Who Am I - Part 3

Growing up I remember hearing the story of "The Ugly Duckling."  The story tells of a homely little bird born in a barnyard who suffers abuse from his neighbors until, much to his delight (and to the surprise of others), he matures into a beautiful swan, the most beautiful bird of all. The story is beloved around the world as a tale about personal transformation for the better.^[1] “The Ugly Duckling” was first published 11 November 1843 with three other tales by Hans Christian Andersen in Copenhagen, Denmark.


In many ways, christians resemble the "ugly ducking" in this fairy tale.  We were born in sin and lived in sin until we were born again.  After receiving Christ as our savior, we were transformed into a new creature, something that the world doesn't understand because its not familiar with this "new creation" which God has made.


You know it's funny how the world wants to tell you who you are.  There isn't any lack of opinion coming from your peers, co-workers, neighbors, strangers, and relatives to let you know who they think you are.  And we also have the former barnyard animals (the devil and his minions) constantly trying to define who you are and what your limitations are.  If we are not careful, these voices will define us before we ever find out what our identity truly is.  You know another funny thing is that the world and the devil have no ability to see the future.  So how do they know who we are and who we are going to become?  Truth is, they don't have a clue.  They don't know the future and neither one has the ability to see into the depths of your soul to know who you really are.


Abram didn't know who he was until God spoke to him while he was 75 years old and living in the city of Haran with his dad and other relatives.  At that time God began telling Abram that he was going to become a great nation, a blessing to the peoples of the earth, and he would be blessed.  Later when Abram was still without child God told him that he would be multiplied as the stars of the heavens.  And Abram believed God.  Against all rationale thinking and logic, he believed the report that God gave him.  


David was a young man tending sheep in the valley when one day his older brother called out and told him that a man wanted to meet him back at the house.  When David showed up back at the house an older gentleman walked over, took out a flask of oil, poured it on his head and pronounced that he would be the next king of Israel.  David had no clue he was supposed to be a king until God pronounced it through the prophet Samuel.


Gideon was grinding wheat at the winepress, just hoping that he wouldn't be caught by the Midianites.  Then all of a sudden an angelic being showed up at the winepress and declared that Gideon was a mighty man of valor.  What!!  You mean the scaredy-cat Gideon.  No, God said he was a mighty man of valor.  And Gideon believed (after much convincing) that what God said was true.


There are so many powerful declarations in the word of God about who we are.  When we accepted Christ, we entered into an awesome inheritance.  Our destiny was changed, our character was redeemed, and our identity was baptized into Christ.


I've listed just a few of these declarations below, but I encourage you to go and spend time gathering together what God declares about you.  You need to know who you are.  Because as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.  If you are constantly thinking something contrary to what God declares, it will affect what you do.  The ugly duckling didn't realize it was a Swan capable of beautiful and graceful swimming.  Until somebody told the Swan who he was he kept goofing around the barnyard trying to fit in with all the other ducks but all the time feeling awkward and out of place.  Likewise, you'll not walk in all the capacity for which God has made you when you have wrong thinking about who you are.  God has made you into a valiant warrior, capable of walking in all the spiritual blessings of heaven.  And capable of bringing the reality of heaven down to the earth where God has placed us for a season.  


Oh, rise up mighty man and woman of God.  The hour is short, and heaven is at hand.  Lift up your eyes unto the harvest and go forth laboring in the Lord's fields that He's placed before you.


Who Are You?

• You are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works (Eph 2:10)
• You are blessed with every spiritual blessing found in heaven since you are in Christ Jesus (Eph 1:3)
• You are a son or daughter of God, adopted through Jesus Christ (Eph 1:5)
• You are accepted in the beloved (Eph 1:6)
• You are no longer a stranger, but a fellow citizen of heaven with the saints and members of God's household (Eph 2:19)
• You are an heir with the Father and a joint heir with Christ (Gal 4:6-7)
• You are reconciled to God and an ambassador of reconciliation for Him ((2 Cor 5:18-19)
• You are a temple of the Holy Spirit (I Cor 3:16, 6:19)
• You are chosen and ordained by Jesus to bear fruit (John 15:16)
• You are the salt of the earth (Matt 5:13)
• You are the light of the world (Matt 5:14)
• You are more than a conqueror through Christ (Rom 8:37)
• You are seated in heavenly places in Christ (Eph 2:6)
• You are part of the bride of Christ and am making yourself ready for Him (Rev 19:7)