Category: Devotional

Self-Vigilance

One of the key components in knowing who you are is understanding what makes, or has made you, who you are. Individuals who know who they are walk with confidence. They stay the course. They are described like the Apostle Paul. When it was said of him and about him, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, and I have kept the faith. When you are so aware, or vigilant, about who you are and what you have been called to do, it simplifies life. You filter everything through that knowledge. 

A good understanding of who you are is the best filter. It allows you to say yes to the things that align with where you want to go. That knowledge also allows you to say no to anything that doesn’t align with where you want to go. If you don’t filter decisions through your vision, and knowledge of where you want to be, you will be quite frustrated. 

A basic example of this can be found in marriage. Your vision on the day you get married is to stay together till death do you part. That’s the vision, now every decision must be filtered through that thought. You have to ask yourself, is what I am saying yes to going to get me the goal of staying together with the one I married. Saying yes to a situation that will make you vulnerable to another decision would be eliminated. For instance, I never say yes to riding with, or meeting, another woman if I am alone. I say no to meetings that would complicate my marriage. You see, by never putting myself into those situations, I never have to answer any other question, or make a decision about what happens next. I am saying yes to my relationship with Melissa, by saying no to any situation that could make me vulnerable. Often times, the best yes is a good no! I know that I want to spend the rest of my life with Melissa, that’s the filter. Therefore, I filter decisions through that vision. 

The Apostle Paul gives us an example of this as well. Paul was very aware of who he’d been before Christ. He knew that He had an unsatisfied longing in his heart, and that it wasn’t satisfied until he encountered Christ. Now that Paul has had a great change in his life, his Damascus road experience, he’s filtering everything through this vision for his life. His goal, or vision, was the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 

 “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14 (New King James Version)

That goal now becomes the filter. Look at what he says prior to this verse. 

“I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead…” Philippians 3:12-13 (New King James Version) 

I haven’t achieved what I want yet, but I am trying to get there. Even though Paul hadn’t achieved it, he’s showing us the decisions that we must make. Here, Paul said, I focus on this one thing. He’s filtering out anything that doesn’t help him get where he wants to go. Mainly, considering Paul was well aware of his past, as were others, he’s letting that go. Paul is saying yes to his plan of pressing in, going after his call of God on his life, by saying no to the weight of his past. Paul is proving the best yes, is a good no. Could it be that your best yes to God, is to say no to holding your own past against yourself? 

Value Who You Are!

One of the most important pieces of information you can have in your life is, self-awareness. Self-Awareness is vital. It’s knowing inside, because of Whose I am, this is who I am and this what I can do. 

If you aren’t self-aware, if you aren’t aware of who you are, then hidden addictions and compulsions, will derail you from your destiny all because you believed yourself to be the old man, when in fact you are a new man. You still believe that old report, when that old man (your old way of living and thinking) has been wiped away by the blood of the Lamb (Jesus), and now a new person has been established (2 Corinthians 5:17). You now have a new identity in Christ. You are not who you once were. 

How did this happen? It happened through, and because of, Jesus Christ. Jesus empowers you, through His grace, to become a new person! In Revelation 12:11, the Bible states, We overcame him (the devil), the one who constantly describes our old man (our old way of living and thinking), by the word of our testimony and the blood of the Lamb. We overcome by testifying, by telling others, that we are not the people we used to be. But, because of the blood of the Lamb we have overcome. We aren’t the people the devil accuses us of being. We are who we are through Jesus Christ. 

It is vitally important that you rehearse, remind, and reassert who you are daily, or even more frequently if needed. Why? The devil is more consistent than you in declaring who you are. The Bible states that the “accuser of the brethren” (Revelation 12:10) accuses us before God day and night! I believe those lies are constantly whispered, and sometimes shouted, into our ears. Therefore, we must continually remind ourselves who we are. 

King David demonstrated the power of being aware of who he is. He protected his identity and spoke of who he was quite often. David would call himself the Lord’s anointed. Recalling that was no doubt a reminder of that moment when Samuel anointed David as king before his father, Jesse. 

For David, there were times when he would be running for his life, hiding in caves, spears being thrown at him, but no doubt he would also remind himself that this won’t last. I am anointed to be king, David was reminding himself, God has anointed me, and God will bring me through this. 

