July 26, 2016

identity: noun 1) who someone is; the name of a person 2) the qualities, beliefs, etc., that make a particular person or group different from others

A few weeks ago, my two children were the only kids in my Sunday school class. This never happens. But the timing was perfect. I had something I was eager to share with them, so I didn’t teach the regular Sunday school lesson. I taught from my heart.

I asked, “Do you know what identity means?”

Ivy guessed, “Like identity theft…?”

I said, “Well, yes, that is something that happens. Your identity is who you are, including your name and other information. So identity theft means to pretend to be someone you’re not. To use someone else’s name.”

Then I just felt a passion come over me as I said something along these lines:

“Who has the right to tell you who you are? God does! He created you. He knows you. He looks at you and says, ‘Isaiah Michael Morley, I made you. There is no one else in all of creation that has ever been just like you. I knew you before you were born and I see every day of your life in the future.’ And He looks at you, Ivy, and says, ‘Ivy Grace Morley, I made you. There is no one else in all of creation that has ever been just like you. I knew you before you were born and I see every day of your life in the future.’ Because of this, He has the right to tell you who you are.

So how will you know who God says you are??”

They answered that we should look in the Bible.

“Right! The Bible tells us Who God is and it tells us who we are! You have to know what the Bible says!

Who else is going to try to tell you wrong things about who you are??”

Isaiah answered the enemy.

“Right! Satan will try to tell you that you’re not good enough. That you aren’t special. That you aren’t brave. That you can’t stand up to others. That you can’t resist temptation.

Whenever you hear those little lies in your thoughts, you can say, 'No way!! I know who I am! I am a child of God! I am special. I am chosen. I am His son.' Or, 'I am His daughter.'

Guess who else will try to tell you the wrong thing about who you are? Other people. And our culture. And the world around you. Things will happen to you that make you hurt. And make you doubt who you are. Maybe a friend will say she doesn’t want to be your friend anymore. Maybe you won’t be able to run as fast as someone else, or maybe you won't do as well on a test as some of the other kids. Maybe the boy or girl you have a crush on won’t like you back. And you’ll feel like you aren’t special. You’ll feel like you aren’t good enough. You’ll worry that your life won’t be good enough.

And that’s when you remember your identity! You say it aloud to combat the lie that tells you that you aren’t good enough!! You say, ‘Wait a second! I am wonderfully made by God! He has good things planned for me! I am His child! I am courageous! I am kind! I will not fear! I am loved with an everlasting love!'"

My kids were actually listening raptly during this whole thing. Maybe because I was so passionate. Maybe because God was speaking to them.

I said, “I read a blog by a lady who tells her boys every day who God says they are. Because the only way to conquer the lies of the enemy is to know in advance who God says you are in the Bible. The Bible is the sword of the Spirit. You use it to slash the lies of the enemy!!”

I wielded my invisible sword and slashed the air.

Right then I looked up Priscilla Shirer’s blog entitled “Speaking God’s Word Over Our Kiddos.” I read to my children what she says to her boys each day.

Then we went through and read all the verses she listed in her blog. Then I told them that I was going to create a booklet of what the Bible says their identity is in Christ, and we are going to read one each day to start to train our minds who we are.

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I made the booklet yesterday. It’s a little index card booklet so it can stand up and we can see the Biblical affirmation statement all day. Here are some of the truths in my booklet:

This morning I started the identity project. I showed them the one I had chosen for today:

“You have the whole armor of God to defeat the schemes of the enemy.” I love that!

This evening I prayed that all of these truths will permeate my children’s minds and hearts and souls. I prayed they will walk in confidence and security, knowing that they are loved and chosen by God. I prayed for protection from the enemy, and that they will recognize his lies and stand firm against them.

This is our garden. Seth created the whole thing. I didn’t even know what was planted in it this year until it started producing. Some things I still don’t recognize. A couple of weeks ago, I was watering. Right in the middle of a row of something-I-did-not-recognize was a single, different something-I-did-not-recognize. It seemed out of place. I thought, “Is that a weed? Hmmmm…I can’t tell. I think I need to find the seed packages and look at the pictures of what truly should be growing there.”

And then I realized: We need to do the same thing. In order to recognize a weed, or a lie from the enemy, we must first know what the truth looks like. We must look to the Word of God and implant the true picture of who we are into our minds. Then the weed will be revealed as its ugly, unwelcome self. And we can pull that baby outta there!

My friends, do you know who God says you are?? You are precious. Unique. Special. Created to do good works. Designed to reflect Jesus Himself. Do not let the enemy steal your identity from you. Speak God’s truths over your life every day.