I’ve personalized this confession, for the believer, from Paul’s first chapter of his letter to the Ephesians (Eph. 1:1-23) using The Message translation. This is to be read out loud, with testicular fortitude, especially if you’re feeling a wee bit crappy today. Enjoy and let ‘er rip.

I, __________ (add your name), am under God’s plan as a _________ (add your calling), I’m a special agent of Christ Jesus.

Grace and peace have been poured into my life by God our Father and our Master, Jesus Christ.

How blessed is God! And what a blessing you are, Lord! You are the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and you take me to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had me in mind, had settled on me as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago, he decided to adopt me into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted me to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.

Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, I’m a free person—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all my misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything I could possibly need, letting me in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth.

It’s in Christ that I find out who I am and what I am living for. Long before I first heard of Christ and got my hopes up, he had his eye on me, had designs on me for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.

It’s in Christ that once I heard the truth and believed it (this Message of my salvation), found myself home free—signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. This down payment from God is the first installment on what’s coming, a reminder that I’ll get everything God has planned for me, a praising and glorious life.

I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make me intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, my eyes focused and clear, so that I can see exactly what it is he is calling me to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his me, oh, the utter extravagance of his work for those who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!

All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ’s body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.

Clash Ministries is here to do two things, namely, put brains and cojones on Christians. Yep, our holy job is renewing minds (Rom. 12:1-2) and emboldening hearts (Prov. 28:1). Your generosity helps us throttle the enemy by equipping God's people to live bold, wild and free in Him. You are a vital part of this ministry and we could not do this without you. Thank you for your faithful gifts and partnership and remember to always ... stay rowdy!

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Doug Giles is Pastor of Liberty Fellowship in Wimberley, TX, and is the founder of ClashDaily.com​

Follow Doug on Instagram and Twitter @TheArtOfDoug.

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