Identity. It’s a subject that fills the majority young people’s thoughts most of the time. I remember it filling mine. I heard many messages about living out of my identity. I’ve preached those messages. Yet often, people don’t stop to consider whether they have this question settled in their heart.
If you ask someone who they are, it’s likely you’ll get a response like “I’m a nurse” or “I’m a carpenter” or “I’m a stay-at-home.” If they have been in a
revival culture, you might get the “I’m a world changer” type response. None of these are wrong, except they are centered on what the individual is doing with their life or time. They are centered on outward or visible circumstances.
What happens when those circumstances change? What happens when you lose that dream job that you waited and hoped for years for? This can be a rattling experience to walk through and can shake us to the core as individuals.
I believe the reason most that people answer the question “who are you?” with something related to what they do is that they intrinsically understand that identity gives purpose. The problem is when we mix that order up. If we arrive at our identity from what we do, what we are passionate about, or what we are involved in – anything that is circumstantial or outwardly based – we- we open ourselves up to losing our identity when difficulty arrives.
However, if we allow our life, direction, passions, purpose to be formed and directed by our identity we will have the internal strength to face temptations, hardships, and the shaking that will inevitably come our way.
Let’s look at Jesus’ life for a moment. Before any public ministry or miracles, there are a couple key things we can see that illustrate this. In Luke 2:41-52 we have the story of Jesus as a boy being forgotten in the temple. Joseph and Mary had been in Jerusalem for Passover, and when the feast was over, they left and headed back to Nazareth. They were on the road for a full day before realizing they had forgotten Him. Then it took them three days to find Him in the temple! I can’t even imagine forgetting about the Son of God! When they asked Jesus why He had stayed behind, He answered, “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” As a twelve year-old boy He was already anchored in His identity.
In the next chapter (Luke 3), Jesus is baptized in water by John the Baptist. The Holy Spirit descends, and the voice of the Father says, “You are My Son, whom I love. With You, I am well pleased.” What an incredible thing to hear! This is the truth that gives Jesus the strength to fight the temptations in Luke 4. Jesus heads out into the wilderness on a 40-day fast and the enemy comes and tempts Him three times questioning His identity. Two of the temptations are a direct challenge to His identity – “if You are the Son of God”, and the third questions who He will worship. Imagine the adversity He was about to move into in His ministry, leading to his crucifixion and resurrection. An entire nation and world was about to question who He was. Though He was tempted, His identity was anchored, and He overcame the enemy in the wilderness. In Luke 4:14 it says, “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit.” When our identity is anchored in God, we have the strength to face adversity, moving past it in the power of the Spirit into the next level God has for us.
For Jesus to face the question “Who am I?”, He first had to answer “Whose am I?”. He was the Father’s only begotten Son. We see this truth already taking hold at twelve years old. Nothing else mattered. He was the Son of God. He wasn’t performing for the approval or acceptance of His Father. Therefore, the battles He was about to face weren’t about determining who He was,was; they were merely circumstances to be overcome.
For us to be overcomers, to be champions in the faith, we must settle the question “Whose am I?” The Father paid the highest price, declaring His love and desire for us as His children. It’s time to rest in the truth that you are your Father’s child. You are a son or daughter of the Most High. Be anchored in that place, and discover the purpose and the plans that He has for your life. Whatever battle you are facing or weakness you feel does not determine who you are. Those are just merely circumstances to overcome!
Photo credit to Tom (flickr.com/an_untrained_eye)