Who Do You Think You Are?

Sharon JaynesA Sudden Glory, Confidence in Christ, Dreams of a Woman, Expectant Living, Listening to God, Living Fully, Renewing your mind with the Truth, Trusting God 71 Comments

 

I’m getting ready to get on a plane and head to Kentucky to speak at a women’s event. And a memory slid it’s way into my mind. Remember who you are and whose you are. You are not doing this on your own.

See, it was my first large speaking engagement about eighteen years ago. Four hundred fifty  women had registered to attend. My topic was “Unshakable Confidence in Christ,”  which is hilarious because I was scared to death.

Two weeks before I was to speak to the group, I attended a luncheon. I sat at a table with women I didn’t know, and they were talking about a speaker they had recently heard at the church where I would be speaking in a few weeks. I just listened.

“He was the most powerful speaker I have ever heard,” one said.

“I cried all the way through his testimony. Just to think, he had to live with the fact that his son was an arsonist. Oh how God has worked mightily in the family. The pastor was so moved, he asked him to speak at the Sunday night service. That is highly unusual. I don’t think we will ever have a speaker that good was again.”

On and on they sang the praises of this mighty man of God. They used words like dynamic, powerful, electric, and eloquent. I never mentioned that I was the speaker for their next meeting. At that point, I wasn’t so sure I would be.

As I listened to the ladies, my throat constricted, the tea sandwich clung to the roof of my mouth, and my heart pounded.

Then Satan whispered.

Who do you think you are, going to speak at this event? Listen to the caliber of people they bring in. This man came from all the way across the country. You are just from across town. What could you possible have to say to help these women? If I were you, I’d bow out now before you embarrass yourself.

You know what? Even though I knew it was the enemy whispering in my ear, I started to believe him. After all, what he was saying made a lot more sense than the “Who I am in Christ” statements taped on my refrigerator door.

After the luncheon, I decided to go by the church and purchase a tape of the previous speaker, just to see what I was going to be compared to. (I can’t believe I’m telling you this. Keeping it real!)

I walked into the church, paid my $5.00, popped the tape in the console, and braced myself for the hour of power.

Nothing happened.

I fast-forwarded the tape.

Nothing happened.

I flipped the tape over.

Nothing happened. The tape was blank.

At that moment, I did not hear the dynamic speaker. I heard God.

Sharon, you do not need to hear what my servant said to these people two weeks ago. The tape is blank because I do not want you to compare yourself to anyone else. It doesn’t matter what he said. I will give you a message for these ladies. I can speak through a prophet, I can speak through a fisherman, and I can speak through a donkey.

I gave him a message and I have given you one as well. Who are you speaking for, my child, them or Me? Do not compare yourself to anyone. You are my child and I am asking you to speak to an audience of One.

It was indeed an hour of power. I didn’t bother getting my money back for the defective tape. It was exactly what I needed to hear.

So the next time Satan said to me, “Who do you think you are?” let me tell you what I said.

I am the light of the world.
I am the salt of the earth.
I am a child of God.
I am the bride of Christ.
I am a joint-heir with Christ.
I have the power of the Holy Spirit.
I have been delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred to the kingdom of Christ.
I am chosen of God, holy and dearly loved.

Inferiority, insecurity and inadequacy can paralyze a Christian into inactivity and leave her sitting on the bench…afraid to get into the game. [tweetherder]God’s desire is to destroy the enemy’s lies with the truth and render him impotent in our lives. [/tweetherder]

Through the power of the Holy Spirit working in me and through me, I did speak to those ladies so long ago. And in just a few moments, I’ll get on a plane and do it again. I am just as dependent on God’s power now as I was back then…I think even more so.

What is God calling you to do? Is the enemy telling you all the reasons why you’re not capable, not worthy, not enough?

Don’t believe him. He lies.

Believe God. You are who He says you are. You are equipped by God, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and enveloped in Jesus Christ.

Now tell, me…will you believe God? Leave a comment and say “Yes!” if you will.

Want More?
Defeat tI'm Not Good Enoughhe enemy’s lies once and for all! Recognize the lies. Reject the lies. Replace the lies with truth. Click here to learn more.

 

 

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Comments 71

  2. Thank you, Sharon. This was such a great message for me. I am singing and playing my flute at church tomorrow. This is the first time I have done either one of those things since moving to Florida six and a half years ago. On top of that, I will be speaking to a small women’s group at my church the following week-another first since relocating. I am going to copy down your scripture reminders: child of God, bride of Christ, light of the world…, and review them frequently. Thank you again! Nancy

    Reply

  13. YES, I Believe God will see me through every situation I am facing, he will be the one to be glorified through it all, and the Devil will be defated once again and WILL have to Flee. I am a CHILD OF GOD, I WILL BE PUT TO SHAME, I WLL COME OUT OF IT ALL IN VICTORY In The Powerful name of JESUS I DECLARE IT, AMEN…..

    Reply

  14. Correction on I WILL NOT BE PUT TO SHAME, I WILL COME oUT OF IT ALL IN VICTORY FOR HIS GLORY, IN THE POWERFUL NAME OF JESUS I DECLARE IT.. AMEN, AMEN,and AMEN…..

