Embrace Your Identity in Christ

Regardless of how we see ourselves, an incorrect perception of who you in Christ can affect your relationship with Christ, relationship with others, and relationship with yourself. Too often, Christians walk around looking and feeling defeated. They have failure, sin, and guilt hanging from them which directly affects their hope and worth. This is the exact opposite of what Christ died for us to walk in.
If one sees themselves as a failure, that individual will likely feel like a failure, speak like a failure, and ultimately fail. Our perception is a powerful force. After all, we look at the world through our eyes and perceive what we see. I have heard it said that “the eyes are the windows to the soul.” What do our eyes say about ourselves? Are they beaming, overflowing with love?  Are they cast down, depressed, and flowing with tears? Are they blinded?

John Newton in 1779 wrote the popular hymn called, “Amazing Grace” in which it gives the picture of someone lost but now found, someone blind, but now receiving sight to see.” What a beautiful picture! I believe that God wants you to have the same experience. The things that have blinded you to who you truly are in Christ, needs to be revealed!

So, my question to you is not only who are you but who does He say you are? I believe that the One who created us, has the best picture of what the finished product is supposed to look like. If God is our Alpha and Omega, our beginning and our end, then I think we ought to listen to the Creator. In Genesis, God says He created us in His image. What an image to be modeled from-the Creator of the universe! God could have chosen to model us after any number of other images but He chose to use Himself. So when we shine to the world, we should actually be shining reflections of Him to this world.

In Jeremiah, the Lord talks about forming you in the womb, knitting you together, knowing you, and setting you apart. The word for knowing depicts an intimate knowledge. He is a God who handcrafts us and knows us personally- not from a far off.  So, right there that tells me: 1. That you are no accident. 2. God knows you intricately even when you don’t understand yourself. 3. He has a plan. 4. He used the best model to make you and wants the best for you. God don’t make junk, no matter who ever told you that you were! All you have to do, is seek and you will find. Search for what He says about you and replace it contrary to what all the other voices say. Choose life.

Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” His words expose what is truly in our hearts. That is why we must meditate on it day and night. It divides between what is soul (our inner part containing our mind, emotion, and will with which we contact all the things of the psychological realm) and what is spirit (our innermost part with which we contact God and substantiate all the things of the spiritual realm). Most folks are led by their soul. They make plans with their mind solely, they are led by their emotions, and will to do whatever they desire. However Christians are to be led by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit in “their” lives. We are not our own when we surrender to Him. We become His once again since we were separated from Him by sin.

When the Church of Jesus Christ finally starts becoming whole- being made perfect in His love, we will start to represent Him accurately to the world. We won’t be the hypocritical, depressed, hurting, broke, mean Christians that the world views us as, but the loving, self-controlled, fruitful image of a loving Father, who sent His only Son, to die for a people lost in sin. We must be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Romans 12:2 says, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” You are the evidence, His light, the way that points to Him in this fallen world. You are His ambassador.

In Ephesians, we are directed “to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” God is talking about the church, which is you and me, being washed in the Word and presented as a radiant (shining) church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, holy and blameless. Wow, we are His prize and He is ours. We are called to be one as the Bride of Christ- the Church! So, let’s get started to day. I challenge you to speak daily out loud to yourself and possibly in front of a mirror these Identity Statements listed below. The word will not return void. God wants to transform you into the shining brilliant Bride of Christ, who has been made whole- sozo- saved and complete!

Tools: Identity Statements

This is a partial list of statements. The complete list can be viewed on warriornations.org on our blog. The more that you agree with God about your identity in Christ, the more your behavior will reflect your God-given identity.

• I AM complete in Him Who is the Head of all principality and power (Colossians 2:10).
• I AM alive with Christ (Ephesians 2:5).
• I AM free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2).
• I AM far from oppression, and fear does not come near me (Isaiah 54:14).
• I AM born of God, and the evil one does not touch me (1 John 5:18).
• I AM holy and without blame before Him in love (Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:16).
• I have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16; Philippians 2:5).
• I have the peace of God that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7).
• I have the Greater One living in me; greater is He Who is in me than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).
• I have received the gift of righteousness and reign as a king in life by Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17).

Steps to Correct An Incorrect Perception of Who You Are

1. Stop thinking about your past. Repent of the wrongs that you have done, give them to the Lord, and move on.  Hebrews 8:12 says, “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities I will remember no more.”
2. You need to begin looking at the truth. Focus on the Word of God. Jesus died so that you could walk in freedom- not shame, not beating ourselves up, not ridden with constant guilt. Jesus paid a steep price for your freedom. He wants us to approach Him with a clean conscience that can only be obtained through repentance and the washing of the water of the Word.
3. Receive that you have been made new and walk in it through application. Make that change! Instead of working the Word, let the Word work you! The Word of God is powerful. It has the power to change you. When you receive this living Word, it grows on the inside of you until it becomes apparent on the outside. Just like a new plant if you nurture the seeds, water it, weed it, give it food, it will grow into a fruitful mature plant. Receive what He has done for you and grow!  2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”