Hebrews 4:12 The message God spoke to us in Christ, is the most life-giving and dynamic influence in us, cutting like a surgeon’s scalpel, sharper than a soldier’s sword, piercing to the deepest core of human conscious, to the dividing of soul and spirit; ending the dominance of the sense realm and its neutralizing effect upon the human spirit. In this way man’s spirit is free to become the ruling influence again in the thoughts and intentions of the heart. The scrutiny of this word detects every possible disease, discerning the bodies deepest secrets were joint and bone-marrow meet. (TMB)

Who is fooling who?

You may be able to fool others, and sadly yourself. The word of God, because it is God, cannot be fooled. Your mind is incredibly fascinating. It can create defense mechanisms and intricate unrealistic self-images. It even allows you to act like the image is real, even though you know it is not. That’s why it’s extremely important for you to stay in the word. You need the word to wash over you, to examine you, and to show you who you really are.

James 1:23-25 If some fail to do what God requires, it’s as if they forget the word as soon as they hear it. One minute they look in the mirror, and the next they forget who they are and what they look like. 25 However, it is possible to open your eyes and take in the beautiful, perfect truth found in God’s law of liberty and live by it. If you pursue that path and actually do what God has commanded, then you will avoid the many distractions that lead to an amnesia of all true things and you will be blessed. (TVT)

You want the cleansing and correction of the word, not for you to feel bad. You want to be cleansed to get excited. You can, finally, get off the roller coaster of saying one thing and really thinking and doing something else. You can stop trying to live a life you’ve said was you and falling short. You can stop appearing to be a liar or just duplicitous. 

Matthew 5:37 A simple ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ will suffice. Anything beyond this springs from a deceiver. (TPT)

You can simply be who you are. You can say, “love me or hate me, take me or leave me.” Then you can let God do what He had already planned to do in you.

Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:

Father God, I am grateful You are omniscient. You see right through me into my heart. I repent for not acknowledging my need for You to show me what’s there, as well as what’s not there every day. As long as I try to make myself into something I’m not and change myself to be someone other than who You created me to be, I am a target. Help me not to function in such a place of insecurity that I am fodder for the enemy. Help me embrace who I am, all of who I am. Your word says I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I have to believe it. I don’t have to re-create an image of myself in order to please someone or make myself fit in. I can just be me and allow You to shape me like clay on a potter’s wheel. I’m sorry for tampering with Your creation. I thank You for cleaning up the mess I’ve made. I submit myself into Your hands…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here: