Sunday June 4, 2023 Illusion (distorted vision) vs. Reality (Original Identity)
Video- Man at the pool

Romans 7:21-25 (TPT)²¹Through my experience of this principle, I discover that even when I want to do good, evil is ready to sabotage me.²²Truly, deep within my true identity, I love to do what pleases God ²³But I discern another power operating in my humanity, waging a war against the moral principles of my conscience and bringing me into captivity as a prisoner to the “law” of sin—this unwelcome intruder in my humanity. ²⁴What an agonizing situation I am in! So who has the power to rescue this miserable man from the unwelcome intruder of sin and death? ²⁵ I give all my thanks to God, for his mighty power has finally provided a way out through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One! So if left to myself,the flesh is aligned with the law of sin, but now my renewed mind is fixed on and submitted to God’s righteous principles.

2 Corinthians 11:3-4 (Mirror) ³I am concerned for you that you might pine away through the illusion of separation from Christ and that, just like Eve, you might become blurry-eyed and deceived into believing a lie about yourselves. ⁴The temptation was to exchange the truth about our completeness (I am) with the idea of incompleteness (I am not) and shame; thinking that perfection required your toil and all manner of wearisome labor

2 Corinthians 11:3-4 (AMP) ³But I am afraid that, even as the serpent beguiled Eve by his cunning, your minds may be corrupted and led away from the simplicity of [your sincere and] pure devotion to Christ. ⁴For [you seem willing to allow it]if one comes and preaches another Jesuswhom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted. You tolerate all this beautifully [welcoming the deception]

Illusion-
 ¹a thing that is or is likely to be wrongly perceived or interpreted by the senses.

²A deceptive appearance or impression
³ false idea or belief.

Romans 1:23 (Mirror) ²³Their losing sight of God, made them lose sight of who they really were. In their calculation the image and likeness of God became reduced to a corrupted and distorted pattern of themselves. Suddenly a person has more in common with “creepy crawlies” than with their original blueprint.

Romans 6:17-18 (TPT) ¹⁷And thanks be to God, for in the past you were servants of sin, but now your obedience is heart deep, and your life is being molded by truth through the teaching you are devoted to ¹⁸And now you celebrate your freedom from your former master—sin. You’ve left its bondage, and now God’s perfect righteousness holds power over you as his loving servants.

Romans 6:21-23 (TPT) ²¹So tell me, what benefit ensued from doing those things that you’re now ashamed of? It left you with nothing but a legacy of shame and death. ²²But now, as God’s loving servants, you live in joyous freedom from the power of sin. So consider the benefits you now enjoy—you are brought deeper into the experience of true holiness that ends with eternal life! ²³For sin’s meager wages is death, but God’s lavish gift is life eternal, found in your union with our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One.

Romans 8:1-2 (AMP) ¹Therefore there is now no condemnation [no guilty verdict, no punishment] for those who are in Christ Jesus [who believe in Him as personal Lord and Savior]. ²For the law of the Spirit of life [which is] in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

Romans 8:1-2 (TPT) ¹So now the case is closed. There remains no accusing voice of condemnation against those who are joined in life-union with Jesus, the Anointed One. ²For the “law” of the Spirit of life flowing through the anointing of Jesus has liberated us from the “law” of sin and death.

Romans 8:9 (Mirror) ⁹But you are not ruled by a flesh-consciousness, (law of works), but by a spirit-consciousness [faith], God’s Spirit is at home in you. Anyone who does not see themselves fully 1clothed and identified in the Spirit of Christ, cannot be themselves.

Romans 8:12 (Mirror) ¹² We owe the flesh nothing

Romans 8:12 (TPT) ¹² So then, beloved ones, the flesh has no claims on us at all, and we have no further obligation to live in obedience to it.

Romans 8:14-15 (TPT) ¹⁴ The mature children of God are those who are moved by the impulses of the Holy Spirit. ¹⁵ And you did not receive the “spirit of religious duty,” leading you back into the fear of never being good enough. But you have received the “Spirit of full acceptance,” enfolding you into the family of God. And you will never feel orphaned, for as he rises up within us, our spirits join him in saying the words of tender affection, “Beloved Father!”.

Romans 6:6 (AMP) ⁶ We know that our old self [our human nature without the Holy Spirit] was nailed to the cross with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin.

Romans 6:6 (TPT) ⁶Could it be any clearer that our former identity is now and forever deprived of its power? For we were co- crucified with him to dismantle the stronghold of sin within us, so that we would not continue to live one moment longer submitted to sin’s power.

John 10:9-10 (AMP) ⁹ I am the Door; anyone who enters through Me will be saved [and will live forever], and will go in and out [freely], and find pasture (spiritual security).10 The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].
John 10:9-10 (TPT) ⁹ I am the Gateway. To enter through me is to experience life, freedom, and satisfaction. ¹⁰ A thief has only one thing in mind—he wants to steal, slaughter, and destroy. But I have come to give you everything in abundance, more than you expect- life in its fullness until you overflow.

Romans 8:28 (Mirror) ²⁸ Meanwhile we know that the love of God causes everything to mutually contribute to our advantage. His Master Plan is announced in our original identity.

Romans 8:28 (Living Bible) ²⁸ And we know that all that happens to us is working for our good if we love God and are fitting into his plans.

Psalm 139:5 (TPT) ⁵You’ve gone into my future to prepare the way, and in kindness you follow behind me to spare me from the harm of my past.

Romans 8:31 (Mirror) ³¹All these things point to one conclusion, God is for us! Who can prevail against us?

Romans 8:33 (Mirror) ³³God has 1identified us, who can disqualify us? His 2word is our origin. No-one can point a finger; he declared us innocent. (He has placed us beyond the reach of blame and shame, guilt and gossip!)

Psalm 119:133 (AMP) ¹³³Establish my footsteps in [the way of] Your word;
Do not let any human weakness have power over me [causing me to be separated from You].

Psalm 119:133 (NKJV) ¹³³ Direct my steps by Your word, And let no iniquity have dominion over me.

Romans 8:38-39 (TPT) ³⁸ So now I live with the confidence that there is nothing in the universe with the power to separate us from God’s love. I’m convinced that his love will triumph over death, life’s troubles, fallen angels, or dark rulers in the heavens. There is nothing in our present or future circumstances that can weaken his love. ³⁹There is no power above us or beneath us—no power that could ever be found in the universe that can distance us from God’s passionate love, which is lavished upon us through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One!

Corinthians 11:6 (Mirror) ⁶ I am not here to entertain you with my public speaking skills, or to impress you with me, but to impress you with you! It is not in the plausible sounding words of my conversation; it is in what I know to be true about you. This is clearly evident in all of our dealings with you.

Philippians 3:12-16 (TPT) ¹²I admit that I haven’t yet acquired the absolute fullness that I’m pursuing, but I run with passion into his abundance so that I may reach the purpose for which Christ Jesus laid hold of me to make me his own. ¹³ I don’t depend on my own strength to accomplish this; however, I do have one compelling focus: I forget all of the past as I fasten my heart to the future instead. ¹⁴I run straight for the divine invitation of reaching the heavenly goal and gaining the victory-prize through the anointing of Jesus. ¹⁵So let all who are fully mature have this same passion, and if anyone is not yet gripped by these desires, God will reveal it to them. ¹⁶And let us all advance together to reach this victory-prize, following one path with one passion.