Occasionally, thoughts of my old self come back to me. I wonder, "How could I have done some of those things I did before?" Before Jesus. Thankfully, I am no longer who I once was.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" - 2 Corinthians 5:17
One of the first things I noticed after coming to believe was that I began looking at things differently. Through a new set of eyes, so to speak.
"There is one thing I do know: I was blind, but now I see!” - John 9:25
I also had an insatiable desire to read the Bible, God's Word. This has not abated in my 20 years as a believer in Christ. If fact, it has increased. What else?
Love. I now love more deeply, more sacrificially, that I ever did. My love before was self-centered. Now it is other-centered.
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. ⁸Love never fails." - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Yet, despite all this, we are constantly vulnerable to spiritual attacks. Satan absolutely hates when God gets love, praise, and glory. So, he attacks.
And that brings us to the title of this story - You Don't Own Me. Remember these words from Jesus.
“Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” - Matthew 16:23
Although Jesus spoke those words to Peter, they still have meaning for us when we encounter those who disagree with what we know to be true. We will always be a target from those who don't revere Jesus. Let us stand firm then in our faith!
"Finally, be strong in The Lord, and in the strength of His might, put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil." - Ephesians 6:10-11
You Don't Own Me - Disciple
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