YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST MAKES YOU POWERFUL

July 17, 2016

By: Lito dela Pea

INTRODUCTION:
Your faith will grow stronger as you focus on your identity in Christ. What this
means is that you abandon any image of yourself that is not from God. You stop accepting
what others have said about you, how others have labeled you, and how others have
defined you.

Ill speak on the subject:

YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST MAKES YOU POWERFUL

A person who doesnt know this truth will have an identity crisis. He will become
weak in faith and will easily give in to other peoples opinion and will develop low self-
esteem. What is at stake here is that he will not come to the fullest of what God wants him
to be and he will never come to know the rights, privileges and responsibilities of being a
child of God.

ME: I grew up with very disciplinarian parents. Whenever we have a visitor we are not
allowed to approach them or being around wherever they are. Also I experienced bullying
with none other than my relatives. With this and with many other factors, I became
withdrawn; loner and I developed low self-esteem. They name names on me and I grew
up with that kind of environment. I cannot look at a person eye to eye but thanks God
when I came to know the Lord I begin to understand who am I in Christ and that gave me
the confidence to face anyone.

WE: I know you can relate to my story. Perhaps you have low self-esteem, you look down
on yourself or maybe other people look down on you. Perhaps you are looking on yourself
as victim of circumstances in life. Youre judged base on whose family you came from, on
your status in life, on your past, on your physical features, and in so many other thing but
that is not the real you. You are more than that. You are more than what other people think
of you or what you think of yourself.
I want you to watch this short video of a man known as Benjamin Kyle, he has
amnesia for 11 years before he came to know who he is, and his true identity (play the
AVP)
This story happened in Georgia a man with no identification was found beaten naked and
unconscious behind a Burger King is in Georgia in 2004. He eventually regained
consciousness but when they took him to the hospital he realized he had developed total
amnesia. And for the past eleven years no one has known who he is. Can you imagine
that? The F.B.I. did fingerprints and D.N.A. testing on him. They couldn't figure out who
he was. Dr. Phil did the T.V. show on him nationally and nobody claimed him. Dr. Phil
actually hired a private investigator to try to find this man's identity couldn't discover it.
Kathleen a woman who was his nurse actually took him into her home and for the last
eleven years has been trying to gently restore his memory. He couldnt work because he
has no social security number and he could have a shelter simply because he has no
name, no records, it is as if he doesnt exist. Until recently they came to know the
whereabouts of his relatives. Now he was granted Social Security Number. This is exactly
what the enemy is trying to do to us, hes trying to erase our true identity. Thats why we
are here today to assert once more and to remind us of our true identity in Christ.
Remember this.

YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST MAKES YOU POWERFUL

GOD: Please open up your Bible and read with me in 1 Peter 2:9-10
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. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people
of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

People knew Jesus as the son of the carpenter, the son of May, he is identified with
his family, with his brothers and sisters. They see him as the ordinary guy, thats why when
they hear him talked and they saw the miracles that he did, they were puzzled. The never
knew the real identity of Jesus, that He is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, that He
is All Powerful He is the Almighty God.
Same is true with us people didnt really know who we are, people didnt know who
you really are the real you is hidden in Christ. In 1 Peter 2:9-10, five compelling truths
were revealed on your true identity in Christ.
Lets read 1 Peter 2:9-10,

1.) I AM COMPLETELY ACCEPTED!

Now this is vital to know my life in your life because we all have wounds we all have
struggles in our lives and some of the deepest wounds in our lives often come from
rejection. We've all been rejected some of us more some of us are less in our families in
our office situations in a school situation you've been rejected by a friend you've been
rejected by somebody that you loved and that rejection causes a deep wound and out of
that we try to solve that wound by finding acceptance in our lives but sometimes when we
chase after all the wrong places we try to find acceptance from parents who try to find out
from friends we try to find it from work but many times we base it on how well we are doing
rather than starting with what God has said about us and it starts to influence every part of
our lives your desire my desire to be accepted think about this for a minute it starts to
affect even the clothes that you wear your wear certain things that the people around you
will accept your you wear something that nobody is wearing so that the people who are
wearing what nobody is wearing will accept you because it's sort of an acceptance thing.
Jesus himself suffered rejection:

Mark 6:1-6, Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the Sabbath
came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. Where did this man
get these things? they asked. Whats this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable
miracles he is performing? 3 Isnt this the carpenter? Isnt this Marys son and the brother of James, Joseph,
[a] Judas and Simon? Arent his sisters here with us? And they took offense at him. 4 Jesus said to them, A
prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home. 5 He could
not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 He was amazed at
their lack of faith.

You have been CHOSEN by God himself! 1 Peter 2:9 (LB)

BECAUSE God chose me before everything!!
He chose us in him before the creation of the world, to be holy and blameless in his sight
by his love. Ephesians 1:4
BECAUSE Jesus made me acceptable!
Jesus treated us much better than we deserve. He made us acceptable to God and gave
us the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:7 (CEV)
The acceptance is a gift, not based on performance

2.) I AM EXTREMELY VALUABLE!

