If you listen to much Christian music and pay attention to the themes, you will have noticed lately, how many songs have risen to the top of the charts that carry the theme ofiIdentityor who we are in Christ.  Hillsong’s Who You Say I Am, Jason Gray’s Remind Me who I Am, Bethel’s No Longer Slaves, etc. are just a few that focus on who the Father has made us to be in Christ.

If you reflect on Christian music through the years, certain themes rise to the surface at different times.  I believe the Holy Spirit directs much of the Christian music that is born in each decade or generation and that music undergirds foundations that need to be laid in believers for his upcoming purposes and events in the world.  Right now, identityis on the front burner. It’s not that it hasn’t always been important.  God has always gone to extreme lengths throughout history to affirm who we are in Jesus as his new creations.  But in this current culture of fading family identity, compromised truths in the church, shifting definitions of gender and marriage, and a heightened war against Christianity, it is especially critical that we know who we are…not as it is defined by self, culture, or government…but by God who operates from eternal truths and values.

David wrote, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Ps.139:13-16).

This Psalm reveals God’s involvement and sovereignty in the lives of individuals.  From the point of conception, God’s hand is upon each person. He creates that individual’s inmost being (his or her temperament, gifts, abilities, etc.) as well as some physical characteristics. Then, he says that every day has been ordained for us and written in his book.  I believe that God ordains opportunities for us which are the good worksprepared in advance for us in Ephesians 2:10. When the opportunity arises, we can still say “yes” or “no” to the moment, but God ordained the opportunity.

Concerning our identity, God has set an identity within us that coincides with the purposes he has ordained for our lives. Biblically, it is not me, culture, government, or science that determines who I should be, but rather God. Knowing who God has made me to be, anchors me in who I am and the call he has placed on my life.  We need to actively be speaking identity over our children, ourselves, and one another in a world where nothing seems certain or absolute any more.

In our Free Indeed ministry, we emphasize identity a great deal and even ask our participants to read out loud a declaration of their identity in Christ at least once a day for 60 days to renew their mind in God’s truth about them.  It is one of the most transformative activations we do in our eight-week series.

Because of the cultural (demonic) assault on our identity in this generation, beginning next week, I want to spend several blogs discussing who we are in Christ, the amazing value he has given each of us, and why it is so important to know that.  I hope you will join me for this important series.

On several occasions, Paul spoke of being a spiritual father to other believers – those he had not only brought into the faith but had helped grow up in the faith. To the church at Corinth he wrote, “Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel” (1 Cor. 14:15). In addition, he often spoke of Timothy as his true son in the faith.

Paul knew that making disciples did not stop at the “sinner’s prayer,” but continued in a relationship of teaching, encouraging, and sometimes correcting. As a culture, America has lost her fathers. Half of all children will grow up in a single parent family during part or all of his or her childhood. Research indicates that the identity of most children is formed from the father. His opinion of a child carries much more weight than even a loving mother’s opinion. If the father speaks and acts in ways that communicates value and significance for a child, that child will grow up with a healthy sense of self and self -worth. If the father is abusive, critical, or absent the child will grow up with sense of defectiveness and inadequacy. God has created us in such a way that a father is the primary parent for communicating identity, safety, and security to a child. It’s just the way it is.

Kris Vallotton shares a story that underlines this reality. “Curses are the powerful and painful cost of absent and broken covenants. I know this firsthand…After the death of my father, my mom gave birth to my little brother Kelly, the son of my first stepfather. Their marriage disintegrated when Kelly was five years old. After their divorce, Kelly’s dad would call drunk, about once a month to exercise his visiting rights. He would say, ‘I’m going to pick Kelly up at 5:00 tonight.’ Kelly would be so excited to go see his dad that he would be packed early in the morning. He would take his little suitcase and sit out on the front porch, usually an hour or two early. He would sit there hour after hour whether he was in the blazing son or in the freezing cold winter. He would wait outside late into the night…He would fall asleep on top of his little suitcase and I would pick him up and carry him to bed…This pattern continued for years, resulting in deep wounds and a broken heart” (Kris Vallotton, The Supernatural ways of Royalty, p. 132-133; Destiny Image). Kris goes on to say, “The same condition is prominent in the Kingdom. Much like my little brother who was not fathered, we in the Church have given birth to children and then left them fatherless and trying to survive on their own. Jesus never intended for us to maker Christians but rather to make disciples”

