DISCOVERING YOUR IDENTITY

DISCOVERING YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST

·       Identity is the conception, qualities, beliefs and expressions that make a person.

·       It talks of uniqueness, individuality, personality and distinctiveness.

·       Who a person is or the qualities of a person that makes him different from others.

·       From the time you were born your SELF-IMAGE has been constantly developing.  Your self-image is the way that you think and feel about yourself in terms of your self-worth, abilities, and future potential. 

·       It’s a powerful force that will either help you succeed or limit you.  The way you feel about yourself on the “inside” definitely influences how you function on the “outside.” 

  “In your view, who are you?  How do you see yourself and your future potential?  What are your strengths and weaknesses?  What forces have shaped your self-image up to this point?” 

In the beginning, your family was probably the main force that shaped your identity.  Their values, where they lived, and their attitudes influenced you. What they said became your standard of measurement.  Through your family’s influence you began to think of yourself as capable, incapable, smart, dumb, accepted, rejected, worthy, unworthy, rich, poor, etc.

If you were raised in a negative environment, then it’s very likely that your self-image was programmed “low.”  A low self-image operates much like a Goat tied to a certain length of robe. It can only go as far as the robe allows. It is programmed to limit the degree of freedom of the goat to a certain range or level. So a low self-image will tend to hold you back and limit your potential in life.

On the other hand, if you grew up in a nurturing and caring family then you were one of the blessed ones.  If you grew up in a family that was nurturing AND truly knew Christ then you were doubly blessed.

 A person with a positive self-image can have it damaged and lowered if he experiences failures or set-backs. Your self-image is constantly changing based on your experiences and what you believe about yourself.

As we move through life, other people begin influencing our self-image.

You’re not defined by your feelings. You’re not defined by the opinions of others or by your circumstances. You’re not defined by your successes or failures. You’re not defined by the car you drive, the money you make, or the house you own. You are defined by God and God alone. He identifies you as his own (2 Corinthians 1:22).

 “He has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts.” (2 Corinthians 1:22a NLT)

Your faith will grow stronger as you focus on your identity in Christ Galatians 2:20. Says

“I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live. Yet not I, but Christ lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

Most people know more about their job, their profession, football and religious doctrine than they know about themselves. Let me ask you, WHO ARE YOU IN CHRIST? You are not any other being in the world. There is none other like you. You are an individual with tremendous potentials.  Ps 139 :14 says “ You are fearfully and wonderfully made”.

The best news about your self-image is that God has a NEW IDENTITY for you!  Regardless of your past, God wants you to discover who you are IN HIM and what you can do THROUGH HIM.  

Look at the Apostle Paul’s view regarding his potential.  He said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13).  Wow!  What a powerful statement!  Paul had learned that his potential was based on GOD’S ability and not his own.  

IN CHRIST IDENTITY 

The Bible teaches that God wants you to adopt a whole new way of thinking about your self-image and potential.  What you decide to “believe” can radically change your self-image. You can choose to believe what your past “says” or you can make a firm decision to start believing what God says.  Your future does not have to be dictated by your past.

Abandon any image of yourself that is not from God. Stop accepting what others have said about you, how others have labeled you, and how others have defined you. Start believing what God says about you.  

If you don’t know who you are, then you’re vulnerable to other people telling you who you are. But the gospel truth is that you are who God says you are.

 Jesus knew exactly who he was. He knew that God was with him, and that gave him confidence to move purposefully in faith and meet the incredible demands of His mission.

If you are now identified with Christ, you have the power of the Holy Spirit within you. You are God’s precious child, and he created you in a way that pleases him.(fearfully and wonderfully)

 You are God’s masterpiece. (Ephesians 2:10)

The dictionary defines a “masterpiece” as “a person’s greatest work of art,” or a “consummate example of skill or excellence.” Now, when God’s Word describes you as His masterpiece, what comes into your mind? Do you accept His assessment, or do you think, Well, He must be talking about someone else.

 The Word says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV). But have you taken hold of the “new creation reality.” Are you still living out of your own mind, will and emotions, which were all damaged at the fall. Jesus had paid the price for your total deliverance.

 I pray you make the wonderful discovery of what we are talking about here.  The DISCOVERY OF YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST and the potential that God has for you.

IN CHRIST you are given a whole new identity!  The New Testament refers to this new identity as the NEW MAN.  Ephesians 4:23, 24 says,

“And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and put on the NEW MAN, And put on the new nature (the regenerate self) created in God’s image (God Like) in true Righteousness and Holiness” 

Your heavenly Father wants you to “put on” a new identity and self-image based on what Jesus Christ accomplished for you.  With God’s help, you can take the limits off your life!  You can discover who you are IN CHRIST and start living the abundant life .

John 1:12 says “To them that believe He gave them power to become the sons of God” – can you remember how Jesus lived on earth. That is what it means to be a child of God.

Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you can declare today “I AM A CHILD OF GOD”

In Christ:

 * You are BLESSED!  You don’t have to hope for “luck” or “breaks.”  Ephesians 1:3 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings.” 

* You are CHOSEN & ACCEPTED!  You don’t have to let the rejection of others cripple you.  Ephesians 1:4 says, He has chosen us in Christ” and verse 6 says, “He has made us accepted in Christ.”    

* You are FORGIVEN!  You don’t have to suffer from guilt, condemnation, and anxiety.   Ephesians 1:7 says, “In whom (Christ) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”

Heb. 8:12 says” I will be merciful and gracious towards their sins and I will remember their deeds of unrighteousness no more”

* You have WISDOM!  God’s wisdom is available.  Ephesians 1:8 says, “He has abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence.”  

*   You have the HOLY SPIRIT’S help!  You are never alone.  God’s very Spirit lives in your heart.  Ephesians 1:13 says, “In whom (Christ) also after you believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.”   

* You have unlimited POTENTIAL!  God can accomplish more through you than you ever could on your own.  Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now unto Him (Christ) who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.”   

 These are just a few of the wonderful   realities that are yours in Christ! Just think how your life will change when you start renewing your mind to these wonderful truths.  Your past will not matter.  In Christ, you can break free.  God is calling you to a lifelong journey of discovering who you are in Christ Jesus    

 DISCOVER YOUR NEW IDENTITY.