Do you know any children who love to play dress up? Both of my children have very creative minds and they used to dress up and play for hours and hours when they were little. Laura was almost always a princess of some sort or a bride. Sam went for the more practice things like fire fighter, warrior, or king. Some of my favorite pictures are of the two of them dressed up. There is something about putting on the wardrobe of a princess or a fire fighter that gives you the freedom to act out the part even if we don’t feel that way in real life.
In Judges 6:12, the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and called him a mighty warrior. Gideon saw himself as anything but a mighty warrior. His response in verse 15 was “But Lord,” Gideon asked, “how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” Fortunately for us, God’s picture of who we are is more a reality than how we see ourselves. The only hindrance that keeps us from becoming what He sees is ourselves.
Jesus asked His disciples who they thought He was. There were a variety of answers given; however, in Matthew 16:16 Peter boldly declared “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus’ response in verses 18-19 was “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” He told Peter who He believed Him to be. Peter didn’t embrace it at first. He allowed fear to keep him from walking in his true identity [Mark 14:53-72]. Jesus, in His loving kindness, forgave Peter and put His true identity before him again [John 21:15-19]. This time Peter embraced his identity in Christ Jesus and he preached the first revival in the history of the church [Acts 2:1-41].
Don’t allow the mirror in your house to determine how you see yourself. Ask the One who created you in your mother’s womb who you are [Psalm 139:13]. He will tell you. In fact, He has already told you who you are throughout His Word. Once you discover your identity; dress the part [Ephesians 6:10-18]. There’s much to be done for the Kingdom.