Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:17-19 NKJV

The Gospel of the Kingdom is a message of reconciliation that proclaims the year of Jubilee (Luke 4:19). It declares that we are new creatures living in a new creation; heirs of God, joint-heir with Christ—heirs of perfect everything. But you may ask—as many do—why does my experience seem to relentlessly mock me and the truth, as set forth in the Word of God? You may not feel like a new creature, nor feel like an heir of God based on your circumstances. Has something changed? I think not!

Romans 1:21 says, “because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”  Here’s the truth: nothing has happen to us as far as our true essence, worth and value in Christ; nor did anything change as to where we are and what we have. When we seemed to have experienced something other than the presence of perfect everything (the new creation), we, undoubtedly, gave ourselves over to a belief in appearances. Just because our circumstances appear a certain way, doesn’t mean that is the way it is in the reality of God.

If our adverse circumstances are going to change, we must surrender something; we must make a sacrifice, i.e., our futile thoughts. It’s only when we become totally bankrupt with regard to futile thoughts that the truth will make us free (John 8:32) Jesus said in Matthew 13:44,  “. . . the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” Until we sell out to the truth, we are simply seeking confirmation of our thoughts that are not God’s thoughts.

When we stand in the “mirror” of God’s Word, it is helpful to undergo what I call a Self-Discovery Process. Self-discovery allows us to develop insight by stepping outside of ourselves so that we can examine our patterns (1 Cor. 11:28; Gal. 6:4). The Self-Discovery Process will make known to us–more often than not–that it is in the area of identity that our vain, futile thoughts are first revealed. You may think that the essence of our existence is tied to what we do or have, and thus you’ll define yourself by that criterion.  News flash: we are not here to be somebody or to be a nobody—we are here just to “be” (2 Cor. 5:17). Too often believers find themselves seeking to do something to acquire something in a vain attempt to become somebody not realizing that we are already perfect and complete, lacking nothing (James 1:2-4). The Gospels begin with “I AM” (Exodus 3:2-14).  Because we are, we have; because we have, we can; and, because we can, we will!