I’m going to share a little story with you that describes how I felt when I was trapped in the bondage of sin. It’s about a little boy who thought about himself the way I once thought about myself.
The boy had been raised by creatures of the darkness. Yet he was not one of them. These evil creatures lived in a cave beneath the surface of the earth and only ventured beyond their self-imposed prison in order to capture others and indoctrinate them, enslaving them to their dark way of life.
The boy had actually come from a race of winged men, those who were born to fly. But the creatures of darkness had bound his wings, and they were dismissed as useless appendages that had lost their usefulness through the evolutionary process.
He soon learned it was better not to mention the wings - to deny their very existence. The dark ways seemed right to him, and his life seemed "normal." It was all he knew. So what if he tripped and fell a lot? So did everyone else. So what if he was constantly bombarded by injuries and the limits of the dark life? So was everyone else.
His painful, dark life continued until the day he caught a glimpse of fluttering whiteness streaking by the cave entrance. Captivated and curious, he approached the surface and was again surprised by the brilliant whiteness and graceful motion of wings! Wings just like the ones on his own back…wings that were no longer useful wings that were a part of his long- forgotten identity. In a daze over what he had seen, he was astonished and blinded as one of the winged men snatched him from the pit and began bathing him with pure light. Wanting to fight at first, his fears melted into peace as the winged men surrounding him began to unbind the clothing of darkness that bound his wings.
He knew that he was somehow seeing himself in their face, yet he could not move until he accepted the truth: He had believed a lie about himself. He had been born to fly yet had given years to the darkness and its misery, thinking that was all he deserved. As he embraced his true identity, his wings began to move and the boy ascended above the darkness and took his rightful place among the winged men!
Isn't that a true picture of our lives in sin? Even after we are saved, we often grovel in the darkness of the past since that is all we have known, since that is who we believed we really were. Yes, perhaps I was once homosexual, but that was not God's intention for me. When he redeemed me, he gave me a brand- new identity (see 2 Cor. 5:17). Having a brand-new identity after living my "old" life for so long was quite revolutionary. I had believed that I was born homosexual, yet God said my homosexuality was part of my old nature and that he had given me a new nature! That meant I had to put off a lot of what I formerly believed to be true and, in turn, put on what he now revealed to me to be true! Yes, just as I had to learn a whole new way of thinking about who God is, I also had to do the same in regard to my own character, or nature.
I also had to face the truth that I could not have two natures. There is only one "me." The old me is dead and buried with Christ. The new me is learning -- much as a child learns to crawl, walk, then run -- how to live my new life! If God is all he says he is, and if I am his child, then certain things are part of my heritage -- they are my birthright, my identity as being "of God" -- and I must cling to the truth of who I really am! Failure or sin on my part does not constitute a rejection of that identity. It simply reaffirms my great need to be in close relationship with my Father. After all, the gifts and calls of God are irrevocable! You are who he says you are no matter what you feel or perceive! (see Rom. 11:28--36).
We really have only touched the tip of the iceberg of who God is. But what does that mean for us? We have only touched the tip of the iceberg of who we are! I find it easier and easier to put off the old me because I like who God is showing me I am!
Do not give up in your quest to know him. As a warrior, he has fought and won the war, and he will lead you through your personal battles. He will give you your wings! Here are a few questions to help you mediate on who you are as a new creation in Christ.
Where would you be without Jesus Christ?
Luke 7:47 tells us that those who understand that they have been forgiven much, love much! How much do you love him?
What does it mean to be his child, his possession, a new creation, a royal subject, a priest, a warrior, accepted, beloved, his servant, his delight?
Here are some basic truths from God’s Word to, again, help you meditate on who you are as a new creation in Christ:
You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence ---Acts 2:28
We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. --1 John 1:3
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you your spiritual wings. As you sleep, spread your wings of faith and discover more of your true identity in Christ.
Dennis Jernigan - an excerpt from the Dennis Jernigan book, This Is My Destiny.
Photo courtesy of https://pixabay.com/photos/feathers-wing-angel-wings-wood-4661244/