John 1:11–13: Even in His own land and among His own people, He was not accepted. But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan—this rebirth comes from God.

Do you feel as though you have sinned too much to serve God? Do you struggle with feelings of inadequacy because of the life you used to live while in the ways of the world? If you do, then I have some great “good news” for you.

In the Old Testament, gentiles were alienated from the covenant of God. Jesus called those who were outside the Abrahamic covenant, “dogs.” We see this in the story found in Matthew 15 with the Canaanite woman seeking Jesus for a miracle. When the woman worshiped Jesus and displayed faith through her humility, Jesus told her that she had great faith and performed her miracle. Once this gentile woman approached Jesus through faith, it changed the heart of God toward her. Therefore, we can conclude that if we will exercise our faith by placing it in Jesus as being the Son of the living God, then we too will be accepted in the sight of God, even though we may be gentiles in the flesh.

Paul tells us in Romans 8 that there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ, who walk not after the flesh but walk after the Spirit. Our faith in Jesus removes the guilt, shame, and condemnation from our past. You see. It is Christ,who gives us (sinners) the authority to become children of God. John 3 tells us that God gave His Son and those who believe in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

Jesus, the Christ—the Son of God—gives us the authority to be children of God and to represent God on the earth so that we might reconcile others back to Him. If “Christians” should ever compromise on their faith that Jesus is the Son of God, then we will cease being the children of God.

Many religions in the world believe that Jesus was a prophet of God, but deny that He was the Son of God. We must never apologize for the exclusivity that has been given to every believer in Christ, for it is God who has set the standard and paid the price for the sin debt of the entire world (John 14:6). If the world should reject Jesus as being the only Way to the Father, it still won’t negate the truth that their sin debt has already been paid in full on the cross.

Let’s remember that, as gentiles, we were grafted in as a wild branch because the natural branch (the Jews) was cut off—having rejected Jesus as their Christ and as the Son of God. If we, being grafted into Christ, decide to follow in Israel’s footsteps and reject Jesus as the Son of God, then we, too, will be cut off. It is Jesus who has given us the authority to be children of God. In the day that we’re living in, every believer must be diligent to equip themselves with the truth concerning our authority in Christ so that we don’t fall prey to deceptive lies.

Matthew 21:23: When Jesus returned to the Temple and began teaching, the leading priests and elders came up to Him. They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?”

The conflict that Christians wrestle with against the powers of darkness is over our right to walk in spiritual authority in the earth. Let no one take your authority as a believer in Christ away from you.  —submitted by Pastor Asa Dockery, US