Until believers believe what God says about them, they will fail to live at their fullest potential. Without proper perspective, they will never fully realize how precious they are to Him. It does not matter how self-confident people are, their confidence will never carry them to the level God has called them to live. Ironically, if they were to realize what that level really is, their self-confidence would be obliterated, as they become conscious that it requires a power far greater than themselves to achieve it. Conversely, those with little self-esteem would realize they could live at the level proportionate to their calling by simply knowing who they are in Christ Jesus, and that is the sticking point. A number of people consider themselves a burden to God and to society. They fail to realize just how precious they really are in His sight. They cannot get past the lies they have come to believe about themselves. Ironically, the more they try to not be a burden, the more they feel like one. Why is that? They find themselves miserably failing to live up to their own expectations. Meaning, they get a picture in their mind of who they should be and how they should behave, yet find it impossible to be successful at it. The harder they try, the farther away from the goal they get. The more a person feels like a failure, the more of a burden he becomes in his mind. The harder person tries not to be something or do something, the more he becomes and does what he tries to avoid. This happens because people tend to gravitate to what they focus on. The more you focus on the flesh, the more power the flesh has. If this is you, it is time to allow God to raise you up to your appointed position. At this point, you might say, “You don’t know my shortcomings.” Fine, lets deal with those first. On second thought, lets not, because God already dealt with your shortcomings at the Cross.
Romans 6:3-7 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin (KJV). The Blood of Jesus washed away your sin. Because you are counted as dead with Christ, your past is dead as well. That means it does not even come into consideration in the way the Father looks at you. If He wanted to hold your past over your head, He would have never sent Jesus to die in your stead. That means it is time for you to stop beating yourself over the head with your past. Your past does not determine who you are in Christ Jesus. Some might say, “I’ve got to make up for what I did,” or least feel that way from time to time. First, realize that you cannot atone for the past because that requires the shedding of innocent blood, which fallen man does not possess. If you want to make up for sin and shortcomings, do it God’s way. Receive His forgiveness, repent (think differently), learn what you need to learn, and move on. Become who God has called you to be by believing what He says. There are no shortcomings in the Kingdom because Jesus resides in us through the Holy Spirit. This is a spiritual truth that is confirmed in Galatians 2:20, I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me (KJV). Pride says, “I have to pull myself up by the bootstraps”; humility says, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up” (James 4:10, KJV). Self-help cannot accomplish what only the Lord can do!
How can you be a burden if Jesus said to cast your burdens on Him? Somehow, that does not fit. Sons and daughters of God are not burdensome to Him because they are His delight. Meditate on Romans 8:14-17, which says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together” (KJV). The Father adopted you into His family because He wanted you. He made you an heir; you did not earn the position of His son or daughter. Though it cost Him dearly, He gave it to you freely. You did not earn His love; He gave it to you. You will never be able to do anything to make the Father love you more, nor any less. He did not intend to leave you in your past or current condition, but to raise you to a higher place by conforming you to the image of Jesus. He gave you His grace so you can live righteously, and walk by the faith of Jesus. You are His, it is time to believe it and walk in it. When you submit to the Spirit you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh (see Galatians 5:16), and you will accomplish what the Father desires of you. All of this, because He loves you! Remember, 2Corinthians 5:17-21 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, Who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the Word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (KJV).
