July 19, 2026
OPENING
Matthew 6:33 (NLT) “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”
INFORMATION: The Lies We Believe
Ephesians 1:3–8 (NLT) — “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.”
Four lies that hold us back:
1. I am the sum of my life’s events.
- You are not blessed because of what you’ve survived — you’re blessed because you’re united with Christ.
Ephesians 1:3 (NLT) — “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.”
2. If you really knew me.
- God knew every version of you before you existed, and He chose you anyway.
Romans 8:38–39 (NLT) — “I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love.”
3. I am who my family made me.
- Your origin story doesn’t determine your family story — He adopted you on purpose, not out of obligation.
Ephesians 1:5 (NLT) — “God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.”
4. I have done too much to be forgiven.
- The price was paid before you knew you needed it — the transaction is already complete.
1 John 1:9 (NLT) — “If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”
INSPIRATION: There’s No Need to Perform
Isaiah 43:1 (NLT) — “The one who formed you says, ‘Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.'”
The Truth:
- There’s no need to perform.
- No need to make a case for yourself. The Lord says “You are mine”
The Lord created you. He formed you. He ransomed you and bought you back from all of the sin. He named you and he says… I have called you by name. You are mine.
MOTIVATION: Why We Stay Stuck
Obstacle 1: “You don’t know what my family did. How do I just believe something different?”
- Your experience is real, but experience isn’t the same as truth — and God’s truth doesn’t erase what happened, it reveals His heart toward you in the middle of it.
Isaiah 43:18–19 (NLT) — “But forget all that — it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun!”
Obstacle 2: “I’ve heard this my whole life. It sounds good on Sunday. But nothing changes.”
- Real change doesn’t come from trying harder — it comes from letting God change the way you think.
Romans 12:2 (NLT) — “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.”
TRANSFORMATION: Where Kingdom Identity Starts
THREE CALLS TO ACTION:
- Write down the lie you’ve been believing — and write Ephesians 1:4 right next to it: “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us.” Read it every morning. Not as a feeling — as truth.
- Every day, before you start your day, declare the truth: “God loves me and He chose me.”
- Invite someone to join you for the rest of this series.
Following Jesus, Sent On A Mission
The Community