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Through the Eyes of Women

For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Luke 1:37-38

Watch Session One: Jesus Equips the Ordinary

You can tell a lot about a person by who surrounds them. Jesus was surrounded by both men and women, and the women around him were faithful friends. He was encircled by women who knew him, who learned from him, who raised him, and who trusted him. These women followed and sacrificed, they cried out and asked questions, they believed and did the unbelievable. These women were ordinary but made extraordinary by Jesus. He lifted them up, raised up their voices, healed their bodies, and placed upon them value, worth, and authority. He loved these women, and he loves you. Each of these women was uniquely created and called to a specific purpose in the life of Jesus as well as for the sake of those in their communities and even for us today.

favored one

First among these women was Mary, Jesus’s mother. Mary, who had no accolades or family line. Mary, whose identity was “highly favored.” In Luke 1, Zechariah, Elizabeth, and Joseph are all given identities that have to do with their family names as well as their character and social situations. Mary is simply called “highly favored” or “favored one”—twice (Luke 1:28, 30)! Mary’s identity is repeated as she receives the news that she will carry the Son of the Most High. Mary saw her identity through the eyes of God. As the angel repeated her identity to her, so we often need our identity repeated to us: beloved, delighted in, created in God’s image and so much more.

rooted surrender

As Mary was strengthened in identity and rich in faith, she chose surrender to God (Luke 1:46–55). She said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). She chose surrender and trust. She believed that whatever God said, God would do. The surrender is found in “let it be” and the trust is found in “according to your word.” She trusted who God said he was, and she trusted that God would fulfill his Word. Mary had a humble confidence. Like Mary, our surrender is rooted in believing God’s Word. Do we know and believe God’s words to us?

our names

Mary’s identity was grounded in how God saw her. Yours is the same. How does God see you? What does God call you? Do you hear it? Can you see it? God’s Word says many things about you and your name. The psalmist talked about how his soul knew God’s works were wonderful (Psalm 139:13–14). How about you? Does your soul know that God’s works are wonderful? Or do you use different names for yourself? Names that shame. Names that turn you in on yourself. Names that destroy you from the inside out.

Mary’s identity was grounded in how God saw her. Yours is the same. How does God see you?

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What the Women Saw

Daily Question

What names do you use to identify yourself? If there are names that aren’t from God, ask him to replace those names with truth so you might know your name and be able to respond to him with the humble confidence of Mary.

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Comments (10)

I call my self a conqueror as I can conquer different circumstances Joshua 1:9. But there times I fell down, I call myself a failure or bad person.

I am asking God to replace me with the best name, as he called Mary ‘ a Favored one’, I declare to be favored too as I am a child of God.

I used to think I was unworthy and never good enough. But through God, i am chosen, loved and cherish.

His child.

For the Longest time, I saw myself as unworthy and flawed beyond redemption. Interestingly, the first time I uttered these words was at an IF:Gathering a few years ago. I remember saying “I live with fear that one day God is going to look at me and say, I changed my mind— I am taking away your salvation.” I now know that those were words put in my heart by the enemy to steered me away from God because during that time is when I really started growing roots in my faith. Saying those words out loud was like opening a dam, and tears just flowed. I was blessed to be sitting with some amazing women in my group that day. They prayed and talk to me about the lie Satan was putting in my heart, and how God would never take away my salvation because He died for it. For us.

Those names I had have been replaced by loved by God, Blessed, Redeemed and Work in Progress. ❤️

I can’t even begin to list all of the horrible names and words used to identify me, names I had given to myself and names others labeled me as and/or spoke over me. Names that held me hostage and in bondage for most of my life, names that prevented me from seeing my True Identity In Christ, of who He created me to be and the Purposes & Plans He had for my life.

After rededicating my life to Christ in 2006, I began identifying myself as, "Just another Harvest Worker". The Holy Spirit stopped me in my tracks and assisted me in making a 180 turn in the direction I was going in. The revelation that God wanting "to hire me" came to me as I was out of state on a business trip, attending an annual Dept of Labor conference. The request from Him, to apply for the position He had available, was so crystal clear, I couldn’t ignore the opportunity even if I wanted to. I knew I wasn’t qualified for the position, but He assured me He would see to it that I receive all the On-The-Job Training I needed.

About 7 years ago, the Holy Spirit revealed to me through repeated daily readings of John 15, that I am "a branch" and apart from "The Vine" (Jesus Christ) I am nothing. Without the much needed nourishment of the vine, branches cannot successfully maintain/sustain life, they eventually wither and die, are cut off and thrown into the fire. Learning the importance of and how to "Abide In Christ" became my life mantra, and so "D’Vine Daughter" became my New Identity in Christ.

Simple, selfish, prideful, foolish at times. But also diligent, steadfast, hard worker, disciplined. I was chosen for Jason, appointed, loved.

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