There was a time when the nightlife was my life. Partying was the highlight of my week. Can I tell you that isn’t much of a life? However, whenever I’d go to the nightclub, there would be a guy by the door checking the people’s identification cards. The guy needed to know if I was who I portrayed. Can I also tell you that many people were turned away at the door because the guy couldn’t match the person on the card with whom he had standing in front of him? That’s the way we are with our faith. If we say we are Christians, the lifestyle should match.
“Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.” — Ephesians 6:18-20
Identity in Christ
The apostle Paul, the letter to the church of Ephesus, stated he was an “ambassador in chains.” That scripture jumped off the page at me because here is a man in prison proclaiming his identity in Christ. Paul never allowed the circumstance to change his confession in Christ. See, this is what I learned about most Christians (including me). We focus so much on our circumstances instead of our perfect God.
Paul is reminding the church and us of Ephesus of whom we’ve placed our allegiance—Jesus. Consistency is key when facing the day of adversity. How do we know? Paul taught the same to the church of Corinth before the church of Ephesus. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” The word of God isn’t just words; they are confessions. We should all make this our daily confession to keep God’s ways, first. I heard Brother Jerry Savelle say, “Faith is not a movement, it has never been a movement, and it never will be a movement. They shall live by faith.”
Who We Are
When we said, “Yes” to Jesus, we also said, “No” to Satan. So, in the day of tests and trials, be mindful that we are Christians who long to get in the door—Jesus (John 10:7). Satan longs to steal our identity (John 10:10) so, that he can pervert it. Satan is in the business of making fake ID’s. He’ll call us weak. The Bible says, we’re blessed coming in and blessed coming out (Deut. 28:6). Satan calls us weak. The word of God says in Matthew 8:16, that with “a word” Jesus healed all who were ill and demon-possessed.
Author: B. Jerrod
For more reading materials on your identity in Christ, see below:
Good stuff! Often chat with a friend about our personal challenges and we always seem to quickly go to “identity”…keep pressing onward.
I always introduce myself as a Christian I start a conversation. That changes the whole picture.
Too often we take our identity from our work. Some of us do this to the extent that when we retire or change jobs we feel a loss of identity. Our true focus of who we are should be Brothers of Christ, Sons if God Almighty! Stay focused and strong in the Lord.
Amen brother. Especially true for us guys. Our work is NOT our identity. Although we should model Christ in our work, careers and our interactions and relationships with those we work with and lead.