Another Vail Church Collage night wih families

Our 4th session at Vail Church was on Your Identity in Christ using affirmations from the Bible.  We had done this one with the Junior High Sunday School Class, and this time invited adults, young adults and families.  All were so amazed at how God spoke to them through color and magazines and creativity of slowing down to listen.  The actual lesson can be found below the art so you can try it yourself!

 

Before we get started, if any of you would like to frame your collage with you profile, take a profile picture and print it out as large as you want on a printer.  Cut it out on another sheet of paper.  Also, you may start to look through this list of affirmations or Identity statements about who God says that you are, not who the world says that you are. These are promises and truths that God has spoken, that you can count on and claim, “Do as You have said.” Start to notice and trust the Holy Spirit to show you which one He is drawing your eye to today.

Welcome to The Maker’s Space.  You are carving out time to meet with your Maker and to practice listening to Him.  For those of you who haven’t been here before, this is a time where we use art as a tool to slow down and listen to God. This is a time to try and leave your distractions at the door and focus on God.  It is not easy.  The enemy wants you to do anything but focus on God, because He knows that that is where we get our power to defeat sin, and get instructions for our life with God.  But how do we know what His voice sounds like to us?  It takes trial and error. Seeking Him out in Scripture and then listening to the thoughts that He puts into your head. It takes time sitting still and listening.  If it is instructions, like to pray for someone or call someone, obey and then you will be able to tell if it was from God.  It is only from experience that we begin to know HIs voice.  I’m sure many of you have examples of learning to discern His voice from the other voices in your head.

Collage.  Supplies: glue sticks or glue watered down and applied with a sponge brush, magazines and large sheet of heavier stock paper, a list of affirmations are below.

Before we get started, I have a list of affirmations, or who God says you are.  Read through these and notice any that jump out at you today.  Perhaps there are ones that resonate with you today, more than others.  This is an exercise in noticing the prompting of the Holy Spirit.  Sometimes we do that when reading Scripture in Lectio Divine, where we notice the scripture that jumps out to you within a passage of scripture.  

Now take that affirmation of scripture and we are going to turn it into a Breath Prayer to slow ourselves down, slow our hearts down, and start to focus on God.

Breathe in half of your affirmation, and breathe out the other half.  Take 2 minutes. At the end of 2 minutes, I will read a short devotional from Jesus Calling.  Imagine Jesus speaking to you.

I LOVE YOU FOR WHO YOU ARE, not for what you do. Many voices vie for control of your mind, especially when you sit in silence. You must learn to discern what is My voice and what is not. Ask My Spirit to give you this discernment. Many of My children run around in circles, trying to obey the various voices directing their lives. This results in fragmented, frustrating patterns of living. Do not fall into this trap. Walk closely with Me each moment, listening for My directives and enjoying My Companionship. Refuse to let other voices tie you up in knots. My sheep know My voice and follow Me wherever I lead.

“When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.” —JOHN 10:4 Jesus Calling 3/3

SAVE YOUR BEST STRIVING FOR SEEKING MY FACE. I am constantly communicating with you. To find Me and hear My voice, you must seek Me above all else. Anything that you desire more than Me becomes an idol. When you are determined to get your own way, you blot Me out of your consciousness. Instead of single-mindedly pursuing some goal, talk with Me about it. Let the Light of My Presence shine on this pursuit so that you can see it from My perspective. If the goal fits into My plans for you, I will help you reach it. If it is contrary to My will for you, I will gradually change the desire of your heart. Seek Me first and foremost; then the rest of your life will fall into place, piece by piece.

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” —MATTHEW 6:33 Jesus Calling 3/8

Open your eyes.  Do you notice that your heart has slowed down?  Good.  Has everyone chosen an identity statement of you are in Christ?

We are now going to practice an exercise in noticing the thoughts that God puts into our head when we ask Him, so, grab a magazine.  I want you to close your eyes and ask God to give you a color.  Notice the first color that pops into your head.  Now, open your eyes, and go through the magazine quickly tearing out any page that has that color on it.  I will give you 3 minutes, so work quickly without reading the magazine and put that color in a pile. We are going to do this without talking since this is the time you have set aside for God.

Next, close your eyes and ask God to give you a second color.  Grab the same magazine or another one, and tear out any page that has that color on it.  I will give you another 3 minutes. Work quickly and don’t read the magazine.  Set into another pile.

After you have 2 piles of colors, go through each pile noticing any words or letters that speak to you and relate to your chosen affirmation.  Tear them out and put into another pile.

After you have all of the words or letters that your want from the two piles, start glueing down and tearing to fit, the pieces of paper into whatever design you have chosen.  You can trace the outline of the design on your paper so that you know the boundaries.  Or if you prefer not to have a design, it will make a pleasing collage design all by itself.  I will play some music, and try not to talk to your neighbor during this process since this is the time that you have set aside to be with God and to listen to Him.

