boast in Christ cuts through our pride and gives us confidence in God.
May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (Gal. 6:14)
Boasting in Christ provides us with strength in our trials
Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. (2 Cor. 12:8-9)
What would happen if we started walking in the I AM in CHRIST ALONE. We'd probably have less turmoil in our minds, we'd be more focused on the things of God than in the lies of Satan, and we could start walking in the confidence of the Lord.
Praise God that our confidence is not in what we do day to day. Christ has made us acceptable to God, and because he has made us acceptable we can be confident that God will never leave us nor abandon us.
Credit to: http://efcbemidji.org/widgets/download.aspx?file=%2Ffiles%2FMedia%2FSermon+Transcripts%2FJanuary+31%2C+2010+Sermon.pdf.
Posts
