Identity – an important concept and one that seems to be shrouded in confusion and uncertainty these days. Are you identified by your gender? If so, is it male, female, or something else? (The Lord clearly states He created only male and female!) Perhaps you are identified by your race or ethnicity – should you be proud? Or embarrassed? Or angry? Or a victim or victimized? What about your social status – popular or unpopular? Privileged or disadvantaged? Rich or poor? Single or married or divorced or widowed? Maybe your identity is tied up in your appearance – thin or heavy? Blond-headed or black-headed? Tall or short? Graceful or clumsy?
Growing up, I was a tomboy who hated dresses, loved climbing in a tree to find the perfect perch for reading a book, and preferred helping outside in the yard rather than dusting or vacuuming (don’t even get me started about ironing!). I enjoyed tumbling rocks into gems, putting together pieces of jigsaw puzzles, running around the neighborhood with friends playing freeze tag and catching lightning bugs, playing all kinds of card and board games with cousins and other family members, and trying my hand (generally successfully) at all types of sports – basketball, tennis, golf, volleyball, softball, and track – though I had to tell my track coach that my long legs absolutely were NOT flexible enough to master moving gracefully over hurdles! I loved everything about English and Math, enjoyed history, and tolerated science. I excelled at leadership while struggling with self-confidence. Later in life, I thoroughly embraced, and still love, being a wife and mom. Recently, I began walking the journey of an author. So, who am I? How do I identify myself?
1 Peter 2:9 (NLT) “… for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.”
I am chosen, a beloved child of the King of the universe. How do I know this? One day I sat trembling and tearful in my bedroom and finally worked up the courage to ask Jesus how He sees me. Then, I waited… and I heard an audible voice say to me, “You are my beloved”. I cried in earnest and fell to my knees praising and thanking Him!
2 Peter 1:3 (NLT) “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.”
Ephesians 2:6 (NLT) “For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.”
John 14:27 (TPT) “I [Jesus] leave the gift of peace with you – my peace. Not the fragile peace given by the world, but my perfect peace. Don’t yield to fear or be troubled in your hearts – instead, be courageous!”
1 Corinthians 2:13-16 (NLT) “When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom.. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds like foolishness to them and they can’t understand what the Spirit means. Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. For, “Who can know the LORD’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?” But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.”
As a beloved child of the King that means that all the resources in heaven are mine – right now. I dwell on earth and, at the same time, I am seated with Christ in heavenly places. Imagine that, the tomboy inhabiting a natural and a supernatural realm simultaneously! I have the love of a heavenly Father, the peace that Jesus left for me, the Holy Spirit living and active in me, and the righteousness and mind of Christ. I know Whose I am and what I was created to be – a leader, teacher, author, seer intercessor, healer, encourager and edifier of the body of Christ, and a warrior for Christ. I choose to walk in this identity.
Do you know Whose you are? Do you know what you were created to be and do? Oh, how the Lord wants you to have this clarity! Ask Him and keep on asking, waiting on Him to tell you. He will reveal this to you through verses and passages in the Bible (your inheritance Scriptures), through prophetic words shared with you by others, through your gifts and talents, through His voice whispering to your heart and soul or perhaps speaking audibly to you, through dreams and visions, through nature, or in other of His creative ways. Warrior, pay attention and write it all down for your reference and encouragement. Then, boldly live it!
Raising Warriors 