Discover Your True Self - You are Competent, Part 2

Shame is a powerful debilitating motion that causes us to feel inferior hate our appearance withdraw from others engage in self-destructive behavior will be driven to Access to prove that we really here's the question how we overcome shame that's today statement. Thanks for joining us for this edition of living Chip Ingram trips are vital to this international discipleship program. This program should continue this series discover your true self with a word picture about the supernatural power. Jesus promises that enables us to overcome shame and whatever else may be blocking the freedom God says in the middle of the series you missed any of the previous programs, let me suggest that using the chipping remap is a great way to catch up okay. If you have a Bible heavy opening out Ephesians chapter 1. Let's join Chip for part two of his message. You are competent to know what you write.

I know for most of his prayer Right you know when I'm stuck or even when I'm not stuck one of the things I pray for me.

I pray for my wife. I pray for all my kids are pray for the elders.

I pray for our staff and I pray for my friends and God answers his prayer father as I think about my grown boys and my daughter and my grandkids father. I'm asking you, will you give them a spirit of wisdom and revelation into who you really are. Would you help them to grasp in their inner man, and in their hearts how much you love them, would you would you help them to understand that you're their father that you've adopted and that you redeem them that you seal them guy would you take the truth that their learning would you help them to grasp who you really are is you know why. When God answered that prayer is what it deals with shame deals with spirit deals with rejection.

It deals with so much junk and so when Paul is wanting the Ephesians church to live out their faith. What does he do we want his game plan to get it from their head to their heart what he do the answers prayer. What you said upright, pray that for you. God will answer that prayer, then third, we need to believe three historical facts. Fact number one is my past, no longer defined right verse 18. He said I want you to know about the hope of your calling it a certain your past doesn't define you anymore fact the psalmist put it this way as far as the east is from the West. So far as he removed our transgressions from us for many of you in this room and for a lot of people watching and listening.

I will tell you this weather than a Christian six months six years or six decades. Your past still defined you and part of it is because you never let that shame come to the surface been honest about it and let God work in it. I have two heroes.

I mean a number of heroes but to people that are really big heroes in my life and have gotten to know one is a lady named Valerie will and another is a lady named Tresa Ingram.

I know one a lot better than the other. Valerie Hill had an abortion for many years. She kept a secret. Valerie Hill realized it can't be a secret. It was a mistake mistake for which he was forgiven. Then she recruited a team and there are hundreds of thousands of women thousands and thousands of women whose lives are completely different than love, then healed. There are thousands of babies that are alive because instead of living in her shame she said I'm gonna take the shame and God's forgiveness.

That's not who I am. I'm his daughter and he wants to turn my shame into his fame, and he's made me a trophy on his mantle, and because he's given me hope I can give hope to others. My wife lived with tremendous shame. She was abandoned in her first marriage by an unbeliever who ran off with another woman and found yourself with two small babies and someone cared enough to verbally share the gospel. Her boss loved her and every day. Told her in the workplace. Jesus loves you. He's going to help you, Jesus loves you.

She ended up hearing that for a year went to a little church where he was a lay preacher, listen to and preach and it was like nothing she's walking out to the car little Mrs. McGrady like 85 years old.

She's opening the car putting these two babies in the car.

Hey young lady yeah do you want to be safe. She said yes go back in that church and ask God to come in your life. She did the whole church did. She knelt at the altar. That lady didn't know her. That lady was bold. She was competent. My wife came to Christ, you know where she felt shame.

I was in seminary and we had another seminary student tell my wife I didn't know that people like you and your I remember the first church she didn't tell anybody she wouldn't tell anyone. Her background I want to go through that again. She felt like a second-class citizen. She felt so shameful you. My two older boys. I ready for this. We have a picture in our house and they were in her wedding suit you to the light for five-year-old. Four-year-olds would have your old and there are wedding and we have one picture will rhyme gets to me like he's our third son gets me like six years old and he asked this classic question hey mommy, how come I didn't get to be in the wedding like Eric and Jason, and she realized her shame was so deep she was afraid to tell our own son, we happen to go through a thing at Dallas seminary where thank God for Bill Lawrence. He helped her understand you know what okay the church may shame you. God doesn't your his precious daughter and she told our son and then we went to Santa Cruz Bible church.

