Don't Forget What You Look Like

And all of us, as with unveiled face, continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another… (2 Corinthians 3:18 AMPC).

When you study the Word of God, you’re actually looking into the mirror of God, and you see yourself.

As you study and meditate, what you see is the glory of God, and that glory is actually your true reflection, because God’s Word mirrors you. It shows your identity, origin, potentials, and ability in Christ Jesus.

When we preach the Gospel and teach others the Word, we’re holding God’s mirror to them so they can see themselves in the Word, know who they are, as well as their rights and abilities in Christ.

The one who hitherto thought he was a sinner, unworthy and undeserving of God’s love, suddenly sees that he’s loved of God. The one who thought he was condemned suddenly discovers that Christ has paid the price for his salvation, and immediately begins to walk in that light. That’s the power of God’s Word; it works through the mirror principle.

The Word doesn’t only show you who you are, it also imparts to you the ability to live accordingly. For example, 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” Notice the choice of words carefully, as inspired by the Spirit in this verse: Christ Jesus was made sin for you, that you might be made the righteousness of God in Him!

This means you’ve become the very expression of His righteousness. You’re to see yourself that way; accept it, and live accordingly. Keep studying and meditating on the Word of God, for the more you do, the more His glory is increased and revealed in and through you.

Everything the Father is and has is in Jesus. Colossians 2:9 says, “For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” He’s the expression of the totality of divinity. Now you can understand why He said, “…he that hath seen me hath seen the Father…” (John 14:9). In the eleventh verse of the same chapter, He said, “Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me…” (John 14:11).

Therefore, to behold Jesus is to behold the Father. Today, we see Him in the Word, for He’s the living Word. He’s the beauty of God. Another beautiful thing is that the more you know Jesus, the more you see Him in and through the Word, the more you know and see yourself, because you’re in Him. You can’t know Jesus without discovering yourself. The Bible says as He is, so are we in this world (1 John 4:17). So, to know Him is to know yourself.

No wonder the Bible says, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

The glory of God is Jesus Christ; He’s the effulgence or brightness of God’s glory, and the express image of His person (Hebrews 1:3). Thus, as you behold the glory of God in the mirror of God (His Word), you’re transfigured from glory to glory.

The more you behold Him in the Word, the more you see that you’re exactly like Him: the perfect reflection and reflector of God’s glory. Keep your eyes on Him and be continually metamorphosed from glory to glory. James 1:25 says anyone who continues to look is blessed. In other words, he’s like a tree planted by the rivers of water, forever fruitful, productive, and prosperous in all things.

God gave us His Word to enable us see ourselves the way He sees us, understand things from His perspective, and live to fulfil His perfect will. God’s Word reveals God’s image and opinion of you, which is the image and opinion He wants you to have of yourself.

So as you study the Word and see your true image and identity, retain the picture; don’t forget who you are. James 1:23-24 says, “For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.”

Observe the underlined portion. Interestingly, it doesn’t say that the one who doesn’t do the Word forgot what he looked like”; rather, it says such a fellow is like a man who looks carefully at his own natural face in a mirror, thoughtfully observes himself, and then goes off and forgets “the kind” or “the type” of man that he saw.

God’s Word reveals the type or kind of person you are; the “species” of being that you are. That’s extraordinary. For example, in 2 Peter 1:4, the mirror—the Word—shows that you’re a partaker of the divine nature, an associate of the God-kind.

In Ephesians 1:22, the mirror shows that you’re seated together with Christ, and all things are under your feet. You have dominion over all things. You reign victoriously over Satan, sickness, failure, and death. Hallelujah! This is who you are according to God’s Word; live accordingly. Praise God!

As Christians, we’re the fruit of Christ’s suffering. The Bible talks about the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should be revealed (1 Peter 1:11); we’re that glory; we’re His trophies.

We’re the glory Jesus saw that made Him endure the cross and despise the shame (Hebrews 12:2). You’re the glory of God. No wonder the Bible declares that glorious things are spoken of you (Psalm 87:3). Not only have you been brought into the glory of God, but you’re the glory of God.

This is not just to excite you, but to let you know who you are as a child of God. You’ve been called into the life of glory! The glory is yours. See yourself in the glory; see yourself before the glory; see yourself walking in the glory; see yourself carrying the glory; see yourself as the glory!

The Bible says, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

The Spirit of God is letting you know that the Word of God is your mirror. As you study the Word, you’re looking at yourself in the mirror of God, and the image of you that you see is actually the glory of God, meaning that your name is ‘the glory of God.’ What a confession; to get to know and declare that you’re the Glory of God! It’ll change the springs in your steps.

You’re the glory of God; that’s why you cannot be defeated! That’s why you cannot be poor. That’s why you cannot be destroyed! The more you look at the glory in the mirror of God, the more you’re transfigured; you become more and more like the image of the glory that you see in the mirror.

Praise God.