2 Corinthians 10:12
For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
Have you ever forgotten your God ID? Perhaps you didn’t know you had one. Your God ID is discovered by reading the pages of the Bible. You can strengthen your identity in Christ (God ID) by learning what God’s word says about you, once you have put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Reading the Bible, and believing it, by faith, helps you to establish your identity in Christ.
Let me explain by way of illustration. As women, I find that we sometimes struggle with a particular temptation. That temptation often looks like comparison. We compare ourselves with others in unhealthy ways. Perhaps, we compare ourselves with some unattainable ideal such as an airbrushed model on a magazine cover, or our neighbor down the street. We know, from experience, that comparison leads to constant feelings of inadequacy. God’s word, found in the Bible, says that we are not wise if we compare ourselves to others (2 Corinthians 10:12). For Christian women, knowing what God’s word says about our identity as children of God will help us to live in greater emotional and spiritual victory. When we know how great His love is for us, we become more and more confident. The more we trust in God’s love and understand who we are in Jesus Christ, the less we participate in the comparison game.
The classic example of someone who knew He had a God ID and also how to use it, is found in Luke 4. There, we find the story of Jesus fasting in the wilderness for 40 days. During his time of prayer and fasting, Satan came to tempt him. That temptation began with this statement in Luke 4:3, “If you are the Son of God…” Satan’s lie began by attempting to cast doubt upon Jesus Christ’s identity as the Son of God. In other words, the devil took aim at Jesus’ God ID The devil tried to create doubt in Jesus’ mind about who he was and what his mission was. Jesus met the attack with a spiritual sword, God’s word (see Ephesians 6:10). When tempted to believe the devil’s lies, Jesus simply spoke Bible verses out loud, in reply. He defeated the lies, using the truth of Scripture. Like a physical sword slices a physical enemy, Jesus’ took the spiritual sword, found in God’s word, to slice up the enemy’s invisible lies. He knew his God ID (because He knew Scripture), he believed the truth of God’s word, and he overcame Satan’s temptation, simply by stating the truth. He wielded his God ID by declaring God’s word to defeat the devil’s lies. In so doing, he gave us an example to follow.
Similarly, as Christian women, many of the temptations we face are rooted in demonic lies that cause us to question our identity in Christ (e.g. “I’m not as good as so and so” or “I can never succeed” or “God couldn’t possibly love me because I’m such a mess!”). When we read, memorize, and pray God’s word, found in the Bible, it helps us to establish ourselves more firmly in who we are in Christ. Believing and declaring our God ID helps us to defeat the devil’s lies of comparison or other areas of temptation that we may face. For example, if you struggle with feelings of rejection or abandonment, meditating upon and declaring a personalized version of Ephesians 1:6, “He made us (me) accepted in the beloved,” will help you to establish God’s truth in your heart, thereby healing your emotions and strengthening your spirit. Rather than constantly feeling plagued by thoughts of rejection, you can think upon and repeatedly pray Bible verses that speak of your acceptance in Christ (that is godly, Bible-based meditation). Instead of comparing yourself to some unattainable ideal, dig into God’s word, find out how much He loves you and dwell on that instead! Your God ID will begin to grow in your heart and mind, and the devil’s lies will begin to be replaced by God’s truth. The next time the devil tries to lie to you, get out your God ID and use it.
This post is an excerpt from Janet’s upcoming devotional book A Slice of Life for Women: Recipes for Christian Growth, available Fall 2014. Check at her blog, A Samaritan Woman Speaks, for details.
Recent Comments