Complete! Could that really be true?!? For years I struggled, truly suffered, being tempted by the enemy of our souls to doubt the truth and veracity of this fact: I, Coleen Ann Brigit Hayden, AM complete in Him! I AM! (And you, my friend, you are complete in Him, too!) ‘How do you know that?’ you ask? The Bible tells me so!
For in Christ the fullness of God lives in a human body,
and you are complete through your union with Christ.
Colossians 2:9 and 10
The word complete communicates that the thing which is complete has no lack or deficiency. So if we are complete through our union or relationship with Christ then there is no lack or deficiency in all that comes through that relationship. It is enough. We are fully, perfectly, completely equipped. ‘With what?’ you ask? Well, a couple of days ago in our lesson, Teresa gave us a beautiful graphic which contains the essence of what I am saying. It presented ‘character traits’ that became ours when we were born-again, or had our spiritual new birth. Among other things, it said we are:
- Chosen – 1 Peter 1:2
- Forgiven – Colossians 2:13
- Free – Galatians 5:1
- Justified – 1 Corinthians 6:11
- Redeemed – Ephesians 1:7
- Righteous – Romans 5:9
- Sanctified – 1 Corinthians 1:30
- Sealed – Ephesians 1:13
It is ONLY through our relationship or union with Jesus that we are complete—there is nothing, absolutely nothing, that we can do by ourselves that will make us complete. Remember who and what we were…
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Ephesians 2:1-8
Doesn’t that just melt your heart AND revive your heart all at the same time!?! Read through those verses again, and pick out your very favorite phrase and praise our Great I AM through it! (I would LOVE to hear which phrase hits your heart the most…and why!)
- God being rich in mercy
- By grace you have been saved through faith
- Because of the great love with which He loved us
- Might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness towards us
- It is the gift of God
This—His love, His grace, His mercy, His gift, His riches—is what gives us the opportunity for a relationship or union with Jesus! How GREAT is our God!
For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will—to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves.
Ephesians 1:4-6
Hold this truth in your mind and never doubt that you are completely, completely, completely COMPLETE through your union with Jesus—He is your Lord!
* * * * *
Let’s Pray:
…that Christ may dwell in <our> hearts through faith, as <we> are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that <we> may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that <we> may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.
Amen.
(paraphrased from Ephesians, chapter 3)
About coleen hayden
Beautiful as always Coleen. Thank you! I would have to say that “God being rich in His mercy” would have to be the phrase that hits my heart the most. I was one of those who went through life feeling like nothing that I did was ever good enough for anyone; probably because of my up bringing. It left me feeling like it didn’t matter if I was good or bad, smart, or successful. In return, I became rebellious not making the best decisions for my life. I would try anything once. Let’s just say I was on the wrong path in life and heading straight for rock bottom and didn’t care what the consequences of my decisions were. I figured nobody cared anyway. I also figured since my own Father looked at me like I was not good enough, surely God didn’t care either. Then because of “One” ladies Jesus Heart, I heard about Jesus…I gave my life to Jesus, and through His word learned of and experienced His mercies, and now I am COMPLETE. Thank you Jesus for Your Word, and Your Mercy!
giving thanks to Him along with you, mary; He is a merciful, merciful, merciful God! <3
vs. 6 “And God raised us up WITH CHRIST and seated us WITH HIM in the heavenly realms IN CHRIST JESUS…” vs.7 “IN CHRIST JESUS…” vs.10 “IN CHRIST JESUS…” It amazes me that our spiritual union with Christ Jesus is so complete that we are IN HIM. We are not a foster child living temporarily in His family, but a full member of His family through His very blood. That gives me great comfort and security to realize that I am IN HIM. Our pastor once said, “When it gets bad here, go where you really are–IN CHRIST!” My prayer is that I will continue to grow IN HIM to the point that the things of this life won’t overshadow my realization of being IN CHRIST.
such the most incredible REALITY, clella!!! praying your prayer along with you…for you and me, too! <3
I try to work very hard. (understatement). My identity has been derived by my work ethic and my dependability. The statement that so most thrills my heart is “the GIFT of God”. A free and clear gift that does not need to be earned to receive or kept or shared. This gift is mine if I only accept it.
…and I did. I AM Complete IN CHRIST because He chose me and I chose to follow Him.
no gift better, hmmm? and a gift from the One Who loves you so! thank you, teresa, for sharing your heart. you are a gift from the Great I AM to me! (to us!) xo <3
Love…made us ALIVE TOGETHER with CHRIST. AMEN! Thank you, Coleen, for a beautiful message of LOVE and a beautiful song of worship! <3
you are SO right, colleen…LOVE! so thankful for His love! <3
what a great menu of verses that show us “completeness” in Christ….so glad that I am complete in Him….thanks Coleen for a sweet message today
a “menu”…like that, beverly! so glad ’cause we could NEVER have done it on our own! <3
Being dead in our trespasses. So true. My heart was melted for sure. Sharing that verse. Perfect timing as always
what love, hmmm? glad you have yet another reason to priase our Great God, amy; praising Him with you <3
“It is by grace (I) have been saved.” People who know my family always ask me how I became who I am today. This is usually my response. But I shouldn’t think that only when faced with that question. EVERY day that is true. What a great reminder Coleen!
ooops…my response didn’t attach…see below, ok? <3
EVERY day, yes! we have received so very much grace—but oh-how-thankful we are for that initial outpouring of grace that saved our …. souls! thank you, megan, for sharing that! <3