I know your first response might be to say “No way.” But think about it. Hundreds of churches teach their members how to share their faith and bring someone to Jesus by leading them through the sinner’s prayer. Then they tell them they love them and go on as if that is all there is. Many times we bring these “spiritual newborns” into the kingdom of God and then immediately leave them to fend for themselves. The great majority of those who are not discipled in a continuing relationship will soon slip back into the world. I have read follow-up studies on all the great Billy Graham crusades of the past where people packed into stadiums to hear this famous man preach.

Through the years, tens of thousands went forward to be “counseled” by a stranger who led them in their confession of faith with an encouragement to go find a great church. The majority didn’t know what a great church was nor were they connected to believers who continued to walk with them. Follow-up research discovered that only a tiny fraction of those men and women continued in their faith. Most slipped back into the world they knew.

Those just born again need spiritual parents in the faith who continue to sow into that man or woman imparting value, identity, and spiritual life skills. They especially need men to sow into their lives but spiritual mothers make a huge impact as well. Parenting is inconvenient most of the time. It is costly and time consuming. It requires loving someone on days when you don’t even like him or her. There will be days when you bandage spiritual scrapes and cuts and days when you wonder if that newborn will ever grow up. But, in time, with the right investment, they will grow up and become spiritual parents on their own.

We need men and women in churches all over America to step up and be parents to new or immature believers. The kingdom is not about programs or sheer numbers, but about relationships. Jesus taught us to identify God as our Heavenly Father, first and foremost. It’s not complicated. For the most part it is spending time with that new believer, speaking spiritual greatness into his or her life, praying with them, imparting values by example, taking them with you to serve, and talking about the things of the Kingdom.

If you are not already being a spiritual parent or mentor to someone, you may feel that no one would want you to be a spiritual mother or father to him or her. What I have found is that a fatherless world is clamoring for someone to be a father or a mother – to value them and to believe in them even if they are already forty years old. If nothing else, just let your pastors know that you are willing to invest in a new believer. Invite a new believer to your home for a meal and start a conversation. Invite a long time believer who hasn’t matured much to your home or your group and ask that person if he or she wants to get on an accelerated growth curve. Commit to give them a year of meeting on a regular basis, doing Bible study together, serving together in a ministry, speaking greatness over them, and answering lots of questions about faith and life. Doing life together is God’s way of making disciples much more than attending another class or reading another book.

Most of the brokenness in the world comes from father wounds. Those wounds will not be healed without the touch of our Heavenly Father through spiritual parents in the church. Without a mentor or a spiritual parent, our growth in the Lord becomes years of trial and error with lots of opportunities for the enemy to capitalize on our mistakes. Like children without a biological father or mother, we can spend years trying to discover who we are and wondering about out true value in the world or the church – usually looking for love in all the wrong places.

If you are that new believer or an immature believer truly wanting to grow in the Lord, ask someone you know and admire to give you some time to help you grow and discover who you are in Christ. Even breakfast or lunch, once a month for a year could be invaluable. The relationship you establish over those twelve months will last a lifetime and bless both of you in innumerable ways. If the first person you ask is too busy, don’t take it as rejection. They may, in fact, be too busy to take on another relationship at this time and do it justice. Ask God to connect you with just the right person for your growth and development and trust that he will. You may also join a small group and find a group to mentor you rather than just an individual. God wants none of his children to be orphans. Don’t be too proud to ask for help and don’t be too busy or insulated to offer it. God delights in those who are fathers to the fatherless.

For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Luke 12:30-34

In the gospel of Luke, Jesus has just spoken about the human tendency to worry and fret over what tomorrow may bring. He responded with the truth that if God cares for flowers and birds, how much more will he care for his own children. In the middle of his response, he makes a very significant statement that most of us have not yet fully grasped – Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. What did Jesus mean when he said that God has given us the kingdom?

Before commenting on that, I want to review a prophetic text from the Book of Daniel. Daniel had received a powerful vision and had asked for the interpretation of what he was shown.

