Who Am I?

I am a child of God   John 1:2  "He was in the beginning with God."

I am chosen and appointed by Christ to bear His fruit   John 15:16  "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide (remain and be lasting)."

I am a son of God; God is spiritually my Father  Romans 8:14-15  "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.  For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba Father!'"

Galatians 3:26; 4:6  "for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.""And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba Father!'"

I am a temple - a dwelling place - of God  I Corinthians 3:16  "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?"

I Corinthians 6:19  "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?  You are not your own."

His spirit and His life dwell in me  John 14:17  "even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him.  You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you."

I am a member of Christ's body  I Corinthians 12:27  "Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it."

Ephesians 5:30  "because we are members of his body."

I am a new creation  II Corinthians 5:17     "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold the new has come."

I am God's workmanship - His handiwork - born anew in Christ to do His work.  Ephesians 2:10  "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

I am righteous and holy  Ephesians 4:24  "and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."

I am chosen of God, holy and dearly beloved  Colossians 3:12  "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience."

I Thessalonians 1:4  "For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you."

I am a son of light and not of darkness  I Thessalonians 5:5  "For you are all children of light, children of the day.  We are not of the night or of the darkness."

I am a member of a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession  I Peter 2:9-10  "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.  Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."

I am an alien and stranger to this world in which I temporarily live  I Peter 2:11  "Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions (those dishonorable desires) of the flesh, which wage war against your soul."

I am a child of God and I will resemble Christ when He returns  I John 3:1.2  "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.  The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him."

I am born of God and the evil one - the Devil - cannot touch me  I John 5:18  "We know that everyone has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him."

Affiramtions for Dismantling Self-Hate

·         I refuse all self-hate.

·         I choose to love myself as God wants me to love myself.

·         It is not wrong to love myself as God wants me to.

·         I do not need to punish myself.

·         What was forced on me was not my fault.

·         I refuse all false guilt.

·         It is all right to be healed inside.

·         I choose to take care of myself.

·         I do not deserve pain.

·         I am not an evil person.

·         I will be nice to myself today.

·         I deserve to be treated gently.

·         It is all right to make a mistake.

·         I am not a ____________ (whatever you call yourself inside).

·         It is all right for me to be happy.

·         My body is not evil.

·         I am precious in God’s sight.

·         I am not a mistake.

·         God enjoys me.

·         I put off the enemy’s opinion of me and I put on God’s opinion of me.

“Satan had convinced me that I was a hypocritical wretch. The lies and accusations were so subtle, mingled with enough truth that I felt trapped, powerless and afraid to believe anything else. Praise the Lord that I am finally free. I am a new person. I have learned that most of what I had believed were lies. I no longer have thoughts of killing myself. I am able to communicate and forgive. I have a new love for the Word of God and I feel confident as I approach the throne of grace.”

As God Loves Us

Romans 5:8  But God shows his love for us in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us.

I John 4:16  So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us.  God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

Romans 8:35-39  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?  As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Jeremiah 31:3  The Lord appeared to him from far away.  I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.

Zephaniah 3:17  The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

Ephesians 3:17-19  So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith - that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength 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, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Lamentations 3:22-23  The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Ephesians 2:4-5  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.

Psalm 136:26  Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.

Psalm 36:7  How precious is your steadfast love, O God!  The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

John 15: 9-17  As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.  Abide in my love.  If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.  These things I have spoken to you, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends...

Isaiah 54:10  For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed, " says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

Romans 5:5  And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Because God Loves Me

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

·         Because God loves me He is slow to lose patience with me.

·         Because God loves me He takes the circumstances of my life and uses them in a constructive way for my growth.

·         Because God loves me He does not treat me as an object to be possessed and manipulated.

·         Because God loves me He has no need to impress me with how great and powerful He is because He is God. He does not belittle me as His child in order to show me how important He is.

·         Because God loves me He is for me. He wants to see me mature and develop in His love.

·         Because God loves me He does not send down His wrath on every little mistake I make of which there are many.

·         Because God loves me He does not keep score of all my sins and then beat me over the head with them whenever He gets the chance.

·         Because God loves me He is deeply grieved when I do not walk in the ways that please Him because He sees this as evidence that I don’t trust Him and love Him as I should.

·         Because God loves me He rejoices when I experience His power and strength and stand up under the pressures of life for His name’s sake.

·         Because God loves me He keeps on working patiently with me even when I feel like giving up and can’t see why He doesn’t give up with me too.

·         Because God loves me He keeps on trusting me when at times I don’t even trust myself.

·         Because God loves me He never says there is no hope for you. Rather, He patiently works with me, loves me, and disciplines me in such a way that it is hard for me to understand the depth of His concern for me.

·         Because God loves me He never forsakes me even though many of my friends may.

·        Because God loves me He stands with me when I have reached the rock bottom of despair, when I see the real me and compare that with His righteousness, holiness, beauty and love. It is at a moment like this that I can really believe that God loves me.

