Are you discouraged? Are you fearful? Do you feel like everyone is against you? Do you feel life is not treating you fair? Life can be overwhelming at times. It can make you feel isolated, lonely, with nowhere or no one to turn to. When this happens just pause a minute to reflect. Look into the Bible to see the inspiration of the Lord and see just how the Lord sees you.
We believe that everything in the Bible is there for a reason. There are no insignificant words in the Bible. God put these stories in the Bible for us to learn from:
1 Corinthians 10:11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
The definition of admonition is any word of encouragement or reproof that leads us to correct behavior. Our correct behavior is to see ourselves as God sees us. So, take a look at these examples to see yourself as the Lord sees you:
He sees you like He saw Joseph as he was bought as a slave:
Genesis 39:2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
Read the story of Joseph in chapters 37 to 50 of Genesis to find out just how successful he became!
Even though you may be in physical bondage to drugs or to fear and loneliness, God sees you as He saw Joseph, as a success not a failure!
He sees you like He saw Gideon, full of fear, hiding in a wine press:
Judge 6:12 And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!“
Read chapters 6 through 8 of Judges for the whole story of Gideon. See how he went from fearful to fearless! In Gideon, see yourself: Fearful to fearless! More than a conqueror in Christ Jesus!
He sees you like He saw the woman caught in adultery:
After all of the woman’s accusers left because they were convicted by their own consciences, Jesus spoke to her:
John 8:10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
Read John chapter 8 verses 1 through 11 for the complete story of the adulterous woman.
You are not condemned by anyone. Not by your relatives, not by your friends, not by the people you know, not even by your own mind. The only person that could condemn you (Jesus) would not because He came to save you! You are not condemned!
He sees you like He saw Lazarus when He raised him from the dead:
John 11:43-44 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”
For the full story of Lazarus read John 11:1-44 and see the dead man come to life. As you read, see yourself as alive in Jesus. Jesus saw him as a man alive that needed to be loosed from his bonds. See yourself as your bondages and things that overcome you are loosed and removed. See yourself as free from them, forever.
He sees you like He saw you when He raised you from the dead:
Ephesians 2:5-7 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Like Lazarus, you were dead but He made you alive. He raised you to sit next to Jesus in the heavenly places. He did all of this for you so that He could show the richness of His free gift to you. He loves you more than you can even understand. Not just in the ages to come, but right now in this present world!
Right now, you are successful, even if you are in bondage. Right now, you are fearless, even if you feel afraid. Right now, you are healed, even if you are sick or told you have a disease. Right now, if you believe in Jesus and submitted your will to his, you are saved, even though circumstances or your behavior say otherwise. Right now, you are not under any condemnation, even if others and your behavior say you are. Right now, you are alive, even if you feel hopeless and lost. Right now, your spirit is seated with Jesus at the right hand of the Father, even if your physical body is going through terrible and painful conditions.
And, right now, in this world, in this very place, at this very time, you are an overcomer through Jesus Christ our Lord! An overcomer now and forever!
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