In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. Daniel 7:13-14

This prophetic passage foresees Jesus coming in clouds, entering the throne room of the Father, and receiving authority, glory, power, and dominion. In Matthew 28:18, after his resurrection, Jesus declared, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given unto me.” A few years later, Paul declared that Jesus had been given a name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” “Phil. 2:9-11).   Daniel’s vision was fulfilled when Christ ascended to the Father after his resurrection and sat down at the right hand of the Father. But there’s more. Going back to Daniel we are told:

“I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit, and the visions that passed through my mind disturbed me. I approached one of those standing there and asked him the true meaning of all this. “So he told me and gave me the interpretation of these things: ‘The four great beasts are four kingdoms that will rise from the earth.    But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever—yes, for ever and ever.” Daniel 7:15-18

In the days of Daniel, not only was it prophesied that Jesus would be made King of Kings and Lord of Lords in the courts of heaven, but that the saints (followers of Jesus – you and me) would be given the kingdom as well. That is what Jesus referenced in Luke 12.

To be given the kingdom means that we have been given all the blessings of the kingdom and the resources of that kingdom have been made available to us. That is why Jesus encouraged us not to worry because even when we give everything away, the storehouses of heaven are always full and their contents will be made available to God’s children. The first time Jesus sent out his twelve apostles to preach and heal, he instructed them not to take any money, shoes, luggage, or extra clothes. They needed to learn that the kingdom belonged to them and therefore they could anticipate with confidence that God would always meet their needs in supernatural ways. Jesus fully understood that principle so when he was faced with feeding 5000 men plus women and children with a few fish and a handful of bread, he had no worries. He prayed, thanked the Father for the resources he could draw on and watched the Father multiply the food so that twelve basketfuls were left over. Not just enough, but more than enough.

If you are a follower of Jesus, the kingdom has been given to you. You didn‘t have to nag, plead, or cajole the Father to get your inheritance. Jesus said that the Father was pleased to give the kingdom to you. If he is pleased to give it, then he is pleased for us to use the resources stored there for the purposes of the kingdom. Money is there, clothing is there, salvation is there, food is there, healing is there, peace is there, jobs are there, and even power is there. It all belongs to you because God has given you the kingdom. ;/

When Jesus was about to feed the 5000, Matthew says that he simply looked up to heaven, gave thanks, and broke the loaves. Notice that Jesus did not bow down and beg God for a miracle. Instead he gave thanks for the provision that was already his to use and then as acted on the expectation that his Father was pleased to meet the need. He is our model.

When we pray, we should not pray as if we must beg or talk God into meeting a need, but rather give thanks that the resources of heaven are already ours to use. So…the next time a bank officer asks you to list your assets, simply add The Kingdom of Heaven to your list! Be blessed and know that the Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.

I believe that Satan’s greatest ploys against us are rejection, condemnation, and fear. Each of these is related to the others. Rejection leads to a feeling of condemnation and condemnation leads to feelings of fear. If we experience constant rejection as children, we will develop a sense that there is something wrong with us that keeps others from loving us and meeting our needs. That sense of defectiveness then brings on a sense of shame and self-condemnation expressed through the constant question, “What’s wrong with me?”

As we feel that, we begin to fear that our needs for identity(significance), protection, and provision won’t ever be met. When we begin to fear that no one out there will ever love us, protect us, or provide for us we take on an orphan mindset and begin to build all kinds of walls around our hearts to protect ourselves while at the same time becoming more desperate for someone to love. When we are desperate, we make bad decisions. We trade sex for the temporary feeling of love. We become control freaks in an effort to maintain any relationship that even hints at love. Or we give up and withdraw to places that human love can’t touch.

The real goal of Satan, is to get us to take our human fears, hurts, and disappointments and lay that template on God so that we assume or fear that he, like others before him, will not love us, protect us, or provide for us. If we could look back and see the invisible realm, we would discover that Satan is the one who had been whispering condemnation to us all along which robbed us of our self-worth (identity) and instilled fear in our hearts that our greatest needs would never be met.

I see this dynamic in the parable of the son who left home in Luke 15. Jesus told the story of a young man who grew up with a loving father who provided him with identity, security, and provision. However, the arrogance of youth overcame his surroundings and his good judgment. He demanded his inheritance long before his father died and departed for the big city. We are told, “He squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death. I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of the hired men.’ So he got up and went to his father. ” (Lk.15:13-20).

Because of destructive choices, this young man had lost his identity. He had experienced rejection and abandonment from all of those who had been his friends when he used to party and he had felt the sting of hunger and homelessness. He no longer saw himself as the son of a wealthy father but as a hired man or a servant. He was full of shame and condemnation and he feared more rejection even from his father. This young man had forgotten who he was, but he had also forgotten who his father was. He had taken the template of his experiences in the world and laid that template on his father.

I have no doubt that he debated going home for much longer than he should. He anticipated that his father would pile shame on the shame he was already feeling and add rejection to the rejection he was already administering to himself. Only when he felt absolutely desperate did he decide to go home, take his father’s anticipated verbal beating, and settle in as a servant in order to survive.

That is the picture Satan always paints for us when we have stumbled or fallen. He whispers condemnation. “You are no longer worthy to be a son or daughter of God. You have sinned against God and are despised in heaven. You don’t belong there anymore and because you have defiled your birthright, God will no longer provide, protect, or treat you as family. At best, he will take you as a hired-hand, but all you will ever have will be hard work, meager food, basic housing, and the fear of being dismissed every day of your life.”

But that is not who God is and that is not who you are. When the son came home, he had already determined that he had squandered his position as a son. He awaited the disdain of a father whom he had forgotten. But the Father saw him when he was a long way off. He ran to the son and threw his arms around him. He stopped the condemning speech of the young man, declared that his son was home, put the family robe on him, slipped a son’s ring on his finger, and called for a celebration.

The father waited all that time without condemnation in his heart. He still considered the young man to be his son. He watched longingly for him daily and when the son returned with sorrow in his heart for the life he had lived, he was restored immediately with shouts of celebration. God is not a rejecting father or an abandoning friend. He is not the author of rejection, shame, or condemnation. Satan is the author and sustainer of those dark feelings.

When the enemy comes and whisper’s his lies, refuse to put the template of a worldly father or a failed friend or spouse on him for his love is an everlasting love. Even when we wander away, God always leaves the light on for us. When fear, rejection and condemnation come from the enemy, remember who God really is and who you are in Christ. Be sure to remind Satan as well.

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

For we have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. 1 Timothy 1:7

God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ Hebrews 13:5

Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. Galatians 4:6-7

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Heb.11:6). This is a statement from Hebrews 11 where all the great men and women of faith are listed for our consideration. The phrase “by faith” comes up over and over again in that list and throughout the scriptures. Jesus also declared faith to be a central component in many of the miracles he performed. He often said something like, “Your faith has healed you” or “May it be done to you according to your faith.” He declared that if we had faith the size of a mustard seed we could command a mountain to be thrown into the sea and it would be done. At times he was amazed by the faith of a few and, at other times, amazed at the lack of faith of others. Paul assures us that we are saved by grace through faith.

For anyone who has studied the New Testament, faith is clearly seen as a central issue in the life of every person who follows Jesus. Faith is a central issue in our lives if we are going to see God move powerfully in response to our prayers or work through us as we minister to others. Most discussions about faith orbit around our perception of God and his ability to do great things that intervene in the natural order of the universe. However, in my experience, believing that God can heal the sick and raise the dead or that he can move mountains and give great victories in the face of overwhelming odds is often the easy part of faith.

What I have discovered through the years is that my challenge is not to believe that God will move in those ways for his children, but to believe that God will move in those ways for me. Perhaps, you struggle with the same doubts at times.

I find that for many of us, believing that God truly loves us personally and is eager to answer our prayers is the stumbling block for our faith. For many, it is much easier to believe God’s promises for others than for ourselves. We know ourselves too well. We live with a daily awareness of our secret sins, out fears, our defectiveness, and our weaknesses. We know our dark thoughts and shame-filled memories. We reject ourselves so we expect God to reject us as well.

It’s part of our fallen nature to expect punishment from God rather than grace and love. One of Satan’s great strategies is to persuade us that God is a perfectionistic father who requires the same perfection from his children if he is going to love and bless them. We expect him to be angry when we don’t deliver that perfection.

