“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a [special] people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies [the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections] of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were not a people [at all], but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” [1 Peter 2:9-10, AMP]
Peter tells us that once we weren’t God’s people, and once we had not received His mercy. But now… Exactly what are you doing about your changed status? Are you a proclaim-er? Do you share that you no longer live in darkness but have been translated into His marvelous light. AND, that they too can experience the light rather than living in darkness!
Do you see yourself as a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation? If you don’t believe this of you, then you make Peter a liar. You also severely limit who you are, Whose you are, and what you can do. And now that I think about it… if you don’t believe Peter’s words about you…exactly Who do you think you are???
When the Lord, through Peter, defined us, He was helping us discover who we can become in Him. Take another read of what Peter has written: ‘God’s own possession’. How’s that for a definition!!! Incredible. We have, from the beginning of our walk of our acceptance of His Lordship, we’ve been God’s! Mind blowing.
But it doesn’t stop there because it tells us the reason – so that we may proclaim. Again… are you a proclaim-er? Do you share what the Lord has and continues to do in and for you, us – His special people?
“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].” [2 Timothy 1:7, AMP]
This is one of my favorite verses, especially when my spirit grows weary. When I speak out this verse, I’m telling my circumstances they don’t have the final word. I am what the Lord has and is helping me to become: no timidity, no cowardice, no fear but power and love and a sound judgment and personal discipline. With an array of those attributes, what strength do the deterrents actually have over me? Precisely. None. Remember that He (not us) has made (past tense) us more (not just) than conquerors! As we abide in Him we are fruitful. Those are qualities, attributes that come from Him as His gift to us to become all we can.
Besides… if God is for us, who can be against us? [Romans 8:31] And equally important, if we aren’t proclaim-ers exactly what are we doing, how are we standing on what the Lord has done for us? We are His special people in this world to bring many into His kingdom (which is the first thing we are told to seek).
