Knowing Who We Are: Part II
We were created in the image of God. When Adam and Eve sinned, the image of God became distorted, and the image of Satan emerged. Satan’s character is reflected by pride, selfishness, reasoning and thinking, to name a few. Christ’s character is reflected by love, peace, joy. Christ’s character is “Light” and Satan’s character is “darkness”. We must have our souls restored so that we may reflect the character of Christ (image of God). A restored soul = the character of Christ.
A restored soul who reflects the image of Christ:
1. Knows who they are;
2. Has no fear;
3. Walks in love, peace, and joy;
4. Delights in the Lord;
5. Is an Over-comer;
6. Is quick to obey the Voice of the Lord;
7. Displays good Fruit (Galatians 5:22);
8. Life becomes about Jesus and not about “self”;
To have a restored soul, the wounds of our heart (emotional traumas) must be healed and we must be reconciled back to God. Having a repentant heart and asking God for forgiveness is necessary before our soul can be restored. Then, we ask God to heal our wounded heart and ask Him to restore our soul. (We will talk about being reconciled back to God another time).
Jesus bore our shame that we might share His Glory. Isn’t that awesome? Jesus died our death that we might receive His life. Jesus was wounded that we might be healed (physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually). Jesus was rejected that we might be accepted. To have our soul restored requires accepting what Jesus has done for us. Ask Him to heal our heart, and then we take one of the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven (the key of faith) and receive healing and restoration. “…Most assuredly, I [Jesus] say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My Name He will give you.” Ask – Receive. Could it be that simple? Yes, it can be that simple. In Luke 7:50, Jesus said to the exceedingly wicked sinner, “Your faith has saved you, go in peace.” The word saved is the Greek word Sozo. Sozo means delivered, healed, preserved, do well, be made whole. The woman Jesus was talking to was an outcast (rejected). She must have had a hurting heart, a wounded spirit. This woman did not have to go through days, weeks, or years of therapy. She did not have to go to a rehab. She did not have to go through any kind of “man’s formula of being forgiven, healed and delivered. Her faith saved her, and the same applies to us.
Smith Wigglesworth lived by two words. “Only believe.” Those are the two words I want to live by. How about you? May we let go of the past and walk in the benefits provided to us by Jesus. BELIEVE! ONLY BELIEVE!
