The idiom, “firing on all cylinders” is used of an internal combustion engine having all its cylinders working and thus providing the maximum amount of power. To “fire on all cylinders” is to function or operate at the most desirable or greatest possible level of efficiency, speed, or productivity. And it is usually used in the continuous verb tense. To use our idiom analogy, is your spiritual engine humming? Or are you bogged down with engine trouble? Are you “firing on all cylinders” . . . functioning to your fullest capacity spiritually?

How do you view yourself?

Do you need a tune-up? Has your spiritual engine been acting up and not running according to design? Would it surprise you to learn that most people really don’t like themselves? Or have a prideful inflated view of themselves? Even more surprising is that some of them know it, while others don’t which is probably the root of many of their problems in life.

A student wrote,

“I see myself as a hard worker, smart, self-disciplined, completing homework on time, a regular student trying to improve my grade, respecting teacher, a good friend with colleagues and attentive in class.”

Another wrote,

“I am a kind of ordinary person, surviving my life in this universe. I am a friendly person who loves to can meet new people. I hide my feelings and emotions but always smile. I am honest, loyal and encourage others to be honest with me so that they can feel comfortable while speaking and express without fear of backlash. When people do criticize me constructively, I listen carefully and accept what they have to say. I question myself to improve myself.”

Someone else described themselves as:

“I am a paradox. I want to be happy, but I think of things that make me sad. I am lazy, yet I am ambitious. I don’t like myself, but I also love who I am. I say I don’t care, but I really do. I crave attention but reject it when it comes my way. I am a conflicted contradiction. If I can’t figure myself out, there is no way anyone else can. I like my own kind of madness!”

How someone views themselves is often referred to as self-image. Self-image is the perception one forms in their minds about the kind of person they are, or a mental picture of themselves.

Self-image and self-esteem are very closely connected. Neither of these are biblical terms, and they are misleading. Self-image and self-esteem cause a person to stay focused on oneself instead of seeing yourself as God intended.
People view themselves on societal values or based on expressions of their individuality only, things such as….

Appearance: How they look.
Style: How they talk, their body language, and facial expressions.
Personality: Characteristics of their thoughts and feelings.
What they can do: their personal abilities and talents.
What they have: the things they acquire and own.
Who they know: the associations they have made.

As Christians, how we view of ourselves should not be based on these performances, abilities, or achievements. It’s not what you do or don’t do. These distorted perspectives have contributed to the fallacy that human beings are independent selves, rather than creatures designed to derive their being and function from God.

It is only when we see ourselves as God sees us that we will have a proper view of ourselves as “firing on all cylinders” as God intended. Consider:
You were created by God:

You were created in the “image of God.”
Genesis 1:27 says “And God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” This does not mean you are “like God,” it, however, means it is God’s desire to make His invisible image visible through you.
God designed you to function as an image of Him. An image, as we know, is a re-presentation something derived from the original or the creator.

This is a most important distinction to make. There is nothing about human beings that is “like” God, but this is where the analogy of “firing on all cylinders” begins to come into focus regarding how we see ourselves.

How do you function?

As human beings, we are comprised of a spirit, soul, and body:
Your human spirit is your capacity for spiritual life function.
Your soul comprises your unique personality; mind, emotion and will.
Your physical life function is your body.

Who we are, “identity” is determined by the spiritual indwelling presence of a personal spirit, an either/or, God or Satan in your human spirit. Or as they say in the mechanic’s garage, “what’s under the hood” of that car? The spirit-being (God or Satan) who inhabits our spirit, then, drives our character and manifests in our behavior as we choose to participate, via “freedom of choice.”

In order for us to fully function as God designed, we must understand, as Christians, that we derive both our form and function from the indwelling, divine image of God and from the Spirit of God. He is both the form and function of the engine that drive the car. To be “firing on all cylinders, we must acknowledge his presence in us and allow his character to be expressed through us in our behavior. In firing on all cylinders spiritually, we also express His glory.

The prophet Isaiah speaking on God’s behalf says, “everyone called by My name and created for My glory. I have formed him; indeed, I have made him.” (Isaiah 43:7). We were created for God’s glory. God’s intent or purpose for creating us in His image is that we might allow His all-glorious character to be expressed though us. He designed us to function as derivative creators, thereby experiencing Life AS God Intended.

Jesus gave a beautiful illustration of our intended functional design in John’s gospel with the Vine and the Branches. “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). The human branch is designed to derive all its function from the Vine. The branch is dependent upon the vine to draw all life and sustenance from the vine, GOD.

It would be absurd to think of ourselves as an independent and detached branch that could function apart from the vine. Just like it would be absurd for us to think we were the source of a cars engine to be propelled. God created man by “breathing into him the breath or spirit of life” (Gen. 2:7). This life was God’s life, divine life – dwelling in man. He is the engine that drives us!

We only are “firing on all cylinders” as we derive from His life and sufficiency.

Christ is your Spiritual capacity for daily Christian living.
Christ is your Spiritual strength who empowers your Christian life.
Christ is your spiritual capacity to overcome the circumstances that are confronting you.
Christ is your spiritual capacity to subdue the forces that are against your life.
Christ is your spiritual enabling to live above worries.
Christ is your spiritual strength to live above anxiety.
Are You “Firing on All Cylinders spiritually?” “God has carefully designed each member and placed it in the body to function as he desires” (1 Cor. 12:18) TPT.