This is even better than just accepted. In fact you are priceless.
You are a HOLY nation, a people BELONGING to God!
1 Peter 2:9
Holy = you are valuable; the holy bible, land, holy of holies. it is considered more than
normal. it is extremely valuable
You are priceless. What makes it valuable? Who owns it. Eg. NBA basketballers vs. Rick
Warren's shoes. So the question is - who do you belong to?
The owner often adds value to very common things. So here's the question Who
do you belong to who's your owner if God is your own or you're extremely valuable I am
known by the King of Kings I belong to the King of Kings.
You are a people holy to the Lord your God . . . his treasured possession. Deuteronomy
7:6(NIV)
God says: You are precious to me. Isaiah 43:4 (TEV)
Nobody matters more to God than you.

BECAUSE God is my father!

If God is my father and I'm in his family, then I own part of the family inheritance.
One day in heaven, he's going to share all of his glory and all of the universe with me. God
is going to share everything he has with his children and because I'm a child of God I'm
extremely valuable.

Look at the birds . . . God feeds them and you are far more valuable to Him than any
birds! Luke 12:24

BECAUSE Jesus gave His life for me!

You have been bought and paid for by Christ, so you belong
to him . . . 1 Corinthians 7:23 (LB)
a. Your home is worth only how much a person is willing to pay for it.
b. Look at Jesus at the cross - that's how much you are worth.
The greatest ransom in the history of humanity was Christ's life paid for you.

3.) I AM ETERNALLY LOVED!

Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God. 1 Peter 2:10
Jeremiah 31:3 (NLT)
I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With
unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.
TWO thing about Gods love for you:
1. Unconditional (not I love you if you xxx, it is i love you period. in spite of you.)
2. Unending! (God isn't fickle. He doesn't have bad hair days. He doesn't get up on
the wrong side of the bed)

BECAUSE God is love

It all comes from our universe, his character isn't going to change. You may be unfaithful,
but He will never be unfaithful to you.
Gods love is eternal and his faithfulness lasts forever.
Psalm 100:5 (TEV)
You can't make God stop loving you. God's love is not based on you, it's based on Him.

4.) I AM TOTALLY FORGIVEN!

At one time you did not know Gods mercy, but now you have received his mercy. 1
Peter 2:10b (TEV)
There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ
Jesus. Romans 8:1
God doesn't carry grudges, He releases sin. He doesn't hold your sin against you.
How do I know God completely forgives?
BECAUSE it is God's nature to forgive.
I am the God who forgives your sins, and I do this because of who I am. I will not hold
your sins against you. Isaiah 43:25 (TEV)
BECAUSE Jesus paid for my sins
For by the blood of Christ we are set free, that is, our sins
are forgiven. How great is the grace of God! Ephesians 1:7 (TEV)

5.) I AM FULLY CAPABLE!

You are royal priests . . . chosen to tell about the wonderful acts of God, who called you
out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 (NCV)

A priest represents man to God, and God to man.

Role of a priest -

Acts 26:18 New International Version (NIV)

18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to
God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are
sanctified by faith in me.

The capacity we have comes from God; it is he who made us capable of serving the new
covenant . . .
2 Corinthians 3:5b-6 (TEV)
BECAUSE Christ lives in me!
I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13
How should my identity affect how I act?
Rom. 15:7, 1 Pet. 2:17, Col.3:12, Eph. 4:32, Heb. 13:6
When Satan comes as you must earn God's except that you say that's a lie. I am
completely accepted. No matter what I do and with Satan comes and says you don't
matter. You're not important. You're worthless you say that's a lie. I am extremely
valuable and the cross shows it and I belong to God and he's my father so shut up and
when Satan comes you and says nobody would love you if they really knew what you're
like you say that's a lie. I am eternally love and I am loved unconditionally and I am loved
unfailingly it's never going to stop. You're wrong you're lying and when Satan comes and
says you know that sin you committed. You could never be forgiven for that you will never
be. You should be ashamed of shame to shame you so that's a lie. I'm totally forgiven
when Satan comes and says you can't do anything right. You are so incompetent you will
never make it. Don't you dare try to do anything with your I don't try to make an impact
with your life or God Don't forget your life mission you're nothing. You're a cipher you're is
zero. You're not you say that's a lie. I'm fully confident because I can do everything
through Christ who gives me strength. Now that is your true identity.

YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST MAKES YOU POWERFUL

YOU- (Application)
Why not begin to believe and to declare who you are in Christ, youll be given a
copy of all the scriptures telling who you are in Christ, why not declare them boldly every
single day of your life .

WE- (Inspiration or vision)

Imagine, if you do that youll learn how to see yourself through Gods eyes and
restore your true identity that was stolen by hurt, failure, damaged self-esteem, and
mistakes.

CONCLUSION:
This identity issue is an important part of living the abundant life. Jesus was able
to face the incredible demands of his mission because he knew exactly who he was. He
knew that he mattered to God, and that gave him confidence to move purposefully in faith.
You are now identified with Christ and have the power of the Holy Spirit within you.
You are Gods precious child, and he created you in a way that pleases him.
With meaning as your affirmation prayer to God So follow me and just say this
aloud. Because of Jesus. I am completely accepted. I am extremely valuable. I am
eternally loved and I am completely forgiven and I am fully capable. For whatever life
throws at me I have this because of you Jesus in your name I pray. Amen.

YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST MAKES YOU POWERFUL

MINISTRERING SONG: WITH ALL I AM