    Reply

  16. Thank you again for the reminder Sharon. God is good. How often do I forget who I am in Christ. I am His child, and I was made to worship him. I play piano on our worship team. I also have a new calling in him. My family is just finishing doing some major renovating and rebuilding on our home. He’s given us a beautiful place to live and blessed us immensely in being able to get this far. I’ve had a bit of a concept even before we started that I want to be able to use my home for the Lord in some way. It is beautifully set up for hosting things, though that is not really in my nature. I am going to start a small group women’s bible study in our home for the ladies in our small church. Used to be so that most of the ladies that would be interested were working straight through the day all the time. Now more than ever I think we would have several interested, and myself and I know for a fact there are a few of us women craving more fellowship and learning than we get from just sunday morning. Prayers would be appreciated that the devil wouldn’t get a grasp and stop it from happening. Or make me feel inferior, that I’m not good enough to do it. God is working in me, and I know he wants to reveal His spirit in me and through me. Is this the avenue he will use. I am His and He has given me every blessing in Him, and will strengthen me to be what he wants me to be. I just have to learn to let Him have control, not me. Blessings.

    Reply

  17. Oh Sharon, yes I will believe God.

    Thank you for the honesty and transparency in which you live out your life for Christ. The real, day-to-day stories about your own life help to drive God’s truth home in my life. I’m grateful for you and especially the story today and thank you from the bottom of my heart. Sherry

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  19. AND AMEN! Thank you for the reminder! I struggle with the insecurities of being a 72 year old, mediocre- guitar-playing worship leader in a large bible study! “Surely these ladies would rather have someone younger who knows all the contemporary worship songs!” But God has kept me in that position for many, many years and women still come up to me and say how much they like the worship (but of course, they’re just being polite!!!!) I can’t wait to meet you and hear you speak when you come to our church next month!!!

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  22. Yes, I will focus on my Lord and Savior and who I am in Him, not on my own inadequacies or the lies of satan. Praise God, in Christ Jesus!

    Thanks Sharon!

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  23. Yes, I have to remind myself daily. It is all about God, and I can trust Him daily to provide for my every need if I am obedient. Trust and Obey for there is NO OTHER WAY!

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  26. YES!!! I believe God. Thank you for the word, God is faithful! Just hearing this makes me think in all that God wants me to be and to do and I am HIS vessel . This word just gave more strength.

    Thank you once again,
    Cindy

    Reply

  31. Sharon, this message couldn’t have come at a better time! I’m speaking to a group of ladies a week from now and I always have this same thing running through my mind before I go. Your message gave me the shot in the arm I needed and reminded me of two things.

    1. Feeling inadequate for the job God gives me is actually a good place to be b/c then His power moves through my weak vessel!

    2. “God doesn’t call the equipped…He equips the called!”

    You’re right…the enemy lies! God tells us the truth. So…who are we choosing to listen to? :o)

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  37. YES
    thank you Sharon this came in time as I stand in the gap for my marriage and my husband salvation, satan is constantly saying to me I’m not enough and comparing me to others. but I don’t believe him,I believe in Christ Jesus. Thank you for reminding Me God bless you

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  50. Thank you mam
    God spoke with me
    I was exactly in same situation
    this week I need to share God’s word
    now I feel encouraged

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  52. Just thoughts. I wonder who I am all the time. I wonder if my faith is fake. I’ve been studying for 2 years, learning, listening, praying. Yet, I don’t feel love. I hear people pledge their love of God and I don’t know what it feels like. So I wonder,”Am I a fake?” To be fair, I struggle to feel any emotion after a childhood of abuse where I vowed never to feel or cry. It is hard to talk to anyone about this, in fact I haven’t because I don’t think there is another like me. I wonder, “Is He really with me? If I can’t pray and feel, and pray and stay on topic and not let my mind roam, am I doing this right?”

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    1. Post
      Author

      Michelle. Good news. You are not fake. You are normal! Read Romans 7 and you’ll see that Paul (one of the greatest Christians I can think of) had the same struggles as you and me. As for the praying, that happens to me too. One thing that helps is to pray out loud. “Is He really with me?” Absolutely. He said He is…so He is.:)

      Reply

  54. I thank you for all your empowering, encouraging words of wisdom I read everyday from girlfriend devotions. Yes I know who I am, even more so now that I’ve read your blog, of who God says I am. I will be printing it out and constantly remind myself of who I am. I will copy it and give hand outs to the women at my Women Ministry.
    Thank you and I thank God for your gifts.
    God loves you and so do I.

    Reply

  55. YES! I’ve been listening to Satan’s lies for 20 years, as I’ve tried to write a Christian novel: You’re not good enough. You don’t have enough education. It will sound silly. You can’t (fill in the blank). Lies, I know. But as I look around me and ‘compare’, they are easy to believe.

    I’m glad I ‘stumbled’ (nothing is by coincidence) across this article this morning. I want to finish this work, and I want it to in some way glorify God.

    Reply

  58. Yes!!thank you Sharon for sharing…Yes at one poinr in life we always seem to compare ourselves to others.but god made all of us to be different..yes im glad that we are all gods children and only he knows the plans for each of us…

    Reply

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