Did you know that when you gave your life to Jesus you received a new identity? In the instant that Jesus came into your heart, you became a child of God. “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His Name” (John 1:12). That’s it. This is the moment our identity changes. You may say, but I thought we were all God’s children? No, we are all God’s creation. We become His children once we believe in Jesus Christ as God’s Son.
What a privilege! One can no longer think of oneself as a loser or a failure. You now have God’s DNA on the inside of you. You had an identity change. The problem is that many Christians don’t understand this. They don’t know what their identity is. They miss out on so many of God’s blessings. It’s not because of His unwillingness to give, rather because people don’t know who they are or what they’re entitled to.
You are God’s child and you can ask Him for anything that lines up with His Will. As you seek Him you begin to know what His will & desires are for you. God wants you to know who you are – In Him. There are many verses in the Bible that explain who you are, and we will look at only a few of them.
Jesus Knew His Identity
He was never insecure. Jesus didn’t wonder if God had called him or not. He knew that He was the Son of God, the Bread of Life, the Light of the world, etc. Jesus spoke about Himself many times, revealing His identity to the people. Other people doubted Him, but He knew who He was and what He had come to do. I love one passage that made the Pharisees upset. Jesus said, “The Spirit of The Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me.” Luke 4:18a
These are some bold statements coming from someone who knew who He was. He was sure that the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him. There was no doubting it even for a second.
The Messiah, Jesus Christ, lives on the inside of you! You have this very same anointing! If the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him and He lives in you, then the Spirit of the Lord is upon you! You don’t have to doubt or second guess it. You can be sure that God has placed His Spirit upon you.
Jesus wants you to know all that He has given you. He wants you to know your identity. Know that He made you “good enough”. You weren’t good enough by yourself, but He has sanctified you! You can live free knowing that God has anointed you!
Your Identity Has Authority
Another thing you received when you became a follower of Jesus was authority over the devil and all his demons. You don’t have to be afraid of them. In your new identity “your life is hidden with Christ in God” Colossians 3:3. The devil can’t find you because you’re hidden. You can be a nuisance to the devil. Stop letting him beat you up!
And raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6).
You aren’t at the bottom. You are high above, seated with Jesus. We have a place of authority right beside Jesus. It’s above the earth and is from a position of looking down. We have the authority over sin and the devil!
Something many Christians don’t understand today is their authority. You must get familiar with it. Understand who you are. Jesus wants you to stand bold, just as He did. Being bold and knowing who we are in Christ doesn’t make us proud, rather humble because we recognize that it’s Jesus in us that makes us who we are.
Stand in your authority and see the difference it makes. Don’t settle for less! God has called you to rise above all principalities and powers of darkness!
Your Identity as More Than A Conqueror
You mustn’t live a life of defeat! Rise up because that’s what God has called you to do. It was never meant for you to be at the bottom. God wants us to rise above all our circumstances. Difficulties and hard situations come to all of us, but we can overcome them.
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us (Romans 8:37).
You can conquer anything that comes your way. Don’t live underneath your potential! Know that anything you may be facing today is only temporary. Jesus has caused you to conquer the situation. He brought you into heavenly places so that you can use your authority over them.
Read the New Testament and learn your identity. See yourself the way God sees you. It will change your life forever!
STEVEN STOFFELSEN
AUTHOR OF “TRUSTING GOD’S TIMING”
FOUNDER OF HOUSE OF REFUGE STREET MINISTRIES (www.houseofrefuge.ca)
