“The Lord is with you, mighty warrior”

Judges 6:12

From the beginning, it was already decided that we weren’t made in our own image. God created us, designed us in His image, after His likeness. That means we were meant to reflect His nature, His character. He is spirit, part of us is spirit. Of course, we’re human so it’s not like we look like Him physically…but there are parts of Him we reflect.

“So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.”

Genesis 1:27

In addition to that, after He had made everything, looking over all He made, He sees that it is ALL very good. That means you too. That same observation of God’s creation being good, though flawed by sin, continues today. It has not ended because the creation account was a long time ago.

Our perceptions of who we are and how we see ourselves can often be the opposite of how God sees us. God sees us as He created us to be, not just the “us” as we are now. He’s our author & our perfecter. He knows us by names other than just the names & titles we assign to ourselves. That’s why even though Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress out of fear & felt he was the least in his clan & family, He calls him a “mighty warrior. That’s why God changes Abram & Sarai’s names to Abraham & Sarah, father & mother of many nations, even though at the time they had no children from their marriage. That’s why he changes Jacob’s name from something that means “he deceives” to Israel, “God contends, He struggles with God” because he had struggled with God & people and overcame. There are so many of these instances. Why? Because, God wants our identity to be the identity He gives us. He wants us to see ourselves as He sees us.

“And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”

Colossians 3:10

Our true reflection is us reflecting who God created us to be and the new self we become when we are born again. God desired for creation to be perfect but because of sin we all fell short of His glory. Our enemy, our adversary, Satan, the accuser strives to destroy our identity. When we lose our identity, when we lose sight of who we truly are, we lose the ability to access the authority that comes with it. If we believe the lies he will aims to get us to believe, we won’t feel able to stand up to him, even though he’s already defeated. Our strength to defeat him is not our own, it comes as a package deal with who we are in Christ. When God sends us, He equips us. That’s why I love Gideon’s calling. He didn’t feel at all able.

“The Lord turned to him and said, ‘Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?'”

Judges 6:14

Our abilities to do anything in life comes from God. God had already equipped Gideon & would specifically & strategically guide him to victory. Gideon saw himself as weak, but God saw Him as the victor He made Him to be. It was like God was saying, “I made you, I know what I gave you. Why you think I’m sending you?” We already have everything we need. Don’t believe the lies. Yes, we have things we need to work on but that doesn’t change our identity. Within the will of God & through Christ, we can do all things. Don’t lose sight of your true identity. Know who God says you are. When you look in the mirror, see your true reflection.

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.”

1 Peter 1:3