Personal Revival: Love Yourself

Start seeing yourself as God sees you.

At first the progression of the greatest commandment to love God first, then ourselves and then others, might seem odd. Can’t we just skip the second and just love God and others?

Problems can arise If we try and love others without truly loving ourselves first. For example, if you have a low sense of self-esteem, you may be tempted just to be nice to others so that you feel accepted. If you don’t truly understand your security in Christ, you might be driven to try and love others just to feel accepted by God. It’s like falling into the trap that our salvation is based on works alone. If you don’t truly love yourself your happiness could depend on the response of others. A seemingly trivial but none-the-less relevant illustration would be to have a negative response if your Facebook post didn’t get many ‘likes’. See what I’m getting at?

Also, at first, you might be like me, when I thought about the title of this: “Love Yourself”, and almost immediately, the following negative verses popped into my head:

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 2 Timothy 3:2

Now, of course we are not looking at this kind of “loving ourselves” – the selfish, self-centred kind of narcissism that is so prevalent today; you know the obsession with ‘selfies’ syndrome.

No, what we are looking at is really understanding the statement that ‘Jesus loves you’. It’s all about understanding who we are in Christ. Being rooted and grounded in our position ‘in Christ’.

A very dear person to me, used to have a terrible low self esteem issue. A very wise woman of God advised her to memorise and keep repeating the following, based from Psalm 139:14:

“I am fearfully and wonderfully made”

We have a two year old daughter and almost from day one, I often repeat these thing to her, usually whilst she is on my lap and in my arms, drinking her milk:

“You are beautiful. Mummy loves you. Daddy loves you. You are loved, cared for and safe”…. And lots more along those lines too.

The Bible says that “as a person thinks in the heart, so are they” (Proverbs 23:7). The wonderful thing about the human mind is that regardless of how we have been thinking we can change our thinking; the neurons develop new pathways and out of that our attitudes and behaviour can change too.

Therefore, a good first step is to establish how God sees us; look for verses in the bible that tell us; think on them, repeat them to ourselves. Meditate on them – Christian mediation is chewing over the statements in our minds. It’s like food or a good wine; if we just gulp it down we wont truly appreciate the taste. And with the example of food, if you don’t chew it properly, then it won’t get broken down properly and we probably won’t get all the nutritional value of it.

In a moment we will look at a few headings to guide our study but first I just want to mention, maybe just one verse that I love thinking about and that’s Ephesians 2:10 and here’s what it says in the Amplifed Bible:

For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].

The following is taken from:

Who I Am in Christ

WHO I AM IN CHRIST

If you are a Christian, then the statements below are true of you.

I am accepted…
John 1:12 I am God’s child.
John 15:15 As a disciple, I am a friend of Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:1 I have been justified.
1 Corinthians 6:17 I am united with the Lord, and I am one with Him in spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 I have been bought with a price and I belong to God.
1 Corinthians 12:27 I am a member of Christ’s body.
Ephesians 1:3-8 I have been chosen by God and adopted as His child.
Colossians 1:13-14 I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins.
Colossians 2:9-10 I am complete in Christ.
Hebrews 4:14-16 I have direct access to the throne of grace through Jesus Christ.

I am secure…
Romans 8:1-2 I am free from condemnation.
Romans 8:28 I am assured that God works for my good in all circumstances.
Romans 8:31-39 I am free from any condemnation brought against me and I cannot be separated from the love of God.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 I have been established, anointed and sealed by God.
Colossians 3:1-4 I am hidden with Christ in God.
Philippians 1:6 I am confident that God will complete the good work He started in me.
Philippians 3:20 I am a citizen of heaven.
2 Timothy 1:7 I have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind.
1 John 5:18 I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me.I am significant…
John 15:5 I am a branch of Jesus Christ, the true vine, and a channel of His life.
John 15:16 I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit.
1 Corinthians 3:16 I am God’s temple.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 I am a minister of reconciliation for God.
Ephesians 2:6 I am seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm.
Ephesians 2:10 I am God’s workmanship.
Ephesians 3:12 I may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me

I am significant…
John 15:5 I am a branch of Jesus Christ, the true vine, and a channel of His life.
John 15:16 I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit.
1 Corinthians 3:16 I am God’s temple.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 I am a minister of reconciliation for God.
Ephesians 2:6 I am seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm.
Ephesians 2:10 I am God’s workmanship.
Ephesians 3:12 I may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me

ETERNAL SECURITY

Whilst there is a big debate about ‘once saved, always saved’, After a lot of person study, I am 100% convicted that we can be sure of our eternal security. I have summarised this teaching series by Dr Charles Stanley.

