Are you protected from identity theft? The identity theft I’m talking about is the not type of theft where someone steals your SS# and spends your money on designer handbags, luxurious vacations or shady pharmaceuticals from another country…no, this is the type that we willingly allow to take place if we are not covered. I know people who use “Lifelock” to protect their money and social security numbers from the physical hacker, but what about the spiritual hackers? Are we as diligent? Are we even aware? We have a high priest named Jesus who died for us to be “covered” from Spiritual identity theft! When we put our faith in Him, and believe in Him as our Lord & Savior we are now covered by His blood shed on the cross and He has given us a new identity. We become “children of God.” Many people mistakenly think that all people ever born on earth are “God’s children” and that is not true. We are born sinners and are part of the earthly family that is comprised of naturally born sinners.
“as it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.’” Romans 3:10-12
“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—“ Romans 5:12
We have all sinned, and the Bible is clear that everyone is sentenced to death as a result of their sin.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
To be part of God’s family you must enter by birth, but this is a spiritual birth by your Heavenly Father. This new birth puts you into God’s family in the same way your physical birth put you into your earthly father’s family. By trusting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you became a child of God by birth. This is the true meaning of the term “born again.”
Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3 ESV
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13
“But to all who did receive Him…” it is your decision to trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord & Savior. “To them gave he the right to become children of God…”
Being part of God’s family separates you from the devil’s family as a sinner on earth and gives you a NEW IDENTITY. Your new identity is now in Christ. It’s a long list, but I included some of the verses that discuss your new identity as a son/daughter of God below.
When we let other people define us, or we allow our title at work, paychecks, houses, cars, clothes, charity work, ministry, children, the behavior of our spouse, or ANYTHING else define our worth & value we are allowing ourselves to be victims of spiritual “IDENTITY THEFT!”
Our true value and worth can only be found in Christ. All others are frauds, hackers and deceivers wanting to drive, distract and discourage you from enjoying the peace, joy and freedom that is found only in Christ! Stop comparing yourself, your kids, your paycheck, your decorating, your achievements etc. to others to increase your own value. Those things are all temporary and could be changed in an instant.
In the past I have allowed many hackers to define me: At age 11 I went on my first diet because other girls told me I was fat, so my identity began to be driven by the scale and what others said was true about me. As an adult I threw away my scale because I realized that for me, I was allowing the number on it to define my value and worth.
I had many positive labels also; however, when I put my total worth and identity in the positive labels others assigned to me it was so much work to always measure up, and it gave other people the ability to control my thoughts, moods, attitudes, and actions because it was all based on performance. I believed that performance = value. Robbed again!
Then I was born again, and after having been strengthened in Christ through His Word, I am no longer a slave to the labels others give me or the labels I wanted them to give me, instead I remind myself that God alone defines my value and He died to label me as His child! The only performance He required is that I believe in HIs Son that He has sent.
In what/Whom do you find your identity? Believe in Jesus and find your identity in Christ! No hacker, scammer, or deceiver can steal it or snatch you out of God’s hand.
I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. John 10:28
written by: Jamie Shaver
The Word of God Says that those of us who are in Jesus Christ have the following identity. Say them out loud to yourself!
