I was Dead, Now I Live! – By: Alicia Briscoe

 But God is so rich in mercy; he loved us so much that even though we were spiritually dead and doomed by our sins, he gave us back our lives again when he raised Christ from the dead—only by his undeserved favor have we ever been saved.  (Ephesians 2:4-5 TLB)

I am so glad about God’s grace for me.  If it was not for His grace, I would not be writing this blog today.  I would still be dead in my sins going through the motions of life in defeat and despair.  Although I was raised to go to church and believe in God, I did not have a relationship with God – I didn’t know Him and was not sure of how He knew me.  But after doing life on my own terms, I had a pivoting moment at the age of 30 – Me: “There has to be more to life than this”?  Have you ever said this or felt that way?  I was tired of just existing.  I was tired of the defeat life was giving me.  I was tired of spinning my wheels to find that I had not moved from the space I started.  I was dead spiritually. 

We are Spirit, Soul – (mind/will/ emotions), and Body. I was operating at a minimum capacity because my spirit was dead.  Although I was going to church and picked up the culture, it was just a routine.  I was not passionate about Jesus; I was more passionate about things and people in which I would invest my time and energy.  I saw my faith as insurance to avoid going to hell.  I used it oppose to understanding the value of it.   I did not realize that faith was the means of being in relationship with God.  I was not big on relationships in the natural due to my unpleasant experiences.  I was ignorant of the character of God that I was supposed to emulate to be alive spiritually. Can you relate or is this just me?

In November 1999, I was Resurrected by receiving salvation.  With His immense mercy and incredible love, He embraced me.  He took my sin dead life and made me alive in Christ.   At that time, I felt a change with in me.  It was like a quickening in my spirit that I would never be the same. I no longer wanted to live life on my terms.  I began approaching God in prayer and His word to learn to trust and obey His leading for my life.  I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back. (Philippians 3:14 MSG)

I encourage you to be resurrected from being dead spiritually to being alive spiritually in Christ.  If you have not accepted Him as your Lord and Savior or have strayed away get it right now.  It is easy as ABC (Accept/Believe/Confess) Roman 10:9, return from the dead and live!



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