RCCG Victory Temple Chantilly's Podcast

MAR. 10, 2025

How God sees you.

"There is...no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." Ro 8:1

Once we understand that God's love for us is based on what Christ did for us rather than what we do ourselves, the struggle is over. Now we can stop "performing," and we can serve God because we know He loves us and that we don't need to try to make Him love us.

We no longer fear rejection by Him because of our mistakes. When we do something wrong, now all we do is repent, receive God's forgiveness, and then refuse the condemnation that sin brings. Realizing we are loved and accepted even though we're imperfect is such a relief! Serving God out of desire rather than obligation is incredibly liberating! 

The moment you place your trust in Christ, God sees you as righteous from that point on. He doesn't accept you because of your performance but because of your relationship with Him through Christ. And you need to decide to believe it and stand on it. A noted minister writes: "We become what we believe we are; therefore, as we become convinced that we are right with God, our behavior will improve. We will do things right and with less effort. 

No matter what other people may have told you that you are not, God delights in telling you in His Word who you are in 

• Him-loved, 
• valuable, 
• precious, 
• talented, 
• gifted, 
• capable, 
• powerful, 
• wise, and 
• redeemed. 

Take a moment and repeat those nine things aloud. Say, 

• 'I am loved, 
• valuable, 
• precious, 
• talented, 
• gifted, 
• capable, 
• powerful, 
• wise, and 
• redeemed!'" 

That's how God sees you, and it's how you need to start seeing yourself.

How God sees you Loved, valuable, precious, capable, powerful, wise and redeemed

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Use your imagination.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we... imagine." Eph 3:20 NIV

Lack of faith is not a failure of logic; it's a failure of imagination. Lack of faith is the inability or unwillingness to entertain thoughts of a God who is able to do "immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" (v. 20 NIV). 

Did you get that? God wants to empower your imagination! 

A pastor writes: "If we are going to have an eternal impact on our culture, we can't just criticize it or copy it. We've got to create it. If we are going to reach our generation with the gospel, we can't just appeal to logic. We've got to capture their imagination. And C. S. Lewis is a great example of both. Can you think of anyone more left-brain logical than Lewis? His theological writings, from Mere Christianity to The Problem of Pain, are as logical as logic can be. 

But Lewis combined left-brain logic with right-brain creativity. The Chronicles of Narnia continue to capture the imagination of new generations. 

The church ought to be the most creative place on the planet. And there are certainly pockets of ingenuity and imagination, but we're nowhere near our creative potential." 

Perhaps this is because we have a false definition of faithfulness. 

• Faithfulness is not doing it how it has always been done. 
• It's not preserving the status quo. 

No, we must never water down the gospel or promote biblical compromise for cultural relevancy. Bottom line: Our message must never change, but our methods must change if we are to gather in the final harvest before the Lord of the harvest returns.

Use your imagination Our message must never change, but our methods must change.

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Put away the measuring stick!

"Jesus said to Simon Peter...do you love me...?" Jn 21:15 NIV

Reimar Schultze says: "The more conscientious we are, the more we...go to bed with some sense that we missed the elusive 100 percent again... Many precious saints fall for this trap…..robbing themselves of the joy of the Lord and the peace...that passes all understanding…We all are familiar with the testimonies of some of the greatest men of God. Many of them, like us...found themselves in the gutters of self-incrimination." Moses felt completely unworthy and unable to free Israel from Egypt. Yet how often has God called you to do something and you said the same thing: "Who am I, that I should go?" (Ex 3:11). 

Do you think you know more than the One who called you? David tells us throughout the Psalms that God is omnipotent and omnipresent; that He never takes his eyes off us.  

• Then David contradicts himself by declaring, "I am a worm and not a man" (Ps 22:6 NIV), and "I am forgotten as though I were dead" (Ps 31:12 NIV). 
• Elijah was so depressed that he cried, "Enough... Lord, take away my life" (1Ki 19:4). 
• Job cursed the day he was born, yet the Bible calls him a "blameless and upright" man who reverenced God (Job 1:1 NIV). 

Pastor Schultze continues: "Measuring our worth to God by our performance will continue to threaten us until the end of time...I absolutely refuse to go to bed going through some kind of checklist on how I did...l would rather ask myself the question Jesus asked Peter...do you love Me with all your heart, soul, mind and strength? Again, that is the only test I want to give myself at the end of the day." It's the one that counts most!

Put away the measuring stick! Do you love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength?

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Know when to let go.

