Replace - New Identity

After receiving the test results, hearing the truth, battling internally with excuse after excuse as to why my reality had shaped up in this way, and true repentance, I found myself ready to replace the old identity with a much-needed upgrade. This breakthrough moment began a journey that continues to this day.

A plan was put in place that included sleeping equipment to manage sleep apnea, exercise routines that amazingly could be completed after healthy sleep returned to my life, and a newly defined diet aided in losing weight that was seemingly stuck. Was the road to recovery easy? No, it was painful, and there were moments of anger, yet at the core, I knew that my new identity was being formed daily based on the decisions I chose to make.

When the paralytic stood up for the first time and looked at Jesus, he saw himself in a new light. No longer defined by his disease, he could see himself as a son of the King. This narrative invites us to consider how Jesus not only heals us but also calls us to a new way of living that aligns with our healed status. It’s about replacing our old identities—formed by years of affliction and excuses—with a new identity in Christ. Embracing this new identity requires action: we must "pick up our mats" and walk in the reality of our healing.

Healing is a multi-faceted journey that involves admitting our need, repenting from excuses, and embracing a new identity offered through Christ. Even as we consider healing in our own life we have to remember that healing does not always take place this side of heaven. While that is what we most often recognize as the healing we desire, the true healing occurs when we are with Him in glory and that should be enough to motivate us

As you reflect on these in your journey, consider how you can actively engage in each step of your healing process, trusting that God is always ready to transform us fully and completely.

Questions to Consider

1. Reflecting on the idea that spiritual healing often accompanies or catalyzes physical or emotional change, how has your spiritual journey influenced your process of embracing a new identity?
2. In what ways have you had to "pick up your mat and walk" — take active steps — to live out your new identity?

Thank You

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