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>> VICTORIA OSTEEN: THANK YOU,
LORD, YES, HALLELUJAH.
WE ARE A GRATEFUL PEOPLE.
THE BIBLE SAYS IN GENESIS THAT
WE ARE MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD.
YOU SEE, THE IMAGE THAT WE CARRY
ON THE INSIDE OF US HAS A LOT TO
DO WITH WHAT WE REFLECT.
IT HAS SO MUCH TO DO WITH WHAT
WE IDENTIFY WITH, HOW WE SEE OUR
SELF, WHAT WE GO AFTER, AND IN
FACT, OUR IMAGE IS OUR SOURCE OF
STRENGTH AND CONFIDENCE.
THAT IS REALLY THE KEY TO LIVING
THE ABUNDANT LIFE THAT JESUS
CAME TO GIVE US.
NOW, OUR IMAGE WAS DISTORTED IN
THE GARDEN.
IT WAS SEPARATED FROM GOD, BUT
GOD SAID, “I’M GOING TO REBIRTH
THIS IMAGE IN YOU.”
SO YOU HAVE BEEN REBIRTHED WITH
THE IMAGE OF GOD WHEN YOU SAID,
“YES,” TO JESUS.
BUT TOO OFTEN, THINGS THAT
HAPPEN IN OUR LIFE, MAYBE THE
WAY WE WERE RAISED, A DIVORCE,
HURTS AND PAINS TRY TO DISTORT
OR SMEAR THAT IMAGE.
THAT TRIES TO COVER UP THE TRUE
YOU, THE ONE THAT GOD CREATED
IN HIS IMAGE.
THEN YOU BEGIN TO IDENTIFY WITH
YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES.
YOU BEGIN TO IDENTIFY WITH THE
PAIN, WHEN, ALL ALONG, GOD NEVER
INTENDED THESE THINGS
TO HURT YOU.
HE INTENDED YOU TO KNOW WHO
YOU ARE IN CHRIST JESUS AND
TO IDENTIFY WITH HIM AND
HIS POWER THAT LIVES IN YOU.
YOU SEE, IF YOU DON’T KNOW
WHO YOU ARE, YOU WON’T KNOW
WHAT TO IDENTIFY WITH.
IT’S INTERESTING, BECAUSE GOD
KNOWS WHAT WE’RE MADE OF.
HE KNOWS WHO WE ARE.
HE KNOWS THAT WE WERE MADE IN
HIS IMAGE.
THE QUESTION IS, TODAY, DO WE
KNOW THE IMAGE THAT’S ON THE
INSIDE OF US, OR HAVE WE ALLOWED
THINGS TO DISTORT THAT IMAGE?
I WAS THINKING THE OTHER DAY,
THE ONLY WAY I KNOW WHAT I LOOK
LIKE IS BECAUSE I CAN SEE MYSELF
IN THE MIRROR.
I GET UP IN THE MORNING, I WASH
MY FACE, I BRUSH MY TEETH, AND
THERE I AM, LOOKING BACK AT
MYSELF.
WE ALL KNOW WHAT WE LOOK LIKE
ONLY BECAUSE OF THE MIRROR.
NOW, GRANTED, SOMEONE CAN
DESCRIBE OUR LOOKS, OUR
PHYSICAL.
BUT IF YOU ASKED TWO OR THREE
PEOPLE, I BET YOU’LL GET A
DIFFERENT DESCRIPTION EVERY
TIME.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK IN THE MIRROR,
YOU SEE THE IMAGE OF YOURSELF.
YOU KNOW, IF SOMEONE SHOWS ME A
PICTURE OF A BIG GROUP OF PEOPLE
AND I’M IN THAT PICTURE, I CAN
LOCATE MYSELF BECAUSE I KNOW
WHAT I LOOK LIKE.
I CAN IDENTIFY WHO I AM BECAUSE
I’VE SEEN MYSELF IN THE MIRROR.
I KNOW MY IMAGE.
SEE, AND JUST LIKE WE KNOW OUR
PHYSICAL APPEARANCE, THE IMAGE,
BECAUSE WE’VE ALL LOOKED IN THE
MIRROR, GOD WANTS US TO BE ABLE
TO LOCATE OUR SPIRITUAL IMAGE BY
LOOKING INTO THE MIRROR HE HAS
FOR US.
IN JAMES 1 IT SAYS THE WORD
OF GOD IS LIKE A MIRROR.
