Freedom Friday-I am Alive

Hello creative friend!
This is week five of twenty in my Freedom Friday posts on Identity in Christ. These blog posts are based on my I Am Journal and I hope you are joining me on this journey whether you own the journal or not.
Our truth topic today is: I am alive in Christ!

Today’s truth is one that I struggled with for many years. Instead of living the life that Jesus gave me, I merely survived day by day. I often lived in a state of depression, feeling overwhelmed all the time. Joy was elusive and nowhere to be found. If I could just make it through to this day or that day, then things would slow down and I could catch my breath but that day never came. There was always something. I lived in constant guilt and condemnation over past sins and habitual sin. I felt defeated and believed that nothing would ever change. At my lowest point I wanted to take my own life. The enemy had me convinced that my husband and kids would be better off without me. Just when I had lost all hope, the Lord spoke loudly to me and asked “do you want to live or do you want to die?”. Strange question to ask since all I thought I wanted was to die, yet, a little voice deep inside of me said “I want to live” The Lord’s answer was short and sweet (strike through) firm, He said “then LIVE!!!” Thus began my journey to live. I had no idea how it was going to work but I decided to trust Him. I was angry because I felt like His word didn’t apply to me. His word says that His joy is my strength but I had none. How could I when I was suicidal and depressed? I knew that joy was the solution to depression because it increases the much needed chemicals in our body that fight it but how is one suppose to have joy in the middle of it? I remember screaming to God this frustrating question that was burning in my heart. “What comes first, the chicken or the egg?” What I was asking was, how can joy cure me of depression when I don’t have any in the first place? The Lord answered my questions that day. He gave me a simple but difficult answer. He said

“you get a little bit of joy every time you believe God’d truth, you lose joy every time you believe lies”. Tweet that!

I began to apply this truth and the depression lifted. I have never wanted to die since. I took small steps. When the enemy said “you’re a terrible mother” I would reply “I’m a good mother who makes mistakes and is forgiven”. The more I did this, the easier it got. The more I told myself I was a good mom, the more I acted like a good mom. We tend to believe ourselves so make sure you are only telling yourself the truth!! I have stopped trying to please God with religious actions, instead I feel His pleasure just by being me, a flawed imperfect human who sins but is forgiven and transforming more and more everyday!!
How about you friend?
Are you fully alive or are you merely surviving?
Are you living free from sin and forgiven or are you wallowing in false guilt and condemnation?
Live friend, LIVE!!!

“The glory of God is a human being fully alive; and to be alive consists in beholding God.”

Irenaeus of Lyons

So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:11)

Here are biblical declarations that you can read out loud every day. Declare truth over yourself daily and you will soon believe it! I have included a free printable for you to use, enjoy it!

1- God made me alive with Christ, He forgave all my sins. (Colossians 2:13)

2- Because of His great love for me, God, who is rich in mercy has made me alive with Christ, even when I was dead in sin. It is by grace that I have been saved. (Ephesians 2:5)

3- I count myself dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. I do not let sin reign in my body or obey its evil desires. (Romans 6:11-12)

4- Christ is in me, therefore my spirit is alive because of righteousness. (Romans 8:10)

5- Through Jesus I have life, a rich and satisfying life. (John 10:10)

6- God shows me the path of life, in His presence there is fullness of joy, at His right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:11)

7- I follow Jesus so I walk in the light of life instead of darkness.(John 8:12)

8- Today I choose life over death in everything I do.

That’s all for today friend, I hope that you will chose life and live it abundantly in every area!