As I was walking down the hall of my high school on my way to swim practice, a statement would come from behind the door that would be imprinted in my memory forever. “Dang! You got a big nose!” It was the voice of a young man hiding behind the door of the boys’ locker room. I could barely see him as he peeped through the crack of the door. He laughed and to my recollection, the statement of insult would roll off of his lips again, but with curse words attached. I didn’t respond but his words pierced my heart. I readjusted my eyes trying to see if it was someone I knew, but in a moment, he was gone, his laugh dissipating into the air. I would constantly be teased about my hair, my nose or even my weight. It was during these years that I realized that people weren’t as nice as they seemed and even more so, I was an easy target because of my low self-esteem. I felt sort of like the ugly duckling, never feeling a sense of beauty when I looked in the mirror due to various incidents in my childhood. It didn’t help that my own family would constantly remind me of my less than beauty queen features. I never responded to these insults because I believed them to be true. I was recently reminded of this story as I picked my daughter up to drive her back to college.
As she entered the car, she looked highly irritated.
“What’s wrong?”
“Mommy…..” Almost immediately as she began to tell her story, tears began to stream down her face. It wasn’t easy to watch my daughter cry. Anger began to rise up in me at the person who had caused the tears. But, I knew this one thing to be true: This was an opportunity to talk with her about God. But the anger seemed to rise up within me quickly, so I prayed an emergency prayer in my head while she was talking. “Holy Spirit help me! God help me!” It was almost in an instance that my spirit was calmed and the words of my testimony seemed to flow from my lips. I immediately received revelation on how this particular story correlated with her current issue, someone speaking death into her life.
The Bible says that Satan, the deceiver and liar has come to steal, kill and destroy. So what could he steal, kill and destroy? How can he deceive us? What kind of lies could he tell? One thing he could do all these with is your self-esteem. But, we must recognize that it is him trying to destroy us. If the Enemy knows that he can steal your joy, kill your hopes or even destroy your future with negative words, then he will do so every chance he gets and unfortunately he will use anyone as a means of delivery!
So here’s the key to closing that door: We must see who’s really behind the door! Remember in the above story, I couldn’t see the young man? I could only hear his voice, yet that statement has stuck with me my entire adulthood because I never recognized who was really behind the door! Satan himself with words that played to my insecurities. You may see your mother, co-worker, aunt or uncle, but it’s really Satan’s words of lies, hurt and defeat hiding behind the door of that person! I encourage you today to recognize who’s behind the door, it’s really Satan.
Now that we have recognized that it is the Enemy, what can we do? We can’t just yell at our mothers’ and say, “You’re Satan!” They are not the Enemy. But here are some practical applications:
Find out what the Word has to say about whom you are in Christ, receive it and confess it over yourself daily. For example, “I am redeemed.” “I am a child of the Most High God.”
Let the other person(s) know that you will no longer receive any negative comments that they direct towards you. For example, “I don’t like that you call me fat, I don’t receive it because the Bible says that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Now, yes I may need to lose some weight, but only to take care of the Temple that God has given me to live in for Him and His glory.”
Unfortunately we would love for those closest to us to act appropriately and not say hurtful things, but remember - the Word is like a sword, use it as your weapon against the Enemy. For example: “You’re hurting me by the things that come from your lips, but I choose to believe the Word of God over my life! Sometimes, if possible - you may need to disassociate yourself from that person. Be careful here, pray first and seek the Word of God as it pertains to your situation, according to your faith and God‘s will/purpose for you. We can’t all divorce our parents.
Make sure your speaking life every chance you get towards others‘! You’ll reap what you sow.
Forgiveness is the key to receiving all that God has for you. Don’t allow your blessings to stop flowing from the Almighty because you can’t let go of an offense. God got this! Let it go! It doesn’t make them right, but you can sleep at night!
With all that you have, allow God to do any changing whether in them or you. It’s imperative that we live life for Him, not them.
Stay focused; remember who’s behind the door!
With God's Love (and mine too),
Dee-Dee McDuffie
10/13/2011
Scripture Meditations:
John 10:10
New King James Version (NKJV)
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 8:42-44
New King James Version (NKJV)42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
Psalm 139:14
New King James Version (NKJV)14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
New International Version (NIV)19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
Galatians 6:7
New International Version (NIV)7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
Other: Mark 11, Ps 23, Ps 62
