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Inspiration

No More Son of Sorrow
By Joel Osteen - Oct 25, 2013
In scripture, a lady named Rachel died after giving birth to her second son. There were complications during labor, and she was in so much pain and agony. Right before she died, she named the boy Ben-Oni which means "son of my sorrows." She labeled her son based on what she had experienced. Now this little boy was going to have to go through life being called Son of My Sorrows.

Sometimes in life, people will put a negative label on you not because of anything you've done but because of the pain and heartache they've experienced. Hurting people end up hurting other people. Bitter people are quick to stick on those negative labels.

A few minutes after Rachael died, her husband Jacob came rushing in. The nurses were holding the baby. They handed him to Jacob and said, "This is your son. His name is Ben-Oni, son of my sorrows. When he heard that, something rose up in Jacob and he said, "No. That is not his name. No matter what he's been through, my son will not be called Son of My Sorrows. His name will be Benjamin." Benjamin means "son of strength, son of power, son of my right hand."

Benjamin grew up to become a great leader. Out of his family line came the kings of Israel, one king after another. See, God had a great destiny for Benjamin to fulfill; an assignment, but God knew that if he went through life wearing that label, son of my sorrow, he would never become what he was created to be. So God stepped in and said, "No. He's not wearing that label. He's not a son of sorrow; he's not a son of defeat, not a son of disappointment. This child is a son of destiny. This child has seeds of greatness. His name will be Son of Strength."

God knows how powerful labels are. Maybe somebody has tried to label you "average, slow learner, not talented, too many mistakes." No, God is saying the same thing to you that He said to little Benjamin, "I am changing your name. I'm placing a new label on you. No more Son of Sorrow. No more Son of Mediocrity. No more Son of Broken Dreams. I'm renaming you Son of Strength, Daughter of Destiny, Child of Influence, Child of Greatness, Child of Victory."

Today, my challenge to you is to remove the old labels and start going by your new labels: Masterpiece, Valuable, One of a Kind, More than a Conqueror, History Maker. Believe and receive what God says about you so you can move forward in the destiny and victory He has prepared for you!

"A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold." (Proverbs 22:1, NIV)
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