By Pastor Alex Ruelo
Where do you belong?
Ephesians 2:19 says, “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,” In the world that you live in, it is very easy to look for a tribe or group. And you adapt to the tribe where you belong to. Some people only want to associate themselves with one group of believers. Anything outside their circle is deemed a disgrace to their tribe. But there is only one God whom they worship.
In the Bible, there are only two groups of people, the Gentiles and the Jews. Deuteronomy 10:15 says, “Yet the Lord set his affection on your ancestors and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations—as it is today.” God chose the Israelites. In Isaiah 41:8, it says, “But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend.” You are not part of the chosen people but when Jesus Christ came, John 1:10-13 said, “He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.” If you believe and have faith in Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, then you become chosen and now belong to the family of God.
All hail to thee my God
My father I belong to you
Can you declare right now that you belong to the family of Christ? If you can’t, maybe today is the day that you start believing in Jesus; that you accept that He is God; that He died for you! The declaration of this song is saying that you worship God because He made you worthy when He died on the cross.
Now the question is, how do you think God sees you when He looks down from heaven? Does he see you as a dirty, good-for-nothing person who continues to sin in spite and despite of? Or does He see you as one worthy of His love? Does He see you with a hint of your past? When God sees you, He sees His beloved son and daughter. You are loved. He was able to give His only Son for you. He made the world ready for you. You are forgiven. When He looks at you, He sees somebody who has been forgiven. The sinner has been cleansed because Jesus already died for you. You are not perfect but you are forgiven. You are redeemed. You were supposed to be the one who dies on the cross. You are adopted. When you are adopted, you were chosen. Children have no choice but to be in a family where they were born into. But children who are adopted are privileged and special because your family chose you. Only the Israelites had a promise. But since they did not want His son, God adopted the Gentiles.
Ephesians 2:19 says, “So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.” You cannot boast about anything else but the fact that you now belong to the family of Christ. 2 Corinthians 9:8 says, “And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.” You will be blessed in everything. Prayers will be answered not because of what you do but because of what God wants to do in your life. 1 John 3:1 says, “See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him.” It is a privilege to be called sons and daughters of God. Other people will laugh at you because they do not know Him. But in this generation, God is slowly being erased from the picture. Zephaniah 3:17 says, “For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” When God looks at you, He is pleased that He created you.
And all thoughts of suicide
And we’ll take them all captive
To the blood of Jesus Christ
Why will a person even think of taking his own life if he knows that God looks on him with love and happiness? 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” God is so happy with you that He gave His only Begotten Son to die for you on the cross. Do not waste the death of Jesus on the cross, telling yourself that you are good for nothing. When God looks at you, He sees His son on the cross. Colossians 3:13 says, “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” God said to forgive because you were forgiven too. No conditions. Extend grace to everybody. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” God’s purpose for you is to do good because you were created in the image and likeness of Christ. You have a purpose. And that is to do good. If anyone is in Christ, a new creation has come and the old has gone. 1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.” If these verses are not enough to convince you of how special you are, then nothing else will convince you of that. When God looks at you, He does not see you as sinners. He has forgiven you already. You are different. You are a new creation. He looks at you with love.
Imago Dei. You are created in the image of God. But the enemy has stolen your identity. He made you broken and you see yourself as that. When you look at yourself now, it is no longer in the image God has created. So instead of declaring yourself as a member of God’s family, you look at yourself and tell yourself that you do not belong there. You see yourself broken because you keep on believing the lies of the enemy.
And we speak to every oppression,
every diagnosis, every generation curse,
every single painful word
Past sins hold you back. But Romans 8:1 says, “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” Outside messages or experiences hold you back. You are not that person. Ever since you believed in God, that is not you anymore.
And we speak to every prisoner, every sin and every lie
Tell them all about this Jesus
Cause they are precious in His eyes
Tell the enemy that he will not get you. Not today. Declare it. Every time he whispers something to you to make you angry, tell the enemy, “Not today.” When you feel the pain of your sickness, tell the enemy, “Not today.’ When you are angry at your husband or your child, tell the enemy, “Not today.” Because you are a new creation. When your friend is texting you nonsense stuff, tell the enemy, “Not today.” When you are being tempted to open pornography, tell the enemy, “Not today.” You belong to your God. You belong to Jesus. When you feel like remembering all the sins you have done in the past, “Not today.”
And we speak to every demon
Cast it out and watch it flee
We’ll keep calling on your presence God
Til all the captives are free
False beliefs hold you back. Witchcraft and horoscopes hold you back and make you slaves. You will be free from any and all wrong beliefs.
Jesus is asking you to do a very simple thing to respond to His call. Repent for your sins. Rise up to the challenge. And receive the grace and the blessings that come from the Lord. Declare that you belong to God. Healing will come. Blessings will come. You just have to receive. May you be set free.
We speak to every sickness
and we lay it at your feet
We speak to every broken promise
that in you will be redeemed
1 Peter 2:24 says, “He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.” You just have to receive the promises of God. Because of His wounds, you are healed.