IT REFLECTS HIS IMAGE ON
THE INSIDE OF US.
YOU SEE, GOD WANTS US TO KNOW
THAT WE ARE MADE IN HIS
IMAGE, THAT THERE IS A
SPIRITUAL PERSON THAT IS FAR
GREATER THAN WHAT YOU SEE ON
THE OUTSIDE.
YOU SEE, WHAT YOUR IMAGE IS
HAS A LOT TO DO WITH YOUR
CONFIDENCE, HAS A LOT TO DO
WITH YOUR INNER STRENGTH.
IT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH WHAT
YOU IDENTIFY WITH.
YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE
GO AROUND SAYING,
“I’M DIVORCED.”
THEY GO AROUND
WITH THAT IMAGE.
“I’M DIVORCED.
I’M A DIVORCED PERSON.”
SOME PEOPLE SAY, “I WAS
MISTREATED AND ABUSED.
I’LL NEVER GET TO WHERE I
NEED TO BE.”
THEY GO AROUND WITH THIS
VICTIM MENTALITY.
BUT ALL THE WHILE, GOD SAYS,
“YOU ARE NOT A DIVORCED
PERSON.
YOU ARE NOT A VICTIM.
YOU ARE MADE IN MY IMAGE.
YOU ARE A VICTOR.
YOU NEED TO GET YOUR IMAGE
BACK.”
WHEN WE ALLOW THE WORD OF GOD
TO CREATE THAT IMAGE ON THE
INSIDE OF US, WHEN WE PUT
OURSELF IN CHURCH, WHEN WE
LISTEN TO GOD’S WORD, WE’RE
CREATING AND MAKING SURE THAT
IMAGE STAYS IN PLACE.
IF YOU HAD A VERY IMPORTANT
EVENT, I GUARANTEE YOU WOULD
GO TO THE MIRROR AND CHECK
YOUR HAIR, CHECK YOUR TIE,
MAKE SURE IT’S STRAIGHT.
YOU DON’T WANT TO GO OUT
THERE WITH YOUR TIE GOING
THAT WAY.
YOU KNOW WHAT?
YOU’LL CHECK YOURSELF.
YOU ADJUST YOURSELF, AND YOU
KNOW, WHEN YOU PUT YOURSELF
IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD, WHAT
YOU’RE DOING IS YOU’RE
READJUSTING AND AFFIRMING
YOUR IMAGE ON THE INSIDE
BECAUSE YOU WANT TO BE ABLE
TO LOCATE WHO YOU ARE IN
A WORLD THAT DOESN’T KNOW
WHO IT IS.
YOU SEE, THERE ARE SO MANY
OPINIONS OUT THERE THAT IF
YOU DON’T KNOW YOUR IMAGE AND
YOUR IDENTITY, YOU MAY ALLOW
SOMEBODY ELSE TO PUT THEIR
IDENTITY ON YOU.
I WAS TALKING TO A YOUNG GIRL
THE OTHER DAY AND WE WERE
TALKING ABOUT THIS VERY
THING, ABOUT THE IMAGE ON THE
INSIDE OF US AND HOW WE LIVE
IN THIS PLACE OF STRENGTH
WHEN WE HAVE GOD’S IMAGE,
AND SHE SAID IMMEDIATELY,
SHE SAID, “VICTORIA,
IT’S SO CRAZY.”
SHE SAID, “I ALLOW PEOPLE
TO SAY THINGS TO ME AND IT
DETERMINES MY WORTH
AND MY VALUE.
THEY CAN LITERALLY SAY
THE WRONG THING AND
I WALK OFF ASHAMED.”
HAVE PEOPLE EVER TRIED
TO LABEL YOU?
HAVE YOU EVER TAKEN
SOMETHING, MAYBE EVEN OUT
OF CONTEXT, AND IT’S SO FUNNY
BECAUSE THAT IMAGE IS SO
COVERED UP YOU DON’T REALLY
KNOW IF THAT’S WHO YOU ARE OR
NOT?
YOU REMEMBER WHEN I SEE
MYSELF IN THAT PICTURE, I CAN
LOCATE MYSELF.
I KNOW THAT’S ME IN MY–IN
THAT PICTURE.
NOW, IF SOMEONE HOLDS A
PICTURE UP AND THEY SAY,
“LOOK, VICTORIA, LOOK.
