The Scriptures state -
... “as person thinks in his heart, so is he.”(Proverbs 23:7)
How someone thinks affects their state of happiness, their attitude toward adversity, and their perception of self. We know that low self esteem results in discouragement, lack of motivation, feelings of inadequacy and self defeat. These are negative qualities and should be examined and altered in the light of Scripture. God’s Word speaks of those who are His by faith in Christ as being His possession --
… “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”(1 Peter 2:9-10 NASB)
Note some key words: chosen in Christ; a royal priesthood; a representative (holy nation) of Him on this earth, a people for God’s possession having an eternal future with Him. Our status is no longer that of unbelief in spiritual darkness, for by faith in Christ and because of His grace, mercy has been extended making us a child of God through faith in Christ --
… “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”(Gal 3:26 NASB)
These are magnificent truths that can lift our spirits out of discouragement and into the reality of who we are in Christ. A balanced understanding of our position in Christ will not permit arrogance and pride to enter into our thinking, but rather stimulate and develop a humility that characterized the life of the Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul challenged each of us with this admonition --
… “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”(Philippians 2:5)
He esteemed others more than self; He was sacrificial in His service; He willing gave of Himself; He had a purpose in coming into this world --
... “to seek and to save that which was lost.”(Matt. 18:11)
The Lord Jesus Christ could have clung to the privileges of Deity, but instead He was willing to take upon Himself humanity, so that He could provide a redemptive solution to man’s sin --
… “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross.”(Phil 2:6- 8 NIV)
The challenge is for each of us is to reflect His thinking, and determine to have our thoughts and actions conform to His will and purpose. It can not be accomplished in the energy of the flesh. A spiritual walk with the Lord requires two important factors: the filling of the Spirit and the Word of God operative in our lives. That means that sins committed are confessed to the Father, and then we avail ourselves of the teaching of the Word of God. Then under the leadership of the Spirit, the believer will make proper application of Truth to the circumstances of life and his thinking will be compatible with the mind of Christ. The Apostle Paul issued this challenge --
… “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”(Rom 12:2 NASB)