Posture of a Believer 

     Depressed! Discouraged! Defeated! Pay attention to your posture! Maintaining good posture is critical, both physically and spiritually.
     As believers in Christ, our posture is a visible expression of our alignment with God.
Walking uprightly, in the wholeness intended by God, begins with understanding our position in Christ. Posture is a reflection of our position. Upon salvation, a person's identity is Christ. (Ephesians 2:19, NIV) and (2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV) Understanding our identity with Christ first allows us to adjust our posture to Christ. Our posture does not change who we are; however, it changes how we live our lives. Posture is an expression of our confidence and hope found in Jesus. "God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21, ESV) As believers in Christ, we are given several postures in which to stand. There are five main postures in which we must focus our attention.
     1. Posture of a Warrior. A warrior is equipped and trained to withstand battles. A warrior is a trained soldier. As believers in Christ, our battlefield is in the Spiritual realm. Our posture is one of victory, for the battle has been won. Yet, while we wait for the final day, we must stand our ground. Ephesians 6 provides clear instructions on how to maintain a proper posture. We must put on the armor of God. A warrior fights his battles firmly grounded on the truth of God's word. Jeremiah 1:19 (EXB) states, “They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am
with you, declares the Lord, to deliver you.”
     2. Posture of Prayer- "Pray all times in the Spirit. " (Eph 6:18, NIV). While Jesus was on earth, he modeled this posture. The posture of prayer is the cornerstone to living a victorious life in Christ. It is this posture that empowers the posture of a warrior. The posture of prayer aligns our hearts with the will of God. Prayer is the venue that connects our souls with our Savior. As we lay our petitions at his feet, the burdens of our souls are lifted, Christ is magnified, and our posture is corrected. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, ESV)- “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
    3. Posture of Worship- The posture of worship reflects the condition of our hearts in
adoration of Christ. A heart of worship is also one of thanksgiving. (John 4:23-24) The posture of worship begins with praise and thanksgiving. When in the posture of true worship, our focus is drawn away from self and directed wholly to our God.” So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son" ( Ephesians 1:6 NIV)
    4. Posture of Service- A posture of service reflects a heart that understands its position
in Christ. It is a visible outpouring of the grace that has been received. As believers fully grasp the significance of Christ's sacrificial act on the cross, their posture of service becomes infused with joy and takes on the essence of genuine sacrifice. In Romans 12:6-8 Paul defines different ways a believer should serve.
     5. Posture of Faith- The posture of faith is a cornerstone to our identity in Christ because
faith establishes our position in Christ. It is out of this posture that every other posture is
aligned. I call this posture the backbone. It is the spinal cord of a believer. It is this posture that keeps us secure in our identity in Christ. We stand tall in our faith. “For by faith, you have been saved, not of yourselves; it is a gift from God.” (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV)
Today, you can walk upright in the posture of a warrior in prayer, worship, service, and faith
because of the confidence you have in Christ Jesus, which is given by the access we have
through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Simone Johnson