The Right Mirror

If you want to reach your full potential, you have to begin seeing yourself the way God sees you. He calls you valuable, talented and worthy.

As you see yourself the way God sees you, it begins to heal damaged self images.
His word will repair the hurts, the scars, the unfair things that have caused you to see yourself as lacking inferior, unqualified.
Keep this right mirror in front of you may not happen overnight.
But if you will keep seeing yourself the right way, little by little, you’re changing, you’re going to become what you’re seeing.
Oh God bless you.
It’s great to be with you today and I hope you’ll stay connected with us during the week through our daily podcast youtube channel, social media.
We’ll keep you encouraged and inspired. And I’d like to start with something funny.
And I heard about these three men, they were out in the wilderness and they came up on this violent raging river needed to get to the other side.
The first man prayed God, please give me the strength to make it across poof.
God gave him big arms, strong legs. He was able to swim across two hours.
The next man prayed God, please give me the strength and the tools to make it across poof.
God gave him a boat. He was able to roll across in 30 minutes.
The next man prayed God, please give me the strength, the tools and the intelligence to make it across and poof God turned him into a woman.
She looked at the map hiked five minutes upstream and walked across the bridge.
All right, I feel like the women are cheering there. Here we go, man.
This is my bible. I am what it says. I am. I have what it says I have.
I can do what it says I can do today. I will be taught the word of God.
I boldly confess. My mind is alert. My heart is receptive. I will never be the same in Jesus name.
God bless you. I wanna talk to you today about the right mirror.
It’s so important how we see ourselves. Your self image will determine whether you reach your full potential.
And if you see yourself lacking at a disadvantage, not attractive, it will limit your life.
It’s not that you don’t have great potential. It’s your self image is distorted.
We have the big rodeo here in town once a year and we always go early to the carnival.
And one of the attractions is this room filled with mirrors.
You walk in front of one mirror and makes you a couple feet taller.
Another one makes your chest real big. Your arms exaggerated.
There are mirrors that leave your body normal, but your head is shrunk, your mouth, nose features all out of whack certain mirrors make you look £100 heavier body, all out of proportion.
None of these images are true images. It’s not who you really are. They’re all distorted.
We’re smart enough to know it’s just for fun. We get a good laugh. Move on.
But how many of us in real life don’t recognize when we’re looking at a distorted mirror.
We see ourselves as not talented, not attractive, unqualified. Now that distorted image is holding us back.
What would happen if we got rid of the wrong mirror?
The scripture says you’ve been made in the image of God. He made you talented, beautiful, smart, competent.
You are fully equipped for the purpose. He’s laid out for you.
But the trick of the enemy is to distort your self image.
He doesn’t want you to see yourself the way you really are like that carnival.
He’ll put up these distorted mirrors. The psalmist said you’ve been fearfully and wonderfully made.
But when you look in his mirror, you’ll see all your flaws. Everything you don’t like will be exaggerated.
You’ve been forgiven redeemed. But when you look in that mirror, you’ll see all your mistakes, failures times, you don’t measure up looking back at you is a guilty, unworthy, undeserving person.
It’s a distorted mirror. Have you been through disappointments? Life hasn’t treated you fair.
That distorted mirror will come up. You’ll see yourself defeated at a disadvantage. Nothing good in your future.
When the truth is God has beauty for those ashes. What was meant for harm? He’s turning to your advantage.
What’s the problem? You’re looking in the wrong mirror. As long as you’re letting that define who you are.
As long as you’re believing those distorted images, it will keep you from rising higher.
You have to get rid of that mirror and go get the right mirror.
James one says that God’s word is like a mirror. It reflects who you really are.
What God says about you is the true image. You need to keep in front of you.
You are not defined by people, by your past, by how you were raised by what didn’t work out.
You are defined by your creator.
When you look in the mirror of God’s word, you’ll find that you are valuable.
You are talented, you are confident, favored, blessed, worthy as you see yourself, the way God sees you, it begins to heal damaged self images.
His word will repair the hurts, the scars, the unfair things that have caused you to see yourself as lacking inferior, unqualified.