I am faithful (Ephesians 1:1)
I am God’s child (John 1:12)
I have been justified (Romans 5:1)
I am Christ’s friend (John 15:15)
I belong to God (1 Corinthians 6:20)
I am a member of Christ’sBody (1 Corinthians 12:27)
I am assured all things work together for good (Romans 8:28)
I have been established, anointed and sealed by God (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)
I am confident that God will perfect the work He has begun in me (Philippians 1:6)
I am a citizen of heaven (Philippians 3:20)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3)
I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7)
I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me (1 John 5:18)
I am blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3)
I am chosen before the creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4, 11)
I am holy and blameless (Ephesians 1:4)
I am adopted as his child (Ephesians 1:5)
I am given God’s glorious grace lavishly and without restriction (Ephesians 1:5,8)
I am in Him (Ephesians 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:30)
I have redemption (Ephesians 1:8)
I am forgiven (Ephesians 1:8; Colossians 1:14)
I have purpose (Ephesians 1:9 & 3:11)
I have hope (Ephesians 1:12)
I am included (Ephesians 1:13)
I am sealed with the promised Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13)
I am a saint (Ephesians 1:18)
I am salt and light of the earth (Matthew 5:13-14)
I have been chosen and God desires me to bear fruit (John 15:1,5)
I am a personal witness of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8)
I am God’s coworker (2 Corinthians 6:1)
I am a minister of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:17-20)
I am alive with Christ (Ephesians 2:5)
I am raised up with Christ (Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 2:12)
I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 2:6)
I have been shown the incomparable riches of God’s grace (Ephesians 2:7)
God has expressed His kindness to me (Ephesians 2:7)
I am God’s workmanship (Ephesians 2:10)
I have been brought near to God through Christ’s blood (Ephesians 2:13)
I have peace (Ephesians 2:14)
I have access to the Father (Ephesians 2:18)
I am a member of God’s household (Ephesians 2:19)
I am secure (Ephesians 2:20)
I am a holy temple (Ephesians 2:21; 1 Corinthians 6:19)
I am a dwelling for the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:22)
I share in the promise of Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:6)
God’s power works through me (Ephesians 3:7)
I can approach God with freedom and confidence (Ephesians 3:12)
I know there is a purpose for my sufferings (Ephesians 3:13)
I can grasp how wide, long, high and deep Christ’s love is (Ephesians 3:18)
I am completed by God (Ephesians 3:19)
I can bring glory to God (Ephesians 3:21)
I have been called (Ephesians 4:1; 2 Timothy 1:9)
I can be humble, gentle, patient and lovingly tolerant of others (Ephesians 4:2)
I can mature spiritually (Ephesians 4:15)
I can be certain of God’s truths and the lifestyle which He has called me to (Ephesians 4:17)
I can have a new attitude and a new lifestyle (Ephesians 4:21-32)
I can be kind and compassionate to others (Ephesians 4:32)
I can forgive others (Ephesians 4:32)
I am a light to others, and can exhibit goodness, righteousness and truth (Ephesians 5:8-9)
I can understand what God’s will is (Ephesians 5:17)
I can give thanks for everything (Ephesians 5:20)
I don’t have to always have my own agenda (Ephesians 5:21)
I can honor God through marriage (Ephesians 5:22-33)
I can parent my children with composure (Ephesians 6:4)
I can be strong (Ephesians 6:10)
I have God’s power (Ephesians 6:10)
I can stand firm in the day of evil (Ephesians 6:13)
I am dead to sin (Romans 1:12)
I am not alone (Hebrews 13:5)
I am growing (Colossians 2:7)
I am His disciple (John 13:15)
I am prayed for by Jesus Christ (John 17:20-23)
I am united with other believers (John 17:20-23)
I am not in want (Philippians 4:19)
I possess the mind of Christ (I Corinthians 2:16)
I am promised eternal life (John 6:47)
I am promised a full life (John 10:10)
I am victorious (I John 5:4)
My heart and mind is protected with God’s peace (Philippians 4:7)
I am chosen and dearly loved (Colossians 3:12)
I am blameless (I Corinthians 1:8)
I am set free (Romans 8:2; John 8:32)
I am crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20)
I am a light in the world (Matthew 5:14)
I am more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37)
I am the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21)
I am safe (I John 5:18)
I am part of God’s kingdom (Revelation 1:6)
I am healed from sin (I Peter 2:24)
I am no longer condemned (Romans 8:1, 2)
I am not helpless (Philippians 4:13)
I am overcoming (I John 4:4)
I am persevering (Philippians 3:14)
I am protected (John 10:28)
I am born again (I Peter 1:23)
I am a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)
I am delivered (Colossians 1:13)
I am redeemed from the curse of the Law (Galatians 3:13)
I am qualified to share in His inheritance (Colossians 1:12)
I am victorious (1 Corinthians 15:57)
Written by Jamie Shaver