God calls the things that be not just like they are right now. Our problem is we remember what we used to be and then we reject what we are now, rather than actually embracing what we are now and then letting your life cooperate and come into alignment with what God says about you now. We try to become something, rather than Jesus says you ARE something, now grow up into it and live it out. Discover what that's like. Discover what it looks like. Begin to think if I'm a loving person what does that look like? How does that work out? If I'm a generous person what does that look like? How - and begin to see yourself living out what Jesus says you're like. It just takes time. Most people won't put in the time, that's what the difficulty is, so their mind remains unrenovated.
Here's another thing you can do, I'll give you two last things. Here's the third thing you can do is to practice positive disclosure. I'll explain what that means. We're not talking about cleaning out your junk and talking your junk to people, but if you're going to become who you are you actually need to own up to some things and make them known, like for example you need to be able to say I like this. I don't like that. I feel this. This is part of who you are. It's time you stopped hiding all that stuff and be a little more honest in talking about things; this is my dream instead of hiding it. This is my goal, this is what I believe I could be and do - but most people keep it all secret. They're ashamed of even bringing the things out. A lot of people are ashamed to talk about what they feel; I feel discouraged today. Well at least you can actually state it, then you can do something about it instead of covering it all over. So positive disclosure's pretty good; this is what I want, this is the help I need. That's positive, that's saying what you need. That's part of being a person.
A lot of people just cover up everything, won't even say I need some help on this. See a part of actually growing in your identity is to be able to disclose those things, and then the last thing is you need to begin to practice doing some different things. You need to practice doing some different things. Two things you can practice being, one is joyful and the other is generous. See, God that we serve is a generous God, a generous God. I can be a generous person, generous with compliments, generous with praise, generous in giving to people. I am that person, and so I give not because I have to, not because someone stood up there and gave an inspiring message. I give because I'm generous. That's who I am you know? You understand? Now that's a whole different deal to being pushed and persuaded and made to become, to do something out of guilt or duty or you're a Christian now, you should be like this. That's a guilt load. Jesus didn't come to give any of that stuff to us.
He says you are a Christian. Don't be condemned if you've got a few funny things and quirks, I know all about them. Just don't be condemned. Just set your mind on the spirit thing, set your mind on things which are godly and you'll walk in the spirit. Will you blow it? Sure you'll blow it, just own up to it and move on. I've already got it all sorted out - but do not live condemned. Do not live forever thinking I'm nobody or I'm nothing, or I'm a failure or I've got a weak or a hopeless Christian life. Listen, how can you have a hopeless Christian life? Listen, you're a believer. You're a [saint 00.35.51] of God, you're a child of the living God. You are loved by your Father. Stand up and begin to live that out. If you fall over just get up again quick, get grace to live your life out. Live out of who you are. You're a forgiven child of God.
Who am I? I'm forgiven. When you fall over you're still a forgiven child of God, so stand up into that and begin to walk back in that again. You'll be amazed how quickly condemnation, accusation just drops off you like water off a duck's back. You don't have to live that way any more, because that's not who you are. You're not a condemned person; you're a vindicated, redeemed person. The Bible says that the redeemed of the Lord say so, say so. I'm redeemed. I'm loved - and not only that, I'm lovable as well. Well you may not think so but it doesn't really matter because my Father told me so. Can you understand? Make God's words your reference point, and other people can signal if you've gone off track a bit but they're not the reference point for where your life is. Make God's words the reference point for your life. He's got only positive things to say about you and if He's got to tell you off He does it so lovingly, just straight, He goes straight into your heart saying I didn't like that. Oh, forgive me [unclear 00.37.06], get back up again and get going again.