Keep this right mirror in front of you may not happen overnight.
But if you will keep seeing yourself the right way, little by little, you’re changing, you’re going to become what you’re seeing.
Maybe you’re struggling with an addiction. As long as you see yourself addicted, you’re gonna stay that way.
You need to change mirrors. Start seeing yourself whole free clean restored.
You have to see it on the inside before it will happen on the outside.
You won’t be successful with a negative image of yourself like a magnet.
How you see yourself will keep pulling you toward it.
If you see yourself struggling, barely getting by scarcity mentality, you’re moving toward it.
What would happen if you would change mirrors?
Start seeing yourself as blessed, prosperous, talented, having a bountiful year then because you have the right image because you’re in agreement with God, you’re moving toward abundance.
Overflow. Good breaks a bountiful life.
If you see yourself as lonely, not a good personality, inferior, you’re moving toward loneliness, not having friends, not meeting anyone, do yourself a favor, change mirrors.
You’re beautiful, you’re attractive. You’re one of a kind, you’ve been crowned with favor, you’re a prize. Whoever gets you.
It’s like they won the lottery.
When you have the right mirror, you put your shoulders back, you’ll carry yourself like the royalty.
God created you to be. I talked to a man recently.
He told how his business is down, how the pandemic has set him back and his company is making changes.
His retirement is in jeopardy on and on. When he got finished, I was depressed too.
I was ready to give up. What is a problem? He’s looking in a distorted mirror.
He sees himself as washed up, disadvantaged. Nothing good in his future. That’s pulling him toward lack struggle, mediocrity.
I told Him. What I’m telling you, you have to get a new mirror. God’s word.
The right mirror says many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers us out of them all.
It says when the enemy comes like a flood, God will raise up a barrier.
It says your latter days will be better than your former days.
If you’ll see yourself that way as a victor, not a victim, then even in tough times, you’ll stay confident, hopeful, expecting God’s favor, knowing that He didn’t bring you this far to leave you.
He hasn’t failed you in the past. He’s not going to start now have an image of victory.
You’re not weak, defeated, overcome by problems.
You’re a warrior, you’ve been armed with strength for every battle you are full of can do power.
The forces that are for you are greater than forces that are against you.
Don’t go through life looking in distorted mirrors, mirrors that are magnifying the wrong things causing you to see yourself as small, limited Joel.
This problem is too big. I’ll never overcome this sickness, never get out of debt, never break this addiction.
The reason the enemy is trying to distort your image is because He knows who you really are.
He knows you’re a giant killer. He knows you’re made in the image of God.
He knows you have seeds of greatness. Don’t let his phony mirror keep you from stepping into your greatness.
Don’t let a wrong self image keep you from leaving your mark. How much further will you go?
How much happier will you live?
How much more confidence will you have if you get rid of the distorted images and start seeing yourself the way God sees you?
This is what the Israelites had to do. They had been in slavery for many years.
God brought them out, parted the Red Sea. They were headed toward the promised land in the desert.
They didn’t have a temple where they could worship a big building.
They had a tent or what they call the Tabernacle where they would meet before the priests could go into the altar area.
They had to wash their hands and feet in this large bowl of water at the entry of the tent.
What’s significant is how this bowl was made.
Exodus 38 says, Moses made the large wash basin from the bronze mirrors.
He melted down from the Israeli women mirrors in that day weren’t made out of glass.
They were made out of polished bronze. They would be so shiny that you could see your reflection.
The Israelite women got these mirrors from the Egyptians as they were on their way out of slavery.
God caused them to have favor with their captors and they gave them their gold silver and fine clothing.
These mirrors were valuable to the women had nothing special for all these years.
Now they have these nice bronze mirror then Moses comes along says, give me your mirrors.
I wanna melt them down and make a bowl where the priest will cleanse themselves.
He could have said, give me your pots and pans. Give me your hammers and chisels.
I’ll make the wash basin out of that. But God said to the women, give me your mirrors.
When these women looked in the mirror, they saw former slaves, they saw tired, defeated, unqualified people staring back.