LOOK AT YOU RIGHT THERE,” AND
THAT’S NOT ME, YOU KNOW WHAT
I SAY, “THAT AIN’T ME.
THAT’S NOT ME.
I KNOW WHAT I LOOK LIKE.
I KNOW MY IMAGE,” AND SEE, SO
MANY TIMES PEOPLE ARE TRYING
TO TELL YOU WHO YOU’RE NOT.
YOU’VE GOT TO KNOW,
“THAT AIN’T ME.”
IF SOMEONE IS TRYING TO MAKE
YOU FEEL BAD, YOU KNOW WHAT?
THAT’S WHEN YOU JUST STOP AND
YOU SAY, “YOU KNOW WHAT?
I KNOW WHO I AM.”
YOU DON’T HAVE TO FIGHT BACK.
YOU SEE, THE IMAGE OF GOD IS
NOT ABOUT ARROGANCE.
IT’S ABOUT HUMILITY AND
STRENGTH.
YOU KNOW, IT’S ABOUT BEING
ASSURED AND CONFIDENCE.
STILL WATERS RUN DEEP, AND
GOD WANTS YOU TO RUN DEEP.
HE WANTS THAT IMAGE TO BE
DEEPLY IMPRESSED
IN YOUR VERY BEING.
IT’S INTERESTING BECAUSE
I REALLY FEEL LIKE THAT
IDENTITY AND AUTHORITY
GO HAND IN HAND.
NOW, WE KNOW WHEN YOU HAVE
AUTHORITY YOU CARRY POWER.
BUT IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHO YOU
ARE, YOU CAN’T CARRY MUCH
POWER.
CAN YOU IMAGINE A POLICEMAN
NOT BEING ABLE TO BELIEVE
THAT HE CAN STOP TRAFFIC?
NOW, IF YOU PUT ME OUT THERE,
I AM NOT GOING TO STEP OUT IN
THE MIDDLE OF THAT TRAFFIC
‘CAUSE I DON’T CARRY THAT
AUTHORITY.
I DON’T CARRY THAT IDENTITY.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
HE HAS AUTHORITY AND POWER
BECAUSE HE KNOWS HIS
IDENTITY.
IF I GO TO THE BANK ‘CAUSE I
NEED SOME MONEY OUT OF MY
BANK ACCOUNT, I GO TO THE
BANK, GO TO THE TELLER, GET
ALL MY STUFF TOGETHER,
AND I SAY, “I WANT MY MONEY.”
SHE’S GOING TO SAY, “WHERE’S
YOUR IDENTIFICATION?”
IF I’M NOT CARRYING MY
IDENTIFICATION, DOESN’T
MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY I HAVE
IN THE BANK, I’M NOT GETTING
IT.
I HAVE TO KNOW MY IDENTITY.
I HAVE TO KNOW THAT IDENTITY
OR I’M NOT GOING TO GET
WHAT’S RIGHTFULLY MINE, AND
CAN I TELL YOU, YOU’VE GOT SO
MANY THINGS OUT THERE THAT
ARE RIGHTFULLY YOURS BUT
UNLESS YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE,
UNLESS YOU IDENTIFY WITH THE
POWER THAT LIVES ON THE
INSIDE OF YOU, YOU WON’T GET
WHAT’S RIGHTFULLY YOURS.
THE BIBLE SAYS IT’S THE ENEMY
WHO COMES TO STEAL.
HE COMES TO STEAL.
HAVE YOU EVER HEARD
ABOUT STOLEN IDENTITIES?
IT’S RAMPANT THESE DAYS.
WE GET ALL THIS PROTECTION,
TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF OUR
IDENTITY.
YOU SEE, YOU’VE GOT TO
PROTECT THE IMAGE ON THE
INSIDE OF YOU BECAUSE THE
ENEMY WANTS TO STEAL THAT
IMAGE.
HE WANTS TO STEAL YOUR WORTH
AND YOUR VALUE.
IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHO YOU
ARE, YOU CAN’T HAVE WHAT GOD
SAID YOU COULD HAVE.
YOU KNOW WHAT MAKES ME SO
IRRITATED?
IS THAT IT’S NOT REALLY JUST
ABOUT ME.
IT’S ABOUT THE GOD IN ME, AND
WHEN THE ENEMY STEALS FROM
ME, YOU KNOW WHAT HE’S DOING?
HE’S STEALING FROM GOD.
