But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God. – John 1:12 NLT
Viewing Yourself the Way God Does
This is crazy to say, but when I was in high school, and before I knew Jesus, I was a real-life gangster. I found my worth in the identity I got from hanging out with hardcore types of people, and from representing my crew by wearing certain clothing colors. Over the course of a few “unfortunate” events, my gang abandoned me and turned their backs on me, which left me with nothing to live for. When I finally turned to Jesus, I discovered how life-giving it is to know that my sins are forgiven and I have a completely new, unchanging identity.
Are you wondering how to apply your new God-given identity to your daily life? The first step is to view yourself as He views you. The phrase identity in Christ refers to who you truly are, based on what Jesus has accomplished on your behalf. Praise God that it’s not based on what you can do for Him! Instead, your new identity begins with the truth that He has saved you and made you a part of His family. Let’s take a deeper look into your new identity—which remains unchanging, regardless of life events or how you might feel about yourself on any given day.
Things to Remember about Your Identity
1. You are not your occupation.
What happens if you get your primary identity, value, belonging, and purpose from what you do for a living? If your job is the defining factor of your life, then the best you can ever view yourself as, after those vocations fade away, is a retired doctor or former teacher. But being a child of God never changes and can never be taken away. This means that whatever God says about you is who you really are and remains forever to be true. You can stand confident on His firm foundation.
2. You are not your sinful behaviors.
While it’s important to turn away from every sin and take responsibility for the things you’ve done wrong, as a Christian, your crimes against God do not define who you are (Romans 7:17). The good news is that what you struggle with does not accurately describe you, and the poor decisions you made in the past no longer have power over you. You are totally defined by the grace of God and the fact that you are a new creation in Christ Jesus. The old has passed away and the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17)!
Here is a helpful list of statements to speak out loud and meditate on each day. Feel free to add your own and remember it's completely normal to feel stuck. Just keep saying the truth and don’t give up!
Identity Statements Rooted in Scripture
New Identity
I am whole (Isaiah 53:5) and have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16).
I am His servant and my purpose in life flows out of this identity (Romans 1:1).
I am overwhelmingly victorious because He loves me (Romans 8:37).
I am free and sin will no longer be my master (Romans 6:14).
I am a child of God for simple faith and trust in Jesus’ work on the cross (John 1:12).
I am a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).
I am a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19).
Dig Deeper
1. Take a look at the above chart. Is there an old identity you're hanging onto?
2. Are there any other things that would be helpful for you to put in the “new identity” category?
3. Look at the above passages in your Bible. As you read, make a choice to reject the lies of the old identity and embrace the truth.
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