You can imagine being in bondage for years, working night and day, mistreated those mirrors only reminded them of all they’ve been through how unfair it was, how unattractive inferior they were.
God showed up and said, give me those mirrors. He was saying, give me your image.
You can’t become who I created you to be looking in those mirrors.
Let me have them notice what God did.
He melted down the bronze mirrors signifying I’m melting down anything that does not reflect who I made you to be.
I’m melting down, the shame, the heartache, the guilt, the unworthiness.
And the next time you see this mirror is going to be in a bowl for cleansing, meaning I’m washing away the negative things of the past.
I’m washing away what the enemy tried to do, washing away mistakes. You’ve made the bad breaks. What wasn’t fair?
And I’m gonna give you a new way of seeing yourself.
God was saying you can’t reach your destiny unless you give me your image, you have to give God your mirror.
Don’t let how you were raised. What wasn’t fair? Create your image. Give it to God.
He’ll melt down the wrong ways. You see yourself. Don’t let other people determine your image.
What someone said, parent coach and ex spouse, hurtful words.
You’re not good enough, you’re not talented, you’re not attractive, you’ll never amount to much.
That wrong mirror will keep you in bondage.
God knew if these women kept seeing themselves the way they were, they would have lived defeated, insecure and feeling less than he had to get their mirror before they could step into the fullness of what he had in store after all.
It doesn’t do any good to go into the promised land.
If you still see yourself as lacking, not enough, I don’t deserve it.
What’s limiting some people is not the fact that God doesn’t have good breaks, favor new relationships.
It’s that they won’t give God their image if He takes you to a new level, but you still see yourself the wrong way.
You’re not going to enjoy it. You have to give him your mirror first.
Let him have your image see yourself the way he sees you. Then you can go into your promised land.
But sometimes it’s guilt holding us back. I’ve made too many mistakes. I don’t deserve it.
We see ourselves unworthy, not valuable. We sit on the sidelines of life. No passion, not pursuing goals.
Don’t keep that old image. Give God your mirror.
His word will melt down all the guilt, the shame, the insecurities. He sees you without fault.
He calls you righteous, holy, blameless. In the scripture. Jacob was known for being dishonest, cheating people.
He tricked his brother out of his birthright, went around manipulating, conniving. His name even means swindler.
So planner deceiver, he lived up to it. You could imagine how he saw himself.
That still small voice whispered, you’re better than this. Jacob. I have a destiny for you to fulfill.
I put greatness in you. God was saying, Jacob, give me your image, get rid of that distorted mirror.
I’m sure thoughts told him no, Jacob, this is just who you are. You’re a fraud.
You’re a con man. Just accept it. Years went by and nothing changed.
But one day Jacob did what I’m asking us to do despite his flaws, despite his mistakes, he went down to the Brook alone one night to be with God.
He thought I’m tired of living this way. I wanna make a change.
He was saying in effect, I’ve seen myself as a failure. I’ve lived condemned. I don’t like who I am.
God, I’m gonna give you my mirror. I’m gonna see myself the way you see me that night.
He wrestled with an angel. He wouldn’t let the angel go at daybreak.
The angel said to him, you will no longer be called Jacob. God is giving you a new name.
You will be called Israel. Israel means prince with God. God was saying, I’m taking that mirror.
It shows you as a deceiver trickster con man, I’m melting that all down.
I’m getting rid of all those impurities. Now, your new image will be a prince with God.
When he saw himself as a prince, he started making choices that honored God out of Jacob came the 12 tribes of Israel that would have never happened.
If he had kept looking in the wrong mirror, why don’t you give God your image?
He sees you restored, you’re redeemed. He calls you a prince with God.
The enemy would love for you to go through life with the wrong mirror.
Seeing yourself as a failure, focused on your mistakes, feeling unworthy.
But you don’t do better when you have a negative image of yourself.
That cycle keeps repeating when you give God your mirror, despite what you’ve done wrong, despite how you feel, you start believing that you’re forgiven, you’re valuable that you’re worthy, that you deserve to be blessed, not because of who you are, but because of who you are, then you will step in to your greatness.
