good as new

I've been thinking a lot about how hard we can be on ourselves.
How critical and unforgiving we can become deep inside.
For many, today is a make or break day, you see.
January 2nd usually weeds out those successfully resolved (those who have accomplished and continue to improve while moving forward) from those once-resolved (those who remain stagnant and/or have fallen short from their hope of becoming better).

To some, the diet, the simplifying and organizing, the habit breaking, the "new" of the New Year got off without a hitch.
But for most... (sigh)... Failure with it's best friend Defeat knocked us down and skinned up our knees before we ever even left the gate.

For the latter, here we sit on January 2nd - already feeling as if another year has been marred by our pityful mistakes, our laziness, our confusion, and our overwhelming loss of control.

"What's the point?"  The enemy whispers...
"You cannot do this."
"You won't ever get there."
"You aren't able to improve."
"You aren't strong, or smart, or talented enough."
"And now you've missed your window of opportunity."
"Let's face facts, you will ALWAYS be a loser."
"You will ALWAYS fail when it comes to _________ (fill in the blank)."
"You will ALWAYS be unfixable, unlovable, unwell, un-everything!"
"Why don't you just give up because 2016 is already a waste."

How hard we treat ourselves when we believe the serpent's lies and add our own weights onto his snagging noose.
How out-of-focus our vision becomes when we accept Satan's slurred images and hateful threats of absolute imprisonment to whatever we have hoped to change for good.

But Believers, Satan cannot lock us onto any of his false absolutes, can he?
No.
In fact, if we are living under Christ's headship, Satan has zero authority or claim over us.
He has no final say to our future.
Really, he is nothing more than a bullying pest trying to distract and stall us away from racing joyfully toward the holiness and freedom that God intends for our lives.

To this end, I encourage you to fixate on one thing, and one thing alone today (and every day hereafter):

JESUS!!!

The Glory of The Ages!  

The King of kings!  

The Lord of lords!  

Friends, we are good as new in Jesus!!!
Because of this, His glory alone must become our absolute focus!
His "new" is available right now and every second that follows.
Under His glory, we can successfully resolve anything because He is already able to get us there under His grace!
Believe it and fixate your eyes on His glory!

Choose now to stop being distracted and harassed by that condemned bully, the Devil.
You have a more promising Word to hold onto instead of accepting Satan's annoying put-downs.
Furthermore, stop being so hard on yourself.
You are no longer a victim!
You are not a failure!
You are redeemed and beloved by God FOREVER!
His is ALWAYS victorious!
He will do a good work in you as you look solely upon His Throne.

Hurray!  Today belongs to the Lord!
Let's put on His armor and stand in confidence with His eternal absolute kingdom.
He will teach us.
He will shield us.
He will help us get there... perfected and holy in His presence.
He will make us the "new" we desire to become.
So, proclaim His glory this brand new day... for in Christ you are indeed good as new!

My hope, my future, belongs to the Lord God Almighty!

But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.  (Psalm 73:28)

Woo hoo!

Happy, blessed day #2 of January 2016!

~Victoria

© The Devoted Woman | Victoria Anderson