Truth About Identity

Last weeks blog post was on common lies about our identity.  Today I want to write about the truth about our identity. It is a form or pride to put yourself down and degrade who you are.  It is also pride to “think more highly of yourself than you ought.”  Humbleness is agreeing with what God says about you, but in order to do that you have to know what He says. 

The first category of lies last week was the “I am unworthy” lies.  So let’s introduce God’s truth about your worthiness.  Worth is determined by what someone is willing to pay for something.  In your case, God was willing to give his only Son (John 3:15) that whosoever shall believe in Him shall have everlasting life.  That is valuable.  These truths negate the lies that you are unworthy of love.

Matthew 28:20(NAS) I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIRV) Be strong and brave. Don’t be afraid of them. Don’t be terrified because of them. The LORD your
God will go with you. He will never leave
you. He’ll never desert you.

Zephaniah 3:17 (NKJV) The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.

John 1:12 (NLT) But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.

1 John 4:16 (NCV) God is love. Those who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.

John 15:16 (NIV) You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.

John 3:16 (NAS) For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

1 John 4:19 (NIV) We love because He (God) first loved us.

The second category of lies from last week are the “I can’t do anything right” lies.  We learn by doing and we make mistakes.  But Jesus makes it clear that it is better to try than to do nothing in the parable of the talents.  It is better to be hot or cold than to be lukewarm.  I cannot imagine why the God of the Universe wants to collaborate with us and, indeed, chooses to give us free will and to limit himself to working through us—or letting us participate.  Remember when your children wanted to help, but were too young to accomplish much that was useful.  They tried to sweep the floor and spread the dirt and dust everywhere.  They tried to set the table or any number of little things that seemed so difficult for them.  And we thought it was adorable and amazing all at the same time.  We even had to clean up the mess most of the time and it caused more work for us.  I am sure that is how God must feel at times, but He continues to encourage us to take risks and applauds us to go even further!

Truth:

Philippians 4:13 (NAS) I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Romans 8:1 (NAS) Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Proverbs 16:3 (NIRV) Commit to the Lord everything you do. Then your plans will succeed.

Philippians 2:13 (NCV) God is working in you to help you want to do and be able to do what pleases Him.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Romans 8:39 (NLT) Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Corinthians 2:12 (NAS) Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God.

Philippians 4:8 (NCV) Brothers and sisters, think about the things that are good and worthy of praise. Think about the things that are true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected.

Lamentations 3:22-23 (NCV) The Lord ’s love never ends; His mercies never stop. They are new every morning; Lord, your loyalty is great.

These scriptures give the truth to speak when the lie tape is sneaking into your thoughts and trying to influence you.  This is the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God that Jesus showed us how to use when he was tempted by Satan in the wilderness.  If you or your children are battling these lies, memorize one or two that best apply to you and speak them out loud when you recognize these thoughts.  The “mistrust” lies and the  “no voice” lies are both bigger issues than I can cover here so I will deal with them in the next two blog posts.

#raisestablechildren         #makingJesusreal