Now, you may have failed in the past, but that’s what you did. That’s not who you are.
Failure is an event, not a person.
You may struggle with an addiction, but you are not an addict. That’s what you do.
That’s not who you are. Don’t let that image take root. You are a child of the most high God.
You’re not Jacob, you’re Israel, you’re a prince with God. That’s how he sees you.
But too often we don’t realize that our self image has been damaged. We’ve been through hurts and disappointments.
We’ve made mistakes. We wonder why we can’t rise higher. We’re looking in the wrong mirror.
That’s what happened with Gideon.
He was hiding in the wine press, afraid intimidated and angel showed up and said, mighty hero.
The Lord is with you. You are to lead the Israelites against the MidNite.
Gideon looked around thought, who’s he talking about? No mighty hero here.
You must have missed your assignment because I’m afraid Gideon said to the angel.
I come from the poorest family. I’m the least one in my father’s house.
Notice the two mirrors, least one poorest defeated. Can’t do anything great.
Then God’s mirror, mighty hero, fearless courage, history maker, here’s the key.
You can’t keep your mirror and have God’s too. You have to give God your image.
Let him control how you see yourself. Not the media, not your family, not your job, not your critics.
Don’t give other people your mirror. If you do, you’ll become what they want you to be.
They don’t always have your best interest at heart. Give God your mirror. He knows what’s in you.
He can see things that you can’t see and the reason we act like Gideon sometimes we don’t see ourselves as mighty and favored and influential is we don’t realize what’s in us.
Takes faith to say God, I feel afraid I’m intimidated. I don’t see how I can do this.
But if you say I can, then I’m gonna get an agreement with you and believe that I can.
That’s when you’ll discover talent, ability, courage that you’ve never seen.
Yes, it’s normal at times to feel intimidated, to not think you can step up to a new level.
This is where your faith has to kick in God. I’m giving you this weak, limited. Can’t do it. Image.
I’m gonna look in your mirror. I feel weak. But you see me as strong, I feel intimidated.
But you see me bold and courageous.
I feel outnumbered, but you see me more than a enough, I’m fighting this illness, but you see me healthy and whole.
Gideon got rid of that old mirror and started looking in the right mirror.
He saw himself as a mighty hero. He went out and defeated the MidNite today.
He’s listed as one of the heroes of fame is a wrong mirror keeping you from your greatness.
Have you believed the lies that you’re too old, too young, not smart enough, wrong nationality. That’s ok.
You’re right where Gideon was. You can still become a mighty hero.
Give God your image, see yourself the way He sees you from the time.
He was a five year old little boy, Jim had a terrible problem with stuttering.
Other kids at school, laughed and made fun of him. He became very insecure and isolated. Himself.
Wouldn’t talk with others, wouldn’t go play with friends. He didn’t wanna be ridiculed, but he loved to write poetry.
When other kids were out playing sports, he stayed inside and focused on his poems as a teenager.
One of his teachers loved poetry too when she found out that Jim was a gifted writer.
She tried to get him to read his poems in the class. Jim wasn’t about to, he couldn’t do that.
He stuttered too badly when he was nervous. He could hardly get one word out.
One day this teacher came up with a plan. Jim turned his writing assignment in. She was so brilliant.
She said in front of the whole class, Jim, I don’t think you wrote this.
There’s no way this is so good. He stuttered and said, no, ma’am. I did write it.
She said, I don’t believe you. I’ve been teaching for years. I’ve never seen anything close to being this good.
He said it again, more stuttering, more emphatically. Yes, I promise you. I wrote this.
She said, then you’re gonna have to prove it to me.
You have to read it in front of the class so I can see that, you know it, Jim reluctantly walked up to the front and as he held the paper, his hands were shaking.
So nervous other kids were snickering, whispering to each other. Here comes the stuttering.
But when he began to read the poem, the rhythm of what he wrote flowed out so naturally that he never stuttered a word.
He couldn’t believe it. The kids couldn’t believe it. The teacher was in awe as he continued reading.
They discovered that he had an amazing voice, deep, resonant, compelling.
