And God shall wipe away tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. (Revelation 21:4-5)
If you are wrestling with the curse and stigma of public opinion, if people have categorized you for so long that you have accepted your origin for your prophecy–I still have good news for you. You don’t have to stay the way you are. The Potter wants to put you back together again. Do you believe that God is a God of second chances? If you do, I want to unite my faith with yours, because I believe He gives second chances.
This good news is that God changes names. Throughout the Scriptures He took men like Abram, the exalted father, and transformed his image and character into Abraham, the father of many nations. Jacob, the supplanter, became Israel, the prince. A name is an expression of character; it means no more than the character behind it. Now, I don’t want everyone to run to the courthouse and change his name. However, I do want you to realize that there is a place in your walk with God–a place of discipleship–whereby God radically changes your character. With that change He can erase the stigma of your past and give you, as it were, a fresh name in your community–but most importantly, in your heart. You see, my friend, when you were wandering in search of yourself like the prodigal son, God knew who you really were all the time. When you finally came to yourself, He was there. I recommend you get on your knees and wrestle with Him in prayer until you can arise knowing what He knows. Rise up from prayer knowing who you really are in the Spirit and in the Kingdom.
Many of you are like Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. If you don’t know them, perhaps you’ll recognize them by the heathen names Nebuchadnezzar gave them: Shadrach, “command of Aku,” Mesach, “pagan name,” and Abednego, “servant of Nego.” These names expressed worship to heathen gods, as defined by Nelson’s Bible Dictionary. Their real names, however, were Hananiah, “Jehovah is gracious,” Mishael, “who is like God,” and Azariah, “Jehovah has helped.” When the wicked king threw them into the fiery furnace, the names God called them prevailed! Source
Day 134 from Hope for Every Moment: 365 Days to Healing, Blessings, and Freedom Devotional and Journal
