SO AM I

Table of Contents

1. Introduction: The Word of God Performs Spiritual Surgery
2. The Lesson of the Twelve Spies and the Power of Belief
3. As He Is: Seeing Jesus in His True Glory
4. So Are We: Our Identity in Christ
5. Transformation Through Beholding Christ
6. Renewal of the Mind and Freedom from the Law
7. Grace Empowers Victory Over Sin
8. Speaking Grace and Encouragement to One Another
9. Final Encouragement: Cooperating with the Word of God

Introduction: The Word of God Performs Spiritual Surgery

Pastor Leonard begins by explaining that the Word of God has the power to penetrate deep into the human heart and change what lies beneath the surface. The transformation believers seek does not happen merely by making surface-level decisions; it happens when the truth of God’s Word reaches the deepest parts of our thinking. He illustrates this with a humorous personal example about dieting. A person may decide to eat healthier, but when old habits remain embedded in the subconscious mind, the behavior continues. Decisions made only at the surface level often fail because the deeper belief system has not yet been changed.

The Word of God addresses this exact problem.

Hebrews 4:12- “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Pastor Leonard explains that the Word acts like a surgeon’s scalpel. It cuts away wrong thinking, unbelief, and false teachings that have taken root in a person’s life. This process does not occur instantly; believers must hear the message repeatedly until it moves from their conscious understanding into their subconscious belief system.
Only then does the Word begin to remove the deep-rooted lies that hold people back from experiencing the miraculous life God intends for them.

The Lesson of the Twelve Spies and the Power of Belief

To illustrate how belief shapes outcomes, Pastor Leonard references the story of the twelve spies sent into the Promised Land. God had already promised Israel a land flowing with milk and honey, but when the spies returned, ten of them gave a negative report. Although the land was good, they believed the enemies were too powerful. Their mindset convinced the entire nation that victory was impossible.

Only Joshua and Caleb believed God’s promise and declared that the land could be taken. Because the people believed the negative report, Israel wandered in the wilderness for forty years. Pastor Leonard emphasizes that this was never God’s plan. The journey should have taken only eleven days.

The tragedy was not the presence of obstacles—it was the belief system of the people. Even after forty years, the wrong beliefs remained deeply rooted. Time alone does not change thinking. Transformation only occurs when truth replaces false beliefs.
This is why continual exposure to the truth of God’s Word is essential.

As He Is: Seeing Jesus in His True Glory

Pastor Leonard then shifts the focus to understanding who Jesus truly is. The first key point of the message is “As He Is.”

Hebrews 1:1–3- “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Who, being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

This passage describes Jesus as the heir of all things, the creator of the worlds, and the exact representation of God’s nature. His glory is majestic and powerful, and everything in existence is sustained by the power of His word. Pastor Leonard encourages believers to picture Jesus in this glorified state—radiant, powerful, and majestic.
Another moment when Jesus revealed His glory occurred during the transfiguration.

Mark 9:2- “And after six days Jesus took with him Peter, and James, and John, and led them up into a high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.”
On that mountain, the disciples saw the glory that had always been within Jesus. Pastor Leonard explains that this event was not only for the disciples—it was also meant for believers today to understand the glory of Christ.

So Are We: Our Identity in Christ

The second key point of the message is the powerful truth that believers share Christ’s identity.

1 John 4:17- “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.”
Pastor Leonard explains that many Christians live with fear about standing before God. They imagine a moment when all their failures will be exposed and judged. However, this verse declares something astonishing: believers can have boldness before God because “as He is, so are we in this world.”

This means that the believer’s identity is tied directly to Christ. Jesus further confirms this truth in His prayer.

John 17:21–22- “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.”

Jesus declares that the same glory the Father gave Him has been given to believers. Pastor Leonard emphasizes the significance of this statement: believers share in the dignity, honor, and favor that God has for His Son.

Paul reinforces this truth. Romans 8:30- “Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” Once a person believes in Christ, they are justified and glorified. Their identity before God is completely transformed.

Transformation Through Beholding Christ

The third key point explains how this transformation actually occurs.

2 Corinthians 3:18- “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

Pastor Leonard describes the Word of God as a mirror. When believers continually look into this mirror and see who Christ is, they begin to see themselves reflected in Him. The more a believer looks at Jesus and understands His nature, the more transformation occurs. This change does not come from human effort but from the work of the Holy Spirit. Just as people naturally check their reflection in a mirror before leaving the house, believers should regularly look into the mirror of God’s Word.

Renewal of the Mind and Freedom from the Law

Transformation also involves renewing the mind.

Ephesians 4:23–24- “And be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

Pastor Leonard explains that believers were created in righteousness and holiness. The renewal of the mind helps believers recognize this truth and live accordingly.  He also stresses that believers are no longer under the law.

Galatians 5:1- “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”
Freedom in Christ empowers believers to live righteously without relying on rules and commandments.

Grace Empowers Victory Over Sin

Pastor Leonard teaches that grace is the true source of victory over sin.

Romans 6:14- “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”

Grace does not encourage sin—it empowers believers to overcome it. When people understand their identity in Christ, their behavior begins to align with that identity. Teaching children that they are righteous, loved, and accepted by God builds a mindset that leads to righteous living.

Speaking Grace and Encouragement to One Another

The fourth key point focuses on the importance of speaking words of grace.

Ephesians 4:29- “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”

Pastor Leonard shares how Pastor Lori regularly speaks encouraging words into his life, reminding him of his identity in Christ. These words strengthen faith and reinforce the truth of who believers are. Believers are called to speak life, grace, and encouragement into one another’s lives. Doing so helps remove guilt, shame, and condemnation.

Final Encouragement: Cooperating with the Word of God

Pastor Leonard concludes by reminding the congregation that transformation requires cooperation with God’s Word. Believers must read the Word, believe it, and speak it over their lives and over others.

When people cooperate with the truth of the Gospel, the Holy Spirit brings about transformation from within. The believer begins to live in the reality that “as Jesus is, so are we in this world.”

Thank you for taking the time to read this teaching. We hope this message encourages you to see yourself the way God sees you—righteous, loved, and united with Christ. Continue to meditate on these truths, speak words of grace over your life and others, and allow the Word of God to transform your thinking. If this message blessed you, please share it with others so they too can experience the freedom and identity found in Christ.