Self Image and Your Identity Part II

                                                               YOUR IDENTITY  

      The dictionary says that the meaning of the word "Identity" is:  The set of characteristics that somebody recognizes as belonging uniquely to himself or herself and constituting his or her individual personality of life.

     A person has no identity nor do they know who they are apart from a relationship with Jesus.

     That is why we latch on to practically anything in our desperate need to discover who we are and find ourselves determining our identity through:

• Our appearance, our material status
• Our occupation, our success in life and business
• Our abilities, gifts and talents
• Our family relationships
• Our friends
• Our denominational affiliation
• People and personalities we look up to and make idols out of.

     So when we compare ourselves with others... who they are... that we're not... or what they have... that we don't have... what happens?  Our focus is taken off of God and who He has created us to be and onto people and things.  We loose sight of who we are and try to be something or someone we are not.  Who we truly are and where we need to find our "Identity" is in our relationship with Jesus Christ. 

     When you have a "relationship" with someone there is a significant connection that happens between two people that invokes an emotional close friendship and a bond. You find that you are drawn together by similarities of likes, feelings, interests, behaviors, and are able to communicate with each other and this is called "Intimacy."

     This is the only way we can truly know who we really are and that is through the one who created us.  When we are identified with Him, we have an identity that can't be shaken or taken away.  In God's big picture, it's not what you are or how the world sees you, nor how you look on the outside, but who you are on the inside.

     In I Peter 3: 3 & 4 it tells us: AMP

          Verse 3: Let not yours be the merely(merely)external adorning with(elaborate) interweaving and knotting of the hair, the wearing of jewelry, or changes of clothes.
           Verse 4:  But let is be the inward adorning and beauty of the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible and unfading charm of the gentle and peaceful spirit which (is not anxious or wrought up, but) is very precious in the sight of God.

     He begins the process of developing our identity and the character of Jesus Christ within us at the moment of our salvation.  And as we continue to pray and study the word of God, we begin to understand and comprehend where our identity really is found.  He then faithfully continues that process throughout our spiritual journey and experiences until the day we die as Philippians  1:6 tells us:

           Verse 6:  Being confident of this, that he who begin a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

     Remember:  God isn't finished with us yet and He loves us to much to leave us where were at.

     In Psalms 139:13 & 14 says:

          Verse 13:  For You did form my inward parts; You did knit me together in my mother's womb.
          Verse 14:  I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Thy works and my soul knows it very well.

     According to these verses, God made you just the way you are.  And since God made us it doesn't make sense to build a "self image" or base "your identity" on what others say or what the world thinks about you.

     The world's opinions are constantly changing from moment to moment and it is impossible to find any stability in what the world or people say.  We need a proper "self image" and our "identity" should be based on the truth from God's perspective.  Sense God crated us and knows us better than we know ourselves, it makes perfect sense to begin listening to what God says about us.

     You are not who you are because of your own or others opinions, but you are who you are because of what God says about you.  Begin listening to God and what His word says about who you are.  Quote the word of God and get it into your spirit and allow the Holy Spirit to do the work inside of you.

     Because your "identity is "in Christ" ... you have joined Him in His death, burial and resurrection.  Your "old identity" is gone and your "new identity" is eternal and you have been given the righteousness of God. 

     Remember:  You have the DNA of the Father in you.

     You may be thinking what does she mean I have the DNA of the Father?  First let me explain what natural DNA is:

     DNA contains the genetic instructions specifying the biological development of all cellular forms of life.  And within that DNA there are molecules that are responsible for the genetic multiplying by reproduction of most inherited traits that come from our parents.

     So spiritually, we have inherited the DNA of the Father and this DNA represents the Holy Spirit that was placed in us at the time of salvation.  So spiritually speaking we have inherited the same traits that Christ has therefore; we have the genetic capability of developing the character of Christ.  And how do you do that?  By looking inward at the real you and allowing the Holy Spirit to do the work in you.

