Spiritual Identity: Knowing who God created you to be

Too many times we lose our focus on how much our actions and responses to life are intimately tied to the Word of God. We look at spiritual identity as being something God speaks to us prophetically in terms of our life purpose. God does speak in that way but if we are not careful our spiritual purpose gets separated from our spiritual character. What you do in ministry is not all of what you are. It is a part. The other part is bringing who God made you to be into what he called you to do.

But what happens if God has not split the heavens with a divine proclamation? That does not mean you are void of meaning and spiritual identity. God also leads with passions, interests, and some people are gifted in "helps" and can be a jack-of-all-trades (a spiritual generalist). Pleasing God is being involved in living out his word and proclaiming it in the city and community of faith. Combining the "who" and the "do" together gives us spiritual identity and the authority we stand in (discussed in the next chapter).

So, “who” are we bringing into the purpose God has called us to do? A biblically focused expression of life is a life of purpose.

List three things you struggle with personally. How has your mind used those things against you? What is the rhetoric in your mind? How have you dealt with the negative messages that hinder your faith?

List three strengths. Do you have meekness (strength under control) or have your strengths become a snare? An unregulated strength can be a double weakness. What do your strengths allow you to excuse away, ignore, or outright trample about people (rights, personage, pain, individuality, opinions).

Has God ever spoken to you about yourself or something he wanted you to pursue? What was that about? Have you ever felt like you had a God-given interest in an area? What was it? Has he ever given you a scripture, a prophetic word, or a prophetic passion? Begin making a list and look for themes.

Sometimes we abandon our spiritual identity because some of it fits into congregational ministry and some of it does not. How do we reconcile those things that fit within the congregational ministry and the things that do not? What hindrances have been present that have blocked you from acting on the will of God? How can those hindrances be mitigated? What can be done now, re-imagined, or what must wait?

At the top of your page write a statement entitled, "Who am I". Write about what God has called you or led you to do. What is your mission in life? How has God validated it? What scriptures has he given to validate what you are writing?

Our spiritual identity is not just an exercise in defining something. That spiritual purpose must be prayed over continually. We need to seek God for detail and direction. We need to develop in that area and invest in knowledge. We need to confess our place before heaven and not be intimidated by our limitations, our past, or the condemnation of the enemy’s voice.

Our identity in God is included in the two great commandments to first love God, then to love others as ourselves. Understanding God’s love for us helps us to love ourselves appropriately. When we understand his love for us, then we can biblically love others. A person must "achrei mot-kedoshim", love yourself. It is our love for God that lends itself to trust (or reliance on God, bitachon) and faith in God (emunah). Both bitachon and emunah are also used in how we love and value others in God’s kingdom. Respect for our identity in God and that of others will help us participate in the larger arena of faith where we are all connected, all play a part in the accomplishment of God’s will, and are all loved by him.

Rav Calev

Apostolic Messianic International- Gulf Coast

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