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Self Esteem cont’d from Page 3
governed by their acceptance. It won’t
end in failure and won't leave us alone
and tired at the end of our lives. I call it
Creator based self-esteem and it comes
from my study of what the Bible says
about the way He views us. He is, after
all, the only One Whose opinion ultimately counts.

have been saved. (Eph. 2:3-5) His acceptance of us derives solely from His
unconditional love, and preceded any
action of ours.

“How are we to approach this new life?
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it
again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be
evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be
He created the first human in His own
anxi ous about anything, but in everyimage (Gen. 5:1). After the fall of Man
thing, by prayer and petition, with thanksthe Bible says the rest of us were created giving, present your requests to God. And
in Adam's image (Gen. 5:3), meaning two the peace of God, which transcends all
things: procreation had been delegated to understanding, will guard your hearts and
Man and all of Adam’s progeny would
your minds in Christ Jesus.
inherit his propensity for sin. But even so
there are some remarkable passages about Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatHis view of us.
ever is noble, whatever is right, whatever
is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is
The Ephesians passage above is a good
admirable - if anything is excellent or
example. We’re His workmanship, an
praiseworthy - think about such things.
example of His creative capability. When Whatever you have learned or received or
He gave Adam dominion over the earth
heard from me, or seen in me - put it into
He placed Man at the top of the created
practice. And the God of peace will be
order, the highest example of His capabil- with you” (Phil 4:4-9)
ity, His best work. (By the way, before
And what about the ravages of time? In
using the Ephesians passage to justify a
contrast to the other “doomed-to-failure”
performance based relationship with God, approaches to self-esteem, at the end of
better read John 6:28-29.)
the age we’re promised that we’ll be
As far as being made in His image (read made new in body as we have been made
2 Cor. 5:17-21). If we’re in Christ we’re a new in spirit. All the debilitating effects
new creation. Through His completed
of our lives in this sin-infested place,
work on the cross the effects of our inher- whether spiritual, mental or physical will
ited sin nature have been reversed. We’ve be reversed.
become as righteous as He is in His sight,
as if we've never sinned at all. Perfect as Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
He is perfect (Matt. 5:48)
and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then
Psalm 3:3 says, He’s the lifter of our
will the lame leap like a deer, and the
heads; the reason we can hold our heads mute tongue shout for joy (Isaiah 35:5-6).
up high. It was forbidden for Jews to bow The Lord will bind up the broken hearted,
before any man, because bowing pays
proclaim freedom for the captives, and
homage and places the one bowing in a
release from darkness the prisoners
position of inferiority. We are not to con- (Isaiah 61:1) and our perishable bodies
sider ourselves inferior to anyone but
will become imperishable (1 Cor. 15:42).
Him.
He has promised never to leave us (Matt.
28:20) and to see to our every need (Matt.
What Did I Do to Deserve This?
6:25-34). He has become our Savior and
And what did we do to earn this favor
Redeemer, and has given us a share of
with Him? Did He choose us because we His inheritance (Rom. 8:17). He has
looked good, had achieved much or per- promised to reverse and nullify the devasformed well? Not according to His stand- tation wrought by sin and time, restoring
ards. Read the first part of the Ephesians us to “better-than-new” condition forever.
passage again. All of us also lived among No longer will a less than perfect appearthem (unbelievers) at one time, gratifying ance or limitations on achievement or
the cravings of our sinful nature and fol- performance diminish us or narrow our
lowing its desires and thoughts.
horizons. If that doesn’t make you feel
Like the rest, we were by nature objects
great about yourself, I don’t know what
of wrath. But because of his great love
will. And what work did He require of us
for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made
to earn this? The work of God is this: To
us alive with Christ even when we were believe in the One He has sent (John
dead in transgressions - it is by grace you 6:29). Selah.

Authority to Declare
by Olive Branch Ministries
Faith takes hold of spiritual realities
we can not touch with our physical
senses and brings them into the natural realm.
All physical matter was brought into
existence by God.
God is a Spirit. All things are held
together by His Word.
John 1:1. In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things were made through Him,
and without Him nothing was made
that was made.
Even though we can not see it, it is
real. God has given us the authority
through the Lord Jesus Christ when
we are submitted to His Word, to exercise the power of God and walk in
that authority.
As Paul said -- Eph:3:20: Now unto
him that is able to do exceeding
abundantly above all that we ask or
think, according to the power that
worketh in us.
This power is in us the Word of God
says, yet we must be obedient and
submitted to Him if we want that
power to flow through us. We have to
follows God's directions if we are going to get God's results. Authority is
the God given right to use this power.

Jesus said in -- Matthew 28:18 Then
Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to
Me in heaven and on earth. 19. "Go
therefore and make disciples of all
the nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit, 20. "teaching
them to observe all things that I have
commanded you; and lo, I am with
you always, even to the end of the
age.'' Amen.
All authority was been given to Jesus
who immediately turned around and
gave it to the church in order to bring
God's will into fruition in the Earth.
Declaration
I will rise up in Jesus name and walk
in the authority that Jesus has transferred to me. I will rise up and faint
not in the day of adversity. I will rise
up and walk worthy of a child of God.
I will rise up to my place of authority
and leadership.
I will rise up and boldly declare God’s
Word to be true.
I will Rise up, I will Rise up!
The day is at hand, I will not turn to
the right or left, but face straight
ahead, and see God’s glory poured
forth over the Earth.
Glory to God. Amen