I DON’T WANT HIM STEALING
FROM GOD.
I WANT TO PROTECT WHAT’S
GOD’S.
YOU SEE, SOMETIMES WE THINK
IT’S ABOUT OURSELF BUT IT’S
ABOUT THE GREATER ONE WHO
LIVES IN US.
HE’S GIVEN US THE PRIVILEGE
TO BEAR HIS IMAGE.
I CAN’T THINK OF A HIGHER
CALLING ON THIS EARTH THAN TO
BEAR THE IMAGE OF ALMIGHTY
GOD.
IF YOU DON’T HAVE A PURPOSE,
I WANT TO GIVE YOU ONE TODAY.
YOU ARE THE BEARER OF GOD’S
IMAGE.
YOU SEE, WHEN YOU KNOW WHO
YOU ARE IN CHRIST, YOU DON’T
HAVE TO LOOK FOR OTHER PEOPLE
TO VALIDATE YOU.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO TRY TO
SQUEEZE OUT OF PEOPLE WHAT
ONLY GOD CAN GIVE YOU.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES, WE WANT
TO PUT OUR VALIDATION OR OUR
WORTH IN OUR JOB POSITION, IN
THE CAR WE DRIVE, THE CLOTHES
WE WEAR, THE PEOPLE WE HANG
AROUND, ‘CAUSE IT MAKES US
FEEL GOOD.
WE FEEL IMPORTANT.
BUT CAN I TELL YOU, THAT IS
GREAT IF YOU HAVE THOSE
THINGS BUT THOSE THINGS ARE
TEMPORARY AND SUBJECT TO
CHANGE.
YOUR FRIENDS CAN CHANGE,
YOUR FINANCES CAN CHANGE.
THINGS CAN CHANGE, AND IF
THOSE THINGS CHANGE, WHAT
DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU?
WHAT’S ON THE INSIDE OF YOU,
THE IMAGE OF ALMIGHTY GOD,
IS ETERNAL.
IT DOESN’T CHANGE.
YOUR VALUE DOESN’T CHANGE
BECAUSE YOUR CIRCUMSTANCE
CHANGE.
YOUR POWER DOESN’T CHANGE
BECAUSE YOUR CIRCUMSTANCE
CHANGE.
YOUR POSITION IN HEAVEN
DOESN’T CHANGE BECAUSE YOUR
CIRCUMSTANCE CHANGE.
YOU’VE GOT TO KNOW WHO YOU
ARE AND LOCATE WHERE YOU’RE
GOING BECAUSE GOD HAS GREAT
THINGS IN STORE FOR YOU.
2 CORINTHIANS SAYS THIS: “GOD
IDENTIFIES US AS HIS VERY
OWN.”
HE’S ALREADY IDENTIFIED YOU.
HE KNOWS WHO YOU ARE.
DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE?
DON’T LET ANYTHING COVER UP
YOUR IDENTITY.
KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
PEOPLE WHO KNOW WHO THEY ARE
PRAY BOLD PRAYERS.
THEY BELIEVE THAT GOD IS
WORKING IN THEIR LIFE.
THEY PRAISE IN THE MIDST OF
DIFFICULTY.
THEY PUSH THROUGH BECAUSE
THEY KNOW ON THE OTHER SIDE
GOD’S GOING TO BE RIGHT THERE
WAITING FOR THEM.
PEOPLE WHO BEAR THE IMAGE
OF GOD KNOW THEY LOOK LIKE
CHRIST JESUS SO THEY’RE KIND,
THEY’RE COMPASSIONATE,
THEY’RE A SERVANT OF ALL
BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT THE
FIRST WILL BE LAST AND THAT
IF YOU WANT TO BE A LEADER
YOU’VE GOT TO BE A SERVANT
FIRST.
THEY’RE NOT EASILY OFFENDED.
THEY KNOW WHO THEY ARE IN
JESUS CHRIST.
TAKE ON HIS IDENTITY TODAY.
DON’T LET ANYONE LABEL YOU.
THERE’S NO CIRCUMSTANCE THAT
DEFINES YOU.
GOD AND GOD ALONE DEFINES
YOU.
WHEN YOU PUT ON HIS IDENTITY,
HE’S GIVE YOU HIS VICTORY AND
YOU’LL GET TO WHERE YOU’RE
INTENDED TO BE, AMEN?
AMEN, THANK YOU, LORD.