To be conformed to the image of God’s Son is His great desire for us. Unfortunately, many believe the misfortunes of their past bears the blame for the character they lack today. We need to see who we really are in God. We are no longer weak, beggarly elements of this world, but have been changed by the supernatural power of the Almighty God, creator of Heaven and Earth.
We need to see ourselves from God’s perspective. Because we continually look at our frailties, weaknesses, deficiencies and failures, we think God looks at us in this same manner. But God is bigger than our deficiencies and failures. His Word tells us that we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works (Ephesians 2:10).
We must choose to see ourselves as God sees us, not as others see or even as we see ourselves. When we choose to see ourselves through the Father’s eyes we will be able to go forth in love conformed in the image as one of His sons.
EFFECTS OF NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES
This lesson is so important because so many saints feel trapped by the misfortunes of their past. Many believe the negatives from their past are responsible for the character they lack today. This lesson is inspired by the reality that many of the saints in our ministry, having sat diligently under the truth for so many years, still find it difficult to move into the spirituality of the Word they are receiving.
A startling fact surfaced out of this failure. Most of those mentioned believed they could never move into a sinless, whole and spiritually sound life due to the damage done to their emotions from past experiences.
Ephesians 2:1-2
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: . . .
Before we met the Lord, we walked according to the dictates of life’s situations. It is erroneous to say these situations and negative relationships did not have an effect on us. In fact quite the opposite is true. Many of the negatives we experienced shaped mindsets in us which were either unholy, crippling or both.
Ephesians 2:3
Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Mindset – A mental disposition or attitude that predetermines one’s responses to and interpretations of situations. Webster’s Dictionary
Mindset – The method and element by which we judge situations, circumstances and relationships. The position the fleshy mind takes as it responds to the circumstances, situations and relationships in our lives.
It was our nature to fulfill the lusts of our flesh. We were helpless in our quest to change.
Ephesians 2:4-9
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Being lost, we could not save ourselves nor could we change the nature of flesh. However, it is a fact God loved us. He loved us while we were yet sinners, while we were yet warring against Him. This is the real test of love . . . to love in the midst of offenses. We were the utmost offense to the Master; however, He loved us enough to save us from our own disposition. This He did while we were enemies of all that was righteous.
Offense – 1a. The act of offending or causing anger, displeasure, resentment, or affront. b. A breach of social or moral code: SIN. Webster’s Dictionary
Offense – An occasion to stumble or fall. Banks’ Expository
DEVELOPING RIGHTEOUS CHARACTER
Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Now this is powerful, we are the workmanship of the Father and we were created unto good works. We were created unto the works of Christ. This is the thing that matters to the Father: to walk in good works determines the usefulness and/or worthiness of an individual. It is not the clothes you wear, the car you drive or the money you make. It is the good and righteous character which determines your value. Anything else is vanity, meaningless and undeserving of consideration.
If we can come to the place where we please the Lord in character, then all other things are irrelevant. Nothing is more important than character. Nothing is truly obtainable without the character of God. By this I mean, whatever you gain outside of righteous character is soon to be lost or to become a torment.
Ephesians 2:11-14
11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; . . .
The Lord is our peace. In Him is the comfort needed to weather any storm, climb any mountain or cross any valley. You are not a stranger. You have entered into the covenants of promise, having hope. You have access to God. You are someone, chosen by God to perform good works so He might be glorified.
He loved you so much that He washed away all the stains of sin and shame from your life. It is up to you to walk in this great love and peace.
The scriptures describe in detail the way the Father sees us in the Body of Christ. However, this is not always the way we see ourselves. In many instances, the saints of God are hindered in their walk of servitude to the Master because of their erroneous image of themselves. This is important because the way we see ourselves determines how we respond to others and/or situations. Let us look in more detail at some of these crippling mindsets.
Low Self-Esteem and Rejection
Someone suffering from low self-esteem, insecurity or rejection may be an excessive giver of their substance to those whom they love. This excessive giving, even if they cannot afford to give, is an attempt to gain acceptance.
Why? The answer is simple. You do not feel you alone are enough to satisfy the desire or expectations of the people you love. You, therefore, subsidize what you believe to be frailties and imperfections with things. This behavior is crippling. It readily accepts the fact that no one loves you just for who you are. This may or may not be true of people. But it is certainly not true of God the Father.
Such a mindset is an open door for depression and regression. You must constantly play a role which is not you. In doing so, the real you can only surface when you are alone. Even then, you are ashamed to face the truth about yourself.
In cases where your friends, relatives or spouse would take advantage of your low self-esteem, you would never allow your true feelings to be displayed. Nevertheless, you feel used, unloved and worthless outside of your substance. With such a mindset, you will never be able to walk in the Spirit. The deception comes from the fact that you started out loving those who seem not to love you:
1. Those in question may indeed love you; however, they may not express that love the way you desire them to do so.
2. Regardless of whether they love you or not, in your head they simply do not care for you the way you care for them. Therefore, there is a feeling of resentment towards those you bestow so much love upon.
This resentment however, must never be voiced or displayed. It is a secret feeling which must be hidden from those whose love you are trying to win.
Now you have created confusion in your heart. You have love-hate emotions for those you feel do not return your love.
However, you could not bring yourself to the reality of resenting the individuals you supposedly love; therefore, you make yourself the object of resentment, anger and rebuke.
We must give for the right reasons.
Resentment – Indignation or ill will felt as a result of a real or imagined offense. Webster’s Dictionary
THE REAL YOU
YOU MUST CHOOSE THE SET OF EYES YOU SEE YOURSELF THROUGH:
I. THE EYES OF OTHERS: You are frail and unworthy or good and virtuous.
II. YOUR OWN EYES: As seen through negative mindsets, you are weak and useless without substance to give. You are stupid for thinking you can receive love. You are ugly and undesirable. No one loves you.
III. THROUGH GOD’S EYES: You are created unto good works. You are more than a conqueror. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. You have received the undying love of the Father, who loves you in the midst of your weaknesses and offenses. You are learning how to serve the Master. You are valuable to Him.
CHOOSE TO SEE YOURSELF THROUGH THE EYES OF THE FATHER. This is the only true image of you. Learn to attribute the lack of love from those you love as weakness or deficiency on their part. Be prepared to teach them true love. Consider they might be ignorant of the kind of things you need from them. Take the chance, tell them in love and help them move into it.
When you overcome the negative image you have built of yourself, then and only then will you take your head out of the sand and happily go about the Father’s business.
