A HEALTHY SELF-IMAGE: HOW TO DEVELOP IT IN CHRIST

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CHRIST THE ROCK CONGREGATION

SUNDAY JULY 16TH 2023

Sermon by Pastor Marc Simeon

HOW TO DEVELOP A HEALTHY SELF IMAGE IN CHRIST

Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

1Co 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

INTRODUCTION

  • Since Christians are mandated to be humble like our Savior, in our effort to achieve that level of humility, we often settle for a self-defeating attitude.
  • Self-confidence is synonymous to pride in some circles; therefore Christians are encouraged to walk with their head down.
  • When we take a deep look in the Bible we find that Jesus was not ashamed to claim to be who He was.
  • I am the light of the world.
  • I am the door
  • I am the way, the truth and the life.
  • I am the True vine
  • Paul was also very vocal about his confidence in Christ.
  • Ro 1:16 ¶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

THE QUEST FOR WORDLY SELF-CONFIDENCE

  • In the last 20 to 30 years, the bookstores have been plagued with books aiming at helping the readers to develop healthy self-images.
  • Some tittles go as
    • “HOW TO BECOME A BETTER YOU”
    •  The self esteem work book”,
    • BREAKING THE CHAIN OF LOW SELF ESTEEM”,
    • REVOLUTION FROM WITHIN”,
    • THE SELF CONFIDENCE EFFECT”,
    •  HOW TO STOP HATING YOURSELF”,
    • SELF-Compassion”,
    • THE 21 DAYS SELF LOVE CHALLENGE”.
    • OVERCOMING HELPLESSNESS
    • UNLEASH THE WARRIOR WITHIN
    • UNSTOPPABLE CONFIDENCE
  • As Christians, we also have a lot of warnings and examples on how God deals with pride.
  • We know how God dealt with Pharaoh in the time of Moses
  • We know how God dealt with Nebuchadnezzar in the time of Daniel
  • We know how God dealt with Goliath in the time of David
  • The bible is filled with verses on humility but I will only name a few from Proverbs.
  • Proverbs 29:23)
    • 23 ¶ A man’s pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor. (NKJV)
    •  
    • Proverbs 11:2
    • 2 ¶ When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom. (NKJV)
  • Proverbs 16:19
    • 19 ¶ Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, Than to divide the spoil with the proud. (NKJV)
  • Proverbs 22:4
    • 4 ¶ By humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches and honor and life. (NKJV)
    • Proverbs 27:2
    • 2 ¶ Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips. (NKJV)

James 4:6b  “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

  • Because of the clear warnings in the Bible, most Saints from the Old and New Testaments felt the need to gravitate toward humility in order to be pleasing to God.
  • In some Christian circles, a self-assured person is viewed in a bad eye.
  • Consequently, many have difficulties finding a proper balance.
  • Many are puzzled on how to please God with their personality.
  • This is one of those delicates subjects that require a lot of care.
  • Today by the grace of God, we are going to tackle the subject from a different angle to show you how a healthy self image is essential and even paramount in our Christian development.

Secular definition of self-confidence

  1. A feeling of trust in one’s abilities, qualities, and judgment.
  2. A realistic confidence in one’s own judgment, ability, power, etc.
  3. An excessive or inflated confidence in one’s own judgment, ability, etc.
  4. A confidence in oneself and in one’s powers and abilities

BEING CONFIDENT IN GOD

  • To be effective in the service of God, a level of self-confidence is required of you.
  • For the servants of God Self confidence and humility must go hand and hand.
  • The confidence of a Christian is like devices with rechargeable batteries.
    • Christians are plugged to God who is the ultimate source of power, and they absorb power from Him and store it within.
    • The charge we get from God is what gives us Christians the confidence to operate.
    •  The servant of God must be fully charged of God’s energy at all times from which he must engage in all his endeavors.

The self-reference of a believer must resonate from

  • A consciousness of his solid relationship with God,
  • A proper view of God,
  • An adequate faith in God,
  • A sense of purpose and mission,
  • An engagement in the work of God.

Exhibit 1: Moses

  • When God called Moses to deliver the Israelites out of Egypt, his answer was “No Thanks,, send someone else.”
  • Moses made excuses about his limitations and handicaps.
  • Remedy : God allowed Moses to make some exercises of faith.
    • God used Moses’ own staff
    • God supplied the help he required: his brother Aaron to help him out.
  • Moses’ confidence had to be raised to an adequately level for the mission that God entrusted him.

Exhibit  2: Joshua

  • When God called Joshua to succeed Moses, Joshua’s self-confidence level was very Low, although his faith in God was high.
  • God had to give him the secret of success of confidence.
  • Joshua 1:8  “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
  • God had to do some wondrous works through Joshua to help boost his confidence.
  • The confidence generated from the miraculous crossing of the Jordan River to the Promised Land helped in boosting Joshua’s confidence to lead the Children of Israel to the possession of the Promised Land.

Exhibit  3 : Samson

  • Samson’s hair was the tangible evidence of the divine energy that was operating in him, and from which he drew his confidence.
  • Samson allowed himself to be passive concerning the source of his power; he took God for granted and insulted the Lord by his licentious lifestyle.
  • Consequently, he was disconnected while his self-confidence was at its highest peak. « I will break away like always »
  • Confidence in self will always lead to disaster.
  • When God checked out and Samson became ordinary and became vulnerable to all attacks.

Exhibit 4 David

  • David had a healthy confidence every since he was a child.
  • By the time we get introduced to him, he was already a great shepherd even at his young age.
  • Samuel anointed him King, while he was still a boy.
  • Next time we see him, he was a distinguished musician and a notable song writer.
  • And then we see him again in the confrontation of Goliath.
  • Because his faith in God kept on increasing, his self-confidence reached the max.
  • He had no fear of the giant Philistine.
  • Goliath only reminded him of the big bears and the lions that God had empowered him to kill while protecting his flocks.
  • He was rebuked, and misunderstood by his big brother. ! Samuel 17:26?
  • No one thought that David could pull it off.
  • “yes we can” slogan is original with David.
  • God and I can bring the giant down.

DAVID’S RESPONSE TO GOLIATH

1Sa 17:45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

 46 “This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

 47 “Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD’S, and He will give you into our hands.”

David had to his advantage

  • Past experiences with God.
  • Perfect faith in God’s omnipotence
  • Perfect mission (for the glory of God)
  • David Knew that he was a sharp instrument in God’s hands
  • David knew that God would empower him.
  • David knew that the mission was totally for the glory of God
  • David knew that God can never fail
  • When we make the right appropriation to God, we become an extension of God’s hand.
  • When you are completely immersed in God as God in you, you can act on behalf of God.
    • Everything you do at that stage, is done solely for the glory of God
    • Your presence becomes an extension of God’s presence,
    • Your self-reference reflects that of God, even when you make use the first pronoun (I).
    • All the (I will) that David pronounced are really (God will)
    • When you fuse with God, you speak as if God is speaking.
    • Elijah shut- off the heavens so that it will not rain until he said so.
    • “There will not be any rain until I say so.”
    • Later in the bible it said that God shutoff the heavens for three and half years.

CONCLUSION

  • We’ve been able to draw a line of demarcation between pride and confidence in God.
  • Though the confident person may utter prideful statement, but his confidence rested on his omnipotent God.
  • It serves no purpose for Christians to lure for a false appearance of humility in order to be admired by men.
  • You should never allow your humility to cancel out your boldness in God.
  • Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
  • 1Co 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

AMEN!

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