In the garden of Eden when Adam and Eve fell, sin and a whole raft of unpleasant things including disease and death entered our bloodline. However a few of those things that truly cripple us are fear, insecurity and a profound sense of unworthiness.
We all suffer from one insecurity or another and in varying degrees. For some it’s the quest for perfection. For others it’s the need to appear good all the time in order to attract compliments. For others still it may be financial insecurity.
Indeed all manner of discrimination including tribalism and racism are founded on a deep insecurity that drives people to humiliate and oppress their “neighbour.”
Affirmation is an expression of unconditional love: God-inspired and selfless love.
A love that requires nothing in return. That is very difficult for most of us to do on any given day. At the very least, we require some form of acknowledgement or appreciation – an affirmation. Indeed in the absence of affirmation teenagers rebel, love is found in the wrong places, solace sought in drugs and other kinds of vanity.
God’s Affirmation
Nevertheless a real understanding of God’s love for us through Jesus Christ is able to blot out any insecurity. God affirms us in many ways but let us look at just a few.
- God affirms us through the blood of Jesus. The blood is the ultimate expression of love and a declaration that we are His and He wants us back.
- The Apostle Paul make many references to Grace in his writings. Grace is one way God affirms His children. That grace is provided for by the sacrifice at Calvary’s cross.
- We are more than conquerors through Christ who strengthens us. [Romans 8:37]
- He also affirms us through our joint-heirship with Jesus. [Romans 8:17]
A battle rages for souls – including yours
We have two sides of the war with opposing objectives:
On the one hand we have the army of God, commanded by Jesus Christ whose objective is to get as many souls in Heaven as possible. On the other we have the enemy who relentlessly works to get many into hell as he can. [1 Peter 5:8]
The moment you are saved you are conscripted into the army of Christ.
And in the war of souls the enemy’s plan is quite simple – divide and rule. Disrupt the family unit and thereby disperse strength and dreams. [John 10:10]
Some of the weapons in the enemy’s arsenal include – envy, low self-esteem, inadequacy, covetousness, complexes (both inferiority and superiority) among many others.
How do we parry these weapons? The love of God, the word of God – the Affirmation of God.
So why is affirmation a weapon?
Because with that alone, you are able to neutralise the weapons of lack of self-esteem, guilt, fear and many other weapons that the enemy uses against God’s children. We need to apply every weapon in our arsenal, for the weapons of our warfare indeed are not carnal – [2 Corinthians 10:4-6]
Affirmation is a weapon. When we build up or affirm our children, spouse, brother, friend or neighbour we are equipping them to contribute effectively in the war of souls. See it’s not about us. We are not our own. We were bought with a high price. It’s all about our Jesus!
Our perfection is in Jesus Christ
So when the enemy torments us with guilt when we stumble or bombards our minds with thoughts of unworthiness what does God do? He affirms us by saying: “remember the blood of your older brother I shed at Calvary cross?” We simply respond by saying thank you for the blood Jesus, pick ourselves up and move forward.
Some of us need to learn that quickly. We are soldiers and the commander needs us at the battle-front! Do you really think the commander cares whether you tore your combat fatigues when rushing through the thorny bush? Or that your hair got singed when rescuing your comrades from hostile fire? No! He doesn’t.
We can best express that unconditional love by affirming not only our loved ones but those who profit us nothing.
Affirmation yields contentment and generosity. When you are confident in the knowledge that God loves you regardless of your past because of Jesus death at the cross, you will be prosper in all of life’s endeavours.
Be affirmed in the love of Jesus Christ and affirm someone today!
If you haven’t given your life to Jesus yet and will like to do so then pray this short prayer wherever you are.
Dear Heavenly Father
I confess I do not know you and because I cannot see you, or touch you, it is difficult for me to believe you are there.
Yet I am willing to trust you.
I confess I am a sinner and have done many things I know are wrong.
But I am asking you today to forgive me of all those sins and make me a new person.
Create within me a clean heart and fill me with your love.
I cast all my cares and burdens onto you and I chose to live for you.
I thank you for hearing my prayer and coming into my life.
I thank you for restoring me and making me whole again.
I thank you for the new life you have given me through Jesus Christ your only begotten Son and now my Lord and Saviour.Amen
If you have any questions or want to know more on how you can live this life full of love and freedom then send us an email.
If you already have a personal relationship with Jesus, then help a friend in need of salvation by sharing this message.
God bless you
Socrates
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