David used his writing to describe how he viewed his relationship with his King. He wrote Psalm 23 and described the relationship in terms of a shepherd. Then he penned Psalm 139 and described the connection that he had with God. He understood that, outside of our connection and relationship with God, we are nothing. David valued who God had called him, and anointed him, to be. 

In one of the worst moments of David’s life, he penned Psalm 51. As you read through David’s confession, you see the value he placed on who God had called him to be. David treasured that anointing on his life. He was concerned, as many of us would and should be, that his decisions and failures would void or ruin that relationship with God and destroy who God had called him to be. David says to the Lord, in such an eloquent way, that he valued his relationship with God more than his own pride. 

In reminding ourselves of who we are, we must also never forget who He made us to be in the first place. Remember, we can do all things! However, it’s always through Christ. Treasure who you are, but treasure more Whose you are! Treasure Jesus, seek Jesus, follow after Jesus, and you will never forget who you are. 

Self – Aware

Over the past few months, there has been an overarching theme in my preaching: Purpose!

Time, and time again, you will hear, “We are a Church on Purpose.” What does that mean? We state that we are a church on purpose across the aisle, across the street, and around the world. Although, before you can go across the aisle, across the street, or around the world, you must know your own purpose, and who you are in Christ. 

^“Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.” Colossians 3:9-11 The New King James Version (NKJV)

See, when you come to Christ, the old man is no longer, and there is a new man. Now, you have to get to know the new man. You are suddenly on this quest to find out, and become aware of, who you are now. Having self-awareness is one of the most important pieces of information that you can have. 

The biggest battle we all fight is the battle to keep us operating in the old man (our old way of life). The enemy of your soul desires for you to operate as you always have. But, you must be aware, be sober, and be vigilant (1 Peter 5:8) that the enemy doesn’t keep you in the old man, while Christ has given you a new man. 

The Dictionary uses many words to describe awareness: to have knowledge, to be mindful, to act with vigilance, be conscious, and on alert. 

Now, if you put the word “self” ahead of those definitions: 

• Self-knowledge – knowing who you are.

• Self-vigilance – knowing what makes you tick and what ticks you off.

• Self-conscious – knowing how you come across to others.

• Self-alertness – knowing how to maintain your spiritual, emotional, and physical condition.

On my quest in knowing God, I have found that the deeper I know God, the better I understand who I am. Once I find out who I am in the spiritual, I am putting off the old man. Why would I want to keep living as a defeated man when I am a victorious man? 

Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 15:10(a), “But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results.” New Living Translation

God poured out His special favor on us as well, thus creating us to be what He desires for us to be. Below, you will find a list of statements and Scriptures declaring who God created you to be. You can declare them over your life as well.

This is who I am:

• I am complete in Him Who is the Head of all principality and power. – Colossians 2:10

• I am alive with Christ. – Ephesians 2:5

• I am free from the law of sin and death. – Romans 8:2

• I am far from oppression, and fear does not come near me. – Isaiah 54:14

• I am born of God, and the evil one does not touch me. – 1 John 5:18

• I am holy and without blame before Him in love. – Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:16

• I have the mind of Christ. – 1 Corinthians 2:16; Philippians 2:5

• I have the peace of God that passes all understanding. – Philippians 4:7

• I have the Greater One living in me; greater is He Who is in me than he who is in the world. – 1 John 4:4

• I have received the gift of righteousness and reign as a king in life by Jesus Christ. – Romans 5:17

• I have received the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Jesus, the eyes of my understanding being enlightened. – Ephesians 1:17-18

• I have received the power of the Holy Spirit to lay hands on the sick and see them recover, to cast out demons, to speak with new tongues.  I have power over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means harm me. – Mark 16:17-18; Luke 10:17-19

• I have put off the old man and have put on the new man, which is renewed in the knowledge after the image of Him Who created me. – Colossians 3:9-10

• I have given, and it is given to me; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, men give into my bosom. – Luke 6:38

• I have no lack for my God supplies all of my need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:19

• I can quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one with my shield of faith. – Ephesians 6:16

• I can do all things through Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:13

• I show forth the praises of God Who has called me out of darkness into His marvelous light. – 1 Peter 2:9

• I am God’s child for I am born again of the incorruptible seed of the Word of God, which lives and abides forever. – 1 Peter 1:23

• I am God’s workmanship, created in Christ unto good works. – Ephesians 2:10

• I am a new creature in Christ. – 2 Corinthians 5:17

• I am a spirit being alive to God – Romans 6:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:23

