UNDERSTANDING YOUR IDENTITY IN GOD

1 PETER 2:9–10; 2 COR. 5:17

1 PETER 2:9–10 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

2 COR. 5:17 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

INTRODUCTION God created us to bring glory to Himself. We are created to fulfil God’s purpose for our life on earth. We are created to reflect the glory of God, if we are seeking an identity outside Christ, it is to bring glory to ourselves but there is no lasting fulfilment outside Christ. The worst crisis a man can face in life is IDENTITY CRISIS. We need to be who we are for God to be who He is in us. Col. 3:3

Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

A. Salient Truths About Our Identity

1. Your identity is not the person you see daily in the mirror whenever you are standing in front of a mirror
2. Your true identity is not the person you see on your Ids or Passport
3. Your real identity is that your area of dynamism in the spirit realm i.e. You are more than someone that be summarized on a card.
4. The meaning of our identity is for the excellency of God to be seen in us. Matt. 5:16; 1Pet. 2:12

Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 1Pe 2:12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

5. You must confess your identity — John 1:20

Joh 1:20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.

6. You can deny your identity but your identity cannot deny you. John 1:23

Joh 1:23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

7. If you don’t know who you are, you will live for who you are not. John 1:25–27

Joh 1:25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? Joh 1:26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;

Joh 1:27 He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet Iam not worthy to unloose.

8. Your identity speaks volume about your assignment on earth. When identity contradicts assignment, failure is inevitable.
9. You need to know who you are not for you to discover who you are. John 1:20,23.

Joh 1:20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. Joh 1:23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

10. As a believer, your identity is connected to your destiny. When there is identity crisis, fulfilment of destiny becomes an impossible matter. Rev. 3:11–13

Rev 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Rev 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of

the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

Rev 3:13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

11. God didn’t create us to be a shareholder in our life, but He created us to have ownership. 1 Pet. 2:10

1Pe 2:10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

12. When God reveals yourself to you, your fulfilment on earth is non-negotiable. Psa. 40:7;

Heb. 10:7. Heb 10:7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

B. How Our Identity In Christ Changes Our Lives Knowing our identity in Christ is one thing, but understanding how that practically changes the way we live is another.

i. We no longer chase after the desires of our flesh but instead seek to bring God glory in all areas of our life. If we are not seeking to find our identity in Christ alone, then we are seeking it in something else.

1 John 2:15–17 1Jn 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 1Jn 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

ii. We no longer fear the Future — Rom. 8:14–15. Our identity in Christ has given us direct access to our Heavenly Father, who we can on with confidence and complete trust.

Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

iii. We have no need to judge or compare ourselves to others when we seek to please Christ alone, in whom our identity is hidden. Col. 3:3; Rom. 14:5–8

Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

Rom 14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. Rom 14:6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. Rom 14:7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. Rom 14:8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. iv. We should not be surprised when suffering comes, but we can be confident that it will produce things of eternal value. Rom. 8:16–17. If our identity is in Christ, then we are guaranteed that one day we will identify with Him in His sufferings. Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Conclusion: Praise God that He loves us enough to take our broken, rebellious hearts and, because of the sacrifice of His son, offer us a new identity in Christ Jesus. Let’s not buy the lies of the devil, Jesus loves us 100% and He has given us His identity. Let’s not settle for anythingless. There is glory that will be revealed in us on the last day. 1 Pet. 1:5

1Pe 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.