Embracing Who I Am In Christ

Years ago, when I was a young mom to four kids, I was first introduced to the concept of "Discovering who I am in Christ." At this time, Grant was a Youth Pastor at a small church in Florida, and I helped teach Sunday School to the teen girls. These were fun times of watching our kids grow, helping with youth events, having the teens and leaders at our home, and serving at our church. Our kids were still small and God was teaching me so many things during those early years. There were lots of life lessons, many that I had to learn the hard way, and the Lord was teaching us to walk by faith and trust Him to provide for our little family.

I began listening to tapes (yes tapes!) on the topic of "my identity in Christ" as I drove my kids around in our mini van. With four car seats in the back, and cheerios all over the floor, I would listen to them over and over, trying to wrap my mind around what God's Word said about me. Learning the truth that as a Believer in Jesus, I had a completely new identity, was transformational for me. I soaked up these truths like a sponge, wanting to grow in my relationship with God. Of course at the time, I didn't realize what an impact this mind-shift would have on my life. But looking back over the years, I can see that understanding and believing what God said about me, and not what other people thought or said about me, changed my life. This is one of the reasons we discuss this topic in Women's Mentoring (Month 4) and I have shared it during some of our previous women's events, and pass out the "In Christ" lists. Embracing who you are "In-Christ" is life-changing!

What does it mean to “Know who you are in Christ?”

Embracing your identity in Christ means recognizing the truths God speaks about you, understanding your worth and value based on His love and grace, and living in accordance with that truth. It's about trusting that God's Word, rather than external opinions or self-perception, defines who you are. Discovering our true identity “In Christ” is truly a lifelong pursuit! Once you have placed your faith in Jesus as your Savior, you can begin discovering the ways that He has made you into a new creation.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;

old things have passed away;

behold, all things have become new.

The moment you put your faith in Jesus, His death on the cross, and resurrection, you become God’s Child - You belong to God, you are a member of the Body of Christ, you have been completely forgiven of all your sins, you have been made right with God, and SO much MORE! But it takes time to uncover these truths in God’s Word, and to believe them! We are saved by faith, but we are to continue to live our lives by faith in who God is, and who we are, IN HIM!

Because of Jesus, you have a whole new IDENTITY – forgiven, chosen, accepted, established, anointed, sealed, and you are God’s workmanship! All of this is true of you as soon as you put your faith in JESUS. But like a prisoner who remains trapped, unaware that someone has unlocked the prison door, we can remain stuck in a prison of wrong thinking. Jesus has opened the door for us through His death on the cross. As we take steps to move out of that prison and embrace who we are IN CHRIST, we will begin to flourish.

As you read God’s Word, and discover truths of who you are in Him, write them down. When you find it hard to believe a truth, ask God to give you the faith to accept what He says in His Holy Word about you. Small steps of faith in the right direction lead you to freedom in Christ! *Please take note of the words “in Christ” in each of the following Scripture passages.

 Galatians 3:26

For you are all sons of God

through faith in Christ Jesus.

How do I discover who I am in Christ?

God’s Word is our ultimate source for discovering who we are in Him, who He desires us to become, and the gifts and tools He has equipped us with! It’s not a mystery. God has given us His Word to teach and guide us, but we must search His truths like hidden treasure, in order to find them. 

Ephesians 2:13

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been

brought near by the blood of Christ.

Ephesians 2:4-5

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,

even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ

(by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together,

and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

The first step to embracing your Identity in Christ is to decide today to believe what God says about you in His Holy Word. This step is vital to this process. What God says is truth and everything else can fade into the background. As you embrace your new identity "IN CHRIST" it will begin to impact every area of your life!

Here are some of the truths that God says about you: (Adapted from The Bondage Breaker, by Neil Anderson)

• John 1:12 I am God’s child

• John 15:15 I am Christ’s friend

• Romans 5:1 I have been justified

• 1 Corinthians 6:17 I am united with the Lord and I am one spirit with Him

• 1 Corinthians 6:19,20 I have been bought with a price: I belong to God

• 1 Corinthians 12:27 I am a member of Christ’s body

• Ephesians 1:1 I am a saint, a holy one

• Ephesians 1:5 I have been adopted as God’s child

• Ephesians 2:18 I have direct access to God through the Holy Spirit

• Colossians 1:14 I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins

• Colossians 2:10 I am complete in Christ

Each truth statement is supported by a Scripture reference. I encourage you to read these truths out loud, over and over. Write them out on note cards. Ask God to help you to get these truths deep down in your heart and soul. Choose to believe by faith what God says is true of you, now that you are "In Christ."

 PRAYER TIP #17 - Embrace your identity in Christ, by faith.

Prayer Points:

• Lord, help me to believe by faith that what You say about me in Your Word is true, no matter how I feel.

• Jesus, thank You for shedding Your blood for me so that I could have a new identity "In Christ."

• Lord, help me to remember that my worth and value comes from You, my Creator, and not what others think of me, or say about me.

• God, thank You for making me Your daughter, for saving me, loving me, redeeming me, and making me a new creation In Christ.

Suggested Prayer -

Dear Lord,

Today, starting right now, I embrace my new identity "In Christ." I believe Your Holy Word to be completely true. I believe that Jesus died for me on the cross and rose again on the third day. I choose to have faith that I am Your child, loved, justified, redeemed, adopted, accepted, complete in Christ, and forgiven of all my sins! I have been bought with a price, the precious blood of Jesus Christ - I belong to God, now and forever. I choose to prioritize what You say about me, over what others say or think of me. Forgive me for making an idol of other people's opinions. My worth and value comes from You alone, and nothing else. My future is in Your hands and I choose to walk in faith, trusting You every step of the way.

In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.

In Christ Alone,

Michelle Staubs