True You part 3
When you know who you are, you can BE who you are. Because when you know who you are you don't need to try to be someone you're not. And that's why the affirmation and acceptance of the Father is so important; the affirmation and acceptance of the Father equips and empowers you to be who you really are. Which is the Son. Which is Jesus. God in the flesh. Love in a body. The true you. I think its powerful that when Jesus was baptized, "...the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my Beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased" (Luke 3:22). And then immediately after that Jesus was driven into the wilderness and tempted of Satan. But no matter what the accuser, the serpent, the liar, said... Jesus was able to hold onto that truth. He knew who He really was. And because of that, nothing bothered Him. When you know the truth, its easy to ignore the lie. The truth sets you free and makes you free. When God arises His enemies are scattered. When the light shines the darkness flees. When you know who you are... because your Father told you who you are... because faith comes from hearing and hearing from the Word of God... you can BE who you are. Because you know it, and believe it. Then the slave mentality of trying to earn your bread by the sweat of your brow turns into a servant mentality... because you know you're a Son. Jesus said, "For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister..." (Mark 10:45). He was a Son with a servant's heart. He knelt down and washed His disciples' feet. He didn't need to prove Himself to anybody. He knew who He was. In the book of John Jesus says over and over, "I AM." Which is a direct reference to when Moses asked God who He was and God said, "I AM THAT I AM" (Exodus 3:14). Jesus knew exactly who He was. So He didn't have to try to be someone He wasn't. No matter what anybody else said, He was secure in His identity. He lived from the inside out, because He knew He was in the Father, and the Father was in Him. He was in LOVE, and LOVE was in Him. That's what it means to be God in the flesh... it means the Word (which is Jesus, which is love) became flesh and dwelt among us. Then, through the cross, the Word took it a step further and took up abode WITHIN us. The Word made flesh is love in action. Charity. And now that the Word dwells within us, and we dwell within Him, whenever WE act in love the Word is made flesh... through us. Whenever we love one another we manifest our true selves. We be who we are. By letting what's inside come out. Walking by faith (in God... in love) and LIVING by faith (in God... in love). Love is what makes life WORTH living. And love is what makes is POSSIBLE to truly live. I know a lot of people who are just kind of going through the motions. "Alive" but not really LIVING. The walking dead. That's what Adam became when he ate of the tree of death and died. But Jesus drew us out of Adam and into Himself. Jesus came that we might have LIFE and have it more abundantly. And what makes life abundant... is love. That's the true you. You are LOVED, and because you are LOVED, you CAN love. Because you ARE loved... you are LOVE!