EMBRACE YOUR TRUE IDENTITY

TEXT:  MATTHEW 3:13-17

Matthew portrays Christ as our “Promised Messiah”!  It links us up with the old testament.

EMBRACE - means to accept; to take in or include as a part; to be equal or equivalent.

IDENTITY – who someone is; the name of person/thing.

If I asked you to show me an ID, you would reach in your wallet and pull out a card with your picture, name, and address.

If the question was asked, “Who are you?”, what would you say?  “I’m a nurse, freshman, football player, dancer, etc.".

Well, you have based your identity on what you do. 

If that’s the case, then who are you when you quit doing it?  Basing your identity on your performance, appearance, your abilities or anything else sounds good, but its false identity!

God wants us to know our true identity!  In order to allow the power of God to reign freely in our lives  and flow through us, spilling out into ministry, we must accept certain spiritual truths!

Your physical identity is determined by birth.  Physically you were born to two parents.  Once that baby is born, an ID bracelet containing the baby’s name is placed on the wrist, ankle, incubator or crib, and the birth certificate, establishing its IDENTITY!!

Your name is important.  This is how one is known. 

If you didn’t have a name, how could we address each other – by pointing our finger and saying “Hey you”?  That would lead to a lot of confusion.

A name carries a lot of weight!  In the Bible days, they prayed and named their children after what God said about them.  One writer stated that the name that God gives you is a container that carries His expression of your nature to others.  Your name carries your nature, calling, destiny, and your purpose in life!

When you are properly IDENTIFIED, it will serve as a spiritual container carrying the fruit of your life to the right destination.  The wrong container will restrict and limit productivity of your life.

Well ladies and gentlemen, that’s our natural identity.  Many of us are aware of our humanity, the natural man that 1 Corinthians 15:47 speaks of:  “The first man is of the earth, earthy” [Adam].

How versed are you regarding your spiritual identity?  In Genesis, Abram’s name was changed to Abraham.  He could have never been the “father of a multitude” with the name Abram.  Sarah could have never been a “mother of nations” with the name Sarai.  Their identity limited their destiny!!  Name change meant change in status:  new level; elevation; new dimension; new commission in God!  Their identity as Abram and Sarai didn’t have the capacity to fulfill their destiny, and they would never have received their inheritance if they had not embraced their new identity!

Are you aware that Jesus had to embrace His identity?

Our text:  Matthew 3:16-17  "And Jesus when he was baptized (by his cousin, John the Baptist), went straightway out of the water:  and lo, the heavens (higher realms of spirituality), (the place where God dwells), were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:  And lo a voice (not the voice of his mother, earthly father, brothers, nor the disciples, but the voice of His Father the Creator, the Almighty God, El Shadai, confirming, identifying Him as His “Son”!) from heaven, saying, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased' ”!

God wasn’t referring to a gender/male!  He was referring to “position”- declaring His Son to be equal with Him.  John 10:30 “ 'I and my Father are one' ”!  The trinity – Father, Son, dove/Holy Ghost are ONE!!

God was well pleased!  He adorned Jesus for ministry - giving Him access to His inheritance; anointing Him to perform miracles, healings, and all authority over the power of the devil!!

If Jesus could do nothing apart from the working of the Holy Spirit; if Jesus had to be properly IDENTIFIED by His Father, what about you and me?

Our identification must come through the only one who knows you and me well enough to teach us who we really are!  Not your parents, or friends, but God the Father, Creator, the One who made us!  St. John 15:16 “ 'Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain:  that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you' ”.

Your identity is not defined by race, creed, or color.  It is not defined by logic or religion.  It doesn’t have anything to do with your language, family relations, occupation, husband, wife, size of your home, nor the car you drive.  It doesn’t matter the amount of money in the bank.

It’s a birthing process!  St. John 3:3 “Jesus answered and said unto him [Nicodemus], 'verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God' ”.  (Vs 5)” 'Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God' ”.

2 Corinthians 5:17 ”Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature [creation].  Old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new”!

EXAMPLE:  A “BUTTERFLY” isn’t a caterpillar with wings!  It’s a new being with a new identity!

The “caterpillar” has many feet and crawls on the earth.  The “butterfly” flies in the air with wings of beauty!  During that transformation, the old being is gone and so is it’s identity!  The “caterpillar” had nothing to do with that process of change.  Its Creator did it all!!  The “butterfly” can never be a caterpillar again!  Because God did away with the old creation and made a new creation!!! HALLELUJAH!

That same process of change occurs with every person who is in Christ!  We have a new identity and a new name!  From God’s point of view, that change is instant! 

Question:  Can you embrace your change, your new identity?  It’s a spiritual walk!  “God is a Spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in Spirit and in truth” (St. John 4:24).

You can’t receive your true identity through carnality.  Romans 8:7 “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God:  for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be”.  You can’t rely on your own understanding.  Proverbs 3:5 -6 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths”!  Your own “understanding” is subject to error; it’s limited; and it’s fallible!

