Meyer - How to succeed at being yourself: finding the confidence to fulfill your destiny

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from The Amplified Bible (AMP). The Amplified Bible, Old Testament copyright 1965, 1987 by The Zondervan Corporation. The Amplified New Testament, copyright 1954, 1958, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

The author has emphasized some words in Scripture quotations in bold, italicized type. Words emphasized in the original Bible versions appear in bold type alone.

Warner Books Edition

Copyright 1999 by Joyce Meyer

Warner Faith

Hachette Book Group

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New York, NY 10017

Visit our Web site at www.HachetteBookGroup.com

The Warner Faith name and logo are registered trademarks of Warner Books.

First eBook Edition: October 2002

ISBN: 978-0-446-54947-9

INTRODUCTION

May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love.

EPHESIANS 3:17

T his book is about knowing yourself, accepting yourself and fulfilling your God-ordained destiny.

During my years in ministering to others, I have discovered that most people really dont like themselves. This is a very big problem, much bigger than one might think initially.

If we dont get along with ourselves, we wont get along with other people. When we reject ourselves, it may seem to us that others reject us as well. Relationships are a large part of our lives. How we feel about ourselves is a determining factor in our success in life and in relationships.

When I am around people who are insecure, it tends to make me feel insecure about them too. It is certainly not Gods will for His children to feel insecure. Insecurity is the devils work.

Jesus came to bring restoration to our lives. One of the things Jesus came to restore is a healthy, balanced self-image.

HOW DO YOU SEE YOURSELF?___________

Our self-image is the inner picture we carry of ourselves. If what we see is not healthy and according to Scripture, we will suffer from fear, insecurity and various types of misconceptions about ourselves. Please note that I said we will suffer.

People who are insecure about themselves suffer in their mind and emotions, as well as in their social and spiritual lives. I know they suffer because I have talked with thousands of them. I also know because I myself have suffered in this area.

I still remember the agony of being with people and feeling they did not like me, or wanting to do things and not feeling free enough to step out and try them. Studying the Word of God and receiving His unconditional love and acceptance have brought healing to my life. It will do the same for you.

SALVATION FROM DESTRUCTION____________________

So then Zacchaeus stood up and solemnly declared to the Lord, See, Lord, the half of my goods I [now] give [by way of restoration] to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone out of anything, I [now] restore four times as much.

And Jesus said to him, Today is [Messianic and spiritual] salvation come to [all the members of ] this household, since Zacchaeus too is a [real spiritual] son of Abraham;

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.

Luke 19:8-10

Notice that verse 10 says that which, not those who. In the previous verse we see that the chief tax collector, Zacchaeus, and his household had just received salvation. They had been lost and were now saved, but their salvation was not going to end there.

The statement that follows about Jesus coming to save that which was lost tells me that He intends to save us not only from our sins, but also from everything Satan has tried to do to ruin our lives.

Each of us has a destiny and should be free to fulfill it; however, that fulfillment will not happen as long as we are insecure and have a poor self-image.

GOD APPROVES OF YOU!____________________

Before I formed you in the womb I knew and approved of you [as My chosen instrument].

Jeremiah 1:5

God never intended for us to feel bad about ourselves. He wants us to know ourselves well and yet accept ourselves.

Nobody knows us as well as God does. Yet, even though He knows us and everything about us, including all of our faults, He still approves of us and accepts us. He does not approve of our wrong behavior, but He is committed to us as individuals.

In the following pages you will have an opportunity to learn the difference between your who and your do. You will discover that God can hate what you do and yet love you; He has no trouble keeping the two separated.

God is a God of hearts. He sees our heart, not just the exterior shell (the flesh) we live in that seems to get us into so much trouble. I believe if God can keep the two separated, He can teach us to do the same thing.

I believe that reading this book will be a turning point in your life. In this book you will learn to face your weaknesses and not hate yourself because of them. You will experience healing and freedom that will release you to succeed at being yourself.

SELF-ACCEPTANCE

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SELF-ACCEPTANCE

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.

PROVERBS 23:7

D o you like yourself? Most people dont like themselves, you know. I have many years of experience with people, trying to help them be whole emotionally, mentally, spiritually and socially. I felt it was a major breakthrough when I simply discovered that most people really dont like themselves. Some of them know it, while others dont even have a clue that is the root of many other problems in their life.

Self-rejection and even self-hatred are the root causes of many relationship problems. God wants us to have great relationships. I have found the Bible to be a book about relationships. I find teaching in it about my relationship with God, with other people and with myself.

SEEK PEACE IN RELATIONSHIPS____________________

[Do not merely desire peaceful relations with God, with your fellowmen, and with yourself, but pursue, go after them!]

1 Peter 3:11

Gods Word instructs us to have good relationships, but it also teaches us how to develop and maintain those relationships.

I found this particular Scripture in The Amplified Bible to be very enlightening. As I studied it, the Holy Spirit revealed to me that first I must have peace with God. I must believe that He loves me. He does not wait until I am perfected to love me; He loves me unconditionally and completely at all times. Second, I must receive His love.

Receiving is a big issue. When we receive from God, we actually take into ourselves what He is offering. As we receive His love, we then have love in us. Once we are filled with Gods love, we can begin loving ourselves. We can also begin giving that love back to God and bestowing it on other people.

Always remember: we cannot give away what we dont have!

THE LOVE OF GOD____________________

Gods love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us.

Romans 5:5

The Bible teaches us that the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us. That simply means that when the Lord, in the form of the Holy Spirit, comes to dwell in our heart because of our faith in His Son Jesus Christ, He brings love with Him, because God is love. (1 John 4:8.)