>> VICTORIA: HALLELUJAH! WE ARE GRATEFUL PEOPLE. THE BIBLE SAYS IN GENESIS THAT WE ARE MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD. YOU SEE, THE IMAGE THAT WE CARRY ON THE INSIDE OF US HAS A LOT TO DO WITH WHAT WE REFLECT. IT HAS SO MUCH TO DO WITH WHAT WE IDENTIFY WITH, HOW WE SEE OURSELF, WHAT WE GO AFTER. IN FACT, OUR IMAGE IS OUR SOURCE OF STRENGTH AND CONFIDENCE.
THAT IS REALLY THE KEY TO LIVING THE ABUNDANT LIFE THAT JESUS CAME TO GIVE US. NOW, OUR IMAGE WAS DISTORTED IN THE GARDEN. IT WAS SEPARATED FROM GOD BUT GOD SAID, “I’M GOING TO REBIRTH THIS IMAGE IN YOU.” SO YOU HAVE BEEN REBIRTHED WITH THE IMAGE OF GOD WHEN YOU SAID, “YES,” TO JESUS. BUT TOO OFTEN, THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN OUR LIFE, MAYBE THE WAY WE WERE RAISED, A DIVORCE, HURTS AND PAINS, TRY TO DISTORT OR SMEAR THAT IMAGE, THAT TRIES TO COVER UP THE TRUE YOU, THE ONE THAT GOD CREATED IN HIS IMAGE.
THEN YOU BEGIN TO IDENTIFY WITH YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES. YOU BEGIN TO IDENTIFY WITH THE PAIN, WHEN ALL ALONG GOD NEVER INTENDED THESE THINGS TO HURT YOU. HE INTENDED YOU TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST JESUS AND TO IDENTIFY WITH HIM AND HIS POWER THAT LIVES IN YOU. YOU SEE, IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHO YOU ARE, YOU WON’T KNOW WHAT TO IDENTIFY WITH.