Like Adam and Eve, our first response to our failures is typically to duck into the brush, attempt to cover up our shame, and when God shows up to blame everyone in the surrounding territory for our shortcomings. Why did Adam and Eve hide and blame rather than running to their loving Father and confessing their sin immediately? Perhaps, it was because Satan had subtly convinced them that God wasn’t such a loving father after all. We know what he was whispering to them before they took fruit from the tree and ate, but we don’t know what he whispered the moment after they took that fateful bite.

I’m confident it was a litany of fear-filled claims that God was going to fly into an uncontrollable rage and become a terrifying abuser – that he was going to kill them that day because “ in the day you eat of that tree you will die!” I’m sure he whispered that God now hated and despised them and would never forgive them for what they had done. He probably laughed at them and shamed them in every conceivable way so that they would hate themselves and expect God to feel the same.

Satan whispers to us in our failures as well. He whispers that God only loves the “super-Christians;” he only responds to the prayers of those in the 95^th percentile; or the last sin was the last straw and God is through with us until we can work hard enough to earn his love and mercy again – but we are such losers that we’ll never be able to do that anyway.

Satan persuades us that God is a father whose intimate involvement in our lives, whose love, whose laughter, whose delight, whose abundant forgiveness, and whose approval will never be there for us. And so we pray and believe with reservation – not about his goodness or his ability – but about our “worthiness” for his love and attention.

Faith accepts that our worthiness was secured on the cross apart from our performance. It believes God’s promises for us in spite of our abundant weaknesses and failures. Jesus became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor.5:21). By God’s grace there is no condemnation for us because we are no longer under law (Rom.8:1). You have been adopted into the royal family by a father whose love is unconditional. He knew all your faults before he ever called you to be his son or daughter.

Most of us believe in our minds that God loves us. The problem is to believe in our hearts that he loves us and has written our name on every promise. So how do I finally come to believe that every promise is for me and not just for those around me?

First of all, we may ask the Holy Spirit to give us a revelation of that truth in our heart. He is the teacher who leads us into all truth. God speaks of writing his laws or his truth on our hearts. Revelation comes to our hearts, not to our minds, so a consistent prayer for that revelation would be an essential place to start.

Secondly, we need to begin to say what God says about his love and promises for us and refuse to add any disclaimers that disqualify us for those promises. Stop the “buts.” As soon as we say, “ I know what the Bible says, but…” we have introduced unbelief into our hearts and have diluted our faith. If the Bible says it, stand on that without qualifying the scripture or stating a disclaimer about your “worthiness” to receive the promise. Jesus has made you worthy…period. Find a set of declarations about your identity in Christ and read them out loud every day ending them with a thank you to God that he has made you all of those things.

Thirdly, we need to find a promise that becomes our promise – one that resonates with our spirit and one that we will not let go of. Ask God to show you a promise that will anchor all his other promises for you. Memorize it, confess it, and use it against the enemy. When the devil shows up with his truckload of accusations and condemnation, be quick to call him a liar and command him to leave and take his lies with him. Declare your promise over the accusations. That is how you resist Satan and send him fleeing.

Getting the truth that every promise of God is for you and not just everyone else in your church is critical to living a blessed and victorious life. It is a process more than an event and you have a part in it. So get started today and ask the Lord to show you his heart toward you. When we truly understand his heart for each of us, we will be transformed.

Some of us relish the idea of being “different” or unique – the one standing out in the crowd. Others of us like to blend in and avoid being a center of attention. But the truth is that if you are a follower of Jesus, you are already different from all other people groups on the globe. You are set apart and unique and you need to not only get comfortable with the idea but also celebrate it.

God expressed his intent for a such a relationship when he spoke to Israel, saying, “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples.            But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt” (Deut. 7:6-8).

God declared this over Israel after he had delivered them from Egypt, but they experienced their position with God while in Egypt. After Moses had returned to Egypt to demand the release of God’s people, Pharaoh refused to let the Hebrews go. In response to Pharaoh’s refusal, God released ten plagues on the nation. It seems that the Hebrews experienced the first three just as the Egyptians did – the Nile was turned to blood, frogs infested the land, and gnats filled the air. The next scheduled plague was flies. However, God announced to Pharaoh, “On that day, I will deal differently with the land of Goshen (a province of Egypt, explanation added), where my people live. No swarms of flies will be there so that you will know that I, the Lord, am in this land. I will make a distinction between my people and your people” (Ex.8:22-23). The remainder of the plagues devastated the Egyptians but not God’s people. Even when darkness covered the land, there was light in Goshen. When the final plague took the firstborn of every person and animal, the Hebrews and their livestock were spared.

