11/12/2023 Church service

周日礼拜

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Imposter Syndrome
Ephesians 2:10
When I was in kindergarten (in Athens, Georgia) I remember a special day when we (very young) children were taken outside of the school building and there, on the ground, was a pile of wood, nails and hammers.
My young, but very active mind very quickly came up with this inspiration: I told my friends, “Hey – we can make a robot!”
Not sure what anyone else thought about my creation, but I was super-proud of it.
Ephesians 2:10 tell us “we are his workmanship” - “we are God’s handiwork” -
“we are what He has made us”
one version even says, “we are God’s masterpiece”
? Do we feel that way about ourselves, though?
Imposter Syndrome is a well-documented psychological phenomenon that refers to an internal experience of feeling like a fraud or doubting one's abilities and accomplishments, despite possible evidence of competence and success.
It is characterized by persistent feelings of self-doubt, fear of being exposed as a fraud, and a tendency to attribute success to external factors rather than personal abilities.

The constant fear of being exposed as a fraud, the belief that our accomplishments are merely a result of luck, and the perpetual comparison to others.
These feelings – this belief - can take a toll on your confidence and sense of belonging.

John Piper: “I would call the imposter syndrome a kind of professional anorexia. In other words, what anorexia is to the body, imposter syndrome is to your competence. With anorexia, a ninety-pound, eighty-pound, 25-year-old stands in front of a mirror and sees an overweight person. With the imposter syndrome, a competent, successful, responsible, helpful person stands in front of the mirror and sees an incompetent, irresponsible, unhelpful, fraudulent employee.
The challenge in both cases is to overcome the illusions and live in reality with Jesus Christ at the center.”
Here's the beautiful truth:
Today’s scripture tells us, God has made us what we are.
In Christ Jesus, God made us new people so that we would spend our lives doing the good things he had already planned for us to do.
We are God’s Creation – will we allow Him to work in and through us to make us what He planned for us to become?

So it may be a challenge to rise above the “imposter syndrome” and reflect our true nature – both internally and externally.
The TRUTH will set you free:
1 Peter 2:9: But you are not like that, for you have been chosen by God himself—you are priests of the King, you are holy and pure, you are God’s very own—all this so that you may show to others how God called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

Our scripture today states: “In Christ Jesus…”
So – yeah, we have to start by remembering Jesus is the vine – we are branches.
We are to be a reflection of our Creator – because that is what we were created to be.

Any loving parent wants to see their children do well – to proper in all things.
When we continue to grow in being more Christ-like, we bring glory to our Father God.
The Imposter Syndrome – when we feel deep inside we are a fraud – is like kinking the hose - cutting off the life-giving flow from the vine to us as branches.
“God has made us what we are. He has created us in Christ Jesus to live lives filled with good works that he has prepared for us to do.”
Just like we mentioned about anorexia – how we see ourselves will determine how we perform – how much we can grow into the plans God has for us. The work He has planned for us to accomplish.

Right Believing produces Right Living ? What do we believe about ourselves?

? What voice is telling us who we are? ( )
Jesus says: “Be careful what you hear”
How do we feel about ourselves – truthfully?
Not what we say outwardly – but what is in our hearts today?
Who are we in church?
• Do we look down on others and feel superior?
Do we look down on ourselves and feel inadequate?
Do we see ourselves as part of a group of people who recognize they will always (always) depend on GOD?
Unless you find your sufficiency – your completeness - in Christ, you will always seek to become that through your own efforts – your works – looking for some form of external validation.
…and then the Imposter Syndrome continues
We are God’s Creation
God’s Word can empower us to take the limits off our lives – to stop being less than we are capable of because of our own aberrant thinking.
What we have been given from God – and what we attaining through faith – is through God’s grace.
Gal 2:21: I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!
Remember: We are In Christ by FAITH
This is Veteran’s Day weekend.
A person in the military wears a uniform that tells others who they are – what they are a part of.
Isaiah 61:10 - He has dressed me in the clothes of salvation. He has wrapped me in the robe of righteousness
I had a conversation with a close brother the other day, talking about what Jesus Christ has done for us, and how this should help us break free of the Imposter Syndrome
We have been made righteous
As a believers, we have a new spirit within us
We are sealed by the Holy Spirit
KEY verses:
Romans 5:17: For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
Eph 2:8,9: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

Do you have faith that you are in the process of becoming the person God intends you to become?
…or do you look at your shortcomings – both visible and in-visible – and feel unworthy of the Great things God wants to produce in and through you?
We all know we are more than what we have accomplished so far.

I believe we all have a deep-down burning desire to see those things manifest in our lives.
“God has made us what we are. He has created us in Christ Jesus to live lives filled with good works that he has prepared for us to do.”

We all want to be used of God in a greater way.
We desire to find our fulfillment through service to God and man.
We want to be of more service and experience even more of our life’s purpose while we still have breath in our bodies.
We step into that bigger self by Grace through Faith.

Are you ready to surrender to the grace of God through Jesus Christ and take the limits off what God can do with the clay He has made you from?
1 Peter 1:5: Through faith you are kept safe by God’s power. Your salvation is going to be completed. It is ready to be shown to you in the last days.
Eph 4:11,12: Christ gave gifts to men. He gave to some the gift to be missionaries, some to be preachers, others to be preachers who go from town to town. He gave others the gift to be church leaders and teachers. 12 These gifts help His people work well for Him. And then the church which is the body of Christ will be made strong.

“God has made us what we are. He has created us in Christ Jesus to live lives filled with good works that he has prepared for us to do.”

Hillside United Methodist Church
3739 US 80
Phenix City  AL  36870
United States
Pastor: Mike J Koger

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