Speak The Truth In Love

"Speaking the truth in love is NOT telling someone their shortcomings as nicely as possible. It may be true but it's not the truth. The truth is that they're dead, in Christ, and all that bad stuff is done away with!"~ Graham Cooke

I just had to share this quote with you that I saw on facebook by one of my favorite pastors, Graham Cooke. The reason I love it so much is because I have been living in this reality for almost a year now....Well, I say I've been living in this reality but maybe it would be more accurate to say that I've been learning this reality. It is a learning process; a constant state of allowing God to renew my mind to think as He does. 


To see as He does....WOW, what a vision.


If we could only see ourselves as He sees us. The beauty that He sees. How differently would we live our lives? If we lived in the reality of Heaven (where we are seated, by the way) how would we walk this earth? 


Here is food for thought. You become like what you behold. When you look in the mirror, do you see Jesus? I used to hear people ask this and I would think, "No, I don't see Jesus. I see someone who's really messed up. I guess I need to get those things fixed before I'll be able to see Jesus in me, let alone for anyone else to see Jesus in me." 


I now understand that Jesus was there inside me all along, but I was focusing on my shortcomings instead of Him. If you become like what you behold and all you ever see is your crap, it's all you will ever continue to see. Try focusing on the truth. Jesus said He will never leave you and He will never forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). He's not going anywhere. Start looking at Him. The truth is that if you have trusted Jesus to take away your sin and give you everlasting life in Him, then His Spirit abides in you.  You are now dead to that sin. D.E.A.D. Romans 6:11 says to reckon yourself DEAD to sin and ALIVE to God in Christ Jesus....No really, reckon yourself that way! See yourself that way! It is the truth. 


Start seeing Him in you and you in Him. The more you behold His goodness, His faithfulness, His mercy, His grace, His strength, His glory, His righteousness, His           , the more you will see yourself looking like Him.


What do you see when you look at your sister/brother in Christ? Do you see their failings? Do you see their faults? Is that how you are going to define them? Is that the "truth" you are going to speak over them? What if God says that's not who they are in Christ? Well, Lord, who are they in You?

In You they are more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37). In You, they do not struggle with that sin because in You there is no sin. In You, they are an heir of the kingdom (James 2:5). In You, they have everything they need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). What would the church look like if we chose to tell each other the truth of who we are in Christ? If we started calling out the life instead of focusing on the death that has already been dealt with at the cross? 


But Brittany, they really are struggling with this sin. Really? Is that what they're struggling with? Or are they struggling to see who they really are in Christ and what He accomplished for them? I would submit to you that every issue that you are facing right now, be it anger, pride, addiction, you name it, is simply an area where you need more of a revelation of the love of the Father. It is an area where you need His perspective on who you really are in Him. 


I have some friends who have modeled this in my life. I would come to them and say, "I'm seeing this in my life," and they would respond with who I really am in Christ. Then they would pray and ask God to give me a revelation of His love and acceptance in that area and to share His truth and freedom with me. It truly is for freedom that He has set us free, Beloved. You are free. But you will only manifest that freedom to the degree that you believe it.


Another pastor whom I love dearly put it this way. If I owe my friend, Suzy, $100,000 and there is no way I'm going to be able to pay it, I would probably spend my life avoiding her because of the shame. But let's say one day Jane went to the bank and paid $1,000,000 into Suzy's account to cover my debt. And then let's say that I didn't know about it, or maybe someone told me that but it seemed too good to be true so I didn't believe it. My debt would be cleared but I would still be avoiding Suzy and living in shame. The truth is, Beloved of God, that your sin debt has been OVER paid by Christ. For you to try and continue to pay for your sin or for you to continue to point out someone else's sin, is to say that what He did was not enough. And if what He did was not enough then there is no hope for humanity. 

Let's choose to spend our days telling people that their debt has been paid. Let's choose to point them to freedom; to all they are in Christ. Let's choose to tell them the truth in love! (Ephesians 4:15)