Self-Perception: The Key to Lasting Change
How do you see yourself? Do you believe that you are more than a conqueror or that you just don’t measure up in some areas of your life? Do you believe that you can do all things through Christ, or do you believe there are just some things that you’re not equipped to accomplish? While these questions may seem elementary for many Christians, the answer to questions like these are the main reason why they have not experienced change.
Recognizing that you must change how you think in order to change your life is the first step toward transformation. The Word of God must be your final authority and the standard against which you measure your beliefs and mindsets. In addition, how you see yourself—your self-perception—is going to be critical to your success. In order to experience the rewards of change, you have to honestly ask yourself, Is my self- perception based on God’s Word, or is it based on my past and the world’s way of doing things?
I can’t tell you how many Christians have not made the Word of God their basis for the way they see themselves. They read the Bible, know what it says about them, and yet they perceive themselves in a way that contradicts what God has declared! If you want to change, you must come out of those old beliefs about yourself and embrace what God’s Word says along with His grace, which empowers you to live a transformed life.
Proverbs 23:7 says that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. In other words, the dominant thoughts and feelings about yourself that you hold in your heart will shape your life. What you believe to be true will eventually manifest as a reality. This is why it is important to spend time daily meditating in the Word of God so that your mind can be renewed. A renewed mind is the bridge to an outwardly transformed life. The more you renew your mind, the more you will begin to see yourself the way God sees you, rather than how others define you, or how you feel your behavior defines you. All that matters is what God says about you and you are His beloved!
When you look into the Word as a mirror, it will give you a new view of yourself. If the doctor says you are sick, look into the Word which says by the stripes of Jesus you are healed. If you believe you are broke and poor, embrace the Word of God that says wealth and riches shall be in the house of the righteous! If you’ve been told you will live a defeated life, receive the truth that says you are more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus!
It’s time to break old habits of negative self perceptions. You’ve got to get past old ways of thinking that tell you things will always be the same. I’m telling you, if things stay the same, it is because you tolerated it. You’ve got to believe what God says about you; allow what He says to shape your self-perception. Mark 9:23 says all things are possible to those that believe. What do you believe? Do you believe, like David, that you will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living (Psalm 27:13)? If so, rehearse that thought in your mind until it becomes a part of you.
Changing your self-perception positions you to receive the promises of God. The Bible says we have to believe that we receive (Mark 11:24), which means you can’t receive anything from God if you don’t believe what He says is true. When you read the Word of God, visualize yourself walking in what it promises. Believe that where you are now is not where you are going to be tomorrow.
Once you have made a decision to believe the Word, don’t allow anything to stop you. Be sure not to let the past rob you of your great future. If you are someone who constantly rehearses your past mistakes and meditates on your past failures, then you will constantly be stuck in the past and unable to fulfill the will of God for your life. Remember, your best days are ahead of you, and instead of replaying your past, start pre-playing your future. Change how you think about yourself with God’s Word!
— Creflo Dollar
No comments:
Post a Comment