Victory!
When God looks at you what does He see?
How do you see yourself?
Does it matter how you feel, does it matter what you think?
I am reading a book by Brennan Manning called “Abba’s Child”. If you have not read it, may I strongly suggest that you do so.
Over the years I have read countless self-help books, books that offer counsel or suggestions. One that comes to mind is “Freedom of Forgiveness” by David Augsburger. The Holy Spirit is always on time with just the right tool, He truly is the “Helper”.
Some authors write books on a given subject because their publisher says that this is the “hot topic” at the moment. Others write out of their current experience and still others write because they have learned such a valuable truth from Holy Spirit that they are directed to share what He has taught them. I like all of them, but the latter type are the ones that “rock my world”.
Brennan Manning is an author that has found answers to many of the questions, thoughts and feelings that followers and disciples of Messiah face.
As I have been reading Abba’s Child, I have thought of many that could benefit from this book. How many of us have a perfectionist complex, a savior complex, to name just a couple of issues? The thing about all of the thoughts and feelings that beset us is, they all have a modicum of truth.
The adversary of God, our Father, and thus us, knows that we will not accept outright lies, but if he mixes a little truth with the lies we may just accept them.
Case in point: Tidiness. How many times in your life have you heard, “Cleanliness is next to godliness?” If you don’t keep a tidy house, accusation lives with you, especially if you have a friend that is a cleaning fanatic.
if you spend time watching a movie on TV (because you are exhausted) or talking with your neighbor (because your are building a relationship with her) instead of cleaning your house, you are bombarded with, “You’re lazy.” or “You procrastinate everything.”
Of course, if you go to the local soup kitchen and serve soup to the “down and outers”, with whom you cannot identify, you are doing a good thing and feel good about what you have done and your untidy house does not come to mind, what does come to mind is, “Why aren’t you doing more?”
You cannot win with the “Accuser”. Strife is his game and striving one of his favorite tools to keep you agitated.
What is the problem here? Is it not that you do not know who you are? Most of us have an identity problem. You can do all of the “good” things for yourself, your family, the neighbors, the poor, the sick, the incarcerated and still feel unworthy, useless, worthless.
Why are you here? Why now? Why at this moment in time are you on planet earth? Is there a purpose?
Why is it that all the good works in the world do not satisfy the gnawing in your soul, the dissatisfaction?
It is because of “Identity”.
Years ago there were no identity thieves. Have you talked to someone whose identity, meaning all of their money related things were stolen…credit and debit cards, drivers license, social security etc.? These things gain access to bank accounts and social security accounts. Scary, but not the real problem. Those that have experienced this use this word: “violated”. Identity thieves violate your identity.
There are more serious things than thieves who steal “stuff”. Stuff can be replaced.
What about the thieves that steal your heart, your soul? You cannot replace your heart or your soul, they are the only ones you have.
I had a friend whose soul was stolen because of low self-esteem. She has been put through the mill with programs and treatments and is no better. No matter what she is told about herself, she only sees that she is worthless, she can’t do anything right, she is a mess. Her true identity has been stolen.
There are many in the world whose heart has been stolen by the identity thief of religion, religion that subjugates them to the leader of their particular religion. They are told what to think, what to do, how to dress, even sometimes what to eat. Life is spent trying to be good, do good.
The law is not good news, it is a hard taskmaster; only the gospel is good news, only the gospel tells us that In Messiah we have been set free, free to be what God has created us to be.
Scripture says that when a thief is found out he must repay seven-fold. Sometimes, when it is your first offense, a judge will grant you leeway and give you much less penalty than you deserve. There is someone in my family that has experienced this very thing. The thing is…you now have to prove yourself; what if you are not changed, what if the very thing that got you arrested in the first place has not changed? Is there not the likelihood that you will be a repeat offender?
How often, in any given day, does God give us grace and mercy when we deserve judgment? How often do we take advantage of that graciousness, that love of our Father in Heaven and then continue to go our own way?
When Yahweh, God, looks at you who have believed on, trusted in and rely upon Yeshua, Jesus, He looks at you through the eyes of unconditional love. He sees you perfect…because you are “In Him”, a part of the Body of Yeshua on the earth. There is nothing you can do that would make Him love you more and nothing you have done that would make Him love you less. It is not about you. You are not the center, He is the center.
Where is your focus? What you gaze upon is what will possess your soul.
Do you know who you are, whose you are? If you know that you are “Beloved” because you are “In Him’ who is the beloved of His Father, then you know that as a child of God there is no condemnation for you.
The accuser has nothing in you when you know that the “Blood of Jesus” continually cleanses you of all sin and if you do sin you have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” When you confess your sin to God, through Jesus finished work for you, He forgives you and cleanses you of all sin.
If you have found that you have given authority to an identity thief, go to God and ask for forgiveness, He will forgive and cleanse you. You have a God given imagination, use it to see yourself free from the thief and right with your Father.
Jesus is coming back some day, it could be soon and it could be later, that is not up to us, our part is to be ready at any time so that event does not come upon us like a thief.
I don’t know about you, but I do not want any door, natural or spiritual open for the thief to come in and steal. Prepare friend!
Jesus and I love you,
Joy
Watchman 