Morning by Morning, May 12 - Purged of People-Pleasing
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Make me more like You today. ...
"Am I now seeking human approval, or God's approval? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a servant of Christ" (Galatians 1:10).
A root of insecurity feeds the spirit of intimidation. When we're intimidated by the opinions of people, we're striving for the approval of people so we can feel secure about ourselves and accepted by others. But it's hard to have two masters (Matthew 6:24). We can't fully serve God when we're entangled and enslaved by the shackles of pleasing people. "The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe" (Proverbs 29:25 NKJV). O Lord, set us free! Purge the people-pleasing spirit out of Your people and out of me!
The key to freedom is not beating ourselves up for the burdens of this bondage. The key is to allow You to show us how secure we are in You. With a true revelation of who You are, we begin to see more clearly who we are in You and who You are in us. "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For (we) did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear (or intimidation or insecurity or the snare of living our lives forever trying to please people we can never really please anyway), but (we) have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, 'Abba! Father!' It is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ -- if, in fact, we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him" (Romans 8:14-17).
Abba! Father! I'm a child of God, filled with the Spirit of God. Your Word encourages me, "Do not fear, (Do not fear man or anything else), for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I Am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.... Because you are precious in My sight, and honored, and I love you.... Do not fear, for I Am with you.... everyone who is called by My name, whom I created for My glory, whom I formed and made" (Isaiah 43:1-7).
Embracing my security in You heals every root of insecurity in me. "For (You have) not given (me) a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV). "(Your) perfect love (for me) casts out fear," uproots insecurity, delivers me from the evil of intimidation, and breaks every chain of the bondage of pleasing people above honoring my God as a bond servant of Christ (1 John 4:18).
Come, Holy Spirit. Embraced by my Father, centered in Christ, filled with the Spirit, may I be confident and secure as the beloved child of God I am -- not intimidated or controlled by anyone or anything, but whole and free, "mature in Christ" (Colossians 1:28). In Jesus' name I pray.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
I pray you grow every day in the revelation and security of the truth of who you are in Christ and who Christ is in you -- as a child of God, embraced by your Father, centered in Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257
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