The first thing she did, she gave her testimony and God opened up a world in fact I think about it now. I was thinking about these cards and I talk about part of her journey, she was damaged in multiple ways and part of this renewing your mind with these cards is what she did 30 some years ago that she did with her daughter and then one day I was talking to the guys living on it. I think there's a lot of women are struggling so we put one of her series on about this.

Then they made these cards or chief operating officer said shipment or make you feel bad but never had anything any response like these cards. This is a raw nerve. Her shame became God's fame and people have found hope and love. Not because she has it all together but they found hope and love because she was willing to say yes this is a part of my past partner my mistakes. Part were mistakes that people did to me but I am a daughter of the King. He's my father I'm redeemed adopted I'm secure. This is who I really am. So I can share that I don't have. There's no pretense can ask you what your secrets where you still hiding your past still dominating you might writing your notes.

I am free in Christ. My question is will you activate that freedom is heavy and literally as I said that doesn't happen very often this like I sense the spirit of God and and and and and a shameful something about so many of you came to the surface and the moment you had was what I be willing in a safe place to go public with this in turn my shame into God's fame and let him use my hurt either done to me or my mistake to help someone else ready to learn in a minute that that's where the power that you already have power is perfected in weakness. Second, backed my future happiness is guaranteed. Think about that over to get that the riches of his inheritance. Your his child. You hear his treasure. It's guaranteed.

You may have ops you may have down to have some big mistakes your kids may not turn out quite right.

You may never get married, you may have a business that grows and then you may go down the tubes. You can you can you may have a big failure but here is something you're here right now hold right here you die, you meet Jesus. Your his treasure you get a new body in a perfect environment you will experience the absolute ultimate happiness.

Nothing and no one can ever your future is a guaranteed happiness. What if you lived your life as though I can't fail. I don't have to worry about what people think. I don't have to worry about risk my future happiness is guaranteed by my heavenly father.

So I'm gonna live my life instead of protect myself when he give you a glimpse into your future inheritance and God's future inheritance, but it's written first Corinthians 29 things which eye has not seen, which here have not heard I ready for this, which hasn't entered into the heart of man, it's so good it's so wonderful it's so awesome. Your future is so guaranteed about happiness.

You can imagine no one's ever heard about no one's ever seen.

It is not even entered your heart, all God has prepared for those that love when you think about the future.

Are you filled with anxiety. Here is your thought about the future about terrorism or a personal issue or family issue or what might happen in order to see if you this is the fact this isn't subjective your future.

My future happiness is guaranteed. Therefore, I'm confident I can absolutely confident doesn't mean I'm not can have struggles or setbacks and hurts. It's a it's a fallen world, but can't touch third.

I have incomprehensible power to meet all my present challenges and opportunities. All those words of the apostle Paul talked about all those examples of the same power that raised Christ from the dead. The same power that would seat him in the heavenly places. The same power to be over angels and principalities and powers in the same power the over every title of this age and in the future. The same power that would make them ahead of everything and fill everything I can't. I mean I can't get my head closed around that it dwells in me is gone and it dwells in you is daughter or son.

I guess the question is why are we experiencing it.

There's not much power. What what why why we have such struggles in certain areas of if we had that power to give you picture okay this is a little word picture. I want you to imagine that your your car is broken down somewhere and it's super super cold like it's you're on vacation in South Dakota. Whoever goes to South Dakota in the winter vacation you decided you would and whoever goes alone but you decided you would go along.

When you make up the stories you can say whatever you want, but that's you and tenure, shivering and and then you realize you know there's a there's a motel and, gosh, don't have any money on money for food your car stalled out your stranded yacht main your phone battery is dead. I mean what what and then you look over and there's a little blue light. There's an ATM machine and you happen to be a fairly affluent person you happen to know you have $100,000 in your checking account.

