That's Not My Name

"Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give some of the manna that has been hidden away in heaven. And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one understands except the one who receives it." (Rev. 2:17 NLT)

Have you ever been so attacked in mind and spirit over past failures that you felt you just couldn't go on? Have you ever felt the enemy of your soul was calling you names and they certainly weren't the type you hear in church? Have you ever been so ashamed, of being so lost and so numb and remembering a time in your life that you weren't even yourself? Can Jesus redeem you from the names you hear in your mind? Can He really make all things new with you? Hasn't that been the promise preached from most pulpits and isn't that why you, yourself decided to follow him?

And yet, those names...

At Zumba I heard a song called, "That's Not My Name." It's a catchy tune, I can't figure out all the words, and I think some versions have different ones that are off-color. But it stuck in my head and my mind because I felt the Lord was trying to tell me something. I felt like He was trying to say, "Daughter, that's not your name." You are not loser, abuser, unloved, friendless, forgotten, unloving, those are not your names. Who would want me to think of myself as such? Surely not my Father in heaven. Surely not any of my true friends and family; the ones who really know me. But an enemy of my destiny and soul, yeah that's the one who wants to disrupt family, destiny, love and more. You know the one whose voice is so deceptive and evil and so very, very constant unless you are combatting it with the words of love from our heavenly Father. Unless you are putting a new song into your heart and mind. And I love when the Lord does that, when he shows me a way that is greater. I love when I find a song of hope and happiness. Enjoy this song today as we remember that's not our name but maybe something from this song is. Something like forgiven, unashamed, uncondemned, holy, righteous and redeemed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0ItnPk3t2Y

Bring your tired
And bring your shame
Bring your guilt
And bring your pain
Don't you know that's not you're name
You will always be much more to me

Every day I wrestle with the voices
That keep telling me I'm not right
But that's alright

'Cause I hear a voice and He calls me redeemed
When others say I'll never be enough
And greater is the One living inside of me
Than he who is living in the world
In the world
In the world
And greater is the One living inside of me
Than he who is living in the world

Bring your doubts
And bring your fears
Bring your hurt
And bring your tears
There'll be no condemnation here
You are holy, righteous and redeemed

Every time I fall
There'll be those who will call me
A mistake
Well that's OK

'Cause I hear a voice and He calls me redeemed
When others say I'll never be enough
And greater is the One living inside of me
Than he who is living in the world
In the world
In the world
And greater is the One living inside of me
Than he who is living in the world

(He's Greater, He's Greater)

There'll be days I lose the battle
Grace says that it doesn't matter.

Read more: Mercy Me - Greater Lyrics | MetroLyrics 

PS I took one of those name quizzes and this is what it said: "River; You are a free spirit who knows what you want. You are a child of the universe and you are truly one with nature. You love everything and everyone around you."

I'm really looking forward to the new name that the Lord will give me, though.