One of the great tasks of life is figuring out who you are
what what's your identity discovering who God made you to be
that's one of the fundamental tasks of life why on earth and what on earth am I here for
how you see yourself affects everything else in your life how you see yourself your identity
affects your relationships it affects your happiness it affects your stress level it
determines your success level in life uh it just affects everything your connection to God
is profoundly influenced by how you see you what is your identity it's so important how we see
ourselves your self-image will determine whether you reach your full potential if you see yourself
lacking at a disadvantage not attractive it will limit your life it's not that you don't have great
potential it's your self-image is distorted the scripture says you've been made in the image of
God he made you talented beautiful smart confident you are fully equipped for the purpose he's laid
out for you but the trick of the enemy is to distort your self-image he doesn't want you to
see yourself the way you really are what God says about you is the true image you need to keep in
front of you you are not defined by people by your past by how you were raised by what didn't
work out you were defined by your creator when you look in the mirror of God's word you'll find
that you are valuable you are talented you are confident favored blessed worthy as you see
yourself the way God sees you it begins to heal damaged self-images his word will repair the hurts
the scars the unfair things that have caused you to see yourself as lacking inferior unqualified
you have to see it on the inside before it will happen on the outside you won't be successful with
a negative image of yourself like a magnet how you see yourself will keep pulling you toward it
if you see yourself struggling barely getting by scarcity mentality you're moving toward it
start seeing yourself as blessed prosperous talented having a bountiful year then because
you have the right image because you're in agreement with God you're moving toward abundance
overflow good breaks a bountiful life if you see yourself as lonely not a good personality
inferior you're moving toward loneliness not having friends not meeting anyone
you're beautiful you're attractive you're one of a kind you've been crowned with favor you're a prize
have an image of victory you're not weak defeated overcome by problems you're a warrior
you've been armed with strength for every battle you are full of can do power
the forces that are for you are greater than forces that are against you
satan is constantly working in a spiritual battle to keep you from knowing your true identity
he's working overtime and he uses all kinds of tools to keep you from knowing
who you are he uses first the opinions of other people what your parents say about you what your
peers say about you what your partner says about you what uh what professionals say about you
uh and he's always trying to use other people's opinions to shape and conform you to what other
people think you ought to be rather than what God says you ought to be he uses hurt and pain
hurt and pain never leave you where they find you that you start in one area but you end up over
here and it can profoundly affect your identity he uses the media and today he uses social media
because you get on social media and you see everybody living their so-called perfect life
and you think how come I don't look like him or her why don't I have that and why don't I do that
in this comp competitive always comparing yourself feels like you're being left out
satan's using that to keep you messed up in your identity he suggests thoughts in your
mind it's called temptations and he and he says stuff to you but the number one way satan keeps
you from discovering your true identity in Christ is um the lies you tell yourself
you lie to yourself all the time and you tell yourself stuff's good and stuff's bad stuff and
and oftentimes you're not really a good judge of you
you are not what your parents say you are you're not what your peers say you are you're not what
your partner says you are you're not what the world says you are you are not what the
media says you are you are not what social media says you are you are not what bullies
who criticized you in school say you are you are not what you tell yourself when you
are self-condemning yourself and you are not what satan tells you are you are what God says you are
are you gonna believe what the world says about you that unless you look certain way
unless you talk certain way unless you do certain things
unless you cave into certain moral issues unless you believe certain things
you're you don't matter you're worthless are you gonna believe what God says about you
some of those two one of those opinions isn't going to matter in eternity
don't let how you were raised what wasn't fair create your image give it to God he'll
melt down the wrong ways you see yourself don't let other people determine your image
what someone said parent coach an ex-spouse hurtful words you're not good enough you're
not talented you're not attractive you'll never amount to much you have to give God your image
let him control how you see yourself not the media not your family not your job not your critics
let him have your image see yourself the way he sees you then you can go into your promised land
but sometimes it's guilt holding us back I've made too many mistakes I don't deserve it we
see ourselves unworthy not valuable we sit on the sidelines of life no passion not pursuing goals
don't keep that old image after all it doesn't do any good to go into the promised land if you
still see yourself as lacking not enough I don't deserve it what's limiting some people is not the
fact that God doesn't have good breaks favor new relationships it's that they won't give God their
image if he takes you to a new level but you still see yourself the wrong way you're not going to
enjoy it his word will melt down all the guilt the shame the insecurities he sees you without
fault he calls you righteous holy blameless Joel this problem's too big I'll never overcome
this sickness never get out of debt never break this addiction the reason the enemy is trying
to distort your image is because he knows who you really are he knows you're a giant killer he knows
you're made in the image of God he knows you have seeds of greatness don't let his phony mirror keep
you from stepping into your greatness don't let a wrong self-image keep you from leaving your mark
how much further will you go how much happier will you live how much more confidence will you have
if you'll get rid of the distorted images and start seeing yourself the way God sees you the way
you tend to feel about yourself your identity your self-esteem your self-worth is largely determined
by what you think the most important person in your life thinks about you let me say it again
the way you feel about yourself your self-esteem your self-worth is largely determined whether you
realize it or not by what you think the most important person in your life thinks about
you so friends I highly recommend you make Jesus Christ the most important person in your life
does that make sense because he says you're chosen you're forgiven you're accepted you're loved
you're valuable you're priceless you got something to offer and when you mess up you're forgiven
this is who you really are so make Jesus Christ the most important person in your life
you're chosen by God you're loved by God you're accepted by God
you you have a contribution to make in your life your value and your worth
uh are priceless and you're forgiven that is your true identity