Reclaim Your Supernatural Kingdom Identity – Who is God (Part 2)


[spoiler title=”Click to Read Video Transcript” open=”0″ style=”1″]

Hello, and welcome to the second video in the “Reclaim Your Supernatural Kingdom Identity” series. I’m Randy Crane, from Leaving Conformity Coaching.

 

Last time, we considered two lists of characteristics that describe God. One list that are all the “right” answers, and one that often reflects the way we really live. Then we dug into 8 relational characteristics of God, and I hope you spent some time on the reflection questions to start to internalize who He really is. This information doesn’t do any good if it stays in your head. It’s got to move into your heart.

 

Today, let’s look at 4 characteristics that I’d call His transcendent ones. Of course, these aren’t every possible attribute—there are dozens more—but I think these are some of the most crucial to recognize, understand, and internalize. So let’s dive in!

  • Eternal/Everlasting
    • God has always existed. He always will. There’s nothing that came before Him and nothing will outlast Him.
    • Did you get that? Nothing will outlast Him. Which means if you want to do something truly significant, something that will last, it needs to be done for Him, and through Him. It doesn’t have to be “religious” or “vocational ministry”, but it needs to be something that lives out your unique purpose He’s created you for to impact the people and world around you.
    • It also means that in comparison to Him, everything else is temporary. Your struggles and your successes. Your joys and your fears. He outlasts them all, and He was before them all—so you can trust Him with them all.
    • And it means this life isn’t all there is. Whatever happens in this world, as a believer you have eternal life—one where there will be no death, or mourning, or crying, or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. Your hope extends beyond the temporal.
    • “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.” (Isa. 40:28)
    • “Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” (Psalm 90:2)
    • “Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith—to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.” (Romans 16:25-27)
  • Holy
    • Often we come to Christ to feel better about ourselves rather than falling before Him in humility and awe at His holiness. Our hearts should be filled with gratitude and praise for the grace He has bestowed on us. It’s the self-righteous who stand upright before God confident in who they are, not the saints who are confident in who He is (see Luke 9-14).
    • John Calvin said, “Hence that dread and amazement with which, as Scripture uniformly relates, holy men were struck and overwhelmed whenever they beheld the presence of God.…Men are never duly touched and impressed with a conviction of their insignificance, until they have contrasted themselves with the majesty of God.”
    • To have a healthy view of ourselves, we have to really understand Who He is, so that we don’t think more highly of ourselves than we ought to—and so that we don’t think more lowly of ourselves.
    • “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;  for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” (1 Peter 1:15-16)
  • Just
    • God is fair and impartial. He hates the mistreatment and oppression of people. He can and will judge between right and wrong.
    • This is why Jesus came. To take the punishment that God’s justice demands so we wouldn’t have to, and so we could be restored to a relationship with God.
    • Of course, this also means that He expects us to stand against injustice, to be treat people fairly, and to stand up for those who cannot stand up or speak for themselves.
    • “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.” (Romans 3:25-26)
  • Almighty
    • God is not weak. He is not powerless or helpless. His power is beyond imagining, and all power is His.
    • He is able to do what He has purposed (Job 42:1-2; Isaiah 14:27).
    • He is able to do what He has promised (Romans 4:21).
    • He is able to judge because He can save and destroy (James 4:12).
    • He is able to destroy the body and soul in hell (Matthew 10:28).
    • He is able to forgive sins (Matthew 9:6).
    • He is able to save us (Isaiah 63:1; Psalm 54:1; Romans 1:16), forever (Hebrews 7:25).
    • He is able to deliver us (Daniel 3-4).
    • He is able to protect (Psalm 79:1; 91:1) or rescue us (Psalm 79:11).
    • He is able to keep that which we have committed to Him to the day of His coming (2 Timothy 1:12).
    • He is able to raise the dead (Hebrews 11:17-19).
    • He is able to provide everything for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).
    • “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)

 

12 attributes of God. A list of some key truths of who He really is. He is not any of those things we may fear He is:

  • He is not constantly disappointed or displeased; He is compassionate, caring, and understanding.
  • He is not authoritarian; He is wise, loving, and working for your good, because you love Him and have been called according to His purpose.
  • He is not accusing; He is merciful.
  • He is not untrustworthy; He is faithful.
  • He is not angry; He is gracious.
  • He is not critical, delighting in guilt and shame; He is loving.
  • He is not uninterested; He cares.
  • He is not distant; He is near.
  • He is not weak or powerless; He is all-powerful.

 

Which of those lists are you living like it’s true? Saying you believe one is true, but living like the other one is, is like saying you believe you’re at Disneyland, but looking for Knott’s Berry Farm’s Log Ride or Magic Mountain’s Colossus coaster.

 

What would it look like in your life, today, to live as if God is faithful, forgiving, good, gracious, merciful, your help, near, holy, eternal, holy, just, almighty….Your incredibly loving Father?

 

What would you do that you haven’t done yet?

What would you attempt?

Who would you forgive?

What would you stop doing that’s unproductive, unhealthy, or based in other people’s expectations of you?

 

As I said last time, it’s going to take time to really internalize this, and it will take regular, focused attention. But the value and benefit is worth far more than any time and effort, so really dig into this and cling to it daily, starting today.

 

God’s character, His true identity, is your basis for hope, for joy, for peace, for security. All of this flows from Him. And because you are in Him, you can have all of these and more, but only when you truly begin to understand your identity in Him through Christ. Your Supernatural Kingdom Identity. And that’s where we’ll pick up next time.[/spoiler]

 

 

For Reflection:

  • Which of these 4 characteristics is the most meaningful to you?
  • Which is the hardest for you to grasp?
  • What is one thing you’d think, say, or do differently if you truly believed that the “hard one” is true?

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