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Identity Crisis

Click Play in the video player window and follow along on the class notes below.

The Fathers Affirmation

Jesus’ baptism is a model for us - Mat 3:16 - After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him,

Jesus had His identity tested - Mat 4:1- Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

Satan wants to question identity because if he can get a person to doubt who they are then they will not have the strength to resist him.

Mat 4:3 - And the tempter came and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread."

Mat 4:6 - and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down;

Jesus knew His identity. He understood His covering and His authority so He was well able to overcome the devil. Mat 4:10 - Then Jesus said to him, "Go, Satan! For it is written, 'YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'"

Satan will continually try to illegitimate the children of God. This spirit of illegitimacy rebels against our true identity and makes us vulnerable to the devils devices.

2 Cor 2:11 - so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

Any attempt to find identity and worth outside of God’s created identity in the believer is illegitimate.

Illegitimate attempts by mankind to find identity and worth through the world’s systems opens the door for the demonic spirit of illegitimacy.

When a person is born again his or her identity completely changes. 2 Cor 5:17 - Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

We have been given a choice by God.

• We can believe that we are who He says we are.
• Or we can choose to continue to live in our old identity.

Eph 4:24 - and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

Do you see yourself as a grasshopper? Num 13:33 - "There also we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight."

Or do you see yourself as a conqueror? - Rom 8:37 - But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.


WHO I AM IN CHRIST

• I am complete in Him Who is the Head of all principality and power (Colossians 2:10).
• I am alive with Christ (Ephesians 2:5).
• I am free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2).
• I am far from oppression, and fear does not come near me (Isaiah 54:14).
• I am born of God, and the evil one does not touch me (I John 5:18).
• I am holy and without blame before Him in love (I Peter 1:16; Ephesians 1:4).
• I have the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5; I Corinthians 2:16).
• I have the peace of God that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7).
• I have the Greater One living in me; greater is He Who is in me than he who is in the world (I John 4:4).
• I have received the gift of righteousness and reign as a king in life by Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17).
• I have received the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Jesus, the eyes of my understanding being enlightened (Ephesians 1:17,18).
• I have received the power of the Holy Spirit to lay hands on the sick and see them recover, to cast out demons, to speak with new tongues. I have power over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means harm me (Mark 16:17,18; Luke 10:17,19).
• I have put off the old man and have put on the new man, which is renewed in the knowledge after the image of Him Who created me (Colossians 3:9,10).
• I have given, and it is given to me; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, men give into my bosom (Luke 6:38).
• I have no lack for my God supplies all of my need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).
• I can quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one with my shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16).
• I can do all things through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:13).
• I shall do even greater works than Christ Jesus (John 14:12).
• I show forth the praises of God Who has called me out of darkness into His marvelous light (I Peter 2:9).
• I am God’s child for I am born again of the incorruptible seed of the Word of God, which lives and abides forever (I Peter 1:23).
• I am God’s workmanship, created in Christ unto good works (Ephesians 2:10).
• I am a new creature in Christ (II Corinthians 5:17).
• I am a spirit being alive to God (I Thessalonians 5:23; Romans 6:11).
• I am a believer, and the light of the Gospel shines in my mind (II Corinthians 4:4).
• I am a doer of the Word and blessed in my actions (James 1:22,25).
• I am a joint-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17).
• I am more than a conqueror through Him Who loves me (Romans 8:37).
• I am an overcomer by the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony (Revelation 12:11).
• I am a partaker of His divine nature (II Peter 1:3,4).
• I am an ambassador for Christ (II Corinthians 5:20).
• I am part of a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people (I Peter 2:9).
• I am the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ (II Corinthians 5:21).
• I am the temple of the Holy Spirit; I am not my own (I Corinthians 6:19).
• I am the head and not the tail; I am above only and not beneath (Deuteronomy 28:13).
• I am the light of the world (Matthew 5:14).
• I am His elect, full of mercy, kindness, humility, and longsuffering (Romans 8:33; Colossians 3:12).
• I am forgiven of all my sins and washed in the Blood (Ephesians 1:7).
• I am delivered from the power of darkness and translated into God’s kingdom (Colossians 1:13).
• I am redeemed from the curse of sin, sickness, and poverty (Galatians 3:13; Deuteronomy 28:15-68).
• I am firmly rooted, built up, established in my faith and overflowing with gratitude (Colossians 2:7).
• I am called of God to be the voice of His praise (II Timothy 1:9; Psalm 66:8).
• I am healed by the stripes of Jesus (I Peter 2:24; Isaiah 53:5).
• I am raised up with Christ and seated in heavenly places (Colossians 2:12; Ephesians 2:6).
• I am greatly loved by God (Colossians 3:12; Romans 1:7; I Thessalonians 1:4; Ephesians 2:4).
• I am strengthened with all might according to His glorious power (Colossians 1:11).
• I am submitted to God, and the devil flees from me because I resist him in the Name of Jesus (James 4:7).
• I press on toward the goal to win the prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward (Philippians 3:14).
• For God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, love, and a sound mind (II Timothy 1:7).
• It is not I who live, but Christ lives in me (Galatians 2:20).

Also see ICM's blog Embrace Your Identity for additional identity verses.

Study Questions:

1. Explain how Jesus' baptism is a model for us.
2. What is the Father's affirmation and why is it important?
3. Why is doubt and confusion about identity so dangerous?
4. Define the spirit of illegitimacy and how it can be conquered.

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