Know Who You Are In Christ

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This is not an 0:00:27.320 --> 0:00:29.080 offer to buy your self securities or is it investment, 0:00:29.160 --> 0:00:30.080 legal or tax advice. 0:00:30.760 --> 0:00:33.960 You're ready for a comeback, and with Purdue Global you 0:00:34.000 --> 0:00:37.200 can do more than take classes. You can take charge 0:00:37.520 --> 0:00:41.520 of your story, of your career, of your life, Earn 0:00:41.560 --> 0:00:43.559 a degree you can be proud of, and get an 0:00:43.680 --> 0:00:48.559 education employer's respect. 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Download the uns stap and use the 0:01:18.800 --> 0:01:20.840 code I heeart fifty at sign up to receive a 0:01:20.880 --> 0:01:23.400 fifty dollars bonus when you fund your account. That's code 0:01:23.400 --> 0:01:26.400 iHeart fifty when you sign up at unest dot co 0:01:26.760 --> 0:01:29.280 for a fifty dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at 0:01:29.440 --> 0:01:30.120 UNEs dot co. 0:01:30.920 --> 0:01:34.280 Hi, this is Victoria. Thank you so much for downloading 0:01:34.319 --> 0:01:38.120 this podcast. I believe God has got amazing things in 0:01:38.160 --> 0:01:40.840 your future. I hope you enjoy this message. 0:01:52.120 --> 0:01:53.200 Jnray Long. 0:01:53.360 --> 0:01:58.080 People, the Bible says in Genesis that we are made 0:01:58.240 --> 0:02:01.320 in the image of God. You see, the image that 0:02:01.400 --> 0:02:04.720 we carry on the inside of us has a lot 0:02:04.800 --> 0:02:08.440 to do with what we reflect. It has so much 0:02:08.520 --> 0:02:13.120 to do with what we identify, with how we see ourself, 0:02:13.919 --> 0:02:18.760 what we go after. In fact, our image is our 0:02:18.840 --> 0:02:22.919 source of strength and confidence. That is really the key 0:02:23.000 --> 0:02:27.639 to living the abundant life that Jesus came to give us. Now, 0:02:27.680 --> 0:02:31.919 our image was distorted in the garden, it was separated 0:02:31.960 --> 0:02:35.360 from God. But God said, I'm going to rebirth this 0:02:35.600 --> 0:02:39.360 image in you. So you have been rebirthed with the 0:02:39.480 --> 0:02:43.680 image of God when you said yes to Jesus. But 0:02:43.800 --> 0:02:48.160 too often, things that happen in our life, maybe the 0:02:48.160 --> 0:02:52.880 way we were raised, a divorce, hurts and pains, try 0:02:52.880 --> 0:02:57.560 to distort or smear that image that tries to cover 0:02:57.760 --> 0:03:02.760 up the true you, the one that God created in 0:03:02.840 --> 0:03:07.800 his image. Then you begin to identify with your circumstances. 0:03:08.280 --> 0:03:12.320 You begin to identify with the pain, when all along 0:03:12.440 --> 0:03:17.679 God never intended these things to hurt you. He intended 0:03:17.720 --> 0:03:21.040 you to know who you are in Christ Jesus, and 0:03:21.080 --> 0:03:26.200 to identify with Him in his power that lives in you. 0:03:26.200 --> 0:03:29.880 You see, if you don't know who you are, you 0:03:30.040 --> 0:03:37.520 won't know what to identify with. It's interesting because God 0:03:37.800 --> 0:03:42.200 knows what we're made of. He knows who we are, 0:03:43.160 --> 0:03:45.840 He knows that we were made in his image. The 0:03:45.960 --> 0:03:51.560 question is today, do we know the image that's on 0:03:51.600 --> 0:03:54.760 the inside of us or how we allowed things to 0:03:54.840 --> 0:03:59.520 distort that image. I was thinking the other day, the 0:03:59.560 --> 0:04:02.760 only way I know what I look like is because 0:04:02.800 --> 0:04:05.920 I can see myself in the mirror. I get up 0:04:05.960 --> 0:04:09.680 in the morning, I wash my face, I brush my teeth, 0:04:09.840 --> 0:04:14.120 and there I am looking back at myself. We all 0:04:14.880 --> 0:04:19.000 know what we look like only because of the mirror. Now, granted, 0:04:19.279 --> 0:04:22.960 someone can describe our looks are physical, but if you 0:04:23.040 --> 0:04:25.600 ask two or three people, I bet you'll get a 0:04:25.680 --> 0:04:29.960 different description every time. But when you look in the mirror, 0:04:30.400 --> 0:04:33.960 you see the image of yourself. You know, if someone 0:04:34.000 --> 0:04:36.240 shows me a picture of a big group of people 0:04:36.640 --> 0:04:40.359 and I'm in that picture, I can locate myself because 0:04:40.400 --> 0:04:45.120 I know what I look like. I can identify who 0:04:45.279 --> 0:04:49.000 I am because I've seen myself in the mirror. I 0:04:49.080 --> 0:04:53.560 know my image seeing just like we know our physical 0:04:53.880 --> 0:04:56.760 appearance the image, because we've all looked in the mirror. 