When you feel finished, look at your collage and notice what it might say to you. See how it highlights your affirmation.  Perhaps it says something that you didn’t notice before.  All collages are beautiful pieces of art.  Let’s share our art with one another and after each of us has shared, you are welcome to offer any positive, encouraging comments to the person who has shared.

Affirmations of Identity in Christ

• I  have  everything  I  need  for  life  and  godliness.  (2  Peter  1:3)  

• I  have  the  ability  to  get  wealth  and  glorify  God  through  it   (Deuteronomy  8:18,  Proverbs  8:17-‐21,  II  Corinthians  8:9)  

• I  am  surrounded  by  the  favor  of  God  (Psalm  5:12,  Proverbs  11:27,   12:3)  

• I  am  overtaken  and  chased  down  by  the  blessings  of  God  (Deut   28:1-‐2,  Luke  6:38)  

• I  will  prosper  in  whatever  I  put  my  hand  to  (Joshua  1:8,  Psalm  1:3,   Psalm  35:27,  III  John  2)  

• I  will  live  in  increase,  prosperity  and  blessing  as  I  love  and  obey  

God  (Deuteronomy  30:15-‐16)  

• I  have  everything  I  need  according  to  God’s  riches  in  Glory   through  Christ  Jesus  (Philippians  4:19,  Proverbs  3:9-‐10,  Matthew   6:8  &  33)  

• I  live  under  God’s  blessing  (Galatians  3:13-‐14)  

• I  am  blessed  and  cannot  be  cursed.  I  am  the  head  and  not  the  tail,   above  and  not  beneath,  I  will  lend  and  not  borrow.  (Deuteronomy   28:3-‐14,  Proverbs  10:6)  

• I  can  participate  in  God’s  Divine  Nature  through  His  very  great   and  precious  promises  (2  Peter  1:4)  

• I  am  a  Child  of  God  (John  1:12)  

• I  have  been  justified  (Romans  5:1)  

• I  am  Jesus's  friend  (John  15:15)  

• I  belong  to  God  (1  Corinthians  6:20)  

• I  am  a  member  of  Christ's  Body  (1  Corinthians  12:27)  

• I  am  assured  all  things  work  together  for  good  (Romans  8:28)  

• I  have  been  established,  anointed  and  sealed  by  God  (2   Corinthians  1:21-‐22)  

• I  am  confident  that  God  will  perfect  the  work  He  has  begun  in  me   (Philippians  1:6)  

• I  am  a  citizen  of  heaven  (Philippians  3:20)  

• I  am  hidden  with  Christ  in  God  (Colossians  3:3)  

• I  have  not  been  given  a  spirit  of  fear,  but  of  power,  love  and  self-‐ discipline  (2  Timothy  1:7)  

• I  am  born  of  God  and  the  evil  one  cannot  touch  me  (1  John  5:18)  

• I  am  blessed  in  the  heavenly  realms  with  every  spiritual  blessing   (Ephesians  1:3)  

• I  am  chosen  before  the  creation  of  the  world  (Ephesians  1:4,  11)  

• I  am  holy  and  blameless  (Ephesians  1:4)  

• I  am  adopted  as  his  child  (Ephesians  1:5)  

• I  am  given  God's  glorious  grace  lavishly  and  without  restriction   (Ephesians  1:5,8)  

• I  am  in  Him  (Ephesians  1:7;  1  Corinthians  1:30)  

• I  have  redemption  (Ephesians  1:8)  

• I  am  forgiven  (Ephesians  1:8;  Colossians  1:14)  

• I  have  purpose  (Ephesians  1:9  &  3:11)  

• I  have  hope  (Ephesians  1:12)  

• I  am  included  (Ephesians  1:13)  

• I  am  sealed  with  the  promised  Holy  Spirit  (Ephesians  1:13)  

• I  am  a  saint  (Ephesians  1:18)  

• I  am  salt  and  light  of  the  earth  (Matthew  5:13-‐14)  

• I  have  been  chosen  and  God  desires  me  to  bear  fruit  (John  15:1,5)  

• I  am  a  personal  witness  of  Jesus  Christ  (Acts  1:8)  

• I  am  God's  coworker  (2  Corinthians  6:1)  

• I  am  a  minister  of  reconciliation  (2  Corinthians  5:17-‐20)  

• I  am  alive  with  Christ  (Ephesians  2:5)  

• I  am  raised  up  with  Christ  (Ephesians  2:6;  Colossians  2:12)  

• I  am  seated  with  Christ  in  the  heavenly  realms  (Ephesians  2:6)  

• I  have  been  shown  the  incomparable  riches  of  God's  grace   (Ephesians  2:7)  

