Keeping Your Self | LifeRocks

Your identity as a human is precious. Some may try to steal or destroy it, but no human can take away what was given to you by your Creator. God created you and gave you a unique and precious identity. He invites you to follow Him and He will show you who He created you to be, and redeem what others have tried to steal or destroy. Do you know your true identity? You think about it, let's talk about it.

TRANSCRIPT:
Hello world! Today, I speak on “Protecting Your Self.”

One of the fastest growing problems across the world of technology is what we call “identity theft.” Identity theft is where people want your information. I’m not talking about imitating you, that we do with people we admire—sometimes done with envy of celebrities; where they imitate your clothes, whatever you do, your fashions, your approach to life. That’s a compliment, but I’m talking here about identity theft, which steals your information with criminal intent. They want your bank information. They want your credit card information. They want your passport information. They hack into all sorts of technology and computers in order to become you, as it were, for their terrible purposes. And everybody I’ve talked to who’s gone through identity theft says it’s harrowing. It’s a huge headache.

So an entire industry has grown around detecting, monitoring and resolving identity theft. It’s a fascinating industry. Now they really don’t steal your identity. They only steal some information about you. Your identity is the core you, inside you, the soul, the self-identity you are, and no human being can steal that. Now, your body is rather complex—your physical identity. Now your soul identity is even more complex than your body. And don’t let anybody reduce you to the mere external. You’re more than your body. The only way to steal your soul identity is if somebody larger and more powerful than us as human beings comes through the back door and makes a claim on our lives. He overpowers us. He’s against us. He comes to steal, to kill, to destroy. He breaks us, and so-guess what? We break ourselves and break each other. He steals our identity, so we become victims and we victimize one another. That core identity is fragmented, because he’s come and stolen what is not appropriately his. To that immediate intrinsic need, the Lord Jesus comes and says, “I’ve come in order, to get the thief out of the way who steals and kills and destroys, I am the Good Shepherd. I give my very own life directly to you, for my sheep. I don’t have to come to the back door." And twice he says, “I give my life to the sheep,” in the space of a couple of comments; to share with you that you’re not to be discounted, devalued, but deeply valued. And how do you know that? He gives His life for you and me.

One other statement of value is there. The thief attempts to steal, kill and destroy your identity, devalue you, to discount you. The Lord Jesus says, “I am your Good Shepherd, I know my own, and my own know me.” So don’t concede your character. Don’t give up your core. Let the Good Shepherd be the one who transforms you, rescues you, redeems you and upgrades you to 2.0.