Cinderella has a glimmer of an idea and makes a new dress for herself which her stepmother & stepsisters quickly rip to shreds. Just when she finds herself utterly hopeless, her fairy Godmother shows up and provides for her with not only a fancy ball gown but everything she needs to go to the party.
Now imagine for a moment that Cinderella decides that she doesn't need to take off her old dress after all. She chooses to reject the gifts she has been given and do it on her own. She decides to keep wearing her own old rags and goes to the palace and seeks entrance. Do you suppose that she is going to be successful? It would be silly to think that she wouldn't use the gifts she was given.
Similar to Cinderella's fairy Godmother, Christ gives us everything we need to live a spirit filled life when we come to Him.
"But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift."(Ephesians 4:7 NASB)
The enemy, like the evil stepmother, does everything he can to try to convince us that we are unworthy, our identity will always be wrapped up in who we were before. And unfortunately, many of us are deceived by that and choose to try to do it our own strength. Some of us continue to wear the old rags because they are familiar. The thought of having everything we need just given to us is difficult for us to comprehend so we buy into the thought that we don't need a new identity to be successful if we just try a little harder. We make self sufficiency our best friend.
However, in Ephesians Paul tells us we must remove those old clothes, that former identity and put on what Christ has provided for us:
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:22-24 NIV)
Please know that Christ thought you were so valuable that you were worth dying for. Every good and perfect gift is available to you but you must choose to accept them and allow them to transform your life.
Cherry Fargo
Being Remade
