Our True Image In Christ

Our self-image and confidence must be rooted in Christ. Clear the Path was the title of the message Charlana Kelly and I taught on at the last Shoes on the Move meeting. This message had to do with "CLUTTER" both internally and externally. To walk the path God has for each of us, it requires that we remove the obstacles that are in our way.

I have found that the internal clutter determines the quality of my external existence. This is why Romans 12:2 is so vital for every Believer: "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

 

In Dr. Keith Johnson’s book, The Confidence Makeover, he says:

I can tell your level of confidence by your daily focus. Your focus reveals and determines your level of confidence. Losers focus on what they are going through. Champions focus on what they are going to.

Dr. Johnson continues:

You are motivated to become what you picture yourself to be. Your behavior is a mirror image revealing your self-portrait. If you see yourself as a champion in life, you will be motivated to develop all the positive qualities and actions of a winner. However, if you see yourself as a loser, you will continue to experience one failure after another in life. You will act and perform in direct response to your self-image. You can never outperform your inner self-image. A distorted photograph of yourself, created by your negative belief systems, will create a glass ceiling that limits you from achieving higher levels of success in life. A positive self-image enables you to set goals for your future that will reflect your true potential.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13 NKJV)

 

I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency]. (Philippians 4:13 AMP)

　
Excerpt from The Confidence Makeover (pg. 159-160):

Gunder Burke land was born in Norway. At the age of 2, Gunder contracted polio. His legs shriveled up and would not work. His parents would put him in a wooden box. They would tie a rope onto the box and pull him around in the box. In the winter time they had ski runners on the box, and in summer they put wheels on it. For several years he heard such things as: "You will never walk. You will never do anything or have anything. You will never amount to much. You will not live long. Can you imagine hearing all those negative words spoken about you? Maybe people have said the same thing about you. Can you imagine watching everyone walking around having fun, but there you are in a box? Do you fell like you have "legs" and great talents yet people around you keep trying to put you in a box and tell you that you will never amount to anything? If so, the rest of this story will encourage you.

One day his parents sat little 7-year-old Gunder Birkeland before a mirror. He looked into the mirror that day and say a new picture of himself. He did not see himself trapped in that old, ugly box. He saw himself standing up like every normal kid.

This new photograph transformed his life. After that vision, he would rock back and forth until he tipped the box over. Every now and then his parents would come in and scold him and spank him. They would say, "Get back in that box." But as soon as they left, he would rock back and forth again, and he would get out of the box. He kept saying to himself, "I’m getting out of this box. I’m getting out of this!" and eventually he did.

He started with a crawl as he dragged himself across the floor. Then he started getting up on his deformed little legs. Pretty soon he began to walk. What people said he could never do, he began to do.

Gunder Birkeland outlived ever one of his relatives and he died at the age of 75. He became one of the ten wealthiest men in Seattle, Washington, where he lived most of his life. The space shuttle was built on his property. Gonder left his testimony:

"I realized that I did not have to stay in the box. My mission in life is to tell people this: You don’t have to stay in the box either. You can get out. You can become what you see in your spirit, and in your dream. And you can obtain, you can abound in this life. You can get out of the box. You don’t have to be surrounded by adversity of circumstances. You can get out of the box!"

Joshua 1:8 NKJV
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Let God’s Word determine your self-portrait. You are a new creation in Christ! These Scriptures were taken from the SOTM Assignment for August 4 and August 5:

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

1 Corinthians 3:16
Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

Colossians 1:13-14
13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

1 Peter 1:18-19
18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,
19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

Galatians 3:13-14
13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"),
14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

We look forward to seeing you at the next SOTM meeting, Tuesday, August 17 at 7:00 PM.

Know that YOU are loved!