     In II Corinthians 3:18 the word tells us:

          Verse 18:  But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image of glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

     Beloved, if you will allow the Holy Spirit to transform you into the same image as Christ, then you will begin to see the changes come.  And that, that once was veiled because of sin, fear, doubt and unbelief will be unveiled by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.  We know that we will never be perfect intil the perfect one comes. But there is a place, a position and destination that the Lord wants to take you to in your life, in your relationship with Him and you're ministry that will not only change your life, but those around you.  You have the capacity and the capablilty to change and it's up to you.  God has done His part, now it is up to us to take hold of the truth that will set us free for change. 

Blessings,

Elma Garlock

Self Image and Your Identity Part I

I. Self Image and YOU!  What is the definition of the word "Self Image?  It is the evaluation that a person makes of himself in comparison to some standard, or the way that he has come to think about himself habitually.  Questions:  1.  When you look in the mirror what do you see?  2.  Do you see the image of Christ as you look deeply into your eyes that reveal your heart and soul?  3.  And have you ever wondered how God sees you and view's your life?  4.  Do you worry that He sees your flaws and mistakes and loves you less? 

     Beloved, God knows you perfectly and loves you completely just the way you are.  He doesn't see you as the world sees you because: 

•   You are His masterpiece
•   His workmanship of grace and love
•   You are His work of art

     In the book Tramp for the Lord, Corrie Ten Boom told of the time she visited a hospital where polio patients were being treated.

     The doctor in charge asked her if she would like to speak with the patients.  The sight of the suffering she said, deeply touched her and she said "no", I think I am unable to talk.  I just want to go off somewhere and cry.

     A moment later she changed her mind and ended up beside the bed of a man who could barely breathe.  She told him about Jesus Christ and how God had allowed His Son to suffer for each of us.

     Corrie writes:  I finished speaking and from my bag took a small embroidery, on one side was stitched a beautiful crown.  The other side was quite mixed up.  When I see you on the bed, I said, not speaking, not moving, I think of this embroidery, I held up the back side of the embroidery.  Your life is like this, see how dark it is.  See how the threads are knotted and tangled, mixed up.  But when you turn it around then you can see that God is actually weaving a crown for your life.

     God has a plan for your life and He is working it out in beauty.  He picked up a pencil and wrote in a shaky handwriting.  Thank God I am already seeing the beautiful side.  What a miracle.

     As we allow Him to work in our life, He will continue to form us into His image in such a way so our lives will glorify Him.  In Ephesians 2:10 it says:

     Verse 10:  For we are His workmanship(the skill shown in a finished work of art) created(to create from nothing and to create in a spiritual sense) in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

     It was by God's divine plan that we were created in the image of Christ. Even though we don't see that image in ourselves always, understand beloved that He sees us with eternal eyes that look beyond our faults and our failures. He looks through the blood of Jesus and he sees perfection, a righteous child, a holy, pure, complete and redeemed creation.  He sees our future and our destiny and He knows exactly what part of our lives needs His greatest attention, because He knows our every frustration, disappointment, hurt, rejection, anxieties and fear.

     For many of us this is a hard concept to grasp, because we see our lives as being incomplete and unfulfilled.  We know all to well our past and present failures. We spend more time dwelling on the past, that we miss our today.  What is in the past needs to stay there and their is nothing you can do to go back and change it. 

     God's views you from a totally different perspective and when He sees your life, He sees a person of worth, value and promise.  He has pledged His love to you and He walks with you through disappointment and is never disillusioned by your negative acts.

     You may be saying, but how can He love me that much?  I don't deserve His love.  I have made so many wrong decisions and I have let Him and others down.  But you see, He sees the finished product and you are His joy because it says in Zephaniah 3:17 that:

          Verse 17:  The Lord your God is in your midst, a victorious warrior.  He will exult (to be extremely happy) over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.

     God rejoices over you beloved. He knows your life is in the process of becoming all that He has planned for you to become.  And even though you are not yet what you will be, know and understand that God is patiently molding and shaping your life into the "Image of Christ".

     Remember:  He is the potter and you are the clay

     There is never a reason why you would give up.  You are not alone and Jesus is walking right beside you. He is with you cheering you on into Victory and is there to strengthen and encourage you.  When your eyes are fixed, immovable and positioned on Him and not your circumstances, your faults or your failures,it is then you will begin to see life and yourself differently.