Someone once asked me if it is possible to lose your salvation once you become a ‘born again’ Christian. My answer would be “NO”. Here are seven reasons for being sure of our eternal security:

1. The Personal Promise of Jesus Christ

John 10:27-30

2. The Continuing Intercession of Christ on Our Behalf

Hebrews 7:25

Hebrews 9:24

Romans 8:34

1 John 2:1-2

John 17:11,15

3. Our Inseparable Relationship with Christ

Romans 8:31-35, 37-39

4. The Eternal Purpose of God

Romans 8:29-30

5. The Terminology Used to Describe Our Salvation Experience

John 3:3

1 Peter 1:23

2 Corinthians 5:17

Romans 8:16-17

6. The Security of the Seal of the Holy Spirit

Ephesians 4:30

Ephesians 1:11-14

Romans 8:9

1 Corinthians 6:1

7. The Faithfulness of God

2 Timothy 2:11-13

Eternal Security – You Can be Sure!

I used to have the whole series on a VHS video. I’ve looked on YouTube, but sadly, I can’t find them here. However, he has written a book:

HIS IMAGE, MY IMAGE

I am blessed in the heavenly realm with every spiritual blessing in Christ – Ephesians 1:3

I was chosen before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in God’s sight – Ephesians 1:4

I was predestined to be adopted as his child through Jesus Christ – Ephesians 1:5

I have redemption through his blood – Ephesians 1:7

I am forgiven – Ephesians 1:7

I am sealed in Christ with the Holy Spirit – Ephesians 1:13

I am alive together with Christ – Ephesians 2:5

I am raised up with Christ – Ephesians 2:6

I am saved by his grace – Ephesians 2:8

I am God’s workmanship (masterpiece) – Ephesians 2:10

I have direct access to God through the Spirit – Ephesians 2:18

I have peace with God – Romans 5:1

I am a child of God – John 1:12

I am indwelled by the Holy Spirit – 1 Corinthians 3:16

I have access to God’s wisdom – James 1:5

I am helped by God – Hebrews 4:16

I am reconciled to God – Romans 5:11

I am not condemned by God – Romans 8:1

I am justified – Romans 5:1

I have Christ’s righteousness – Romans 5:19; 2 Corinthians 5:21

I am his ambassador – 2 Corinthians 5:20

I am completely forgiven – Colossians 1:14

I am tenderly loved by God – Jeremiah 31:3

I am the sweet fragrance of Christ to God – 2 Corinthians 2:15

I am the temple in which God dwells – 1 Corinthians 3:16

I am blameless and beyond reproach – Colossians 1:22

I am the salt of the earth – Matthew 5:13

I am the light of the world – Matthew 5:14

I am the branch on Christ’s vine – John 15:1,5

I am Christ’s friend – John 15:15

I am chosen by Christ to bear fruit – John 15:16

I am joint heir with Christ, sharing his inheritance with him – Romans 8:17

I am united to the Lord, one sprit with him – 1 Corinthians 6:17

I am a member of Christ’s body – 1 Corinthians 12:27

I am a saint – Ephesians 1:1

I am hidden with Christ in God – Colossians 3:3

I am chosen by God, holy and dearly loved – Colossians 3:12

I am a child of the light – 1 Thessalonians 5:5

I am a holy partaker of God’s heavenly calling – Hebrews 3:1

I am sanctified – Hebrews 2:11

I am one of God’s living stones, being built up in Christ’s spiritual house – 1 Peter 2:5

I am a member of a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of God’s own possession – 1 Peter 2:9-10

I am firmly rooted and built up in Christ – Colossians 2:7

I am born of God, and the evil one cannot touch me – 1 John 5:18

I have the mind of Christ – 1 Corinthians 2:16

I may approach God with boldness, freedom and confidence – Ephesians 3:12

I have been rescued from Satan’s domain and transferred into the kingdom of Christ – Colossians 2:10

I have been given great and precious promises by God – 2 Peter 1:4My needs are met by God – Philippians 4:19

I would also thoroughly recommend this great classic book:

Sadly, I have run out of time for this post. I just hope and pray that this might have had at least inspired a spark of desire to look into this subject deeper. I know it has helped me preparing for and writing this.

Security

Self-Worth

Significance……

Jesus has done it all for us. We just need to believe it and then we find the true reasons to love ourselves; who we are in Christ – amazing!