0:04:58.000 --> 0:05:02.440 God wants us to be able to locate our spiritual 0:05:02.600 --> 0:05:07.200 image by looking into the mirror he has for us. 0:05:08.200 --> 0:05:11.240 In James One, it says the Word of God is 0:05:11.360 --> 0:05:16.320 like a mirror. It reflects His image on the inside 0:05:16.360 --> 0:05:22.120 of us. You see, God wants us to know that 0:05:22.160 --> 0:05:25.440 we are made in His image, that there is a 0:05:25.680 --> 0:05:31.240 spiritual person that is far greater than what you see 0:05:31.279 --> 0:05:36.120 on the outside. You see, what your image is has 0:05:36.120 --> 0:05:38.680 a lot to do with your confidence, has a lot 0:05:38.680 --> 0:05:41.240 to do with your inner strength. It has a lot 0:05:41.279 --> 0:05:44.800 to do with what you identify with. You know, some 0:05:44.839 --> 0:05:50.240 people go around saying I'm divorced. They go around with 0:05:50.360 --> 0:05:55.279 that image I'm divorced, I'm a divorced person. Some people 0:05:55.279 --> 0:05:58.760 say I was mistreated and abused. I'll never get to 0:05:58.760 --> 0:06:00.880 where I need to be. They go around with this 0:06:01.120 --> 0:06:04.760 victim mentality. But all the while, God says, you are 0:06:04.800 --> 0:06:09.320 not a divorce person. You are not a victim. You 0:06:09.360 --> 0:06:12.919 are made in My image. You are a victor. You 0:06:13.040 --> 0:06:20.359 need to get your image back. When we allow the 0:06:20.440 --> 0:06:24.080 word of God to create that image on the inside 0:06:24.080 --> 0:06:27.240 of us, when we put ourself in church, when we 0:06:27.360 --> 0:06:31.560 listen to God's word, we're creating and making sure that 0:06:31.920 --> 0:06:36.200 image stays in place. If you had a very important event, 0:06:36.680 --> 0:06:39.280 I guarantee you would go to the mirror and check 0:06:39.320 --> 0:06:42.920 your hair, check your tie, make sure it's straight. You 0:06:42.920 --> 0:06:45.159 don't want to go out there with your tie go 0:06:45.240 --> 0:06:47.400 on that way. You know what, You'll check yourself, You 0:06:47.440 --> 0:06:50.560 adjust yourself, and you know when you put yourself in 0:06:50.600 --> 0:06:54.080 the presence of God, what you're doing is you're readjusting 0:06:54.120 --> 0:06:58.680 and affirming your image on the inside because you want 0:06:58.680 --> 0:07:01.960 to be able to low who you are in a 0:07:02.080 --> 0:07:05.760 world that doesn't know who it is. You see, there's 0:07:05.760 --> 0:07:08.880 so many opinions out there that if you don't know 0:07:09.000 --> 0:07:12.880 your image and your identity, you may allow somebody else 0:07:12.920 --> 0:07:16.440 to put their identity on you. I was talking to 0:07:16.480 --> 0:07:18.440 a young girl the other day and we were talking 0:07:18.480 --> 0:07:21.880 about this very thing, about the image on the inside 0:07:21.920 --> 0:07:24.440 of us and how we live in this place of 0:07:24.520 --> 0:07:28.880 strength when we have God's image, and she said, admittedly, 0:07:29.400 --> 0:07:33.600 she said, Victoria, it's so crazy, she said, I allow 0:07:33.800 --> 0:07:37.760 people to say things to me, and it determines my 0:07:37.880 --> 0:07:41.160 worth and my value. They can literally say the wrong 0:07:41.200 --> 0:07:45.560 thing and I walk off ashamed. Have people ever tried 0:07:45.560 --> 0:07:48.800 to label you? Have you ever taken something, maybe even 0:07:48.840 --> 0:07:52.040 out of context? And it's so funny because that image 0:07:52.440 --> 0:07:55.360 is so covered up, you don't really know if that's 0:07:55.400 --> 0:07:58.960 who you are