Later, in the days of Ezekiel when Israel had rebelled against the Lord for years, a subgroup within the larger population was set aside as unique to the Lord. “Now the glory of the God of Israel went up from above the cherubim, where it had been, and moved to the threshold of the temple. Then the Lord called to the man clothed in linen who had the writing kit at his side and said to him, ‘Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it.’     As I listened, he said to the others, ‘Follow him through the city and kill, without showing pity or compassion. Slaughter old men, young men and maidens, women and children, but do not touch anyone who has the mark’” (Ezek. 9:3-6). In this context, God was forced to judge Israel for it’s rebellion, but even in the midst of this judgment, God marked those who had been faithful so that his judgment did not touch them. In the same vein, in the Book of Revelation during the great tribulation, God told his angels, “Do not harm the land or sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of God” (Rev.7:3). Two chapters later, God spoke to scorpions that had been released for judgment and said, “not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their forehead” (Rev. 9:4).

God marks his people and treats them differently from all other people on the earth because he has chosen them. The apostle Paul continued the theme of being set apart from all creation by God when he says of Christ followers, “Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” (2 Cor. 1:21-22). Paul says in another place, “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory” (Eph.1:13-14). Peter put it this way. “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Pet.2:9).

As a believer in Jesus Christ, you are different. You walk around with the presence of God (the Holy Spirit) within you. You have been born again and made into a new creation. You are primarily a spiritual person rather than a physical or natural person. You are loved, chosen, marked, and elevated above all creation. You are so honored in Christ that Paul even says that you will judge angels (1 Cor. 6:3). You are a royal priest – anointed with the Spirit to offer praise, prayers and service to the King of the universe. Only priests minister in the presence of God. No one else has that kind of access. In the spiritual realm you are clearly marked as one belonging to God. His judgment will not touch you and you will be treated differently – as sons and daughters of the King.

You are different. You are chosen. You should at all times anticipate blessing and favor. You should not be proud but confident and thankful. You should expect significant spiritual assignments that mirror your significance as God’s anointed representative on the earth. One of Satan’s primary strategies is to deny who you are in Christ so that you might deny who you are in Christ. If you deny your identity, you will not live up to the privilege you have in Jesus. You will not walk in your inheritance and you will not fulfill your destiny. It is imperative that you know who you are; accept that you are different; and live up to that difference. With every thought, say what God says about you, call the devil a liar, and be blessed today in your difference.

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.  For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Rom.8:14 -17, ESV).

What a reversal of thought from the former defender of the Law and zealous Pharisees who saw God as so holy that his name was unpronounceable and his presence meant death! Paul was brought up in the tradition that remembered the fire and smoke of Sinai, the demise of Nadab and Abihu for offering strange fire, and Uzzah who crumpled behind the cart after touching the Ark of the Covenant. Under the Old Covenant no one could enter the Holy of Holies (the presence of God) except the High Priest and he could only venture there fearfully once a year. Fear and dread marked the relationship between God and his people before the cross.

But now, Paul describes our relationship as one with “Abba Father” which is the familiar term for Father in Aramaic. That was the term used by small children to address their “daddy” in the days of Jesus and the apostles. Saul of Tarsus would no doubt have been offended by the term and would have considered it irreverent or even blasphemous but not Paul, the follower of Jesus.

This section describes our relationship with the Father as adopted children. Don’t mistake that for some kind of second-class relationship with the Father for you have been chosen. Jewish adoption was somewhat informal but Roman adoption, with which Paul was well acquainted, was formalized. When a Roman family adopted a child or an adult, the entire past of the adoptee was legally erased and they were given full rights of the family and full rights of inheritance equal to the natural children of the family. It was as if the newcomer had always been part of the family. Paul paints that picture for the believer who has been adopted and given the status of son. I believe Paul uses that term because sons were given preference over daughters in terms of inheritance in Jewish families but sons and daughters have equal access to inheritance in the Kingdom of God.

