[Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Don’t let your experience define you

Read: Luke 8:43-48

Meditation verse:

“And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her  living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any (Luke 8:43).

What do the following people have in common?  

– The woman with the issue of blood 

– The paralytic at the pool of Bethesda 

– The lame man at the beautiful gate 

– The prodigal son 

– Blind Bartimaeus 

– Naaman the leper 

They were all defined by the things they went through. Their experiences  became their identity, so much so that even though they were restored, they  are still identified till date, by what they suffered. For instance, we still refer to her as “the woman with the issue of blood”, instead of “the woman whom Jesus  healed from the issue of blood”.

Jesus Christ suffered humiliation in the hands of sinful men, even though He was  without sin. He died a shameful death on the cross between two criminals. But  today, He is not known as “the man who was crucified on the cross”. He is  referred to as “the Saviour of the world”. Death could not hold Him captive; the  grave had no power over Him. He defeated death and the grave, resurrected on  the third day, and ascended into heaven, from where He will come again soon.  Romans 8:11 says “but if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells  in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal  bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you”. 

Do not let your experiences become your identity. Activate the power of the  Holy Spirit in you and rise above whatever is trying to define you in a way that is  contrary to who God says you are. You are not “the woman who is always  begging for money” or “the man who has no job”. You are royalty. 1Peter 2:9  says “but you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s  own special person called to show forth His praises. With God’s power you can  overcome that financial, marital or health issue. Psalm 18: 29 says “for by You, I  can run against a troop. By my God, I can leap over a wall”.

IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Pst (Mrs) Oke Chinye, Founder of The Rock Teaching Ministry (TRTM).

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