May the Lord bless you and keep you, because his face shine upon you and may the rest of us do as well but this is what you have now. It's in the machine you have the card you have everything you need, but you're sitting in your car freezing without food and you're not in the hotel.

Why, what must you do this is not your question what what what I get a hotel room picture car yet food everything you need is way more than hundred thousand dollars. You have a power that can break obstacles you have a power of muscular force that can overcome challenges you have a power this like dynamite the can print three things that have held you a prisoner for decades, family of origin past mistakes. Labeling you have a power that can change how you parent in the future give a power that can overcome your fears and give you peace. We have to activate the Bible is very clear that the key to activating things is as just as you receive the Lord, so walk in him. How did you receive them by faith, and faith is always rooted in the promises of God. Paul in in in in a crisis would say I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

Peter would write God has given us his precious and heavenly promises and the first chapter. Second Peter and by then we had everything that we need for godliness.

Apostle Paul would write that there's a promise says I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation, to the Jew first and also to the Greek citizen. I know I have this power. How do you activate one God's promises in his word and when I can say is that when you begin to get word centered and claim his promises. It's like taking withdrawals from the ATM but the ATM only brings out so much money. Sometimes what you need is other people drawing out of their ATMs and so it's not just his word and his promises by his spirit, but his power is manifested. How in weakness wife and I were in a word, a big transition and an I'm glad I really don't feel afraid that you talk about completely uncertain in so many areas and and I and I don't me. I mean this in the most humble.

I'm more amazed than any of you that we we realize now 40 years of marriage this year and you know I hear reports and things. It sounds like about someone else's literally millions and millions of people all around the world that hear what I teach in things that she's done and where work on like this little West Virginia girl out of a broken background.

The super insecure skinny little guy. We both came to Jesus and it was like God's power. He's used our lives and I think some of you think that is because we have so much together that likes what were were really like really got it together and we were sitting on the floor this morning, drinking coffee, looking back at it since power has been manifested in our weakness.

It it was when the lights came on and I just realized you know I'm desperately insecure and all that stuff I do is mostly to please people and oppress people impose I'm so sick of it and so I just went public with that she stop hiding her background and difficulty and pain and I think it's not because we have anything together. I think what's happened is people get hope and there's more authority in our lives because were we good friends in this church that had some challenges in their past their own kids have don't know anything about the past there ashamed of how they used to live and what they don't know is there projecting to their kids.

All I never had any real problems. This is how you need to live instead of hay. I had an alcohol problem.

I had a sex addiction man when I was in college my leg and I was promiscuous and I did this. This is the pain that it caused right time in the right way I'm letting you share everything but I'm just saying your shame and the power of God won't get released until you say God I need you I need you and it's your word, your truth that can change me, but it's going to be your truth is I'm honest with you, and I invite people into my life. Can I just tell you something you'll be stuck in your shame and you will be Christian. The changes minimally, if at all. And so you're in God's word claiming his promises and you get in some smaller group were you can say I was abused when I was 14 I sold please don't say anything out loud I'm not legal. And everyone thinks I and you would share that only wisely with just the right group, but it will be when the real you shows up with the real God will show up and analyze change will happen. That's our journey, but is not our journey is the journey of every believer and and then it sort of wipes away where really busy and at the stage of our kids, and things are really really really busy right now in this fall we have a lot going on and I just started a business from just changing jobs or I'm just doing this in and it's going to be just completely different.

Six months right right I mean I mean this is just a season like the last season and last season in the last season and plate please hear me just the great majority of Christians are not in God's word and I don't mean in it like I got to read so many verses I mean to hear the great majority of Christians don't have real close to honest, authentic relationships were shame can come out and you're not judging your loved turn to the back page because this is the process by which God has decided he would change us and the reason he so adamant that you know that your wanted and secure and confident and valuable. Are you ready it's not so you can be more fulfilled and happy. That's a byproduct you're his body. The reason he's transformed you is you are the instrument, the ambassador, the agent to share with others.

