Most of my life of I felt inadequate. These feelings went all the way back to my childhood. Though I achieved quite a bit in life, deep down, I was convinced this was who I was… Mark, the inadequate.
My dad could fix and build anything and so could my younger brother, but not me. I could hardly hammer a nail or saw a straight board. Each time my dad enlisted us to help him with one of his new projects, like adding a room on to our house, I kept hearing in my head, “Something is wrong with me. I’m not like my dad and brother.” Little did I know at the time, this was the enemy was putting thoughts in my vulnerable child’s mind. Each time we all worked together, they seemed to do everything just right and I did most of them wrong. My feelings of inadequacy only grew. It also happened in other areas of life. Through it all, I kept getting stamped with an identity of being inadequate and every year it seemed to be confirmed more. Do you see how feelings follow whatever thoughts we believe?
Many years later, when my Heavenly Father began to reveal to me who I am in Christ from the Scriptures, I was able to finally confront those feelings and the beliefs behind them with Biblical truth. As I did, they were eventually replaced with peace and a confidence that I could do anything that God wanted me to do, as long as Jesus lived through me. Philippians 4:19 says it this way. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. NLT I still get those thoughts and feelings some days, but now I have Biblical truth to hold up against them.
Many people today are looking to their feelings to tell them who they are. And if they have felt them most of their lives, they may conclude, “That is just who I am because I’ve always felt that way.” Yet, what they don’t realize is that those feelings are being driven by lies Satan planted in their minds over and over, often going back to when they were children.
The Accuser often plants these lies through how our family treated us growing up. He may also plant those lies from terrible rejections we have experienced, including abuse. Or, he can just use a normal situation, putting his twisted spin on it for us to agree with. He will take any opportunity he can find with you, hoping you agree with him! John 10:10 records Jesus saying, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.
It has become mainstream culture to define yourself based on how you’ve felt much of your life. We see it on television, in the movies, in school, at work and in some churches. We also see it every week in our counseling, conferences, training and groups. By the time they get to us, many are being overwhelmed and terrified by these thoughts and feelings that they believe define them.
Feelings are a gift from God. They are one part of our soul. The other two parts are our mind and will. Feelings were given by God so we could experience love, joy, peace and more. The scary thing about feelings, which are attached to thoughts, is that they seem like they are telling us the truth, even if they are not.
When two of my cousins were teens, they thought they would prank their mom one day while at the community pool. The oldest one got on the phone and frantically told her mom that her younger sister had drowned in the pool. My aunt went into hysterics. She truly believed her child was dead. But it was a lie. My cousins thought it would be funny. Her feelings didn’t know it was a lie, they simply responded to the thoughts in her mind that she was believing. By the way, my cousin quickly told my aunt the truth, realizing her mom might die from a heart attack if she didn’t!
Be aware of your thoughts and feelings and don’t let your feelings define who you are. Let the Biblical truth of who you are in Christ define whether your thoughts and feelings are accurate.
Sometimes, we need someone to help us let God show us the lies that our feelings are using to define us, that disagree with what God says about us. Go to our website and see if we can help you, no matter where you live. www.GraceLifeInternational.com
What are you going to believe this week as the Biblical truth about who you are? What you feel? Or, who your Heavenly Father says you are, when He transferred you from the sinner identity in Adam and into your saint identity IN Christ, giving you a NEW PAST! Romans 5:19 is as clear as it gets on this topic when it says, For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One, the many will be made righteous. NASB
Your Identity In Christ
Because I am a child of God…
I Am Acceptable
Accepted by God Rom. 15:7
Righteous II Cor.5:21
A Saint I Cor. 1:2 Eph. 1:1
Complete in Christ Col. 2:10
Not Condemned Rom 8:1
Completely Forgiven Col 2:13
I Am Significant
His Masterpiece Eph. 2:10
Chosen Eph. 1:4
God’s Treasure Matt. 13:44-46
Seated in Heaven Eph. 2:6
A New Creation II Cor. 5:17
Designed by God Ps. 139:13-16
I Am Loved
Dearly Loved I Thess. 1:4
Beloved Rom. 9:25 (Used more in the NT to describe us than any other term)
Loved Like Jesus Is Jn. 17:23, 26
Jesus’ Friend Jn. 15:15
Hidden with Christ Col. 3:3
Can’t Stop God’s Love Rom. 8:37-39
As you talk to your Father each day, remind yourself of who you are in Christ and ask Jesus to fill you with His love and to live through you in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Believe it! It’s the Gospel.
Live Free In Christ,
Mark Maulding, President and Founder
www.GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2015 Mark Maulding but feel free to pass it on!