Identifying and Confronting Emotional Lies

Sadness Abandonment Shame Related Lies

I am alone. I will always be alone. I have been overlooked. They do not need me. I don’t matter. No one even cares. They are not coming back. There is no one to protect me. God has forsaken me too. No one will believe me. I cannot trust anyone. I am afraid they won’t come back.

Scriptural Truth:

Hebrews 13:5 “...I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Psalm 139:5 “You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.” Psalm 139:17 “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!”

 Shame Tainted Related Lies

I am so stupid and ignorant; an idiot. I should have done something to stop it from happening. I allowed it. I was a participant. I should have known better. It was my fault. I should have told someone. I knew what was going to happen, yet I stayed anyway. I felt pleasure, so I must have wanted it. I was a participant. It happened because of my looks, my gender, my body, etc. I should have stopped them. I did not try to run away. I deserved it. I am cheap, like a slut. I was paid for service rendered. I kept going back. I did it to him/her first. I’m bad, dirty, shameful, sick, nasty, etc.

I am dirty, shameful, evil, perverted, etc., because of what happened to me. My life is ruined. I will never feel clean again. Everyone can see my shame, filth, dirtiness, etc. I will always be hurt, damaged, broken because of what has happened. I will never be happy. I will always be unclean, filthy, etc. God could never want me after what has happened to me. My body parts are dirty.

Scriptural Truth:

Romans 6:21-22 “But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.”

Psalm 139:14 “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”

 Hopeless Despair Confusion Related Lies

It is never going to get any better. There is no way out. It will just happen again and again. There is no good thing for me. I have no reason to live. There are no options for me. I just want to die. Nothing good will ever come of this.

 I don’t know what is happening to me. Everything is confusing. This does not make any sense. Why would they do this to me. (This lie is sometimes confused with demonic interference. Demons will cause confusion in a memory which will feel much like a confusion lie.)

Scriptural Truth:

Jeremiah 32:17 “Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.”

Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Powerlessness/ Trapped Related Lies

I cannot stop this. He/she/they are too strong to resist. There is no way out. I am too weak to resist. The pain is too great to bear. I cannot get away. I am going to die, and cannot do anything about it. I cannot get loose. I am overwhelmed. I don’t know what to do. Everything is out of control. I am too small to do anything.

Scriptural Truth:

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

Romans 8:11 “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.”

 Fear Related Lies

I am going to die. He/she/they is going to hurt me. I do not know what to do. If I tell, they will come back and hurt me. If I trust, I will die. He/she/they are coming back. It is just a matter of time before it happens again. If I let him/her them/ into my life, they will hurt me too. Something bad will happen if I tell, stop it, or confront it. They are going to get me. Doom is just around the corner. He/she/they will kill me.

Scriptural Truth:

Matthew 10:28 “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Philippians 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

 Invalidation Related Lies

I am not loved, needed, wanted, cared for, or important. They do not need me. I am worthless and have no value. I am unimportant. I was a mistake. I should never have been born. I am in the way. I am a burden. I was never liked by them because I was ___________. God could never love or accept me. I could never be as ___________ as he/she. I could never jump high enough to please him/her. I am not acceptable.

Scriptural Truth:

Romans 5:8 “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Matthew 10:29-31 “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

Daily Affirmations

Truths I Believe About God

Sunday

God knows all about me, even my secret thoughts. (Psalm 139:1-4)

God calls me His beloved. (Rom. 9:23-25)

God chose me and brought me close to Himself. (Eph. 1:4, 2:13)

 Monday

I am important to God. (Isaiah 49:14-16)

God wants to help me today. (Isaiah 41:10)

I am not alone. (Rom. 8:38-39, Heb. 13:5)

 Tuesday

God is on my side. (Psalm 118:6, Rom. 8:31)

God is always fair. (Psalm 37:28)

God always makes the right decisions. (Psalm 18:30)

God is a good and righteous judge. (Psalm 98:9)

God hates sin. (Psalm 5:4-5)

God spares me from His wrath because of what Christ did on the cross for me. (1 Thess. 5:9-10)

 Wednesday

God has realistic expectations of me today. (Matt. 11:28-30, 1 John 5:3)

God accepts me. (Eph. 1:6)

God forgives me when I sin. (Psalm 103:12, 1 John 1:9)

God knows when I am trying to follow Him and He is pleased. (Psalm 147:10-11)

God really loves me. (Micah 7:18-19)

 Thursday

God suffers with me in my struggles. (Heb. 2:18, 4:15)

God hides me in the shadow of His wings. (Psalm 91:1)

God has good things planned for my life. (Psalm 31:19, Jer. 29:11)

God is concerned with meeting my physical, spiritual and emotional needs. (Phil. 4:19, 2 Pet. 1:3)

 Friday

God knows all the “what ifs” of my life. (Job 23:10, Psalm 139:16)

God knows when I am overwhelmed. (Lam. 3:55-58)

God collects my tears. He weeps with me. (Psalm 56:8)

God enjoys me. (Zeph. 3:17)

God thinks that I am precious. (Isaiah 43:4)

 Saturday

God has adopted me as His child. (Rom. 8:15, 1 John 3:1)

God loves me with an everlasting love. (Jer. 31:3)

God feels compassion towards me. (Psalm 103:13)

God wants to bless me. (Rom. 8:32, Eph. 1:3)

God sees everything and hears when I pray. (Psalm 33:18, 34:6)

Understanding Your Identity In Christ

Ephesians 1:3-13

Read the following passage of Scripture, inserting your name to personalize these verses.

