Seeing Yourself Through the Eyes of God
Main Scriptures: Colossians 1:13–14; Colossians 2:13–15; Ephesians 1:17–23; Ephesians 6:10–18; 2 Corinthians 10:3–5; Philippians 2:9–11.
Introduction: Know Who You Are in Christ
As believers, it is important that we see ourselves exactly as God sees us. If we do not deliberately find out what God says about us, we may end up suffering things we should not suffer or missing out on things we should be enjoying.
This is why we must pay attention to God’s Word and allow it to shape our understanding of who we are.
It is not enough to hear the Word in church. We must go back home, dig into it, meditate on it and allow it to become established in our hearts. We must renew our minds, put away our old ways of thinking and put on the new man, which is created after God in righteousness and true holiness.
In the previous teaching, we established that we are holy and righteous in Christ. We are holy because God has set us apart for Himself. We are righteous because God has given us right standing with Him through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It is not something we earned through our good works or personal efforts. It is a gift.
Therefore, our confidence before God is not in what we have done but in what Christ has done for us. We come boldly before God because Christ is our righteousness.
Building on this truth, we must also understand another important reality about our identity in Christ:
I AM DELIVERED. I AM FREE. I BELONG TO A NEW KINGDOM.
1. Understand the Reality of the Kingdom of Darkness
Deliverance is a subject that has been surrounded by many ideas, traditions and misconceptions. Sometimes, the way spiritual warfare and demonic activities are portrayed in films and popular culture gives the impression that the devil has enormous power and that believers are constantly struggling to overcome him.
We must be careful not to allow these portrayals to shape our understanding of spiritual realities. Our understanding must come from the Scriptures, not from movies, traditions or human opinions.
The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 2:11 that we are not ignorant of the devices of Satan. Thank God for Jesus Christ, who revealed the works of the devil and made us understand what was happening behind the scenes.
Hebrews 2:14 explains that through His death, Jesus destroyed the one who had the power of death, that is, the devil.
We must understand that the devil is behind the works of stealing, killing and destruction. Jesus made this clear in John 10:10:
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
There is a clear distinction between the works of the devil and the works of God. The devil comes to steal, kill and destroy, but Jesus came to give us abundant life.
Acts 10:38 also tells us that Jesus went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed of the devil.
We must therefore settle this truth in our hearts: God is good, and the devil is the source of oppression and destruction. God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
2. The Devil Has Been Defeated Through Christ
Ephesians 6:12 tells us that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, rulers of darkness and spiritual wickedness in high places.
The Bible does not deny the existence of spiritual forces. They are real. However, we must understand their position in relation to Christ and the believer.
The devil did not originally have authority over humanity. When Adam sinned, authority was handed over, and the devil operated through that position. But Jesus Christ came as a man, died and rose again, taking back what had been lost.
Colossians 2:13–15 gives us a powerful picture of what Christ accomplished.
The passage explains that God forgave us all our trespasses, blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us and nailed it to the cross. He also spoiled principalities and powers, making an open show of them and triumphing over them.
Think about what happened at Calvary. Jesus carried the sin of the whole world. The very forces that sought to destroy Him witnessed His death, but His resurrection became the demonstration of their defeat.
They thought they had won when Jesus died. But He rose again!
His resurrection was the public declaration that He had triumphed over the powers of darkness.
We must therefore stop living as though the devil is still holding the authority that Christ has already overcome.
3. You Have Already Been Delivered and Transferred into a New Kingdom
One of the most important truths every believer must understand is found in Colossians 1:13:
“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.”
Notice the language of Scripture. It does not say God is going to deliver us. It says He has delivered us.
It does not say He is planning to rescue us from the kingdom of darkness. It says He has already rescued us and transferred us into the kingdom of His dear Son.
This is not a promise waiting to be fulfilled. It is an accomplished work of Christ.
When you received Christ, you were delivered from the authority of darkness and transferred into a new kingdom. You are no longer under the dominion of the kingdom from which Christ rescued you.
This is your new reality in Christ.
Many believers continue to pray as though they are still waiting for God to deliver them. But the starting point of our understanding must be that Christ has already accomplished our deliverance.
We must learn to pray from a position of victory, not from a position of defeat.
This does not mean we ignore spiritual realities. It means we approach them with the understanding that Christ has already given us victory and authority.
God has not left us helpless. He has brought us into His kingdom and given us a new position in Christ.
4. Understand the Glory and Power That Work in You
Ephesians 1:17–23 contains Paul’s prayer for believers. He prayed that God would give them the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ, and that the eyes of their understanding would be enlightened.
Why? So that they would know the hope of their calling, the riches of the glory of their inheritance in the saints and the exceeding greatness of God’s power towards those who believe.
There is something about the believer that must become real to us.
You are not ordinary. There is a glory upon you because you belong to Christ.
When Adam and Eve sinned, humanity fell short of the glory of God. But through Christ, we have been restored and brought into a new relationship with God.
Paul goes further to explain the greatness of the power that works in us. It is the same mighty power God demonstrated when He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places.
Where is Christ seated?
Far above all principality, power, might, dominion and every name that is named, not only in this world but also in that which is to come.
This is the position of Christ, and the believer is identified with Him.
Ephesians 2:6 tells us that God has raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
Furthermore, Ephesians 1:22–23 explains that God put all things under Christ’s feet and gave Him to be the Head over all things to the Church, which is His body.
We must understand our position. We are not on the same level as the powers of darkness. Our position in Christ is far above them.
