When I was about 12 years old I told my dad I wanted to grow out my hair. I don�ft know why I wanted to do it, just to be cool I guess. My hair had always been short and I thought that it sounded like a great idea. My father looked at me and simply said �gNo.�h Immediately I got upset and demanded to know why I couldn�ft choose to grow my hair out long, after all it is my hair. He told me something I never expected to hear. He said, �gSon, you reflect my image.�h At the time I was even more ticked off, but looking back now I can see that he was once again bestowing upon me some great wisdom.
Now I�fm not saying there is anything wrong with long hair. What I am saying is that as Christians we need to remember that we are reflective of God�fs image. Galatians 4:5 says that He has adopted us, which means that we are His sons and daughters. If that�fs true then we had better start living like it. Now I�fm NOT going to go into a rant about not sinning. You know what you shouldn�ft be doing so don�ft do it. What I do want to focus on is changing our mentality about ourselves.
Ever since Sunday school many of us have been told that we are just sinners saved by the grace of God. Now I�fm not refuting the fact that we have all sinned and need the grace of God. We do need His grace. But those words have been so engrained into our minds that our perception of ourselves is that we are just sinners. Unfortunately the enemy has used this mentality to put us in a spiritual prison. it�fs a prison that we could walk out of anytime we want. We have the key so to speak, but the lies of the enemy keep us confined. The lies of the enemy tell us that we are not good enough. That God doesn�ft love us, and especially that He could never actually use us. The enemy tricks us into making our sin our identity instead of Christ. When our sin is our identity we are useless vessels. We walk around with shame instead of Glory, with meekness instead of authority. This is a mentality we must break to allow ourselves to be fully used the God wants to use us.
It�fs time we start perceiving ourselves the way God perceives us. So just how does God perceives us? In a word, ROYALTY. That passage in Galatians goes on in verse 7 to say, �gSo you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.�h So no longer are we slaves to sin but instead we are heirs of the King of Kings. Being an heir of God means that if He�fs a king then you are a prince or princess. That means a lot of things we don�ft normally think about ourselves. For instance that means that you are WORTHY. That you are RIGHTEOUS, HOLY, and PURE despite your sins. Remember that the old things have passed away, you are a NEW CREATION in Christ. You have a PURPOSE. The words you speak carry great weight to them, both the POWER to bring forth LIFE or death. It means you have an AUTHORITY given to you from the King like the authority spoken in Luke 10:19-20. Those verses say that you have an authority over ALL the power of the enemy. ROYALTY, that�fs what you are. So its time to start acting like Royalty and walk with the authority God has given us to accomplish His will.
�gThe spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, he has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.�h
Isaiah 61:1
This is our calling.
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You are God�fs Plan A to accomplish His will.
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There is no Plan B.
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You ARE God�fs chosen vessel.
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Be the PRINCE or PRINCESS God created you to be.