But God loves them the Christ died for them that he rose from the dead and they don't have to go to hell and I don't have to live in a hell today, but there is a father who loves them but they will never know unless your life and your words communicate that story boldly.

We turn the whole Christian life about your self-improvement and your happiness in your fulfillment and and and your kids being, you know, excelling all that will mean nothing.

The reason he did all this is to transfer form you and me so that we would be his mouthpiece in his hands and his feet and it would actually God's well but if you believe this beliefs. I am what I am. I cannot change.

You believe that it is your behavior so you do about I can't help myself. This is just the way I've always been and always will be right that on the card with you and then right stop.

I'm a competent person, equipped by the Holy Spirit to carry out God's will in my daily life in a way that pleases him. You are your competent regardless of what stage of growth. I may be in at the present time. I ready for this. My real importance in life is connected with the way I'm touching other people's lives with the love of God and the message of Christ been listening to trip message you are confident series discover your true self, how to silence the lives of your past and actually experience God says you are chip will be right back with this application but before you is I hope you'll take a second to go online or tap share and encourage others to join us for this series to know we all struggled with doubts about self worth and value, but the facts about who we are change when we put our faith in Jesus chips teaching from the book of Ephesians to help us understand who we are as believers in Christ explains the nature of the new creation.

We become and how to leave old things and doubts in the past for limited time resources for discover your true self are discounted and the MP3s are always free to order your copy or to send it to a friend visit us online at http://livingontheedge.org for additional information. Just give us a call at 1-888-333-6003. I'll be back with some application to today's teaching, but if you're listening to this program and you or someone you know is being blessed.

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I like to ask you to really pray about partnering with Living on the Edge your financial investment allows us to equip Christians here in United States and all across the world to really live like Christians because your donations. We create materials were on satellite we get God's word to leaders and we take the Bible to the people in ways that help them grow and transform their families and communities.

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Just call us at 1-888-333-6003. Tap the donate button or go to LivingontheEdge.org. Thanks in advance for following God's lead as we close today's program. I hope you're beginning to see a pattern here that we all have work mirrors that the deepest needs of our life for being wanted belonging value significant safe, secure, competent, all of these things are needs that are very legitimate and that what we tend to do in the world system is fine, people or things are performance to tell us that were okay and that's how we try and deal with our our shame and our guilt and our pain in the fact of the matter is, is that when you come to know Jesus Christ as your Savior, God addresses all those issues when he takes you out of the kingdom of darkness and places you into the kingdom of light when he makes you his son when he makes you his daughter and what I want you to know is that each time as I and these messages a night.

I give you the miss beliefs and then the truth cards and you know maybe you can even visualize me and my wife sitting on the sofa in the early years of our marriage. You know reading these cards out loud every day before I went to work for like over two years. What I want you to know is the lies you believe are deeply embedded.

The lies that your children believe are deeply embedded in it takes intentionality and focus and work, and of all the things that are hard to overcome shame is one of them. There's lots of people that you know I am what I am. I can't change. I'm a loser I'll never be anything, and when you believe that I will guarantee your life will play out exactly like that but the truth is that you are a competent person, equipped by the Holy Spirit to live a life of fruitfulness and purpose. He has gifted you he loves you. He's for you.

He wants to use you and you have to combat those lies.

You gotta grab him by the collar and you gotta say, I'm not going to believe you anymore. We would say them out loud in the bottom of that car there be a stop sign would say stop, and then we would say the truth, and as we renew our mind was the promise the Scripture says do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that your life, your lifestyle, your life experience could prove or test or make evident what God's will is his will is good. It's acceptable. It's perfect. He wants you to understand who you already are your past no longer defined you your future happiness is absolutely guaranteed because of Christ and in the present. You have all the power and all the ability to face every challenge and seize every opportunity because you are competent in Christ you know a great way to stay engaged and connected to chip in Living on the Edge is with the Chip Ingram up, you'll get free access to all of Chip's recent messages is message notes and much more. Not only that, but it couldn't be easier to call or email directly from the yeah fun to be with us again next time it until then, this is Dave thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge