I have found God to be very gentle with his children (not with their images, but with who they are in their true identity). We, too, should be careful how we treat His greatest possessions. Do you realize that if you have become a child of God through the crucifixion of Christ that you are no longer your own, that you now belong to God?! Therefore, you have no right to downgrade yourself. Oh, having a good laugh at oneself is healthy once in awhile; but if you continually criticize yourself, even though it may sound humble, remember that you are putting down a valuable possession of God. He paid a high price for you. The Bible says ". . . ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold . . . but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Pet.1:18-19).

I received a letter from a man, which included a typical prayer request of many Christians. He said, "Please pray that I will have an inner healing from fear, rejection and self-condemnation." Many believers will say to me, "I can love others, but I cannot love myself." I remember being in a church service one evening, and during the prayer time, a woman who happened to be the preacher's wife went to the altar and lamented loudly: "Oh, Lord, what a worm I am." She was not repenting for some sinful action, but was merely stating her opinion of herself to God or, perhaps, to the world. Many in the congregation probably thought, My, she is such a humble spiritual person; but I cried out (in my heart), "Lord, what is wrong with that woman? Doesn't she know she is precious, holy and pure in Your sight? Doesn't she know that Your sacrifice on the cross was enough to cleanse her from all sin and unrighteousness? Why is she putting down a child who belongs to You and whom You have declared holy and innocent?"

I have a credit card in my wallet that is good only until a certain date. When that time arrives, it will no longer be valid—the card will be useless, and I will throw it away and get a new one. Your old life is like that. When you received Christ as your Lord and Savior, your old identification became void, and God gave you a brand new one that is good throughout all eternity. The Bible says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Cor.5:17).

Don't let the devil try to give you back that old I.D. card, which states: Guilty—Unforgiven —Condemned. That card is stamped in your old, sinful, unregenerate nature that was put to death when you were born again by the Spirit of God. The woman I mentioned earlier who called herself a worm was merely displaying her old I.D. card. Are you still hanging onto your old one? If so, it is time to throw it away. Always use your new one. Don't leave home without it. This one is from your Heavenly Father. It states: Beloved child of God forever—Forgiven—Righteous—Citizen of the Kingdom of God—Washed in the blood of Christ. Your new identification is sealed by the Holy Spirit; therefore, the devil cannot destroy it.