Many people struggle with their identity because they don’t know their identity in Christ. The propaganda promoters lie, cheat, and steal truth. Peer pressure skews truth and focus.

What is your identity? Who are you? Who does God say you are? How does God define your value?

Ephesians 2:8-10
“For by grace you have been saved through faith: And that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God: not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

Our identity in Christ. This world directs our focus to the pride of life, lust of the eyes the lust of the flesh. Our identity, focused on Jesus, changes our behavior. We become a new creation. At the moment of salvation, we became a new creation.

2 Corinthians 5:17

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” We become a brand-new person.

Upon repentance (a 180-degree change of direction), we admit we need God and that we cannot change ourselves. Repentance, acceptance of Christ and asking God for forgiveness are all a part of the equation. Upon faith of Christ we agree with Him. The Holy Spirit enters us and we become changed. Our change is in our motivation.

We seek God’s will over our own. This is an all-at-once change that is enhanced through our relationship with God. Being born again is a change in lifestyle. We agree with God in how to live. We seek what He wants in our life. We become in agreement with God in every area.

Unless you know your identity in Christ, you don’t know your value. Jesus died for you! What was His life worth: EVERYTHING to us. Jesus was 100% righteous. By
birthright, we become His righteousness. What is your value? More than the entire gold supply of the world. What is your identity in Christ?

Colossians 3:3
“For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

We all know that Jesus died on the cross, but did you know that you died on the cross too? The old person you were in Adam died. We were placed into Christ on the cross and your old self died. Our old nature died with Jesus Christ.

Contemporary English Version: You died, which means that your life is hidden with Christ, who sits beside God.

Galatians 2:20
“I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of
God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” We no longer have a life of our own. Our life was paid for by Him.

Faith in Jesus is reliance upon His life to empower us to do what only He can do! It doesn’t depend upon us, it depends on Him. Give up trusting in yourself and trust in
Him. He is the author and finisher of our faith! See Hebrews 12:2. 

Acts 17:28 
“For in Him we live and move and exist”

We were enslaved by our own nature until we repent and accept Jesus as our Savior. We are then given a new life to live empowered the Life of Christ via the Holy Spirit that takes up residence within us.

We are given a new nature and begin living for God. His
nature in us has a motivation that changes us. The change may be subtle and grows in time.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11
“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you (past
tense); but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God”.

Our old unrighteous self-died. We inherited a new nature. Christ in us lives as we allow Him too. He doesn’t force us. We are willing participants. Our old identity of being a sinner died (unless we become grave robbers).

Upon repentance our old sin nature was no longer to rule our life. If we mess up we have an advocate (Jesus) to cleanse us. We can’t change ourselves. We allow Jesus to do it every time we allow
Him to do it for us. We are motived by Him in us.

Are you a sinner saved by grace? Your identity as a sinner has been removed by the cross.

You’re a saint who sometimes sins, but you are not a sinner. It’s not our nature to sin.

How do you become righteous? You receive righteousness as a gift. We then live for Christ as our new motivation is to do what He would do. He is our identity. We are a child of God.

The Bible teaches us that a part of our inheritance is that we have died to sin. We can sin if we choose to, but when we understand our new identity, we will discover we do not want live in sin anymore. You died to sin. You are now alive in Christ. A child of God. He motivates your desires and interest. You have power over sin!

Romans 6:11
“Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus”.

Every time the enemy sews a thought, we can recognize it came from him. We learn to ask Jesus to step in. Jesus/Holy Spirit/God is there.

We were born with a sin nature. The enemy is subject to Jesus. We are washed by the blood of righteousness. God sees you covered by what Jesus paid for. Our account is paid in full. The enemy wants us to think bad thoughts are ours. They are not. They belong to him. He is the owner of all negativities.

You are a God’s child. He has a relationship with you for eternity. That is now our identity. We accept God as our Father and seek to be like Him. His nature is what we are attracted to. His love attracts us. His acceptance of us as His child comforts us. We are His new Creation in Christ Jesus.

Jesus is your identity.

Faith in Jesus is reliance upon His life to empower me to do what only He can do. We no longer to live a life for Christ in our own strength. We trust Him. We trust not try. We cannot live what only God can do. We rely. We trust Him. We rely on him moment
by moment to empower us. It is His nature in us that makes the difference.

Role of the Holy Spirit

John 14:16-18 
“I will ask the Father and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the spirit of truth, who the world cannot receive because it
does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you”.

Trust God vs trying to do yourself. You are on a journey in life with God. He loves you.