or not. You remember, when I see 0:07:59.000 --> 0:08:03.640 myself in that picture, I can locate myself. I know 0:08:04.160 --> 0:08:07.240 that's me in that picture. Now, if someone holds a 0:08:07.280 --> 0:08:10.080 picture up and they say, look, Victoria, look look at 0:08:10.080 --> 0:08:13.520 you right there, and that's not me, you know what 0:08:13.600 --> 0:08:17.920 I say, That ain't me, that's not me. I know 0:08:18.000 --> 0:08:21.200 what I look like I know my image and see 0:08:21.280 --> 0:08:23.680 so many times people are trying to tell you who 0:08:23.720 --> 0:08:29.840 you're not. You gotta know that ain't me. If someone 0:08:30.280 --> 0:08:32.720 is trying to make you feel bad, you know what 0:08:32.840 --> 0:08:35.400 that's when you just stop and you say, you know what, 0:08:35.440 --> 0:08:38.360 I know who I am. You don't have to fight back. 0:08:38.840 --> 0:08:41.720 You see, the image of God is not about arrogance. 0:08:42.640 --> 0:08:48.240 It's about humility and strength. You know, It's about being 0:08:48.280 --> 0:08:55.400 assured in confidence. Steal waters run deep, and God wants 0:08:55.400 --> 0:08:58.080 you to run deep. He wants that image to be 0:08:58.520 --> 0:09:05.000 deeply inpreshed and you're very being It's interesting because I 0:09:05.040 --> 0:09:11.560 really feel like that identity and authority go hand in hand. Now. 0:09:11.559 --> 0:09:15.800 We know when you have authority, you carry power, But 0:09:15.880 --> 0:09:18.480 if you don't know who you are, you can't carry 0:09:18.559 --> 0:09:22.280 much power. Can you imagine a policeman not being able 0:09:22.320 --> 0:09:25.240 to believe that he can stop traffic. Now, if you 0:09:25.280 --> 0:09:27.400 put me out there, I am not gonna step out 0:09:27.400 --> 0:09:30.160 in the middle of that traffic. But I don't carry 0:09:30.160 --> 0:09:34.560 that authority. I don't carry that identity. But you know what, 0:09:34.920 --> 0:09:38.079 he has authority and power because he knows his identity. 0:09:38.480 --> 0:09:40.520 If I go to the bank because I need some 0:09:40.640 --> 0:09:43.480 money out of my bank account. I go to the bank, 0:09:43.559 --> 0:09:45.840 go to the teller, get all my stuff together, and 0:09:45.920 --> 0:09:50.000 I say I want my money. She's gonna say, where's 0:09:50.000 --> 0:09:55.839 your identification. If I'm not carrying my identification, doesn't matter 0:09:55.880 --> 0:09:57.840 how much money I have in the bank, I'm not 0:09:57.920 --> 0:10:02.080 getting it. I have to you own my identity. I 0:10:02.160 --> 0:10:05.480 have to know that identity or I'm not gonna get 0:10:05.480 --> 0:10:09.480 what's rightfully mine. And can I tell you, You've got 0:10:09.559 --> 0:10:13.000 so many things out there that are rightfull of yours. 0:10:13.200 --> 0:10:16.720 But unless you know who you are, unless you identify 0:10:16.840 --> 0:10:19.640 with the power that lives on the inside of you, 0:10:19.640 --> 0:10:23.760 you won't get what's rightful of yours. The Bible says 0:10:23.800 --> 0:10:29.520 it's the enemy who comes to steal. He comes to steal. 0:10:29.679 --> 0:10:33.720 Have you ever heard about stolen identities? It's rampant these days. 0:10:34.400 --> 0:10:37.000 Like we get all this protection trying to take care 0:10:37.040 --> 0:10:41.480 of our identity. You see, you've got to protect the 0:10:41.600 --> 0:10:44.800 image on the inside of you, because the enemy wants 0:10:44.840 --> 0:10:49.040 to steal that image. He wants to steal your worth 0:10:49.520 --> 0:10:53.000 and your value. If you don't know who you are, 0:10:53.640 --> 0:10:56.680 you can't have what God said you can have. You 0:10:56.760 --> 0:11:01.600 know what makes me so irritated is that it's not 0:11:01.760 --> 0:11:04.960 really just about me. It's about the God in me. 0:11:05.600 --> 0:11:07.480 And when the enemy steals from me, you know what 0:11:07.520 --> 0:11:10.880 he's doing. He's stealing from God. I don't want him 0:11:10.920 --> 0:11:13.840 stealing from God. I want to protect what's God's. 0:11:16.080 --> 0:11:16.400 You see. 0:11:16.440 --> 0:11:19.400 Sometimes we