Week 3
Xchanging your identity
Our identity centers on our desire for love. Because of our desire to be cherished we embark into sacrifice – believing that through sacrifice we can earn the love and favor of our Father (and others).
Everyone is born in sin and into a sinful existence in this world – we use the faulty godless systems to assess our worth and value.
Instead of assessing our value as heirs to the King – we gauge our value by how we feel – usually through a system of measurements found in the world.
“How you feel has little bearing on who you are”
When a person Xchanges their life with Christ – they are given a new identity.
- The Old self does not exist – you are a new creation – a new being – and exist in a new realm beyond the systems of this world.
“In the new system it is not what we do that determines who we are it is who we are that determines what we do.”
“In the world we act in order to be loved… in the kingdom we are loved and that is why we act.”
The bible says – “we are seated with Christ in heavenly places.”
The book of Ephesians tells us that – “In Christ we have obtained an inheritance and are sealed with the Holy Spirit who guarantees our inheritance until we acquire possession of it.” (Eph 1:11,13-14)
- In Christ a believer is declared “not guilty”.
- In Christ sin no longer has power over you (Romans 6:11-13)
- In Christ you now have hope and peace (Ephesians 2:12-22)
Let’s understand this Xchange and our new identity:
1 Thess 5:23 – “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
- 3 parts – spirit, soul body
Genesis 1:27 – formed in God’s image (what was Gods image… spirit) Genesis 1:2 – “and the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”
Man was then given a body Genesis 2:27 and began living a physical existence.
Originally we were designed to live SPIRIT-SOUL-BODY
Adam and eve were naked and unashamed…
After the fall there was a SHIFT – man became aware of the physical and it dominated his existence.
- Genesis 3:9-10 – “…I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked…”
So now instead of the SPIRIT leading our soul (mind, will and emotions) – the BODY (physical) takes the dominant role.
The Xchange that occurs when a person accepts Christ as LORD and Savior is that our SPIRIT recaptures it’s rightful position. Satan attempts to deceive us into believing that our value is still attached to the PHYSICAL.
Satan wants you to believe that you are still an orphan and so begins the process of overcoming the orphan spirit.
There is a maturity that only occasion and revelation can give to the life of a Christ follower. And while being grown up as a Christian is not necessarily a matter of time there are points of maturity that we see revealed to us through Scripture.
As we understand our new identity - we grow up in faith… as we grow up in faith we grow up in love.
Galatians 4:1-7
Paul is speaking against the OT law and its regulations. He is contending for the true doctrine of grace. In chapter 4 he uses the illustration of maturing into faith – and by doing so he gives us a blueprint of how one is to mature into the love.
According to what Paul instructs us in Galatians there are three essential “levels” that each of us have the chance to progress through as we grow up.
Bondservant – Son – Heir
We enter into God’s family through “regeneration” and have the benefits of God’s family through adoption. But those “benefits” came with a price – and while the gift is free – there are some things that we are asked to implement as we grow.
The first level in the process is “slave” or “bond-servant” – from the word “dou=lov” transliterated to “doulos” - meaning ‘one who gives themselves up to another’s will, devoted to another to the disregard of one’s own interests.’
Literally Paul is talking about being a slave to the law –
Jesus did not do away with the law – he fulfilled it – and while the principal remains – the consequence is done away with.
It is within this level that you learn your “ABC’s” – you establish the foundation of faith. These are the “elementary principals” of the religious experience.
At this level you recognize that you are not in charge of getting your needs met and the beginning of “dependence” is planted.
- This is the level that you want to rush through – it’s not what you would consider “fun”.
· Repeating the “ABC’s” can get boring after a while.
- Yet, it is within the process of understanding what it means to be a servant that a foundation is built.
- This level is a life that recognizes that you are not the most important person in a relationship. That there is someone “greater” than you and they are the one who calls the play.
- You learn that you must yield to the needs of the ‘master’ or the overseer of your life.
- It is a level in which you learn to value needs and demands that are seemingly not for your benefit.
- Being a servant is a breaking free from “self” and the tendency to have little regard for the “needs” of the people around you… breaking free from the idea, “It’s about me…”
- At the level of servant you begin to understand that you have been liberated (by Jesus), but that deliverance is not for your benefit.
It is at this level that you (Proverbs 19:20) - “Listen to advice and accept instruction so that you may gain wisdom in the future.”
- This is a level in which you obey out of duty to the people that have been placed as guardians and managers over you.
- This is a level in which you obey the instructions of others and begin to adopt a system in which you follow standards and principals that may not be important to you.
- The adoption of “outside” principals teaches you how to value and think about things that are “beyond” your frame of reference.
- This is a level within which you establish the discipline of “delayed gratification”.
- It demands that you yield to the demands of the master, FIRST, even when we do not know the plan.
John 15:15 – “… for the servant does not know what his master is doing…”
- You learn how to sacrifice – you learn how to give – how to help – how to respond to the external world.
- You learn how to give out of your own place of need.
- You are venerable to the commands of the master.
- You begin to understand that protection and provision are beyond your control.
- CAUTION: It can be a place within which you get hurt; and because of harm done by poor masters we promise ourselves, “I will never get hurt like that again!”
- It is a level in which we learn how to manipulate circumstances to protect – so that you are no longer at the mercy of a master
NOTE: Because of harm done by others – this is the level within which a spirit of “defiance” (instead of meekness) can take root.
NOTE: Within this level a spirit of “Suspicion” (instead of trust) can occur.
NOTE: This is also the place where “Standards” and rules can become your God (instead of impossibility through Christ).
- The servant phase is where I learn how to trust.
