Words have power. Words can wound and words can heal. Words too often define us. The words we chose to attribute to ourselves, and the labels others have assigned us. I think too frequently, the words we speak to ourselves and the judgements we hold onto weigh us down rather than lift us up.
I’ve been going to the gym for over a year. It’s become a vital part of my life; a gift I give to my physical, emotional, and mental self. But I’ve never fully felt like I belonged. I’m a middle-aged mom who does not look anything like the women in the sports bra advertisements. I work with a trainer once a week. This week, as we transitioned to using exclusively free weights and a new set of exercises, he said to me, “You’re an athlete.”
I sat up from the exercise bench, laughed and said, “No one, in my life, has ever used that term to describe me.” He explained that from his perspective I am because of how I adapt to the exercises, push myself, and how my body responds to the work we are doing. It may sound trite or silly, but in that moment – in one word, athlete – I felt like I had a right to be there. It empowered me. The woman I saw in the mirror sweating and breathing through one more set of shoulder presses suddenly looked different. What I saw was a confident, competent, driven woman who was honoring the temple God gave her. The power of a word.
We label ourselves based on worldly expectations or social norms. Overachiever. Underachiever. Loser. Winner. Skinny. Fat. Worthless. Failure. Success. For many, the labels we choose are not ones that lift us up, but rather, chain us down. Maybe you made a poor decision when you were young, and you feel like you aren’t good enough or worthy. Maybe you weren’t good academically, so you labeled yourself as dumb and are intimidated by people you think are smarter than you. Maybe you look at the moms in your church and think they are parenting so much better than you, so you are obviously a bad mom. Or maybe you look at the other people in the gym and think, I am a middle-aged mom who doesn’t belong here.
You’d be wrong. No matter what your circumstance, you’d be wrong. Because those labels are lies. They are the work of an enemy who preys on our insecurities to separate us from Christ. And the devil is relentless. Each time we choose to believe the lie – whatever that word is in your life – we give power to the enemy. The enemy has no authority that we do not give him. Let me say that again, the enemy has no authority we do not give him.
Our defense, my dear ones, is so simple and so powerful. It is in the Word of God. There is nothing more powerful than scripture. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Jesus knew the power of scripture. In Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus went into the wilderness where He would be tempted three times by the devil. Jesus had been fasting for 40 days and nights. He was in a weakened state. Certainly, the devil must have thought this was his best chance to destroy Jesus. But he would be wrong. Jesus responded each time by citing scripture
“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Deuteronomy 8:3)
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” (Psalm 91:11,12)
7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” (Deuteronomy 6:16)
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” 10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” (Deuteronomy 6:13)
11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
Don’t miss this critical point – satan also used scripture to tempt Jesus. Taking it out of context and manipulating it for his purposes. He, too, knew the power of scripture. But he did not know the power of truth. Heavenly truth. God’s truth. The truth of the Holy Spirit that resided in Jesus Christ and resides in us. The truth of words spoken by a Father whose love for us is all consuming. A Father who searches the darkest corners of our hearts and minds to free us from the lies that falsely define us. The world screams negative labels. Our Father whispers certainty.
Redeemed. Saved. Treasured. Adored. My child.
Embrace the promises of the Father. See yourself as He sees you. Cherish the one He loves unconditionally. You. With all your flaws. With all your mistakes. With all your imperfections.
Beloved and Forgiven.
Take a few minutes this week to think about the negative lies you accept as truth. Replace them with the promises of God.