Someone once said that the devil and the Lord are both asking the same question, “Who do you think you are?” I have written about this idea in the past and shared it in teaching sessions but felt it was time to revisit it. In this season it seems to me that it is important that we have a proper perspective on and of ourselves and what better place to draw that from then looking at His word. There are two views that we need to avoid, the sadly popular teaching that focuses on Jeremiah.
9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9 (NKJV)
The other is some version not of seeing ourselves as always broken and wicked but rather as deserving of health, wealth and happiness. A verse many have used is in 3 John.
2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 3 John 2 (NKJV)
John isn’t here promising material wealth and perfect health; he is opening a letter praying that things go well for his readers because spiritually they are in a right place with Jesus.
That being said, scripture does encourage us to hold a right estimation.
3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. Romans 12:3 (NKJV)
Paul places this encouragement right after telling us to renew our minds with His word and right before his encouragement to use our gifts from Him to bless others. He is telling us to draw our view of ourselves from His word and from that place of understanding and perspective to be a blessing to others. So, here is some of what scripture teaches about believers, passage we can mediate on, renewing our minds with His word, and then from that place of understanding ministering His life to others. Be blessed.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, Ephesians 2:4–6 (NKJV)
1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Colossians 3:1–4 (NKJV)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:17–21 (NKJV)
