Identity: Who Are You Anyway???

Identity: Who Are You Anyway???

Study 1

But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR (God’s) OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.

1 Peter 2:9-10 NASB

The Bible verse above, is one of many verses in the Bible that affirms our true identity. As those of us, who war in the spirit, what is identity is all about? How do we as warriors relate to our identity being in Christ?

Identity is concerned with the question of ‘Who are you?’! The world  defines it in connection with the recognizable characteristics of what our  personality is like, our belief systems, the family background we come from, our accomplishments, social status, external appearance, whether we are male, female etc.. and even  by our sexual or other preferences etc.

In relation to our identity being in Christ, what does that mean? It means that our recognizable characteristics are to be the same as Jesus Christ. This starts with the transforming work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and then flows out into our lives. It’s how we see ourselves in relation to how God sees us through the renewing of our mind(Romans 12:2).

How do we come to this place in our lives of seeing ourselves as God sees us? It starts with been born again of the Spirit of God (John 3:5-6).

We then need to meditate on the truths of what God says about us and believe them.[i]

When we do this our lives will be characterized by these qualities:

• A life of praise from knowing how God made us

Psalm 139:14, I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous            are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.

• We will have boldness and confidence

Hebrews 4:16, Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we          may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

• We will be a people who are characterized by thanks giving

Colossians 2:7, Rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you              were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

• A life that proclaims Jesus

1 Peter 2:9 …so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you               out of darkness into His marvelous light;

• A life of victory

2 Corinthians 2:14, But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in                             triumphal procession and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of                 him everywhere.

• A life that displays the following characteristics of having the mind of Christ because we have access to the mind of Christ, because we have renewed our minds. 

   

  1 Corinthians 2:16, For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.

  Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Ephe 4:22 …that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old                self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23 and that you          be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, which in the                    likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

2 Timothy 1:7, For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-               control.

Colossians 3:12, Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate         hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,

Galatians 5:22-23, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,                goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

*All scripture is taken from the NAS Version

 

[i] In the next blog I will put up a list of scriptures that identify our acceptance, security, significance in Christ!!

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Are you born again? If you are, do you remember when?

Are you allowing your mind to be renewed by these truths?

Are you letting it flow out into how you live your life?

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