An Excerpt from The Fuel and the Flame
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Anna, a Christian university student at Boston College, had been happily dating Chad for almost six months before the bomb hit. She found out he was secretly seeing Christy, one of her sorority sisters who had been e-mailing him notes and pictures of herself. It hurt Anna badly to see her relationship with Chad vanish as he and Christy became inseparable, seeing each other almost every night. In her quiet time one morning, Anna came across Ephesians 4:31 telling her to “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger” followed by verse 32 exhorting her to “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” At that moment, she knew exactly what the Lord was telling her to do: Release the anger and bitterness she held toward Chad and her friend Christy.

As the tears flowed, Anna felt the shackles fall off and the cleansing of Christ’s forgiveness wash over her. With a new freedom and perspective, she set out to show kindness and compassion, especially to Christy, whom she was pretty sure was not a Christian. A few weeks later, a devastated Christy came to Anna’s room after Chad had dropped her and moved on. Christy was different though, now asking for forgiveness and seeking solutions for her shattered life. Late that night, because of the unconditional love she felt from Anna, Christy bowed her head and invited Christ to come into her heart as Savior and Lord. Now they became best friends, spiritually growing by leaps and bounds together. These two girls experienced the supernatural love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ, in the face of a cruel and undeserved betrayal, and their lives would never be the same. Yielding her will to God’s, Anna allowed the character of Christ to flow through her and, in turn, draw Christy to the Savior. 

Don’t Get Spiritual Amnesia!

After Anna gave Jesus Christ His rightful place on the throne of her heart, she then began to get her marching orders from His Word, tapping into the power of the Holy Spirit, and she was then ready for….change! Yes, God promised us we would change if we are truly born again, “If any man is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). About A.D. 400 the brilliant, but worldly Augustine became a Christian, and he happen to pass his former mistress on the street one day. She turned to him, seeking to lure him back into her web of adultery, and purred: “Augustine...it is I.” Without even stopping he shot back, “Yes─but it is not I!”

 When we turn from our sin and embrace the sin bearer, we become a Christian or “Christ one.” We are now each a walking talking mirror continually reflecting more and more of the character of Jesus to those around us. One list of the qualities we are to exhibit is found in Galatians 5:22,23: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control…” As you build your foundation in life, these are the kinds of materials you want to make up your character and personality. Not only will others be drawn to you because they see these fruits in you, but these are also the very Christlike qualities you are to pass onto others. When a person squeezes an orange, orange juice comes out. When grapes are crushed, grape juice pours forth. How about when a Christian is squeezed or crushed? What comes out? Christ and the fruits of the Spirit or our own carnal and worldly reactions?

Most students are infected with a deadly strain of what I call the “Acquired Integrity Deficiency Syndrome.” You may be struggling right now, feeling like you just don’t measure up because you see so many areas of your life where you fall short. If you’ll commit to view yourself like God views you, it will produce in you a healthy confidence and self-esteem. Most of us look at ourselves as sinners and yet the Bible calls us “saints” or “holy ones” or “righteous ones” 240 times, while at the same time refers to unbelievers as “sinners” over 330 times. When we joined God’s family, we were completely forgiven of our sins, and we stand holy and blameless in God’s sight because the Father only sees the righteous blood of Jesus when He looks at us. We are truly saints (that occasionally sin!) in His eyes rather than sinners. Believe it, and if you ever forget your position in Christ, read these verses about The Cure For Spiritual Amnesia.

The Cure for Spiritual Amnesia

“I Am Who I Am.....in Christ!”

                                                I am accepted

John 1:12               I am God’s child

John 15:15             I am Christ’s friend

Romans 5:1             I have been justified

1 Cor. 6:17             I am united with the Lord, and I am one spirit with Him

1 Cor. 6:19-20         I have been bought with a price. I belong to God

1 Cor. 12:27            I am a member of Christ’s body

Eph. 1:1                  I am a saint

Eph. 1:5                  I have been adopted as God’s child

Eph. 2:18                I have direct access to God through the Holy Spirit

Col. 1:14                 I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins

Col. 2:10                 I am complete in Christ

                                                  I am secure

Romans 8:1-2          I am free forever from condemnation

Romans 8:28           I am assured that all things work together for good

Romans 8:35-39      I cannot be separated from the love of God

2 Cor. 1:21-22        I have been established, anointed, and sealed by God

Col. 3:3                  I am hidden with Christ in God

Phil. 1:6                 I am assured that God will complete the work He began in me

Phil. 3:20               I am a citizen of heaven

2 Tim. 1:7              I am not given a spirit of fear, but of power, love and sound mind

Hebrews 4:16         I can find grace and mercy in time of need

1 John 5:18            I am born of God, and the evil one cannot touch me

                                               I am significant

Matt. 5:13-14         I am the salt and light of the earth

John 15:1,5            I am a branch of the true vine, a channel of His life

John 15:16             I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit

Acts 1:8                 I am a personal witness of Christ’s

1 Cor. 3:9               I am God’s co-worker

1 Cor. 3:16             I am God’s temple

2 Cor. 5:17-21         I am a minister of reconciliation for God

Eph. 2:6                 I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realm

Eph. 2:10               I am God’s workmanship

Eph. 3:12               I can approach God with freedom and confidence

Phil. 4:13                I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me