When you understand this, your approach to life changes. You stop seeing yourself as helpless, vulnerable and constantly at the mercy of the devil.
You begin to live with the confidence that comes from knowing who you are in Christ.
5. Spiritual Warfare Is About Standing Against the Schemes of the Devil
If Christ has already defeated the powers of darkness and we have been delivered, what then is spiritual warfare?
Ephesians 6:10–18 gives us the answer.
Paul tells believers to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. He instructs us to put on the whole armour of God so that we can stand against the schemes of the devil.
Notice what the Scripture emphasises: we are to stand against the schemes, methods and devices of the devil.
The devil seeks to influence people through deception, temptation and wrong thinking. His strategy is to get people to act against the truth of God’s Word.
He cannot make us surrender our authority, but he seeks to deceive us into giving him room to operate.
This is why we must be careful not to give him a foothold.
Ephesians 6 describes the armour of God:
- The belt of truth: We must be established in the truth of the Gospel.
- The breastplate of righteousness: We must understand and stand confidently in the righteousness we have received through Christ.
- The shoes of the Gospel of peace: We must be grounded in the peace that comes from the good news of Jesus Christ.
- The shield of faith: We must use our faith to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one.
- The helmet of salvation: We must maintain our understanding of the salvation we have received.
- The sword of the Spirit: This is the Word of God, which we use to counter every deception and temptation.
Look at how Jesus responded when the devil tempted Him. He did not engage in a prolonged struggle. He responded with the Word of God.
Again and again, His answer was: “It is written.”
When the devil tempted Him to turn stones into bread, Jesus responded with the Word. When He was offered the kingdoms of the world in exchange for worship, Jesus stood firmly on what God had said.
This is how we resist the schemes of the devil. We remain established in the truth, refuse to accept deception and hold firmly to the Word of God.
6. Pull Down Strongholds by Renewing Your Mind
2 Corinthians 10:3–5 gives us another important understanding of spiritual warfare.
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”
What are these strongholds?
The passage explains that they involve imaginations, arguments and thoughts that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God.
This is very important.
Sometimes, the greatest battle is taking place in the mind. The devil wants to influence how we think, what we believe and how we see ourselves.
If you believe that God is weak, that the devil is more powerful than Christ or that you are still under the authority of darkness, you will live according to those wrong beliefs.
This is why renewing our minds is so important.
We must cast down every imagination that contradicts what God has said. Every thought that tells us we are helpless, defeated or still under the dominion of darkness must be brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
Do not allow your imagination to become a stronghold against the truth of God’s Word.
Feed your mind with Scripture. Meditate on what God has accomplished through Christ. Let His Word determine your thinking, your confidence and your response to life.
7. Resist the Devil in the Name of Jesus
James 4:7 gives us a clear instruction:
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Notice that the Scripture does not say the devil may flee. It says he will flee.
As believers, we have authority in the name of Jesus Christ. Philippians 2:9–11 tells us that God has highly exalted Jesus and given Him a name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, things on earth and things under the earth.
Every authority must bow to the name of Jesus.
We must therefore stop approaching spiritual matters with fear and intimidation. We do not need to shout, struggle or engage in endless activities to establish the authority of Jesus.
Our confidence is in His name and in what He has accomplished.
When we encounter demonic oppression or activities that are contrary to God’s purpose, we stand in the authority of Jesus and resist them.
We must also understand the importance of prayer and fellowship with God. When we spend time in praise, prayer and the Word, our awareness of our position in Christ becomes stronger. Our confidence rises, and we become more conscious of the spiritual reality of who we are.
We are not fearful. We are not timid. We have a sound mind.
The righteous are bold as a lion.
Conclusion: Live in the Reality of Your Deliverance
The most important thing is to understand who you are in Christ.
You have been delivered from the power of darkness. You have been transferred into the kingdom of God’s dear Son. You have been given a new position, a new identity and authority in Christ.
The devil wants to keep people ignorant of these truths because ignorance can affect how they live. But we must refuse to live below what Christ has made available to us.
Do not allow the things you have watched, heard or experienced to determine your understanding of spiritual realities. Let the Word of God shape your thinking.
When thoughts of fear come, respond with the Word. When the enemy attempts to deceive you, stand in the truth. When you encounter opposition, remember your position in Christ.
You are not a victim of the kingdom of darkness. You belong to a new kingdom.
You are delivered. You are free. You are seated with Christ in heavenly places, far above principalities and powers.
Live with this understanding. Walk in this confidence. Exercise your authority in the name of Jesus.
I AM DELIVERED. I AM FREE. I BELONG TO A NEW KINGDOM!
Personal Reflection and Declaration
Take a moment to reflect on these truths:
- Am I seeing myself the way God sees me, or am I allowing old beliefs and experiences to shape my identity?
- Do I understand that Christ has already delivered me from the power of darkness?
- Am I feeding my mind with God’s Word and rejecting thoughts that contradict His truth?
- Am I exercising my authority in Christ with confidence rather than fear?
Declare these truths over your life:
- I have been delivered from the power of darkness.
- I belong to the kingdom of God’s dear Son.
- I am seated with Christ in heavenly places, far above principalities and powers.
- The same power that raised Christ from the dead is at work in me.
- I have the mind of Christ, and my thoughts are subject to His Word.
- I am not ignorant of the devices of the devil.
- I resist the devil, and he flees from me.
- I am not fearful or timid. I have a sound mind.
- I am delivered. I am free. I belong to a new kingdom!
Every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Amen!