think it's about ourself, but it's about the 0:11:19.480 --> 0:11:22.440 greater One who lives in us. He's given us the 0:11:22.600 --> 0:11:26.800 privilege to bear his image. I can't think of a 0:11:26.880 --> 0:11:30.760 higher calling on this earth than to bear the image 0:11:30.800 --> 0:11:33.000 of Almighty God. If you don't have a purpose, I 0:11:33.040 --> 0:11:36.400 want to give you one today. You are the bearer 0:11:36.520 --> 0:11:40.600 of God's image. You see. When you know who you 0:11:40.640 --> 0:11:44.559 are in Christ, you don't have to look for other 0:11:44.559 --> 0:11:48.040 people to validate you. You don't have to try to 0:11:48.120 --> 0:11:52.240 squeeze out of people. But only God can give you. 0:11:52.240 --> 0:11:57.600 You know, sometimes we want to put our validation or 0:11:57.640 --> 0:12:01.439 our worth in our job position, in the car we drive, 0:12:01.760 --> 0:12:04.880 the clothes we wear, the people we hang around, because 0:12:04.880 --> 0:12:09.160 it makes us feel good, we feel important. But can 0:12:09.200 --> 0:12:11.800 I tell you that is great if you have those things. 0:12:12.320 --> 0:12:16.120 But those things are temporary and subject to change. Your 0:12:16.160 --> 0:12:21.960 friends can change, your finances can change, things can change. 0:12:22.120 --> 0:12:25.240 And if those things change, what does that mean to you, 0:12:26.800 --> 0:12:29.240 what's on the inside of you. The image of Almighty 0:12:29.280 --> 0:12:33.679 God is eternal. It doesn't change. Your value doesn't change 0:12:33.840 --> 0:12:38.000 because your circumstance change. Your power doesn't change because your 0:12:38.000 --> 0:12:41.640 circumstance change. Your position in heaven doesn't change because your 0:12:41.640 --> 0:12:47.560 circumstance change. You got to know who you are and 0:12:47.679 --> 0:12:52.520 locate where you're going, because God has great things in 0:12:52.600 --> 0:12:57.720 store for you. Second Corinthians says, this God identifies us 0:12:58.040 --> 0:13:03.439 as his very own. He's already identified you. He knows 0:13:03.480 --> 0:13:07.680 who you are. Do you know who you are? Don't 0:13:07.720 --> 0:13:11.120 let anything cover up your identity. Know who you are. 0:13:11.600 --> 0:13:14.719 People who know who they are pray bold prayers. They 0:13:14.760 --> 0:13:18.280 believe that God is working in their life. They praise 0:13:18.320 --> 0:13:21.319 in the midst of difficulty. They push through because they 0:13:21.360 --> 0:13:23.600 know on the other side God's going to be right 0:13:23.640 --> 0:13:30.080 there waiting for them. People who bear the image of 0:13:30.160 --> 0:13:36.200 God know they look like Christ Jesus, so they're kind, 0:13:36.880 --> 0:13:40.920 they're compassionate. They're a servant of all because they know 0:13:41.679 --> 0:13:44.160 that the first will be last, and that if you 0:13:44.200 --> 0:13:46.240 want to be a leader, you've got to be a 0:13:46.360 --> 0:13:51.320 servant first. They're not easily offended. They know who they 0:13:51.320 --> 0:13:55.880 are in Jesus Christ, take on his identity today. Don't 0:13:55.960 --> 0:14:01.800 let anyone label you. There's no circumstance defined you. God 0:14:02.000 --> 0:14:05.800 and God alone defines you. When you put on his identity, 0:14:06.120 --> 0:14:08.839 he'll get his victory and you'll get to where you're 0:14:08.840 --> 0:14:15.200 intended to be. Amen. Amen, Thank you Lord. 0:14:16.600 --> 0:14:20.040 Thank you for listening to the joel Osteine podcast. Help 0:14:20.120 --> 0:14:22.840 us continue to share the message of hope with those 0:14:22.960 --> 0:14:26.840 all over the world. Visit joloastin dot com slash give 0:14:26.920 --> 0:14:28.600 Hope to give a gift today. 0:14:29.280 --> 0:14:32.520 Thanks for listening to the podcast. Be sure to subscribe 0:14:32.560 --> 0:14:34.360 so you can get all of the latest messages. 0:14:34.600 --> 0:14:35.680 No that we pray for you. 0:14:35.920 --> 0:14:36.640 God bless you. 0:14:44.480 --> 0:14:49.080 Nice funs, soft, fluffy and ultralow net carbs. 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