So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Ephesians 4:17-24.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God says:
Your problem is not what you think it is. The Israelites I redeemed out of the slavery of Egypt thought their problem was the giants and walled cities in the land I had promised to give them. Later the Israelite army thought Goliath was their problem and that they could not defeat him. Gideon thought it was the marauding band of Midianites that were his problem. Jehoshaphat thought it was the three enemy armies banded together that were marching on Jerusalem were his problem. But none of these were the real problem. And once I changed something in the people facing them, all of those problems fell down as easy as a shout.
So what is the problem that is stopping your life, tormenting you, imprisoning you, holding you captive, keeping you sick and broke, locking you in addictive behaviors, and keeping you from your promised land? Just one thing. Your self-image. You have no other problem. If I can fix that, I can turn you into the champion you were made to be—just like I did with Joshua and the generation of Israelites he led into the Promised Land with a shout (they no longer saw themselves like grasshoppers but like mighty men of war), like I did for the Israelite army with the declarations of David that took down Goliath, like I did with Gideon, who began to see himself not as a weak defeated victim but as a hero, who took down the Midianites as if one man, with Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah as they saw themselves no longer as prey for a multitude but as victors in Me before the battle (and it ended up there was no need for them even to fight as I did the fighting for them, they had only to go out with their new image), and as I have done down the ages for so many simply by My Word telling them who they really are in the mirror I look into with them, then I can change your life into the beautiful one I planned for you. I did that for Abraham too, I even had to change his name and Sarah’s name before he could get the new self-image. And so many of you need to change what you are calling yourself interiorly to change exteriorly.
Here is the key: Release the supernatural image into your natural image and you will get supernatural results.
That says it all.
Look in My Word if you are feeling inadequate, sinful, addicted, lost, and irretrievable and you will see who you really are. Let Me make you a list of the way I see you no matter where you have gotten yourself at the present: Worthwhile, Beloved, Gentle, Agile, Totally forgiven, Healed, Loved and cherished, Hallowed, Equipped for every good work; Mellow, Valuable, Beautiful, Handsome, Priceless, Matchless, Perfect, Powerful, Connected, Protected, Skillful, Symphonic, and Platonic. You are a hero with the strength of the angelic host behind you.
Can you change your inner image to that? It will make a champion out of you, like it did for Gideon. And, like Gideon, it does not really take very long to change a lifetime of the wrong self-image to the right self-image of who you really are in Me, for you were made in My image before the devil, and others who helped him out, stole your true identity and lied to you of who you are. No matter how many people have told you lies about what a fool, failure, addicted, impossible, ugly, incompetent person you are, that is NOT your true image or the way you should picture yourself. That is not what you should have learned when you put on Christ and became a new creation, back to the original creation in My image and likeness. See yourself in the mirror My Word and you will see a champion.
There are certain images you have seen for a long time that have become you in your mind but I tell you that in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in My likeness has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Ephesians 4:17-24.
Stop seeing yourself as alone and helpless without funds or source of supply! That is not the right image of who you are. My apostle Paul prayed that you would be filled with the knowledge of My will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the who you are in Christ, to please Me in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of Me, your God; strengthened with all power, according to My glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to Me, the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. Colossians 1:9-12. In Christ, I have qualified you. You are qualified. See yourself as holy, blameless and beyond reproach. For that is the way I see you. Colossians 1:22.
When you see yourself in your inner vision as well supplied according to My riches in glory in Christ Jesus and know I am taking care of all your needs and beyond to an abundance for every good work, you are imposing your supernatural image onto your natural image and you will get supernatural results. Like David who went from watching his father’s few sheep to living in a palace ruling all of Israel and Judah. And what had he been seeing inside before he ever saw it outside? “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want . . . He anoints my head with oil, my cup overflows, only goodness and lovingkindness follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
He released the supernatural image into his natural image and he got supernatural results. And so can you.
Stop allowing yourself to slip back into the old man controlled by emotional baggage and lack of love. Too many of you have shortchanged yourselves for way too long. Let Me tell you who you are by reading My Word. And what will you find? An amazing, awesome, worthwhile, skilled and equipped hero with the strength of an entire army. Yes, that is the real you. Fruitful, triumphant and true. Filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and ready for every good work. And once you release that image into the natural image you will get a supernatural result.
I love you. Let Me love you, do not get an image that I do not love you because you have done things you now regret and are ashamed of. Jesus took your shame. Jesus took your sins. And I gave you His righteousness and made Him to be wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption for you. I clothed you in Him—the garments of salvation and the robe of righteousness. You are beautiful to Me so you might as well see yourself that way too. Remember the necessary ingredients for HUGS (Healing Under God’s Spirit) program to a new you: 1. receive and give love–love yourself and others into wholeness—2. give thankful praise, and 3. get a new self-image in accordance with My Word.