Identity

 

"...And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14 

Had I known what God would teach me in the season that I am in beforehand, I would have shuddered in fear and said, "Um... No, God." The verse above is what I instantly thought of when I was trying to decide on an opening for this post. God has brought me to such a time as this season and I've opened my arms in submission as best as possible and have begun listening to what he has been trying to teach me.  

As I have mentioned in my past posts, I have been in a spiritual battle with the enemy. He has been fighting, accusing, and doubting me harder than he has ever in my life. My faith and relationship with God have been tested and I can say with confidence that MY GOD has never left me in this trial. Yes, the devil has been strong but God has been stronger. He's taught me and has led me to a deeper understanding of Him. His lessons and guidance have blossomed more than ever inside me.  

Before we search our hearts to find our identity in Christ, we have to trust Him and have faith in him. I realized that I didn't see God for who he truly was, I was seeing him for what I thought he was.  I would encourage others to seek confidence in Him by reading his word. I have learned so much about who God is by reading the Bible. I have learned that God is God regardless of how I feel or see things. I learned that he is just as equally as he is kind. All of his characteristics shown in the Bible are all perfectly aligned and balanced. I have learned that he allows bad things to happen for a purpose because he loves us and wants to make us stronger. Now on to our identity. 

Until this past week, I was at a part in the battle where I realized the enemy was attacking me and I could feel and identify what thoughts and accusations were from him and what wasn't from God. So what else was there to do but go to the next step? I asked the Lord what I should do. And I was confused because I felt stuck. I would resist the devil in Jesus' name but I felt like there was still this dark fear inside me when I would rebuke him over and over. I was getting frustrated because I WAS doing what the Word of God said to do and I felt like it wasn't having any effect on the devil.  It's in these times where you can ask those around you but there's such beauty in asking the Lord and him revealing what needs to be done and getting his thoughts on things. And that's what he did for me. 

I heard this online today and it was like an "Aha!" moment for me. 

"As long as you won't rise up and be who God has called you to be, you are not a threat to the kingdom of darkness. But once the sons and daughters start stepping up into fully, that I am who God says I am, I can do what God says I can do, I will behave in alignment with the truth of God, everything begins to shift and change." 

I realized that resisting the enemy is not only a resisting issue. It's an identity and confidence issue too. If the enemy can sniff out even an ounce of insecurity or doubt in yourself or God, he won't leave anyone alone. If you don't believe who you are and what confidence you can have in Christ to overcome the enemy, you will not get him to get out of the car. You can yell and scream "I resist you devil" until your throat is dry, but it won't do you any good unless if you truly believe in your identity in Christ and have confidence in what Jesus blood can do. The devil will only shake in his boots if he is fully persuaded that your identity and confidence come from God because at that point he has to surrender to God and flee. It's now that I've realized what I've been lacking my whole life and the missing key that was so hard to find in trying circumstances. 

MY IDENTITY

MY SECURITY 

MY WORTH 

is found in God. 

God defines who we are. And in a culture where we young people and even older adults are told that "You can be whatever you want to be" and "you can change whatever you want to change about yourself" we need to be rooted and grounded in God's defining more than ever.  

So how do I find my identity in God? I feel like in this process God has been calling me to give up myself, all of it. So when the enemy wants to attack, he's treading on "holy ground" because your body is the temple in which the Holy Spirit is dwelling. 

 

"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

It has been an encouraging reminder that even when the devil has been battling me that I am not my own! I am not anyone's except God's, because I asked him to take all of me. I am encouraged to also fill in "Mind" where it says body because the mind is a big part of where the enemy attacks us! As odd as this sounds maybe, I prayed the other day and gave God my mind, so that if anything evil or wrong from satan comes my way, I can say "No, I gave this space to God and that isn't allowed in here." 

Another aspect of finding your identity and worth in God is that you don't go to the same things that you strived to find fulfillment in. People, entertainment, social media, sports... the list can go on and on. Whatever you find yourself going or doing when you are stressed is a coping mechanism. Some of these things are not wrong completely, just know what God has called you to do or not to do. But if it's replacing God, I would highly recommend you realign your priorities. No judging here! I had to do the same thing. I realized many things I did or went to instead of the Lord when I am stressed. I realized I was clinging to those around me way too much and looking to them to fulfill that longing or to make that problem or hurt go away. That's a lot of pressure on humans. A place no human was intended to fill.  Realize that no one, no thing, can satisfy that longing in your soul, only God can. 

Young people, what a group we would be if we all put our identity in Christ and did all that God called us to do!  Like the quote above said, let us be the ones that say:

" ... I am who God says I am, I can do what God says I can do, I will behave in alignment with the truth of God..." The devil would tremble and we would do mighty things for God! (side note: that does not mean that anyone has not done this or isn't doing mighty things for God. This is just an overall statement) 

 This world is getting worse and we young people are the church now and the future church. Will we fall away like others have and give in to the enemy that wants our souls?  OR we can choose to be soldiers of God and be confident and find our identity in the God who has brought his people through all of history. 

It is time to rise up and find our identity.  Who or what will you choose to be identified by?