• I am a believer, and the light of the Gospel shines in my mind. – 2 Corinthians 4:4

• I am a doer of the Word and blessed in my actions. – James 1:22, 25

• I am a joint-heir with Christ. – Romans 8:17

• I am more than a conqueror through Him Who loves me. – Romans 8:37

• I am an overcomer by the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony. – Revelation 12:11

• I am a partaker of His divine nature. – 2 Peter 1:3-4

• I am an ambassador for Christ. – 2 Corinthians 5:20

• I am part of a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people. – 1 Peter 2:9

• I am the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ. – 2 Corinthians 5:21

• I am the temple of the Holy Spirit; I am not my own. – 1 Corinthians 6:19

• I am the head and not the tail; I am above only and not beneath. – Deuteronomy 28:13

• I am the light of the world. – Matthew 5:14

• I am His elect, full of mercy, kindness, humility, and longsuffering. – Romans 8:33; Colossians 3:12

• I am forgiven of all my sins and washed in the Blood. – Ephesians 1:7

• I am delivered from the power of darkness and translated into God’s kingdom. – Colossians 1:13

• I am redeemed from the curse of sin, sickness, and poverty. – Deuteronomy 28:15-68; Galatians 3:13

• I am firmly rooted, built up, established in my faith and overflowing with gratitude. – Colossians 2:7

• I am called of God to be the voice of His praise. – Psalm 66:8; 2 Timothy 1:9

• I am healed by the stripes of Jesus. – Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24

• I am raised up with Christ and seated in heavenly places. – Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 2:12

• I am greatly loved by God. – Romans 1:7; Ephesians 2:4; Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:4

• I am strengthened with all might according to His glorious power. – Colossians 1:11

• I am submitted to God, and the devil flees from me because I resist him in the Name of Jesus. – James 4:7

• I press on toward the goal to win the prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward. – Philippians 3:14

• For God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, love, and a sound mind. – 2 Timothy 1:7

• It is not I who live, but Christ lives in me. – Galatians 2:20

All of these Scriptures and statements completely obliterate the old man. Therefore, by coming to know Christ, you get to know who you are in Christ. The battle is to believe and to operate as that new man. 

May you live as who Jesus says you are, and Be Aware of Who You Are!

Pursuing Your Dream

Turning a dream into reality takes hard work. Work without a plan is just staying busy. Therefore, in order to make your dream become a certainty, you must develop a process to turn that dream into reality. 

The process is where the rubber meets the road. It’s the separation of winners and quitters. Joseph, in the Old Testament, had a dream. As a matter of fact, his nickname from his brothers was, The Dreamer.

His dream is recorded in Genesis 37:5-8, from the New Living Translation:

“One night Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him more than ever. “Listen to this dream,” he said. “We were out in the field, tying up bundles of grain. Suddenly my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine!” His brothers responded, “So you think you will be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will reign over us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dreams and the way he talked about them.”

Joseph’s dream was that one day, though he was the youngest, and least likely, he would rule over his brothers. He’s seventeen years old and making a very bold declaration. His dream wasn’t met with excitement by his brothers. Instead it was met with resistance. 

You must know that in the process and pursuit of your dream, you will be met with great resistance. As it was with Joseph, it will be with you too! Even those closest to you will resist your dream, especially if it means that your life will be perceived to be better than theirs. 

Resistance will turn into a lack of respect. People will disrespect you, they will make fun of your dream, and you, for believing in it. Resistance will come in many forms. Joseph faced resistance in so many ways. Yet, all in all, the resistance was part of the process in realizing the dream. Although, resistance isn’t revealed as part of the process until we have realized the dream in its totality. 

Joseph, while being thrown in the pit, or being tested in the palace, or being forgotten in the prison, couldn’t have imagined that it was all part of God positioning him to realize the dream. Nor could he have known that the pit, palace, and the prison were preparing him to remain humble when he had power. 

The resistance is what prepares you to fulfill your purpose. It’s the process that makes us appreciate what we have. If you didn’t go through the process and face the situations that you have faced, then the character flaws, blind spots, and pride that we possess would derail us in the middle of our destiny. 

When we realize the dream, when it has come to its fullness in our lives, we have to be able to handle or steward it. So the process gives us the keys to handling success. 

Don’t be discouraged during the process. Don’t allow the process to derail you from pursuing your dream. Instead, let it strengthen you and teach you the necessary lessons to steward what you have pursued.