In fact, in Hebrews we are told, “But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven” (Heb.12:22-23). Interestingly, the term “firstborn” is in the plural form which means the phrase could have been translated “the church of the firstborn ones.” That would suggest that our Heavenly Father has given us all the status of firstborn sons which implies that every believer is “his favorite” and receives the blessing of being a firstborn – a significant position in Jewish families.

A key to living triumphantly on this tattered planet is knowing who you are and what is available to you from the vaults of heaven. As a child of God, you have an inheritance, a birthright, and rights associated with being sons and daughters of the King – now. Too many of us assume that the blessings of the kingdom (health, provision, power, standing, relationship, protection, etc.) are available only after we depart this life but aren’t they even more needful on this planet while we live in enemy territory attempting to extend the Kingdom of God?

Jesus constantly accessed the provisions of heaven for healing, feeding the multitudes, protection, raising the dead, preaching anointed messages, prophetic words, and casting out demons. He modeled life that is ultimately available to every son and daughter of the King who live on this planet. It comes to us through an audacious belief in who we are and who He is and the faith to live as one who is already seated in heavenly places with Jesus. I encourage you to ask the Father daily for a full revelation of who you are and what is yours in Christ so that you may live up to the privilege purchased by the only begotten son for every adopted child. Be blessed in Him.

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. (Eph.1:4-6)

We are continuing to talk about who we are in Christ and more specifically who you are in Christ.  The Holy Spirit is very clear in this passage about God’s intentions for you.  You are not just a random life floating through the universe.  According to the apostle Paul, God in his foreknowledge saw a number of people who would respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ if given a chance.  And so, it was determined before the creation of the world that Jesus would die on behalf of those who would believe. If you are in Christ, then you are one of those.  If you are considering Christ, then I believe you are one of those he chose before he put his hand to the ground and formed Adam in the Garden.

In his foreknowledge, God saw your heart.  It was a heart that would respond in faith to his grace and so he created a destiny for you.  Typically, we see much less in ourselves than God sees in us but he sees the potential in you for faith and greatness in his kingdom.  Most of us don’t agree with God about our own capacity.  We can’t imagine doing anything that God or heaven would  applaud. Be careful that you don’t begin to evaluate God’s estimation of you on the basis of what the world considers greatness.  Instead, consider greatness as it is measured in heaven.

Greatness in the kingdom is first measured by the condition of the heart rather than by great deeds. In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul is clear that you could do amazing and epic things but without love they would count for nothing.  So love is greater than deeds.  Hebrews 11 is clear that faith is the real currency in the kingdom of heaven. Abraham was justified by faith, by believing God, before his “doing” was ever praised.  Faith, then, is greater than deeds. Through the prophet Hosea, God said, “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings” (Hosea 6:6). So even mercy is greater than the things we do.

Before you begin to evaluate yourself on the basis of your performance and possessions…look first at your heart.  As you scan all the men and women counted as great in the kingdom of God on Hebrews 11, very few were kings and very few possessed wealth.  But even for those that did, their power and possessions were not mentioned. There faith was what caught heaven’s attention.  It was faith that made them famous in the court of the King.  The world measures greatness, even for Christians by name recognition, books published, church size and television audience. But with love, faith, and mercy in your heart your greatness in the kingdom may exceed those men and women with huge television audiences, massive book sales, and sold out stadiums.

“But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on” (Mk.12:42-44).  Jesus said that his woman, who by worldly standards hardly counted, was counted greater in the kingdom of heaven than all those who gave great amounts out of their wealth.

God has destined you for greatness because he saw something in your heart through which he could do great things.  To say you were predestined simply means that he created a potential destiny for you before creation.  Of course, you can say no to any part of the destiny you choose, but you can also say yes. God loved you before you were ever conceived and arranged for your adoption before the first sunrise ever lit the eastern horizon.  On top of that, God did not feel compelled to adopt you because it was the “right thing” or the “righteous thing” or because you were pitiful.  He adopted you because it pleased him and because he wanted to.

