Odessa First Assembly

Out With The Old, Alive In The New

When you come to faith in Christ, you become a completely new creation - not just forgiven, but transformed from the inside out. However, old patterns and habits may still surface because your mind needs to be renewed to align with who you already are in Christ. The key is to keep the old self dead by avoiding toxic influences and not romanticizing your past. Instead, feed your mind on God's truth through His Word and starve old thought patterns. Actively put on godly characteristics like gentleness, humility, and patience when your flesh wants to react differently. You have everything you need to live this new life because Christ lives in you.

Raised To Life

Before Christ, we were spiritually dead, following worldly patterns and controlled by the enemy. But God, rich in mercy, made us alive together with Christ and raised us to a new position of authority and favor. Many believers still live like prisoners even though Christ has opened the prison doors. This spiritual institutionalization happens when we forget our new position in Christ and continue thinking with our old mindset. The solution is renewing our minds through God's Word and setting our thoughts on heavenly things. The same resurrection power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in us today, enabling us to walk in the freedom Christ has provided.

It is Finished

Jesus’ final words from the cross were, “It is finished.” In this message we explore the powerful meaning behind the word tetelestai and what it meant in the first century. When Jesus spoke those words, He was declaring that the debt of sin was paid, the power of darkness was broken, and the way back to God was opened. Discover how the finished work of Christ changes everything and why the cross still speaks hope, freedom, and life today.

By His Wounds

In a fallen world damaged by sin, God still offers healing today just as He did in biblical times. Isaiah 53 reveals that Jesus carried not only our sins but also our physical sicknesses and emotional pain to the cross. The Hebrew words for griefs and sorrows specifically refer to physical ailments and suffering. Since God never changes, His healing power remains available to everyone who needs it. While God is not a formula and works sovereignly, the Bible clearly teaches that healing is part of the Gospel's good news. Jesus came to undo all the damage that sin has caused in our broken world.

Truth on Trial

When Pontius Pilate asked 'What is truth?' he was standing face-to-face with Truth Himself, Jesus Christ. The events leading to Jesus' crucifixion reveal profound truths about sacrifice and redemption. Throughout the Old Testament, animal sacrifices could only temporarily cover sin, but they all pointed to Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God. When Pilate declared he found no guilt in Jesus, he unknowingly fulfilled the role of examining the Passover lamb for defects. The choice between Jesus and Barabbas illustrates the gospel perfectly - the innocent One took the place of the guilty. Jesus' blood doesn't just cover our sin like Old Testament sacrifices; it completely washes it away, offering us true freedom from guilt and shame.

The Cup and The Table

The table has always been a place of power, which is why Jesus chose it for the Last Supper. When He declared the bread and cup as His body and blood, He was revealing that all of Passover's symbolism pointed to Him. The four cups of Passover represent sanctification, deliverance, redemption, and restoration. Through His broken body and shed blood, Jesus brings us out of sin's kingdom, delivers us from its power, redeems us with His precious blood, and promises us a place at His eternal table. His sacrifice provides not just forgiveness, but complete healing for body, mind, and spirit.

Who Am I Part 4 // Breaking Free form Comparison

Comparison is a dangerous trap that steals our identity and purpose. Through Peter's restoration story in John 21, we learn that failure doesn't cancel God's purpose for our lives. When Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him, it wasn't about shame but restoration. Peter's immediate comparison to John reveals how we often look sideways instead of following Christ. God doesn't play favorites - He has uniquely created each of us with specific gifts and purposes. The key to breaking free from comparison is seeing ourselves as God sees us, trusting His work in our lives, and championing others instead of competing with them.

 

 

 

Rejected to A.C.C.E.P.T.E.D.

Rejection wounds can distort our perspective, causing us to misread situations and people through the lens of past pain. Jesus himself experienced rejection, yet was chosen by God for great honor - just as we are. The path from rejection to acceptance follows the ACCEPTED framework: Admit past rejection honestly, Claim God's unconditional love, Choose to forgive those who hurt you, Expect some rejection as you grow spiritually, Plant God's promises in your mind, Thank God for what you've learned, Encourage others from your healed wounds, and Draw on the Holy Spirit's power. When God looks at you, He sees His Son - you are defined not by who rejected you, but by the One who chose you.

Who Am I? Sewing Fig Leaves

The story of Adam and Eve reveals how the enemy attacks our identity by twisting God's words and making us believe He's withholding good things from us. God originally designed humanity to live in abundance with only one boundary, but Satan reframed this as restriction. When we try to define our own identity, we end up covering ourselves with fig leaves of shame and inadequacy. However, God comes looking for us in our brokenness, removes our inadequate coverings, and clothes us with His righteousness. True freedom isn't found in the absence of restraint but in living according to God's design, where we discover our identity as His beloved children.

Who Am I? Created Before You Were Broken

Your identity isn't defined by your failures or brokenness, but by your original design as someone created in God's image. Before there was shame, there was purpose. Before there was confusion, there was identity. Genesis reveals that humans uniquely bear God's image, capable of relationship with Him and reflecting His character. Shame makes us withdraw from God's presence, but redemption restores what was lost from the beginning. Instead of introducing yourself by your failures, remember what Scripture says: you are a child of God, chosen, loved, forgiven, and created with purpose. Don't let shame keep you from embracing your true identity in Christ.