     Instead of thinking negatively and seeing yourself as a failure or as one who doesn't measure up begin to think on the things that Philippians 4:8 tells us:

          Verse 8:  Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of a good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think of these things.

      And what are some of the things that are true about you? 

1.  That you are complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10)
2.  That you are united with the Lord, and you are one spirit with Him ( I Corinthians 6:17)
3.  Your are God's workmanship, created for good works (Ephesians 2:10)
4.  You can be confident in knowing that the good work God has begun in you will be     
      perfected (Philippians 1:6)
5.  You are God's coworker (II Corinthians 6:1)
6.  You are a personal, Spirit-empowered witness of Christ's (Acts 1:8)
7.  You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you (Philippians 4:13)

     So if Ephesians 2:10 says that we are created in Christ, that makes us united with Him in every way and joint heirs with Christ.  It also makes us partaker of His divine nature.

     If we look up the word "partaker" it says that it means:  To have or appear to have a certain amount of some quality or character of the one you are taking from.

     And what is this "divine nature"?  It is a God like nature that acts, speaks and thinks in a way that will reflect His qualities and these qualities distinguishes that person from the natural man that reacts out of a fleshly nature.

Next week part II and we will talk about Your Identity.

Blessings,

Elma Garlock

Reach Out and Touch Him

     What is the hearts cry of those who are sick emotionally, physically and in bondage to sin?  And where and in whom does their hope lie?  Is it in their tomorrow or in another time or season of their lives?  Beloved, God sees the heart and He knows what you need. The Spirit is saying to you:  Your healing is for today. Reach out and touch Me and pull on the anointing just like the women did who had the issue of blood...It only took one touch from the Master and that touch brought life and healing to her body.

     In Matthew 9:20-22 it tells us: 

          Verse 20:  And behold a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years, came up behind Him and touched the fringe (tassels) of His cloak.

          Verse 21:  For she was saying to herself, If I only touch His garment, I shall get well.

          Verse 22:  But Jesus turning and seeing her said, "Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well." And at once the woman was made well.

          If we look up the word "Reach" it means: To get in touch with or to extend in dimension and space.

         So by her reaching out and extending her faith, she stepped into God's supernatural dimension where there is no time, space or lack.  She grasped with an out stretched arm the hem of His prayer shawl(the tassels) which represented the commandments of God (God's word that we have today) and were blue in color reminding us of the heavenly origin of the law.  You see, it was the WORD IN ACTION, because HE is the WORD and HIS WORD does not return void.  It is forever alive, living, active, operative and going forth to accomplish what you need. 

     In Mark 5:30 gives us an example of the power that flowed through Jesus when she touch Him.  It says that:

          Verse 30:  And immediately Jesus, perceived in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My garments?" 

     It was His glory (His dunamis power) that came forth from Him, and was released by her faith.  Verse 22 says that Jesus said to her daughter, take courage.  This word "Courage" here means:  The capacity (which is the ability to contain or accommodate the amount that is being poured in).  Her capacity to receive was great because she had been empty for so long and so as she met her today she pressed into her only hope and into the only one that could give her a future and that one was JESUS.  

     Time and time again Jesus allowed Himself to be poured out to those who would but reach out and touch Him.  In Luke 6:19 it tells us:  And all the multitude were trying to touch Him, for power was coming from Him and healing them all. 

     Psalms 31:24 says:  Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the Lord.

     Beloved, healing is here, deliverance is here, hold fast to His promises and be strengthened in your heart with the knowledge that He is in control of all things.  Be firm in what you know is truth and do not let the enemy bind you to the lies.  Cast off the doubts and the fear and lean not on your own understanding but seek Him with your whole hearts and He will not let you down.  He will under gird you with His word as you build your foundation upon the rock, He will lift you up out of the mire of despair and set you upon a high place so you can see the clear horizon and the birth of a new day coming in your life.  Hope flies on the wings of faith, so let your faith soar above the darkness and despair for the SON shall arise with healing in His wings and take a hold of the fullness of what He has for you, Healing, Deliverance, Restoration and Strength. 

Blessings,

Elma Garlock