"There's...a right time...to hold on and another to let go." Ecc 3:1, 6 MSG

Persistence, determination, commitment, and recognizing the "right time...to hold on" are all commendable qualities, whether it's setting aside time to pray and read every day, eating dinner with your family, finding a better job, or losing weight, etc. 

But it's equally important to recognize the "right time...to let go" of self-generated urgency and things that are stopping you from living "life in all its fullness" (Jn 10:10 NCV).  

The Bible tells us to "lay aside every weight" (Heb 12:1 NKJV). 

Not sure how to start? One teacher offers this suggestion: "Go to the hardware store and buy a flat patio stone that fits into your briefcase or purse. Then take a marker and write on the stone all the fears and prerequisites that are stopping you from enjoying life. Carry it with you wherever you go…

• eating, 
• working, 
• watching TV, 
• showering, 
• sleeping. 

Feel how heavy it is? It's hard to get anything done when your muscles are working overtime carrying all that extra weight. At the end of the second day (if you last that long!), sit down with your stone, review the list, and make a conscious decision to let go of the worries and burdens that are sapping your energy. Then go outside and set the rock down beside your front door. See how much lighter you feel? How much easier it is to get things done? Before you leave home every day, take a second to look at your stone...then turn around and deliberately walk away." That's what it means to "give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you" (Ps 55:22 NLT).

Know when to let go "Lay aside every weight."

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MAR. 3, 2025

Don't break, bounce back (2).

"Though good people may be bothered by trouble...they are never defeated." Pr 24:16 NCV

Here are two more keys to bouncing back: 

(1) Instead of complaining about what you can't change, change what you can. When you can't change your situation, you can change your attitude toward it. How do you do that? By reprogramming your mind with God's Word. The Bible says, "For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe [trust in God]" (1Jn 5:4-5 NLT). 

(2) Instead of grumbling about your pain, grow through it. At the peak of her career, when photographer Linda Joy Montgomery learned she was going blind, an inner voice said, "This isn't the end; it's the beginning." She began writing poetry, discovered her calling as a motivational speaker, and created the True Vision Institute, teaching kids to tap into their inner resources. Finding purpose in your pain isn't a new idea. Survivors of life-threatening illnesses, natural disasters, and the Holocaust, and parents of chronically ill children, continually demonstrate how overcomers find the proverbial silver lining by reinventing themselves. 

Meeting challenges helps you develop a can-do attitude that says, "Been there, done that, and I will survive." Basketball star Michael Jordan said, "I've missed over 9000 shots in my career...lost over 300 games...26 times, l've been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." And you can too.

Don't break, bounce back Change what you can.

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Jesus is the answer.

"I was found by people who were not looking for me. I showed myself to those who were not asking for me." Ro 10:20 NLT

The Bible says, "I was found by people who were not looking for me. I showed myself to those who were not asking for me." 

You say, "What does this Scripture mean?" 

That even though you're looking for answers in the wrong places, asking the wrong questions, and heading in the wrong direction, Jesus will 

• intercept you, 
• redirect you, 
• and meet your deepest needs. 

When the woman at the well met Jesus, she was looking for the answer in relationships. She had been through five failed marriages and was living with man number six (See Jn 4:18). 

When Zacchaeus met Jesus, he was looking for the answer in material things. "Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was" (Lk 19:2-3 NKJV). 

When Paul met Jesus, he was looking for the answer in religion. Here is his résumé: "Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless" (Php 3:5-6 NKJV). 

• Multiple relationships didn't satisfy the woman at the well, 
• riches didn't satisfy Zacchaeus, 
• and religion didn't satisfy Paul. 
• And these things won't satisfy you either. What will? 

A relationship with Jesus! Today He is saying to you: "The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life" (Jn 10:10 NLT). 

Today and forever, Jesus is the answer.

Jesus is the answer Today and forever, Jesus is the answer.

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Refuse to wear the label. 

"His mother called his name Jabez, saying, 'Because I bore him in pain.'" 1Ch 4:9 NKJV

The name Jabez means "pain and trouble." Perhaps that's why no other parent in Scripture gave their child that name. But it's a label he refused to wear and a name he refused to be defined by. 

A label usually tells you what is in a bottle; its contents and even its value. And when you accept the labels people try to put on you, you start to believe that's who you really are and that you will never become anything more than that. The Bible says, "As he thinketh in his heart, so is he" (Pr 23:7). 

• People will use past experiences to label and limit you. 
• They will also use your physical, mental, and emotional characteristics to label and limit you. 