- I don’t get to understand the “why” in life. I simply learn to obey “because…”
- It is at the servant level that “mystery” must be embraced.
This level establishes your “path” either to life or to death…
“Proverbs 10:17 – “Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life…”
- But, you need to master the servant phase – you cannot be ready for the next level.
The level of Son; Galatians 4:4-5 – “God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”
You might be asking “when” does a person become a “son”? – in keeping with the context of the text;
- Under Roman law the age of maturity for a child was set by the father.
- So depending upon the servant’s character is when the Father “promotes” them into son-ship.
Luke 15 – the prodigal son… or rather the tremendous Father:
- At this level you “come to yourself” and remember “who you are”… that you are a son.
- What is the result of remembering that you are a son?
- You now have a choice about relationship. You can either walk alone (for fear, shame, or doubt) or return to your father.
- The danger is; we want to jump over the servant (no fun) to the son (out from under) to gain access to the Father.
· The desire to jump over the servant level will be detrimental as you try to receive the Fathers love.
· If you jump over the servant to the SON your relationship with the Father will be one of “legalism” – performance based rules of life.
- This is the level within which you must master your freedom to choose.
- This is where we learn to receive the unconditional love of the Father.
· This is where you find the answers you have always looked for.
- Sons are taught and learn to expect help from the Father.
**There are some here that are convinced that you are alone, that there is no one to help.
· Part of that is a remnant of an unwillingness to listen to others at the level of “servant”.
- This is a level where you understand that you are never alone.
- Love will never be withdrawn; despite betrayal, defiance or willful disobedience… you are loved without condition.
A Son experiences, through failure, an unconditional love - the love of the Father.
A Son experiences, through discipline, the love of the Father.
· Hebrews 12:6 – “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son and daughter whom he receives.”
- It is at this level of growing up in love that you understand there is nothing you can do to be “un-loved” by the Father.
- You realize that love is not tied to your performance.
- Even though the son is covered in shame he can always return to his Father:
The son will punish himself, expecting nothing much from the Father.
The Son can recognize his Father – but it is still hard to believe that there is acceptance and love despite “ME”.
STORY: Story of me calling up my father from Arizona when I was strung out and desperate.
- As a son you must draw on the experience with the Father that has demonstrated the Father’s mercy and help.
At the Son level of growing up in love;
- You will demonstrate what you have understood as a Son.
- Your ability to give and receive love from others is directly linked to your understanding of the love from the Father.
- Mastering this level; of freedom, and choices positions us to be a Father.
· The Son looks like his father.
· Jesus said, “If you have seen me, you have seen my Father.”
- It is at this level that we “know” what is in the heart of our “master” – (our Father).
· Jesus said (John 15:15) – “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”
· Because of this “knowing” we now have access to maneuver through; mystery, offense, disease, pain, and loss.
Even with the understanding of the love of the Father for His Son – there is another level of that completes our IDENTITY and growing up in LOVE.
The final level of growing up in love is:
An HEIR –
(Galatians 4:7) – So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
- It is at this level that not only do I have choices, I have the capability to make choices, with confidence… despite the odds.
· Servant – is where I build trust.
· Son – is where choices and freedom are realized, where love is understood.
· Heir – I now choose to deposit my life… I choose to decide because I have an inheritance that cannot ever be taken away.
- At this level you come with strength to “give” not to “get”.
- I know how to lay my life down… I did that as a servant.
- I know how to take it back up and receive love… I did that as a son.
- I now have the security to walk in covenant as benefit for you.
- As a son… I am aware that I have a Father… – I know Him.
- As an heir – I am now asked to step into my destiny by right of covenant. Into an inheritance prepared by my Father but not placed before anyone else but ME.
Because of this “new thing” associated with being an heir –
- Warring against me are the components that are associated with an “Orphan spirit”
Jesus said – “I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you.” (John 14:18)
· Past experiences, past hurt, past harm... I’m alone.
· The orphan spirit places importance on; control, manipulation, LIMITS, “I choose… I am not chosen.”
· An “orphan spirit” uses the disguise of “protection” as its rationale for decision making.
· The “orphan spirit” whispers, “You’re going to get hurt if you step out by faith and become venerable.”
· The voice says, “You have been abandoned and while you might be a son… you are illegitimate and when you die – everything dies with you.”
· “Be self-reliant” and independent – don’t trust others too much.
· “You should have been a boy/girl. Then my parents would have loved me.”
· My value is in what I do.
· I’ll never be what God wants me to be.
· I am the problem – when something is wrong it is my fault.
· I am stuck. “I can’t…”
· Those important to me will abandon me in difficult times and in critical events.
The truth as an heir is:
· God is with me always.
· I am accepted by my Father.
· My value is in who’s I am.
· I am exactly who God wants me to be.
· I am loveable and everything is not my fault.
NOTE: Since the BIBLE (truth) tells you that you are no longer a servant or a son but an “heir through God.” This is a battle with darkness… namely “The King of Tyre (Tire)”/// Satan.
Satan was cast out of heaven; the Fathers presence, love of the Father – Satan was the first “spiritual orphan”… and therefore the power behind the “orphan spirit”.
The message of the entire bible is one of a loving Father that desires his children to walk into their inheritance;
· The prophets spoke of this.
· The kings declared this.
· The men of God proclaimed this.
· But not until Jesus did anyone demonstrate this.
Out of our willingness to expose our lives, as an heir, to others, for their benefit, with the full understanding of the promise of God, “That we are never alone.” Are we truly able to LOVE.
- It is only out of this confidence that we are truly able to be “Grown up” in love.
“For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons… and if son’s then heirs of God.” (Romans 8:15,17)
