Who Are You?

By Danny Saavedra, Minister

“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”—John 8:31–32 (NIV)

Over the last few days, we’ve learned that only God can give us our identity and why that’s the case. We also learned what happens when we receive Christ and have our eyes opened. Today, I’m going to share with you the God-given identity you receive when you receive Jesus.

• 1 John 1:9 says we’re forgiven and pure.
• 1 Peter 2:9 says we’re chosen, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people for His own possession.
• Deuteronomy 14:2 says we’re His treasured possession.
• Ephesians 2:10 calls us His masterpiece.
• 2 Corinthians 5:21 says we’re righteous.
• Isaiah 43:4 calls us precious.
• Matthew 5:13–16 says we’re salt, light, and a city on a hill.
• John 3:16 says we’re loved.
• John 8:36 says we’re free.
• John 15:5 says we’re His family.
• John 15:15 says we’re His friends.
• Romans 3:24 says we’re justified.
• Romans 8:17 says we’re heirs and coheirs with Christ!
• Romans 8:37 says we’re more than conquerors.
• 1 Corinthians 3:16 tells us we’re God’s temple.
• 2 Corinthians 1:22 tells us we’re secure.
• 2 Corinthians 5:17 says we’re a new creation.
• 2 Corinthians 5:20 says we’re God’s ambassadors.
• Ephesians 1 says we’re blessed, chosen, adopted, redeemed, grace-lavished, unconditionally loved, accepted, and blameless.
• Philippians 3:20 tells us we’re citizens of Heaven.
• John 1:12 and Galatians 3:26 says we’re children of God.

Just think about these for a minute. Whether you’ve read them a billion times or this is the first time, take it in because in Christ THIS IS YOU! This is you on your best and your worst day. This identity can never be removed, tarnished, messed up, forsaken, taken away, or changed.

This is who you become by the grace of God through faith in Christ! God takes us from sinners who deserve death to citizens of heaven, from enemies of God to His friends, from children of wrath to children and heirs of God! And the craziest part is that this only scratches the surface of the identity we have in Christ.

So, how do we apply our identity in Christ and allow it to impact how we live, view the world, people, and ourselves? First, we must immerse ourselves in who HE is, in His identity, His character, His nature, His heart, His mind, and His will. This is done through the study of the Word and intentional time in prayer. Second, we must intentionally remove the false identities given to us by the world as we learn to see things through the lens of Scripture. Third, we must combat the lies and remind ourselves of who Christ is, what Christ has done, and who we are in Christ (Titus 3:3–8).

When we do, we’ll begin to see it impact the way we view ourselves, the people around us, our church, our calling, and the world. It will change our decision-making with money, relationships, and careers. It will change our priorities and habits. We’ll be empowered and equipped by the Spirit to walk in boldness, confidence, courage, compassion, kindness, humility, and power.

So, friends, I pray that today you can walk more securely in who you are as children of God!

Pause: How do we walk in our true identity as those who’ve been made new in Christ?

Practice: Write out or print the list of passages in this devotional and put them somewhere where you’ll see them every day. Read them, remind yourself of them, and thank God that this is who HE has made you into through Christ Jesus!

Pray: Father, who am I that you are mindful of me? Who am I that you take care of me? Apart from You, from Your love, from the grace of Your Son Jesus, and from the fellowship with Your Holy Spirit, I am nothing. Father, thank You that You have made me Your treasured possession and adopted me as Your child and heir. Father, I pray that I would grow more and more conformed to the image of Your Son; that the old person would decrease and that You would increase. Amen.