I’m not sure when or why we started calling him Sir Rob. I mean he’s not British and as far as I know the Queen has not knighted him. But Sir Rob just kind of feels like a knight. He’s ex-military and a tough guy but yet carries an air of nobility and wisdom with him that makes you feel like you’re talking with someone in the English Parliament. Except of course when he’s making jokes and swimming in dry humor. Which I suppose is a lot of the time. But still, Sir Rob just fits.
I also don’t recall when I first heard him pose the question. I’ve heard it a lot though. Another one of my friends gets down on himself and begins a degradation process. You know; the “I’m an idiot” type talk. I’ve done that. Maybe you have. But right after my friend told himself how bad he was Sir Rob followed up with the question of; “really, who said that?” In other words, who said he was an idiot, failure, or other?
Sure, we’ve all failed at things and have made mistakes. But that is not the same as “being” a failure. Sometimes we “do” something stupid, but that does not mean we “are” stupid. I believe Sir Rob is on to something. I’m not talking self-help guruism here, but just asking where the thought came from and what the ramifications are. From a spiritual standpoint we know that Satan is referred to as the father of lies and Jesus goes on to describe Satan on mission to steal and kill and destroy. The point being that one of the ways Satan attacks humanity is in the heart and destruction of the soul. It’s hard to live to our fullest when we believe the worst about ourselves. And that is just where Satan wants us. Yes; we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. This is true. But that is why Jesus came. The mission of Christ was not only to seek and to save, but to restore. Thus, when we are in Christ we are new creations. That is an identity of which the evil one certainly does not want us to carry around with us.
Satan speaks destruction to us through many means. Sometimes it is the voice of one of our parents, a school teacher, or even a religious nut in our church. Many times it is through our own broken heart and tongue. But that is not what Jesus says.
He came that we might have life and life to the fullest. This is something that begins now in the present Kingdom of God and will find fulfillment at His second coming at the end of all things. No, Jesus does not call us failures. Quite the opposite. A quick survey of scriptures reveals a more powerful picture of who we are in Jesus. Here are just a few illustrations.
-I am more than a conqueror through Christ, who loves me. (Romans 8:37)
-I am assured all things work together for good to those who love Him. (Romans 8:28)
-I am a temple, a dwelling place of God. His Spirit and His life dwell in me. (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19)
-I am a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
-I am an ambassador for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20).
-I am God’s coworker. (2 Corinthians 6:1)
-I am a minister of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:17-20)
-I am God’s workmanship. (Ephesians 2:10)
-I am forgiven. (Ephesians 1:8; Colossians 1:14)
-I am confident that God will perfect the work He has begun in me. (Philippians 1:6)
-I am a citizen of heaven. (Philippians 3:20)
-I have been given a spirit of power, love, and self-control instead of fear. (2 Timothy 1:7)
-I am a member of a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a People for God’s own possession. (1 Peter 2:9,10)
Sometimes we just have to reprogram our thinking with the truth of God in place of the lies of the world. In the Old Testament; David noted in prayer that God created his inmost being (Ps 139) and thus there was a divine purpose to his life. The same applies to us today.
Recently I was sharing Sir Rob’s question with a younger friend and then I followed up with the ultimate question of; “and who are you going to believe?”
Today, who are you going to believe and also; who are you going to encourage with the truth of Jesus?
Be strong my friend as God has made you such!
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