What should you do? Do what Jabez did -go to God! In the final analysis, His opinion about your past, present, and future is the one that matters most. 

Plus, He loves you and has a plan for your life. Jabez prayed a prayer that changed his life, and it will change your life too. "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!' So God granted him what he requested" (1Ch 4:10 NKJV). 

Jabez asked God for four things: 

• blessing, 
• influence, 
• power, and 
• protection. 

And God gave them to him. So, today you have a choice; believe what others say about you, or believe what God says about you. When you look at it that way, the choice is clear.

Refuse to wear the label Blessing, influence, power, and protection

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Today expect God's favor.

"For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield." Ps 5:12 NKJV

The Bible says that God will surround the righteous with favor. If you are trusting in the finished work of Christ, God sees you as "righteous" (See Ro 3:22). 

So, you qualify; you can pray, "Lord, I need your favor in this job interview," or "in selling this house," or "in making this deal," or "in going on this date," etc. Be prepared for your old programming to kick in, where you think about the word "righteous"; you begin to wonder if your thoughts, words, and deeds are good enough to deserve God's favor. Here is a truth you need to keep in mind: The only righteousness that God responds to is the righteousness of Christ. And since He has placed you "in Christ," you are always qualified to ask God for favor and believe He will grant it. You are saved by grace. And the word grace means

•  "unearned, 
• unmerited, 
• undeserved favor." 

The world's concept of favor is misleading: "She owes me a favor," or "I don't owe you any favors!" In other words, the world's concept of favor is totally performance based.

But the only performance God looks at when it comes to granting you His favor is Christ's performance on your behalf and the fact that you are trusting totally in Him. His life covers all your sins of omission, and His death covers all your sins of commission. And since God always sees you "in Christ," in His eyes you are always qualified for favor.

"Righteousness...shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus" (Ro 4:22,24 NKJV). 

So, today expect God's favor. Today expect God's favor Unearned, unmerited, undeserved favor

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Growth is about enlargement.

"You enlarged my path." Ps 18:36 NKJV

Read these enlargement Scriptures: "You enlarged my path." "Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, 'Oh, that You would...enlarge my territory'" (1Ch 4:10 NKJV).  "Enlarge the place of your tent...lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes" (Isa 54:2 NKJV). 

God wants to enlarge you 

• spiritually, 
• emotionally, 
• relationally, 
• and in every area of your life. 

But to experience enlargement, you must learn from people larger than you. 

Dr. John Maxwell writes: "The first ten years that I was intentionally pursuing personal growth, I was always behind trying to catch up. I had to get over the comparison gap. I recognized I needed to be exposed to bigger and better leaders outside of my own small circle, but when I stepped out of my comfort zone, I was intimidated. It was clear that I was not in their league. Their organizations were six times the size of mine, and they had many more and much better ideas than I did. I felt like I was in over my head and trying to swim. Despite that, I was encouraged. Why? Because I discovered that great men were willing to share their ideas. And I was learning so much. You can only learn if others are ahead of you. It was a difficult transition, but it was well worth it. So if you are aware that others are better than you, don't be discouraged. Be glad others are there to help show you the way. Growth is not a rocking chair you sit in, it's a mountain you climb each day. But there is good news. As Jim Rohn said, 'You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight!'"

Growth is about enlargement Be glad others are there to help show you the way.

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Governed by Christ's love for us.

"For the love of Christ constraineth us." 2Co 5:14

The most powerful incentive to overcoming sin is not our love for Christ, but His love for us. Even with the best of intentions, our love for Him is subject to fluctuations. Jesus said to the church in Ephesus, "You have left your first love" (Rev 2:4 NKJV). He said to the church in Laodicea that their love had become

"lukewarm" (Rev 3:16). Many of us grew up in churches where we were told that the reason we yield to certain carnal traits is because we don't love the Lord enough. So, we try harder, without success, and get discouraged. That's like putting the cart before the horse. It should be the other way around. The secret of victorious Christian living is not found in trying to love Jesus more, but in having a revelation of His love for you. That's why Paul wrote, "The love of Christ constraineth us." Paul's actions were governed by the knowledge of Christ's incredible love for him. If you're struggling with sinful habits today, pray for a revelation of God's love for you. It makes all the difference! Paul writes: "I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts...as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love; and may you be able to... understand... how long, how wide, how deep, and how high his love really is; and to experience this love for yourselves, though it is so great that you will never...fully... understand it. And so at last you will be filled up with God himself" (Eph 3:17-19 TLB).

Governed by Christ's love for us A revelation of His love for you

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