Can you better see why people can be in the presence of God and not discern His presence.  Start sharing “truth” with them, and they will get quiet.  Some will walk out.  Others reject truth and want to argue and debate the truth!

Why?  Because their carnal mind is blocking their true identity!  It’s a dividing wall between them and God.  Their soul is warring with their spirit, and their spirit man is on lock down, and they cannot comprehend spiritual things!  Truth has to be revealed by the Spirit of God!!

This was demonstrated through Peter!  When Jesus asked the disciples, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man am”?  Peter was allowed to see past the mask of Jesus and see THE CHRIST, and stated, “Thou art the CHRIST, the Son of the Living God”!  When Jesus complimented Peter as Simon Bar-Jonah, He was addressing him in his “true identity” as a “son”! 

Simon (hearing): by revelation of the Holy Spirit:  Bar (son of the Holy Spirit; son-ship):   Jonah (a dove):  denoting how he’d be endowed or covered with the righteousness of God.  (2 Corinthians 5:21) “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God”!  (St. John 14:12) “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father”.

The dove connoting the “ephod”, a sleeveless garment worn by the high priest that covered the other garments, was made of fine twined linen (the righteousness of God), out of which would show forth the color of gold (the divine nature of God); blue (the might of God); purple (kingship, priestly authority); scarlet or red (the understanding of God that the “life” flows through the BLOOD).  On each shoulder of the “ephod” was the ONYX stone or sho’ham, each with the six names of the twelve sons of Jacob set in gold, showing how He would carry the “government” of God upon His shoulders.  (Isaiah 9:6) “For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given:  and the government [misrah’ or empire; sarah’ or prevail; power; the kingdom] shall be upon his shoulder”.  It was to this garment that the oracle pouch was attached that contained the urim (light) and thummim (perfection).   (St. John 5:14) “Ye are the light of the world”.  St. Matthew 5:48 “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect”.] 

Jesus was acknowledging Peter as “Son”!  The same way the Father acknowledged Him after His baptism as His beloved Son!  It’s the “SON” that gets the keys to the business, not the servant!  The servant knoweth not what his lord doeth (John 15:15).

Peter couldn’t receive his calling until he first understood his “true identity”.  When he was able to identify The Christ – he was actually agreeing with the Father’s choice (Jesus was the Christ), Son of the Living God!  He was able to embrace his “true identity”!  His “status” changed!  He got a new ID!!

The Invisible Head was making Peter (faith) the Visible Head of the church!  Look where Peter sits in your physical body – the forefront (forehead) – He was given the keys to the kingdom!!  FAITH has to be first!  “But without faith it is impossible to please him:  for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him”! (Hebrews 11:6)

Peter wasn’t a highly educated man.  In fact the rulers, elders looked at him as unschooled because he didn’t have Rabbinical Theological training.  He didn’t carry the title as Rabbi.  But they took notice that he was with Jesus!

It’s nothing wrong with education!  What we need is the proper I.D.  If you obtain your degree from KBV (school of Knee Bone Valley); if you have an AA degree (Anointed and Appointed);  BA degree (Born Again); BS degree (Baptized with the Holy Ghost and Fire); PHD degree (Praising Him Daily), embrace your new Identity!  You can carry keys to the kingdom (not house keys or car keys), but the “Master Keys” designed to lock/ unlock any door!!

Turn in your old “ID” because you have a new one!  Your ID is in Christ!  Guess what?  You don’t have to purchase a wallet to store it in.  You’re carrying it on the inside of you!  You don’t have to worry about leaving it at home.  When the enemy confronts you, flash your ID card in his face!  Let him see your photo gallery!  Show your before and after picture!  Before Christ, you were dead in your sins and trespasses – now you’re alive in Christ!!  Before, you were lost, but now you’re found!  Luke 15:24 “For this my son was dead, and is alive again, he was lost, and is found”.  Before, you were walking in darkness – now you’re walking in the light!  Ephesians 5:7-8 “Be not ye therefore partakers with them.  For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord:  walk as children of light”!  Before, you were sexually immoral; a drunkard; homosexual offender; thief; murderer; slanderer – now you have undergone a metamorphosis!  You’ve had a heart transplant!  You have a new identity!!

Flash that new photo – new ID, the one where you’ve been washed, sanctified, justified in the name of the Lord; that new creation because the old one has passed away. 

You are now in good standing with God!  You’ve been granted access to the Kingdom!!

You are unstoppable when you know your “true identity” in God!!  Let the devil know you are not afraid!  God can’t use a coward soldier!  “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (1 Timothy 1:7).

If your ID has lapsed, maybe you haven’t yet obtained your new ID!!  Go in for an appointment with God today!  NEVER CLOSED – operates 24/7!!!  HE’S NOW WAITING FOR YOU!!!  HE’S WAITING TO VALIDATE YOUR NEW ID!!!

~ Evangelist Brenda Hansley