Break the labels that put limits on you

WE WERE each created on purpose and for a specific purpose by God. “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10 (NLT). God has an assignment for each of us that nobody else can fulfil the way we can, because there is something unique about you. We’re not average, we’re unique.

The truth is there’s nothing ordinary about us. We have the fingerprints of God all over us. The Creator of the universe breathed His life into us and if you’re in Christ, you have royal blood flowing through your veins. We each have a destiny to fulfil, something greater than we’ve ever even imagined. If we’re going to become all God’s created us to be, one of the first things we’ve got to do is take off the ‘average label’, and put on scriptural labels like ‘masterpiece’, ‘valuable’, and ‘one of a kind’. We need to be deliberate about breaking the labels that limit us.

Saul was king of Israel and God was not pleased with him and decided to anoint another king to take his place. So, God spoke to Samuel the prophet at the time, and told him to go and anoint one of Jesse’s sons as king. Samuel went down to Bethlehem, and according to the Lord’s command, invited Jesse to this special anointing service. Jesse was to come to the service with his sons.

When the time for anointing had come and Samuel asked Jesse to identify his sons, Jesse started with the first-born because order of birth was very important in those days. When Samuel saw him, he thought the search for the new king was over. “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.” 1 Samuel 16:6 NIV. Based on what kings looked like this surely was him, so he asked them to bring the oil to anoint him, but the Lord told Samuel NO. The Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 NIV.

God doesn’t label the way people label. People look on the outside, but God who knows all things looks at our hearts. God knows what we’re capable of and sees the seeds of greatness that He’s placed in us. It’s so easy to let what someone has spoken over us keep us from really believing in ourselves, but God believes in us.

After God rejected the first son, Jesse called seven others that the world would consider right, and they were each rejected. Samuel had told Jesse to carry all his sons and the Lord seemingly rejected them all. Samuel then asked, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.” 1 Samuel 16:11 NIV. Jesse might have thought, “I know it’s not David. He’s too small, too young, not that talented, not as smart as his brothers.” David clearly had negative labels put on him by his father.

David was the greatest king Israel ever had and his own father did not see the potential in him, but God did. Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT.

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