“3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed ___________ in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose ____________ in him before the foundation of the world, that _____________ should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined _______________ for adoption as [a child] through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed ____________ in the Beloved. 7 In him ______________ [has] redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of ___________’s trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon ___________, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to ____________ the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11In him _____________ [has] obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12so that ____________ who [was] the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13In him ____________ also, when ____________ heard the word of truth, the gospel of ______________ salvation, and believed in him, [was] sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.”

1.      How do you feel these truths apply to you?

2.      Are you able to internalize and receive how this passage applies to you? Why or why not?

3.      What passage do you personally relate with most?

Applying Being "In Christ" to My Everyday Life

Since I am in Christ…….

• My holiness is not dependent on my efforts; it is dependent on the finished work of Christ and the Holy Spirit in me. Therefore:

·         I can stop “trying” to get holiness and accept that I am already holy. (Deuteronomy 7:6)

·         My achievements do not make me “more holy,” neither do my failures make me “less holy.” (Philippians 3:9)

• I can receive God’s forgiveness and thus forgive myself for my past failures. (Colossians 2:13-14)

• God loves me unconditionally because Christ died for me. His love is not tied to my performance or obedience. (1 John 4:10)

• I am acceptable and have worth to God based on the finished work of Christ—not by my efforts. His acceptance of me is a gift through faith. Therefore…

·         I don’t have to focus on my strengths to gain acceptance. I can accept myself with my weaknesses because God created me and accepts me completely with my weaknesses. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

·         I no longer must hide my mistakes and failures because God knows about them, has forgiven them, and loves me despite my past. (Psalm 103:10-13)

·         I have no reason for pride because I didn’t do anything to earn my worth and acceptance. (1 Cor. 1:26-29)

·         My identity is not determined by my education, vocation, wealth, power, or position. I am a child of God, a saint, and a chosen one. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

·         I am secure because my acceptance is based on something that will not change with time. I don’t need to fear the loss of intelligence, abilities, looks, finances, family, friends, social status, reputation, position, etc. (Psalm 62:6-7)

  Which of these truths and scriptures are the most meaningful to you?

Fall Dinner 2024

You are invited to the IBCC Fall Dinner on Thursday, November 7th at 6:30pm. This year’s event will be a delightful evening of fellowship, good food, and inspiring testimonies at Seasons 52 restaurant outside the Fashion Mall off Keystone. The address is 8650 Keystone Crossing, Indianapolis, IN. 46240.

We are thrilled to share the impactful work of the discipleship counseling ministry in helping those in need. Our ministry focuses on two pillars of our counseling: helping our clients understand and receive their identity in Christ and addressing anything that keeps them from living out of who they are in Christ.

The evening will be an unique opportunity to hear testimonies of God’s grace and an update on the IBCC ministry. We invite you to join us in praising God for his faithfulness. The cost is $30 per person. To reserve your spot, please call our office at 317-585-1845 or email office@indianabcc.com, or by mailing a check to our office.

Your prayers and financial support are not just important; they are vital to the spiritual growth of our clients as they receive the help they need. We sincerely appreciate your past support, which as empowered us to continue our mission.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Matching Funds Drive 2024

Matching Funds Drive 2024

I praise the Lord for your concern for this ministry to help hurting people. Our counseling ministry has been in operation for twenty-seven years and is a safe place for people to come for help. We pray and desire to continue demonstrating the love of Jesus Christ to those we help. Many of our clients struggle with shame and suffering in isolation. IBCC offers a place of love, grace, and mercy for those hurting and needing help.

Our matching fund campaign is a unique opportunity to make a difference. With a generous pledge of $14,000 to be matched, we are excited to present an opportunity for you to play a pivotal role in providing counseling for our clients in 2024! The campaign, which you can help us kickstart, will start on May 15th and conclude on September 15th, 2024. 

How can you participate? 

Participating in our matching fund campaign is simple. You can donate by clicking on the button below, you can do so through our website (www.indianabcc.com) via PayPal and note your donation for the matching funds. Your contribution will be automatically matched, doubling the impact of your support.

We are truly grateful for your thoughtful consideration and appreciate your prayers and financial support. Thank you! Your past contributions have been instrumental in our ability to provide a haven for those in need. We ask that you continue to pray for our clients, staff, and ministry so that we may persist as a beacon of hope and healing in our community.