In one of my previous posts, I mentioned that I was reading the book "Fervent" by Priscilla Shirer, and I am loving it! One of the chapters is about praying over our identity and that we may stand firm in who the Creator of the universe says we are, and it was so powerful. I honestly realized that even though my head knows who I am in Jesus and through His death and resurrection, my heart doesn't always believe it, and my actions don't always reflect it.
This conviction settled on my heart, and the Lord began to teach me more and more about where in my life I wasn't standing secure in who He says I am, and what truths about my identity can combat the lies causing me to behave that way.
Maybe for you that means you have begun to rely on the affirmation and encouragement of others to feel worthy. Maybe you're so afraid of what others will think that you hold back from doing the things you love or that God has called you to do. Maybe your mind is filled with thoughts of "I'm not worthy" or "I'm not enough" or "if I do this, then they'll love me". Maybe in your friendships or relationships, the moment someone hurts you or acts like they like you a tiny bit less, you pull away and break down because you feel rejected, unloved, or unvalued.
Me too, friend. I've been in each of those places. I've been there.
And that's when the Lord opened my eyes to see these patterns and behaviors. Each of those situations are pointing to a deeper root issue that's not about anyone hurting you, betraying you, pressuring you, or expecting of you. It's more than being a people pleaser or having anxiety (even though those are very real battles as well).
It's about a heart issue of not trusting and walking in the identity that the Lord bought for you.
As I wrestled with the Lord on this subject, He so kindly reminded me that the Scriptures about my identity aren't just pretty little affirmations to post on Instagram or write on my mirror. They are the foundation of who I am, and they cost something. Or perhaps someone.
My identity - my new identity of loved, valued, cherished, wanted, beautiful - cost Jesus His life.
And so it's not really something to take lightly. It's not something to just brush over or replace with wordly sayings of "fake it till you make it" or "you're enough just as you are".
Because the reality is, we aren't enough just as we are. If we were, Jesus wouldn't have to die.
He did have to die though, and He willingly embraced the scorn and humiliation of the cross. He took His final breath, and then by the power of God, He took another breath. He rose from the grave on the third day, defeating death and sin and pain and the weight of living under a false identity.
With that death, when we believe and accept Jesus as our Savior, His power and Spirit enter into our hearts. He equips us with the same strength that conquered hell to conquer the lies, the sin, and the struggles that we face every single day. That strength is a gift from Jesus to break down the lies about who we are so that the devil cannot pull us apart from His presence by making us believe that we're something we're not.
Trust me, the devil would love to make you feel that you're unworthy, unloved, unwanted. Broken and useless, ugly, too far gone. Because if he can make you believe that, then you're hindered from walking in the kingdom work that the Lord has set out for you. If you believe that, then you're prevented from confidently and courageously obeying the Lord. Instead, you're sitting in pity and self doubt, anger and hatred towards yourself, for what? For believing false statements that were never meant to shape who you are, to be what you actually believe. The Lord has so much more from you, yet we so often fall into the trap of believing lies about who we are, holding us back from the freedom in dancing and embracing who HE says we are.
I'm telling you, that freedom is a gift. It's ours to walk in, if we choose it.
And in that freedom, we realize how miraculously the Lord loves us, to the point where nothing can break it (Romans 8:36-39). We see that we are God's handiwork, created with a purpose, for such a time as this (Ephesians 2:10, Esther 4:14). Our bodies become members of Christ, a temple (1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:15). We are co-heirs with Christ, ambassadors of His name, and ministers of reconciliation (Romans 8:16, 2 Corinthians 5:17-20). We are established, anointed, and sealed by the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 1:21). We receive grace upon grace, and through the eyes of God, we are seen as holy and without blemish (John 1:16, Colossians 1:22).
This, my friends, is only a glimpse of the identity that Christ Jesus bought for us. Only a glimpse. What a blessing, a miracle, a gift that is. We are chosen to walk in it, to live confidently and boldly because of the truths the Lord declares over us, and man, the enemy doesn't want that. He knows our identity and it scares him, which is all the more reason to continue walking in it.
It is my prayer that each one of us would learn to believe with our hearts and know with our mind the identity that the Lord bought for us, that cost Him His life. I pray that we would act as if we believe it, and instead of relying on other people to make us feel validating, cling to the Lord and the value He declares we have. I pray that we would be a people secure in who the Creator of the universe says we are, unbreakable and unstoppable by the lies the devil tries to attack us with. I am praying this over every single person reading this, over every daughter and son of the King.
In the comments below, I'd love it if you would tell me your identity in Christ. Back it up with Scripture and experiences that you've walked through, and let's build up this community with reminders about who we are in Jesus, the King of Kings.
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