“Who do you think you are?”

How many times had the enemy whispered this in times of defeat to the children of light? How much havoc and devastation had he wrought in the hearts of those He loved? The damage–oh, it was incalculable.

It was in the fall of 2012 that the message arrived. “Can you come,” she said, “and speak to us? We don’t have all the details yet, but we think the theme will be self-confidence.”  Saying the ‘yes,’ I left it in the hands of the One who had a message for women afar and had tapped me to bring it.

In the intervening weeks and months, He’s been at work, planting the seed, tilling the soil, preparing a word for the scheduled retreat. Unbidden, in the course of ordinary days, in the monotonous and the mundane, I will hear Him speak. And last night, the question that’d hurt many, “Who do you think you are?”

It had (I knew this well) been used to bludgeon believers. To cast doubt into the hearts of men and women. To steal their joy and, thereby, their strength. To render them useless, ineffective, and mute. How much work had been abandoned, left cold, by this one awful blow? “Who do you think you are?”

I’m thinking of the retreat; of the women who will come. I can’t know (though God does) their names or their faces. Can’t know from here their stories or what pain they’ll come bearing.  But God…oh, He does, and He’s readying the message.

Dear sister. Dear brother. When satan comes in on the heels of your defeat. When insecurity flares and inadequacy, its twin. When doubt about your fitness or qualifications to serve, there’s something you really must know:you must know who you are.

You, dear one, were destined for adoption as a son, as a daughter of God (Eph. 1:5). You were born to be a prince, born to be a princess, to rule and reign with Him.

You were knitted together by Fingers Divine. Planned for, anticipated, loved. Chosen and not rejected (Isa. 41:9), you are accepted (Eph. 1:6) in Him. You are safe. You are secure. You are His.

Here’s where you stand. Here’s how you fight. Here’s what you say when the enemy comes hissing, “And just who do you think you are?”  It goes like this, “Let me tell you who I know I am. Here’s what Jesus says…”

Warmly on this winter’s day,

Rhonda