In the days that Paul penned his letter to the Ephesians, a father could disown his own biological son if he determined to do so.  However, a father could never disown one he had adopted because the adoption was not by accident although a natural birth could be.  Adoption was by choice and the Father would always stand by that choice.  God is not undecided about you.  You are undecided about you.  He saw your potential for greatness before you were conceived. It’s up to you to step into the greatness he has destined. He will make you into whatever you choose by your choices. Whatever you say yes to or no to in the spiritual realm will limit God or release God to do all he has planned for you.

Here is the key – accept God’s evaluation of who you are and your potential for greatness. Focus on your relationship with the Father and a heart that pleases him.  The rest will take care of itself because it is the heart that will make you great or keep you small in the kingdom. Then ask God to make you everything he has seen in you.  Give him control and say yes to every challenge and opportunity because those will be steppingstones to your destiny.  Be blessed today knowing who you are and that God has been involved in your life longer that the earth has whirled through space.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. (Eph.1:3-6)

The apostle Paul began his letter to the believers in Ephesus by immediately praising God for the things he has done for every believer.  He says first that, as a follower of Jesus, you have been blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.  As you read through Paul’s letter you will find the phrase “in Christ” in numerous verses.  Paul always reminds us that what we have is found only in our relationship with Christ. He quickly points out that because we are in Christ we have numerous spiritual blessings that rest in heavenly realms.  Paul isn’t saying that one day when we get to heaven we will receive these blessings that have been waiting for us there.  Although we will have blessing stored up and waiting for us, many of those blessings are available to us now.

The fact that these blessings are in heavenly realms doesn’t mean they are out of reach because the Kingdom of Heaven is within your reach (See Mt.3:2).  You are a citizen of heaven now (Phil.3:20).  The emphasis on the heavenly is that you have blessings and promises that no man can take away.  Not only that, the nature of your blessings are eternal – there is no expiration date like an old gift card or coupon. Your heavenly blessings are good whenever you need them.

Think of these spiritual blessings as heavenly resources that are accessible to you through faith in Jesus.  Of course, eternal life is huge but then so is the very presence of God living in you by his Spirit. The Spirit himself is willing to deposit in you power, health, wisdom, peace, joy, love, encouragement, intimacy with the Father, revelation, truth, and all kinds of amazing spiritual gifts such as mercy, leadership, administration, creativity, prophecy, tongues (your language for the spirit realm), knowledge, healings, and more.  Each of these blessings is available to you through faith and desire.  These spiritual treasures are for you now not just for after the funeral.  Because they are spiritual in nature they surpass all gifts and blessings available in the natural realm and you have access to the spiritual realm because you are spiritual.

Paul is also quick to point out that you were chosen.  If you ever participated in team sports you understand the power of being chosen.  You were chosen because the coach or the team captain saw value in you. He saw potential and greatness in you or you would not have been chosen.  He also saw desire and he knew that your desire to be on the team and to play well would drive you to do more and be more. God saw something in you and you were chosen. Not only were you chosen but you stepped up and accepted the invitation. The text goes on to say that you were chosen to be “holy and blameless in his sight.”  In many ways this is a mystery.  But Paul also tells us that “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God”(2 Cor.5:21).

Many of us feel our weakness and our tendency to sin.  We feel unworthy of the blessings of God.  By faith you must accept that God, in his foreknowledge, saw something in you that prompted him to choose you, make you righteous and wholly acceptable by the blood of his Son, give you standing in heaven and make the blessings of his kingdom available to you on earth.  When you feel unworthy, you are feeling your flesh but God relates to you through your spirit.  You see yourself through your flesh but God sees you through your spirit and your spirit loves the things of God even when you are unaware of it (see Rom.7:21-22).  In his sight you are holy and blameless.

That doesn’t mean we can live anyway we choose. We are also told, “because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Heb.10:14).  By the sacrifice of Jesus you have been given the standing in heaven of being perfect (sinless, righteous, pure) while he is making you holy.  God is committed to making you like Jesus.  He wants you to not only have a position of holiness but a condition of holiness as well. However, while he is doing that you can still come before him as a perfect son or daughter of God expecting his help and access to your spiritual blessings in time of need. (See Heb.4:16).

Paul then goes on to tell you that you were predestined before the foundation of the world to be adopted.  What in the world does that mean?  We’ll talk about that in the next blog. But in the meantime remember who you are in Christ. Think about it.  Chew on it. Start to speak it by faith and be blessed.