(1.) Our greatest needs are to be accepted (loved) and have worth (value). This is what drives us to do what we do. It is the motivation behind all behavior. God made us that way and His design is that He will meet all our needs when we look to Him.
(2.) As we grow up, have problems and go through life, we get messages about who we are. At first they are only feelings about ourselves, but they quickly turn into what we believe about ourselves. It is the way we see ourselves and who we believe we are.
(3.) As a result, we all develop a false identity about who we are. This false identity comes from the world (family, environment, hurts, trauma), our flesh (ways we try to live life in our own resources) and the devil, who constantly accuses us and tells us lies about ourself, God and what we need in life. It shapes all of our life and everything we do.
(4.) We begin to try to meet our needs for acceptance and worth the best way that we can -- in our own resources (flesh). As a result we develop ways of living as we attempt to cope, escape, defend ourselves, succeed (or avoid failure). These are flesh patterns or ways that we learn to live life independent of God. We develop these patterns based on how we perceive ourselves, what we believe about God and how we think life works.






