Finding your identity is hard. Even as a 44-year-old (will be 45 this year) woman, I still have days that I don’t truly know who I am. I feel like I am drifting through life some days. But over this year, diving head deep into finding my identity in Christ seems to be helping me find my center. This week, I am focused on being delivered.
The Bible uses the word delivered to mean rescued, freed, and set free from danger, sin, and oppression. Psalm 34:4 says, “I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.”
The theme of deliverance can be found in all areas of the Bible. It is a theme that embodies God’s divine way of how He frees people from all kinds of worldly afflictions. Deliverance is an expression of God’s love, mercy, and power. In the Old Testament, God continually delivered the Israelites from all kinds of bondage. Psalms is full of beautiful examples of how God is our refuge and strength. Psalm 32:7 says, “You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance,” and Psalm 107:6 says, “Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.”
In the New Testament, Jesus Christ is our ultimate deliverer. Jesus came to offer both spiritual deliverance from sin and the ultimate gift of eternal life. Romans 7:24-25 says, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Galatians 1:3-4 says, “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.” God sent Jesus to deliver us and give us eternal life.
When we have been delivered and given the gift of heaven, God also sends us ways to be delivered from temptation and evil. In 1 Corinthians 10:12-13, it tells us, “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
The Bible is full of Scriptures that show us God’s readiness to deliver those who trust and who call upon Him. When we are a child of God, we learn to recognize the promise of liberation and protection from Satan and the troubles of this world.
Knowing that you have been delivered and chosen by God, you have a peace that will wash over your soul. You learn that you have the power and strength when you call upon God to deliver you from any spiritual attack. No matter what you think has a hold of you, you can be delivered from it thanks to the gift we have been given from God of Jesus Christ.
I am trying to learn to lean into God’s deliverance this year and not keep believing the lies told to me by the enemy, Satan. I am enough! My finances will not keep me from being delivered by God. My outward appearance and weight will not keep me from being delivered by God. My feelings of being “less than” will not keep me from being delivered by God. Satan’s schemes will try to bind us to the ways of this
world, but we have been delivered by our Lord Jesus Christ. Satan has no power in your life or mine. Remembering that Jesus will never leave us or forsake us gives us peace, love, and a since of purpose.
This week’s recipe is a yummy and hearty soup that will keep you warm on these cool spring nights. The groundhog did say six more weeks of winter; so this hearty soup will help you get through these next few cold nights. My family loves this and I’m sure yours will too.
“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:3-4).
March 7, 2025
