The Seed Blog: Identity in Christ: What Are You Waiting For?

In our Candlelight Service, we discussed how the most important thing about knowing Christ is not really just whether we know of Him at all, but whether we have opened ourselves to Him in the most intimate of ways; whether we have invited Him in to truly know us in the most surrendered and committed way, some people avoid or push Christ away and reject all that He did for us because we cannot accept that we are the type of person that Jesus would ever want to be near; to share a life with [...]

In our Candlelight Service, we discussed how the most important thing about knowing Christ is not really just whether we know of Him at all, but whether we have opened ourselves to Him in the most intimate of ways; whether we have invited Him in to truly know us in the most surrendered and committed way, some people avoid or push Christ away and reject all that He did for us because we cannot accept that we are the type of person that Jesus would ever want to be near; to share a life with. We believe this because of all that we have done in the past or because of who we are even now—unsuccessful, unusable, confused over who we even think we are, living against Him, choosing sin over Him—even now many who have come to trust Him still cannot get close to Him personally for the same reasons; still can’t be used of Him and still can’t have the love for others. That is the center of all He wants for us. This identity crisis we have about how He sees us keeps us immobile, paralyzed in a prison. Way more people are suffering from this incorrect view of how God sees them than they realize. But the tell-tale signs show up in two really big ways in our lives: 1) In how we judge ourselves continuously—either giving up on trying to do or be anything in life because we are dirty, defeated or unusable. Feeling we have nothing to give, so we stop trying to do or be anything in life, and we sometimes even withdraw emotionally and socially. Or in just the opposite, driving ourselves relentlessly. Always hard on ourselves; always feeling like we are not good enough; always down on our own performance; always having to prove we are the best; always discouraged at yourself. 2) In how we constantly view other people around us. (Maybe one of the biggest signs) Always feeling that everyone else is better and more usable. Or sometimes in the way that seems least likely to stem from insecure and improper feeling about oneself, we see everyone else in a critical and judgmental light. We criticize and attack everything others do; we act and try to feel superior in all we do; we live in constant frustration over how other people don't meet our expectations and demands, making life and relationships a constant strain, and defeating our work for Christ because we are holding others to the same unreachable standards we have judged ourselves by.
Please let the Holy Spirit open Scriptures to you that you have heard in your flesh many times over. Almost every person God has ever chosen to use in Scriptures was a failure; a sinner; a poor, simple, common person; or a social reject in some way. Can you relate to these? Abraham- The spiritual father of us all was a cowardly liar, endangering his wife with his lies. Ester was a common, socially hated Jewish woman in a world that thought little of women and less of Jews. Jacob was a selfish, conniving scoundrel out for himself. Peter was a hotheaded, arrogant fisherman who turned coward and betrayed Christ. Matthew was a traitor to his people, out to cheat his own for gain. (Completely hated and worthless to his society.) David was the least of his brothers, with the lowest job as a shepherd. His own father did not even think he should be considered as king. And after becoming a great king, became an adulterer and murderer. All of these people were the seemingly the last choices that a Holy and Righteous God would make as His closest friends and most powerful servants.
How you judge the worth of something or someone depends upon their position in your eyes—not their condition. When your own child falls into sin, do you judge their worth by their (condition) failure? Or by their position in your life? The biggest mistake we can make is to base our worth on the system and opinions of the world's view. Those who know the real you; those who judge through sinful eyes based upon the wrong criteria anyway. Those who can’t see, nor understand the real worth. Those who are quick to "Throw away" anything or anyone broken, and get something they see as better because the world doesn’t see their own, or anyone else's real worth. Let's look at this from a very real, very practical point of view. If you are someone who has not accepted Christ as your King, Lord and Savior (maybe because you feel He is not interested in a reject) get the whole, real picture. The biggest mistake you can ever make is to judge yourself in His eyes by how you have lived or are living now. He sees you as His Priceless Treasure; worth His very life. You—and just you—are enough for His Blood to be shed joyfully. That is your position in His eyes. Romans 5:6-8.  