A Closer Look at Idenitity

“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…..” Proverbs 23:7 NKJV

1. HOW GOD SEES YOU: THE TRUE REALITY, REVEALED IN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.

• HE SEES US AS HIS CHILD, BELOVED, FORGIVEN, PROTECTED, FREE,

2. HOW YOU SEE GOD SEEING YOU: YOUR TRUE REALITY

• HOW YOU SEE GOD RELATING TO YOU, DETERMINES HOW YOU RELATE AND RECEIVE FROM    HIM. THIS REFLECTS IN YOUR LEVEL OF TRUST AND FAITH IN HIM.

3. HOW YOU SEE YOURSELF: YOU EMBRACING YOUR TRUE IDENTITY

• WHO YOU EMBRACE YOURSELF TO BE, BECOMES YOUR REALITY, WHETHER IT’S TRUE OR NOT… REFLECTS IN ALL YOUR THINKING, AFFIRMING, AND BEHAVIORS.

4. HOW YOU SEE GOD: SEEING HIS HEART AND ROLE IN YOUR LIFE AS WHO HE REALLY IS!

• ALMIGHTY GOD, FAITHFUL, TRUE, PROVIDER, HELPER,  DELIVERER…

• COMPLETES YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, DETERMINING IF AND HOW YOU RECEIVE HIM. AND IF YOU BELIEVE HIM AND DEVOTE YOURSELF TO HIM.

WHAT JESUS SAID,  LUKE 10

So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself. Luke 10:27 NKJV

ROMANS 12

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2 NKJV

ISAIAH 6

In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” Isaiah 6:1-3, Isaiah 5 ESV

ONLY BY KEEPING OUR MIND RENEWED BY THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, CAN WE RESIST THE NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES IN THIS WORLD THAT OCCUR IN AND AROUND OUR LIVES. OTHERWISE, WE WILL BE DEFEATED AND LIVE BELOW WHAT GOD HAD INTENDED FOR US TO LIVE IN CHRIST JESUS.

THE BIBLICAL QUALITY OF OUR LIFE DEPENDS UPON HOW MUCH WE EMBRACE OUR TRUE IDENTITY IN CHRIST!

THE CHOICE IN YOURS…

THE BALL IS IN YOUR COURT…

IT’S NOW YOUR MOVE…

CHOOSE LIFE!

I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live. Deuteronomy 30:19 NKJV

• DECIDING ON THE IDENTITY YOU EMBRACE “IS ACTUALLY A LIFE AND DEATH DECISION”… BOTH FOR YOU AND FOR YOUR CHILDREN!
• WE CAN’T KEEP LISTENING TO  OUR EMOTIONS AND SPEAKING WHAT WE DON’T  HAVE AND EXPECT TO END UP WITH WHAT GOD HAS PROVIDED FOR US……
• GOD WANTS US TO BE IN TOTAL ALIGNMENT AND IN AGREEMENT WITH HIM… OR WE LIVE IN CONFUSION!

OUR IDENTITY DETERMINES:

WHAT WE BELIEVE… SOURCED FROM OUR SPIRIT

WHAT WE ARE DECLARING… SOURCED FROM OUR THOUGHTS

WHAT WE ARE DOING… SOURCED FROM OUR BODY EMOTIONS AND FEELINGS

ALL THREE ARE REQUIRED TO BE IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST IN ORDER TO EXPERIENCE THE ZOE LIFE!

Bishop Ed Smith