A Modern Woman's Perspective On The Kingdom of God on Earth


December 26, 2016

The Holiday Blues: A Heavenly Assessment

     How many times have you heard people describe some degree of depression after the holidays? If you scour the internet, you will find all kinds of reasons that people suffer "the blues" during and after the holidays: feeling isolated and without close connections to family or friends; grieving over the loss of loved ones; unrealistic expectations and comparing your life with others; lack of self-care; the feeling that something has ended. All these can contribute to a sense of despair and hopelessness.
    I can understand these feelings of melancholy if you are a secularist or have no faith in God. But if we are Christians, then we need to embrace the Truths about who we are in Christ -- the Truths that Satan would like to keep hidden so he can keep us living in defeat and bondage. So, if you are a Believer and yet find yourself feeling despondent or dejected today, let me remind you of a few things:
1.  You are created in the image of God.  I don't think there are very many of us who can even comprehend what that means.  We are created just a little lower than God, Himself, and there is no other created creature that occupies that distinguished position.  There is something about us that is like God and that makes us exceptional and extraordinary.
2.  God planned us before He made the world. Before the very foundations of the world were formed, God knew that He wanted to create you. And He made you to be an eternal being, living in His image. Your existence has been planned before the beginning of this earth, and whether you were planned by your earthly parents or not, you were planned by God and you are here because He wanted you here. God has orchestrated your life, your family and your story to be perfectly individual. Rejoice in that knowledge!
3.  As His special creation, we get to create others in His image. That is a privilege that not even angels can claim, nor any other creature in heaven or earth.  And, if by some chance, you have not been granted the opportunity to create another human being, then know that God has another plan for you. All of us have worth in His eyes, and none are born without significance to His Kingdom.
4.  Only we humans have been redeemed.  God didn't lift a finger to try and reclaim His relationship with any of the fallen angels.  There is no other created being for whom God has sacrificed Himself to save from His wrath.  We are indeed valuable to Him!
5.  Only we have been entrusted with the Holy Spirit.  The very breath of God has been given to us who believe in Jesus, the Messiah. That should tell us how much our Father in Heaven wishes to be connected to us. To have God abiding in you should fill you with the immensity of His love for you, and His desire to share the same Authority and Power [with you] that He gave to Jesus. There is no reason to ever feel that life is defeating you! The very power of heaven is a part of you!
6.  Only we have been adopted into God's family.  We are joint heirs with Jesus.  We can say that our Daddy is the King! And as the children of God, we are princes and princesses in His Kingdom.  What's more, the spirit realm sees us this way; they see that we hold a special position and they are jealous.
7.  When God wanted to incarnate Himself, He chose to become like us.  As Creator of the Universe, He could have become like anything else He created.  But He didn't come to earth as some imposing or formidable animal, or even as a majestic angel.  He came as a man, and never once resorted to His Deity.  And when He left this earth, He left as the man, Jesus, who now sits on the right hand of God in the heavenly realm.  He identifies with you and understands your experiences and emotions; your triumphs and your obstacles.
8.  He never returned to simply being God. This very moment, the man, Jesus, is interceding on your behalf before the throne of God, as your personal advocate.  He referred to Himself, while on earth, as the Son of Man, so He relates to you and understands you. If you want to know how special you are to Him, then contemplate this... He worked out the entire plan of salvation as a human, with the Power and Authority He received from God, our Father, and then He gave that same power and authority to us! Nothing can defeat us -- unless we let it!
     If you call yourself a Christian, then these are very identifiable and defining characteristics of who you are. As you contemplate each one, ask the Holy Spirit to show you how these Truths elevate you above the cares of this world. Any feelings of depression or sadness are unjustifiable when we recognize who we are!  Don't let Satan or his demons convince you that any of these Truths don't apply to you. These holidays are simply man-made festivals designed to make us look to each other, or the world, for our value. They have nothing to do with God, or His Glory, or our true identity.  In His eyes, we are so much more than the perception the world mirrors back at us. Look to your Father in Heaven; your intercessor, Jesus Christ; and your Counselor and Guide, the Holy Spirit, for your true identity, and savor the sweet satisfaction in your spirit. Then let go of everything else!

I want to thank and give credit to Dr. Charles Kraft for his wise insight in his sermon "Do You Know Who You Are?"

1 John 5:4   "For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith."

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