We Only Need Jesus’ Validation for Who We Are

This is what the Lord began whispering to me around 3 pm Sunday afternoon:

You don’t need validation from others.

On an hourly basis, sometimes more often throughout the evening, I heard Him whisper, “You don’t need validation from (fill in the blank).” He even put names in the blank sometimes. Each time the Lord has spoken to me in the last day, He’s whispered the same thing, “You don’t need validation from others. You only need validation from Me.”

And so it went, throughout my evening, into the late hours, even as I watched a movie, the Lord would break in with these truthful words, “Michelle, you don’t need validation from others for who you are. You only need validation from Me.”

This was the last thing I heard last night before falling asleep and the first thing I heard this morning when I awoke. “You don’t need validation from others. You only need validation from Me.”

As I finally got up this morning and found my way to my writer’s room, the Whisperer came too. One of the first things I wrote in my journal today was this, “Lord, thank you for constantly reminding me yesterday afternoon, last night, and first thing this morning that I don’t need anyone’s validation for who I am. I only need Your validation.”

My Battle

I’m in a battle. I’m writing my first book. I stopped wishing for it and started working for it. I’ve written the first draft in this new year of 2020. I’ll tell you about it some other time. Today, what you need to know is that I’m on a 40-day journey to edit my first draft. My Enemy doesn’t want me to write or edit this book. I know he’s shooting his flaming arrows at me. This is my first battle in my promise land.

How the Devil battles against me is by causing trouble in relationships. Because he knows I care about people and relationships, he causes some ridiculous circumstances. He’s trying to distract me so that I can’t focus on writing and editing my book.

I’m fully aware He’s shooting at me through some people. There have been some difficult conversations. I’ve been described in some unpleasant ways. I’ll be honest. Words that are meant to destroy my identity have hurt me.

Unfortunately, the Devil uses people to shoot flaming arrows at us. Many times, the words people say are not even true. Sometimes, when flaming words come at us, we can get confused, forget the truth, and feel condemned.

I started looking for positive validation of who I am from people. Jesus says, I don’t need validation from people to know who I am. I only need His validation of who I am.

This morning, as I quickly checked Instagram, I was encouraged twice by people I follow. Not because they personally interacted with me, but because of what they shared. Their messages encouraged that we need to take care of our emotional, mental, and spiritual wellbeing, or we won’t be any help to others. This is what I am doing today: taking care of my emotional, mental, and spiritual wellbeing.

After Instagram, I switched over to Facebook. The Lord encouraged me a third time. After this third message, I heard the Lord whisper again, “Michelle, you don’t need validation of who you are from people. You only need validation from Me. But you do need encouragement. You are writing a mighty-themed book about Me. It’s a big deal. You need encouragement.”

The Lord gave me encouragement through a fellow believer on Facebook by his sharing about God’s whispers to us, which is exactly what the Lord had been doing: whispering to me. I believe the Lord knew I needed to constantly hear His truth about whose validation of me matters most. It’s His validation of us that matters, not people’s. God knew I needed both His validation and His encouragement.

Validation and Encouragement

Perhaps you also need both validation and encouragement from Jesus today. I want to share with you what the Holy Spirit reminded me of today to validate who I am and to encourage me. Maybe you can do what I did. Validate who God says you are by saying these truths out loud:

• I am a child of God (John 1:12).
• I am the sweet fragrance of Christ to God (2 Corinthians 2:15).
• I am tenderly loved by God (Jeremiah 31:3).
• I am God’s workmanship (Ephesians 2:10).
• I am free from condemnation (Romans 8:1).

May you receive peace for your mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing today by speaking these truths into your soul. Fill your mind with God’s truth. With courage, raise your shield of faith to fend off the Enemy’s flaming arrows of lies, condemnation, and distraction so that you can go do what God has called you to do. Believe the Word of the Lord and who He says you are. You only need validation of who you are from Jesus Himself.