But your condition is something different; and deadly—your condition is one of sin. Sin is not who you are, but sin is inside of you. And make no mistake—God hates sin. Because of it's destructive effects. Because of what it does to you, others, and your relationship with Him. Sin is so horrible that He would literally die to separate you from it. But if you will not let it go—if you want it more than Him—it will become a part of who you are, and it will cease to be your condition, it will then become your chosen position. And He will have no choice but to throw you away to be rid of it: Romans 2:5-8. Please understand that you are everything to Him, but if you hold onto what He can’t accept, He will have to refuse you as well, with a broken heart, but a Righteous heart that will destroy sin. If you have been covered under the Blood of Our Christ, then act like you have been paid for by the Priceless Blood of the Eternal King. No matter who you may have been labeled as in the past; no matter who you may have felt like you were in the past; it was all attached to your condition in sin. And it has all not only been wiped out by Something so much more precious, but it has been forgotten by the King: Hebrews 8:12. Part of that Gift to you, was that you could forget it as well. You are not known by anything you have ever done in your life. You are only known by Him for how much you love Him now. You are literally seen as pure as Jesus is seen in the Eyes of God, not as Jesus, but as pure as Him: 2 Corinthians 5:21. And your abilities to serve Him do amazing things like no other. Even love for others is completely in Him alone. Stop putting it on yourself or your abilities or your ability to be perfect. You are just like every other person ever used in Scripture. It all stems upon your reliance on Him to work in and through you now—from this very day, forward. When you can remove all struggle and worry over your performance—over how anyone else sees your life—and just focus on being what He wants you to be. Just focus on being valiant and obedient to Him, no matter the view of anyone around you, or even, and especially, the view of yourself, then He can be free to work in you. Truly be close to you; receive the Glory He deserves for what He has been freed to do in you. Jesus did not call your redemption a rebirth for nothing. You are no longer who you were in sin; you are reborn as a new person. And as we said on Christmas Eve, that person is only known by God Himself. Who gave you your name here on earth? The one's who brought you into this world at birth. In Jesus' day, the Father gave His Child their name on the eighth day after birth, and Who is the Only One that can give you your New Name? The one perfectly fitting for you? The One who brought you into the world anew at your rebirth—your new Father. John 1:12-13.
When you finally get this fact of who you are in Him alone, you can let a few other people off the hook as well. Remember that we often see people, only through the glass of their condition as well. But they, like us, are in a fallen state. In a world that teaches we are nothing more than a chemical accident, with no real purpose in life; with no right or wrong. They are not only told that God's Plan is outdated and irrelevant, but in many cases now, judgmental and just plain wrong. Even our churches are teaching this to the world. Stop being so focused on self (In your own insecurities),
that you think every issue people have with you is about you. Understand they have their own self-identity crisis which brings fear, insecurity, anger, hatred and rejection. Stop looking at the world through your expectations. Stop judging them by their condition. 1 Corinthians 5:12-13. Start seeing those outside by their position in Christ’s eyes. Every single one worth repairing; not throwing away; not ignoring or giving up on. When Jacob finally realize who he was in God—when he finally held nothing back and gave all of himself to his Maker; when he finally stepped out of the prison of his own self-identity—he was given a new name by His Father: "Israel”, meaning, “The one who wrestled with and clung to his God!" When Gideon finally accepted who he was in God; when he finally dropped the notion that his identity and his ability was not tied to being the most insignificant person in his family, from the most insignificant tribe of Israel—a social nobody; when he finally stepped out of the prison of his own self-identity and accepted who he was in God's Eyes, in God's Strength—a Mighty Warrior of God—when he finally held nothing back from his God, but gave his all—he was given a new name by his Father: "Jerubbal", meaning, "Let Baal contend" or "One who battles with Baal!” How would you like to be known as “One who makes war with Satan?!”
Your identity; your name; your worth, has been given to you by the One who gave you a new birth. Not based upon anything from your past, or any criteria this world tries to place on you, but based upon who you are in Christ. Based upon the price and worth of God's own blood. You are Royalty. You are the Warrior Prince or Princess God created you to be for His Kingdom. He didn't come to throw you away, but to remake you. Stop denying the work of Christ in you. Stop placing your value in the hands of the world—stop even placing it in your own hands. Stop living a defeated, scared, guilty, withdrawn, ho-hum life for Him. Hebrews 4:16. Begin to live your life by the confidence, peace, fierceness and love you were made to live by—unashamed and unhindered. The old identity in sin that many of you still cling to has you held captive in prison in every area of your life. John 8:36. His death has unlocked the door to your prison cell. He took your place in the cell. His question to you is: "What are you waiting for?!" Open the door and walk out of the prison. Your crown is just outside, waiting for you. Galatians 4:7.
Why won’t you let yourself be free? From guilt, insecurities, unworthiness, fear, anxiety. He doesn’t want a cowering slave. He wants—He died for—a joyful, confident, close child to carry His Name proudly! Push open the door, put on the Crown, and walk into a new life.