And so in 1 Samuel 17, verse 39, it says, David fastened on his sword over the tunic.

He tried walking around because he was not used to them. I cannot go in these, he said to Saul, because I'm not used to him. So he took them off. Then he took his hand, his staff, and his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the

pouch of the shepherd's bag, and with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. I want to use

that scripture, and I want to talk from this subject in our time together today. This doesn't fit.

This, clap your hands if you're ready for God's word. This doesn't fit. This, clap your hands if you're ready for God's word.

This doesn't fit.

I want to start this sermon with a statement that I think is extremely important,

but might be a bit unsettling.

And here it is for my note takers.

How far you go and how much you grow is not just determined by what you believe about God. It's equally impacted by what you believe

about you. I'm going to say that one more time. How far you go and how much you grow

is not just determined by what you believe about God, but it is equally impacted by what you

believe about you. The scriptures frame it this way in the book of Proverbs. As a man or woman

thinks in his heart, so is he.

Another way of looking at that is this. You will always behave in a way that is consistent with the

way you see yourself. Meaning that there is potential and possibility that there is a gap and a disconnect and inconsistency

between the way God sees you and the way you see yourself, which may be why all throughout

scripture we see God regularly and repeatedly telling you who you are, telling you are head, not the tell, telling you

above only, not beneath, telling you that you're not just a conqueror, but you're more than a

conqueror, telling you that you are anointed, beloved, selected, predestined, ordained, protected,

that you are his.

And he's doing that regularly and repeatedly because he's trying to get what you think about you,

...