He read with incredible passion and skill from that time on Jim never stuttered again.
Today, we know Jim as James Earl Jones, not only a great actor but one of the great voices of our day, I believe down deep.
You know, God has put great things in you.
You know, you can rise higher, you can set a new standard for your family.
You can beat the sickness, you can break the addiction, but maybe like Jim, you’re stuck letting fear intimidation, your weaknesses, convince you to live, hiding your gifts, hiding what God put in you like that teacher, God has sent me to help you get rid of the wrong mirror.
If you’ll take this step of faith, you’ll discover there’s a new mirror like Gideon.
You’re a mighty hero like James, you can leave your mark.
What’s held you back in the past is not who you are. There is greatness in you.
Now do your part. Give God your mirror when you let His word define who you are, it breaks limitations frees you from fears and insecurity and what didn’t work out.
You will step in to who you were created to be.
When my father went to be with the Lord. In 1999 I had never ministered before.
Spent 17 years behind the scenes doing the television production.
I thought that’s what I would do the rest of my life.
My father tried to get me up many times to speak but always told him no, I was more quiet, reserved.
I didn’t wanna get up in front of people.
But when he passed, I knew I was supposed to step up. I felt it so strongly.
All these thoughts told me you’re too quiet.
You don’t have the right personality, the training, the experience, nobody’s gonna listen to you like Gideon.
I could hear God telling me to lead the people to step into new levels.
But I was afraid intimidated thinking of all the what ifs? What if I do it and fail?
What if I get up and don’t have anything to say? What if nobody likes me?
What if the church goes down?
I’ve learned, you can talk yourself out of your dreams or you can talk yourself into your dreams.
I had to do what I’m asking us to do. I gave God my image.
I said, God, I see myself as unqualified. I feel insecure.
This doesn’t make sense to me, but I’m gonna take your mirror and let what you say about me create my image all through the day.
I am strong in the Lord, I can do all things through Christ. I am surrounded by favor.
Goodness and mercy are following me.
I’m equipped, empowered and anointed that played so long that I started believing what I was saying.
Those words created a new image on the inside.
God didn’t just help me do it, but he exceeded my expectations. He’s taken me where I’ve never dreamed.
Who knows where you’ll go if you’ll get the right mirror, not see yourself how you feel, how you were raised, what other people say, but how God sees you give him your image.
This is what David did. His father overlooked him, left him out in the shepherd’s fields.
When Samuel came to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as the next king, David could have been insecure, low self esteem, man.
My own father doesn’t even believe in me. But David’s attitude was, I’ve already looked in the right mirror.
I know who I am. I’m a giant killer.
He may not see it, but that doesn’t change it when he took lunch to his brothers on the battlefield.
One brother made fun of him tried to make him feel small.
David could have been offended, upset, but he said, no thanks. You don’t determine my image.
I’m not getting my value from you. My value comes from my creator.
I’m looking in his mirror when he told King Saul that he wanted to face.
Goliath Saul said, David don’t be ridiculous. You’re just a boy.
Most people would have been discouraged, talked out of it. Not David.
He didn’t let other people control his image. When Goliath saw how small David was. Goliath started laughing making fun.
David said, Goliath, what you say doesn’t bother me. I’ve already looked in the right mirror.
Your threats, your insults have come too late. I know who I am slung that rock. Goliath came tumbling down.
What mirror are you looking at today? Are you letting people your past? What you’re up against?
Determine your image, Joel. This giant is big. I’m afraid I’ve had disappointments. I can’t ever accomplish my dreams.
That’s a distorted mirror. That’s not who you really are. Get rid of that mirror and go to God’s word.
Let him define your image. If you will see yourself the way God sees you, it will begin to heal damaged self images.
That’s the only thing that’s holding some people back the way they see themselves, I believe and declare today is a new day because you have the right mirror like and you’re about to see greatness come out of you like David, you’re about to defeat some giants like Jacob.
You’re gonna become Israel, not defined by your mistakes, but a prince with God in jesus’ name.
If you receive it, can you say amen?
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I make you my Lord and Savior.
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