There has been an all-out war on your identity since the day you were born. Your enemy, Satan, has set out to fill your mind with thoughts about how awful you are or how awesome you are apart from God’s opinions. He has used messages from significant people, such as parents, others (family, friends, peers), coworkers, and especially social media. He can even make you think that these messages are from God, but they are not!
God’s original design was for your parents to model for you what your Heavenly Father thinks of you. He especially planned for them to let you know that you are
lovable, acceptable, valuable, and capable. He also planned for them to explain to you God’s wonderful thoughts about you. While no parent does it perfectly, it seems that only a minority does it at all.
Others’ opinions about you can be terrific or terrible. There are people in your life who love you, and you love being around them. They will express their love for you verbally, physically, and even spiritually. There may also be people in your life who reject you by using you, criticizing you, traumatizing you, or abusing you. Also, a big voice is culture, which may make you feel that you should have been born someone different or better.
Social media is a major contributor to a negative view of yourself, especially for those who scroll through it for three hours or more per day. Here’s what research from the American Psychological Association tells us about it. “59% of adults feel it negatively impacts their mental health, while 41% of heavy-user teens report poor mental health, compared to 23% of low-users.” Comparing yourself to others’ “perfect lives” will send a message that you don’t measure up. Online bullying is an especially rampant way to destroy teens.
All of this can be counteracted over time as we learn what our Heavenly Father thinks and feels about who you are in His eyes as a result of Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. The Holy Spirit will continuously confirm these truths in your spirit and mind. They are all found in Scripture.
Let me share this as Him saying this to you.
“Dear ________, I want to assure you that I believe in you. You are special to me because you are my precious son/daughter.
I accept and like you at all times.
You are forever forgiven for every past, present, or future sin. Sinning is not best for you, but I do not punish you when you sin. You are lovable to me, and nothing you do can make me love you any more or any less. I love you just as much as I love my Son, Jesus. You are so valuable to Me that I sent my Son, Jesus, to give His life so I could have you in my family. I treasure you. It gives me joy to live in you. You can stop wondering if you are enough. Because I live in you, you are enough. Trust Jesus to live through you each day. Life is too hard to do on your own.”
Based on this, here is what I can affirm with great confidence based on my counseling experience over the past 31 years. The more you believe what your Father says about you, the more Satan’s lies about you will be replaced with God’s thoughts and feelings about you. The results? Progressive mental and emotional identity healing from the damage done by those lies. This is a big step in becoming the best version of yourself!
If you need help with this, we are here for you or for anyone you care about. Please email us at info@gracelifeinternational.com or call us at 704-522-9026.
