Jesus: How To Know You’re His | Stephanie Ike Okafor | Podcast Notes — Hello Pastor

Sermon Notes

Jesus: How To Know You’re His

Stephanie Ike Okafor

ONE, A Potter's House Church • Oct 16, 2025 • 71 min

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Take this message with you through a journey of Scripture, reflection, and prayer.

Summary

Believers are called to examine their faith and ensure they genuinely belong to Jesus rather than relying on religious titles or spiritual activity. True salvation is not an attempt at self-help behavioral reform, but a divine exchange where Christ crucifies our old sinful nature and imparts His righteous nature. When Jesus is truly our Lord and Owner, His life flows through us, producing authentic holiness, repentance, and obedience to the Father's will.

Themes

Salvation and Intimacy with ChristThe Lordship and Ownership of JesusThe Nature of Repentance and ConversionCrucifying the Sinful NatureAuthentic Fruit vs. Religious Activity

Pastor's Points

1.

Recognize your need to be saved

2.

Believe in Jesus in your heart

3.

Confess with your mouth in agreement with God's truth

4.

Repent and turn to God

Key Points

1.
Calling Jesus 'Lord' or performing outward spiritual works does not guarantee entrance into the kingdom of heaven without doing the Father's will.
2.
Spiritual miracles and answered prayers are often given to protect God's holy name and honor a believer's faith, not to validate a leader's character or approval.
3.
True salvation begins when a person recognizes their deep spiritual need to be saved from destructive eternal death rather than seeking temporal prosperity.
4.
Relying on Christian upbringing or religious routines cannot replace a personal, intimate surrender to Jesus as Savior and absolute Owner.
5.
The rich young ruler walked away sorrowful because he recognized the truth of Jesus's words but refused to pay the cost of surrendering his wealth and idols.
6.
Salvation is not a self-help attempt at behavioral modification, but a divine exchange where Christ removes the sinful nature and imparts His righteous nature.
7.
Believers overcome the power of sin by having active faith that their old nature was crucified with Christ and that His righteous life now lives through them.
8.
When a believer receives Christ's righteous nature, spiritual appetites change naturally so that habitual sin feels foreign and unappealing.

Sermon Moments

“Jesus issued a sobering warning that calling Him Lord and performing miraculous spiritual works does not guarantee entrance into heaven without doing the Father's will.”

“God frequently answers prayers and performs miracles to defend His holy name and honor faith, not to approve a minister's righteous standing.”

“You can know God as Father while resisting Him as Lord and Owner of your life.”

“The rich young ruler walked away sorrowful because he knew Jesus spoke the truth, yet he refused to pay the personal cost of surrender.”

“Salvation is not behavioral reform through manual labor; it is a divine exchange of your fallen nature for Christ's righteous nature.”

“Sinning becomes foreign and unappealing when a believer is conscious of having received the righteous nature of Christ.”

“Many believers remain crippled by sin simply because they lack faith that they have truly received Christ's nature.”

This Week

Examine your motivation for coming to Christ to ensure your faith is rooted in spiritual transformation rather than natural gain.

Surrender any personal idols, financial reliance, or status that competes with Jesus having total ownership of your life.

Meditate daily on Galatians 2:20, declaring that your old, sinful nature was crucified with Christ and no longer defines you.

Align your actions with God's written word, making His will the supreme command and law of your daily choices.

Practice wholehearted repentance whenever convicted, turning completely away from sin and toward Christ's righteousness.

Test spiritual teachings and leaders against Scripture rather than evaluating divine approval solely by miracles or visible results.

Share the clear message of the gospel and spiritual truth with young children, helping them know Christ as Savior early in life.

Remember This

True salvation is a divine exchange where Christ takes your sinful nature on the cross and imparts His righteous nature, making Him the absolute Lord and Owner of your life.

A Challenge for You

Lay down your sinful nature, stop negotiating with God, and surrender your life entirely to Jesus, receiving His righteous nature so He may live and work through you today.

These are personal sermon notes shared to help you remember the message — not a replacement for Scripture, your church, or your pastors.