You Are Invaluable
It's interesting that soon after Jesus had been baptized in the Jordan River and God the Father had spoken, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," that the enemy would say to Him in the wilderness temptation, "If You are the Son of God..." The enemy tried to move in on Jesus' needs and get Him to question His identity and His purpose. He tried unsuccessfully to bring in confusion and get Him to question His value and worth.
It's no surprise, then, that the enemy works so hard to bring our sense of value down, to discount us, and cause us to forget that our true identity and worth is in Christ, that God in His great love for us "chose us in Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 1:4). That makes you invaluable. The enemy will use other people to judge us, to leave us out, and to make us feel unqualified, because he knows that if he can tear down our value, it will take away our sense of purpose. Just think about how when something you own and value gets battered and worn, it loses its value and eventually it loses its purpose, so you get rid of it. That's why the enemy constantly tempts us to find our identity in other people or in things of this world rather than Christ.
The point where the enemy primarily attacks is to make us feel unworthy to receive the gift of God's love, the grace of God, the fullness of our salvation. He'll whisper to you, "Look what you did yesterday. How can God accept you? You're so unworthy of His love and grace." What is your answer? Say, "That's right. I am not worthy. But Jesus Christ is worthy, and my identity is fully in Him and what He did for me." It's almost too simple, isn't it? That's because God's favor and grace are undeserved.
Don't diminish your value by diminishing what Christ did for you. He did it because He loves you. None of what you did in the past determines who you are--God has already chosen you and qualified you. You may have made some mistakes. We all have, but that doesn't change your value in the eyes of God. He loves you, not because of your performance, not because you do everything perfectly, but because you are His child.
When you hear those voices of confusion, those accusations that question your identity and your worth--that is not from God. That is from the enemy. And you have the answer: "God chose me in Jesus Christ. I am the righteousness of God in Him. Nothing can change my value and worth."
It's no surprise, then, that the enemy works so hard to bring our sense of value down, to discount us, and cause us to forget that our true identity and worth is in Christ, that God in His great love for us "chose us in Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 1:4). That makes you invaluable. The enemy will use other people to judge us, to leave us out, and to make us feel unqualified, because he knows that if he can tear down our value, it will take away our sense of purpose. Just think about how when something you own and value gets battered and worn, it loses its value and eventually it loses its purpose, so you get rid of it. That's why the enemy constantly tempts us to find our identity in other people or in things of this world rather than Christ.
The point where the enemy primarily attacks is to make us feel unworthy to receive the gift of God's love, the grace of God, the fullness of our salvation. He'll whisper to you, "Look what you did yesterday. How can God accept you? You're so unworthy of His love and grace." What is your answer? Say, "That's right. I am not worthy. But Jesus Christ is worthy, and my identity is fully in Him and what He did for me." It's almost too simple, isn't it? That's because God's favor and grace are undeserved.
Don't diminish your value by diminishing what Christ did for you. He did it because He loves you. None of what you did in the past determines who you are--God has already chosen you and qualified you. You may have made some mistakes. We all have, but that doesn't change your value in the eyes of God. He loves you, not because of your performance, not because you do everything perfectly, but because you are His child.
When you hear those voices of confusion, those accusations that question your identity and your worth--that is not from God. That is from the enemy. And you have the answer: "God chose me in Jesus Christ. I am the righteousness of God in Him. Nothing can change my value and worth."