• God  has  expressed  His  kindness  to  me  (Ephesians  2:7)  

• I  am  God's  workmanship  (Ephesians  2:10)  

• I  have  been  brought  near  to  God  through  Christ's  blood   (Ephesians  2:13)  

• I  have  peace  (Ephesians  2:14)  

• I  have  access  to  the  Father  (Ephesians  2:18)  

• I  am  a  member  of  God's  household  (Ephesians  2:19)  

• I  am  secure  (Ephesians  2:20)  

• I  am  a  holy  temple  (Ephesians  2:21;  1  Corinthians  6:19)  

• I  am  a  dwelling  for  the  Holy  Spirit  (Ephesians  2:22)  

• I  share  in  the  promise  of  Christ  Jesus  (Ephesians  3:6)  

• God's  power  works  through  me  (Ephesians  3:7)  

• I  can  approach  God  with  freedom  and  confidence  (Ephesians   3:12)  

• I  know  there  is  a  purpose  for  my  sufferings  (Ephesians  3:13)  

• I  can  grasp  how  wide,  long,  high  and  deep  Christ's  love  is  

(Ephesians  3:18)  

• I  am  completed  by  God  (Ephesians  3:19)  

• I  can  bring  glory  to  God  (Ephesians  3:21)  

• I  have  been  called  (Ephesians  4:1;  2  Timothy  1:9)  

• I  can  be  humble,  gentle,  patient  and  lovingly  tolerant  of  others   (Ephesians  4:2)  

• I  can  mature  spiritually  (Ephesians  4:15)  

• I  can  be  certain  of  God's  truths  and  the  lifestyle  which  He  has   called  me  to  (Ephesians  4:17)  

• I  can  have  a  new  attitude  and  a  new  lifestyle  (Ephesians  4:21-‐32)  

• I  can  be  kind  and  compassionate  to  others  (Ephesians  4:32)  

• I  can  forgive  others  (Ephesians  4:32)  

• I  am  a  light  to  others,  and  can  exhibit  goodness,  righteousness  and   truth  (Ephesians  5:8-‐9)  

• I  can  understand  what  God's  will  is  (Ephesians  5:17)  

• I  can  give  thanks  for  everything  (Ephesians  5:20)  

• I  don't  have  to  always  have  my  own  agenda  (Ephesians  5:21)  

• I  can  be  strong  (Ephesians  6:10)  

• I  have  God's  power  (Ephesians  6:10)  

• I  can  stand  firm  in  the  day  of  evil  (Ephesians  6:13)  

• I  am  dead  to  sin  (Romans  1:12)  

• I  am  not  alone  (Hebrews  13:5)  

• I  am  growing  (Colossians  2:7)  

• I  am  His  disciple  (John  13:15)  

• I  am  prayed  for  by  Jesus  Christ  (John  17:20-‐23)  

• I  am  united  with  other  believers  (John  17:20-‐23)  

• I  am  not  in  want  (Philippians  4:19)  

• I  possess  the  mind  of  Christ  (I  Corinthians  2:16)  

• I  am  promised  eternal  life  (John  6:47)  

• I  am  promised  a  full  life  (John  10:10)  

• I  am  victorious  (I  John  5:4)  

• My  heart  and  mind  is  protected  with  God's  peace  (Philippians  4:7)  

• I  am  chosen  and  dearly  loved  (Colossians  3:12)  

• I  am  blameless  (I  Corinthians  1:8)  

• I  am  set  free  (Romans  8:2;  John  8:32)  

• I  am  crucified  with  Christ  (Galatians  2:20)  

• I  am  a  light  in  the  world  (Matthew  5:14)  

• I  am  more  than  a  conqueror  (Romans  8:37)  

• I  am  the  righteousness  of  God  (2  Corinthians  5:21)  

• I  am  safe  (I  John  5:18)  

• I  am  part  of  God's  kingdom  (Revelation  1:6)  

• I  am  healed  from  sin  (I  Peter  2:24)  

• I  am  no  longer  condemned  (Romans  8:1,  2)  

• I  am  not  helpless  (Philippians  4:13)  

• I  am  overcoming  (I  John  4:4)  

• I  am  persevering  (Philippians  3:14)  

• I  am  protected  (John  10:28)  

• I  am  born  again  (I  Peter  1:23)  

• I  am  a  new  creation  (2  Corinthians  5:17)  

• I  am  delivered  (Colossians  1:13)  

• I  am  redeemed  from  the  curse  of  the  Law  (Galatians  3:13)  

• I  am  qualified  to  share  in  His  inheritance  (Colossians  1:12)  

• I  am  victorious  (1  Corinthians  15:57)      Take  a  moment  below  to  add  some  of  your  own  affirmations  based   on  things  God  has  shown  you  and  desires  you  have  in  your  heart.  

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