AVAAT

A VERSE AT A TIME

TOPIC: THE INVITATION

TEXT: JOHN 15:1-8

KEY VERSE: I am the vine itself; you are the branches. It is the man who shares my life and whose life I share who proves fruitful. For the plain fact is that apart from me you can do nothing at all. JOHN 15:5(MSG)

Purpose is the specific assignment God created you to accomplish. It is not what you choose or make up; it is your discovery. Satan always tries to tell us we are not fit to accomplish such a mission by making us focus on our weaknesses and inefficiencies. God is the owner of the mission; without his input, we can not achieve success. Fruitfulness and fulfilment come when we rely on him and take action on his words.

To achieve a life of purpose, you need to have a clear understanding of your identity. How you see yourself determines your self-worth, confidence and self-esteem. Though God had great hopes for Saul as the first King of Israel and showed him great signs that He had supernatural backing, he always looked to himself and was never confident.

Next, Samuel brought each clan of Benjamin there, and the Lord chose the Matri clan. Finally, Saul the son of Kish was chosen. But when they looked for him, he was nowhere to be found. The people prayed, “Our Lord, is Saul here?” “Yes,” the Lord answered, “he is hiding behind the baggage.” 1Samuel 10:21-21(CEV)

“What have you done?” Samuel asked. Saul answered, “My soldiers were leaving in all directions, and you didn’t come when you were supposed to. The Philistines were gathering at Michmash 1 Samuel 13:11-12(CEV)

God ties the believer’s identity to himself. A vine and its branches are the same in nature and ability. The branches draw their vitality from the vine to produce fruit. The value you attach to your union with God and your belief in what he has called you determines your self-worth. In the scriptures, God describes the identity of the believer as royalty, yet many have low self-esteem, feel intimidated, and lack the courage to speak up.

God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus he has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do. Ephesians 2:10(GNT)

 Every believer must view themselves according to God’s definition and believe in their potential, regardless of their circumstances. Your self-talk can either boost your morale or dampen it.

Gideon said to him, “If I may ask, sir, why has all this happened to us if the Lord is with us? What happened to all the wonderful things that our fathers told us the Lord used to do—how he brought them out of Egypt? The Lord has abandoned us and left us to the mercy of the Midianites.” Judges 6:13(GNT)

Gideon replied, “But Lord, how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least important member of my family.” Judges 6:15(GNT)

God invites us to share his Zoe life, which is abundant, supernatural, and eternal. But we cannot see its power manifest unless we allow God to share our lives, too. We do this by aligning our thoughts, words, and actions with what Jesus taught or commanded. You hold the key to your attitudes and results. If you do not believe God’s words, you cannot do what he has promised.

Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you—your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust. 2Peter 1:3-4(MSG)

Joshua and Caleb believed Moses’ words. They never looked down on themselves or their ages, but they kept their eyes on the vision of the inheritance God had described. They fought hard and secured their inheritance for their children. When parents fail to reach God’s goals, it creates a ripple effect that can become generational.

Discovering the true meaning of our union with Christ can be a powerful and life-changing experience. Are you looking to increase your share of God’s life but don’t know where to begin? Seek help from your pastor, mentor, or a Christian coach. Identifying those negative self-statements that can dampen our morale and hold us back from living our best lives is essential. But don’t worry—there are affirmations you can hold onto from the Bible to restore your self-worth and feel empowered. 

Reflection Questions

1. What does my union with Christ mean to me? 

2. How can I increase my share of God’s life?

3. What negative self-statements am I making?

 4. What five affirmations can I use to strengthen myself? 

Take the first step towards a more fulfilling life today.

Photo by Diana Polekhina on Unsplash