Who Am I?
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
Good morning Church fam!
I have learned over the years in my walk with Jesus that when something is repeated over and over, He is trying to get our attention.
I believe this is happening right now. A couple weeks ago 23 men went to the Men’s conference and Jamie Winship was one of the key note speakers. Jamie is a former Metro DC area police officer who spent nearly 30 years living and working in the Muslim world, teaching people how to hear from God and live in his kingdom.
Winship’s message was about identity. We come home and Cindy’s message last week was about identity. Identity is something that we do not talk much about in the church world. I can’t tell you how many sermons I heard over the years that didn’t speak about identity.
I do not believe this is a coincidence. If you think about it, we live in a culture that is obsessed with identity. From personal branding, social media bios, self help mantras, am I a boy, girl, man, woman, or nothing at all. It seems that our world is in an identity crisis. Everyone is trying to answer the same question,
Who am I?
In our world the answer is be whatever you want to be. Identify with whatever you want and you will be fine. If this were true, then why are so many people experiencing confusion, anxiety, and burnout?
I believe people are trying to build an identity rather than receiving one. I believe people also receive identity from the wrong people. Either way, they are either building or receiving a false identity.
When you live in a false identity, fear will be the driving force. When you live your live in fear, you will never live the life that God has called you to.
“Fear always speaks in the voice of a false identity. But when you hear your name from Jesus, you know who you are—and you’re no longer afraid.” - Jamie Winship
Today I want to look at how we can move from fear to freedom, from confusion to clarity, by rooting our identity in God’s love.
Fear is one of those things in our lives that will lead to a false identity.
Fear Leads to False Identity
Fear Leads to False Identity
I think fear is one of the greatest culprits when it comes to our identity.
Think about it for a moment. How many times did you want to do something for God, or God asked you to do something, and all of a sudden fear overcame you?
I don’t know how many times I have heard people say:
I am afraid of what people will say
I am afraid there will be no provision
I am afraid no one will listen to me
I am afraid to step out into the unknown
Who is speaking? Fear. Fear is a loud voice that will stop you from knowing your true identity and you will put on this false identity and live in a constant state of fear.
But here is truth. Truth is freeing.
18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.
We live in fear because we haven’t truly let God’s perfect love into our hearts. When we fully experience His love, fear loses its power.
Imagine a child lost in a crowded store, afraid and anxious. But the moment the child sees their parent and feels their embrace, the fear melts away. The fear didn’t leave because the crowd disappeared—but because the child was safely held by someone they trust and love.
In the same way, when we truly experience God’s perfect love, we realize we’re not alone—and fear has no place in that embrace.
God Is Always There
Too often we live our lives based on our feelings. We live in a culture that is defined by their feelings. As followers of Christ, no where in Scripture does it say to live out your faith based on your feelings. We live it out based on TRUTH. The TRUTH of His Word.
When we go through things in this world, we SHOULD run to the FATHER, RUN to His Word so we can experience His love and disspell all fear which is linked to our identity.
His Word, Truth, says:
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
In fact 1 John 4:8 tells us that God is defined as love. Fear is the opposite of love. Where fear abounds love cannot. Here is what we need to understand about fear.
Fear is a LIAR
Fear says things like:
You’re not enough
You’re too broken
You will always be defined by your past
If people knew the real you, they will leave
What happens when we hear or even say these things over ourselves, we begin to believe them and we form an identity on lies rather than truth.
Think about the kid in school who is bombarded first by his parents, then peers, and even sometimes teachers:
You’re stupid
What’s wrong with you?
Why can’t you be like everyone else?
Why are you always the problem?
This kid will grow up believing that he is the problem. That he is stupid. That there is something wrong with them. They will try to fit in and be like everyone else. He will build this false identity in life and be miserable.
Because we bought the lie, we never walk in the identity of who God says we are and we become someone who God never intended us to be.
I used to take on the identity of a people pleaser. I wanted everyone to like me. I didn’t want to make anyone mad or upset at me so I would do whatever I needed to keep them in my life. This is a false identity. It was an identity based on fear. I was afraid of letting people down.
Fear will push YOU to become someone God never intended YOU to be.
15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”
Fear causes us to become performers, pretenders, or prisoners to other people’s opinions. There is no freedom in that. But the Spirit of God brings freedom to live as who we were always meant to be in Christ.
God doesn’t operate in fear. God doesn’t even relate to us through fear. He relates to us through love.
Write this down:
Identity is Received, Not Achieved
Identity is Received, Not Achieved
Some people believe they need to earn God’s love and then because of that love He gives us identity. Not so. You don’t need to earn God’s love in order to receive identity.
Jesus didn’t even have to do anything to earn God’s love or receive identity.
11 And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.”
Before Jesus preached a sermon, performed a miracle, healed the sick, and even before He went to the cross…God declared his love spoke identity to Him.
You are my dearly loved Son = Identity
Write this down.
God defines us by relationship, not by performance
How cool is this! You don’t have to preach a sermon, be a pastor, work at a church, or even be a Christian for years…God loves you. And because He loves you He desires to GIVE you an identity.
Have you ever asked God, “Who do YOU say that I am?”
I have done this, not once, but twice! God has multiple identities and if we are made in His image, so do we. This is not multiple personalities, it is multiple ways that God sees you and me.
The first time I asked God who am I, he told me a workhorse. That resonated with me. I am always working on something. I am not a lazy person by any means. I can go for days, I have gone for weeks. I remember when the Paradise fires happened. We spent 3 weeks, 12 hours a day at the Woodson Bridge helping people. Its what I love to do.
At the conference we were asked again to ask God who do you say I am…guess what? God answered again. This time He told me I am a facilitator. I don’t use that word to describe me. In fact I had to look it up to see what it meant.
Facilitator - A facilitator's role is to guide a group toward a specific goal, whether it's learning, problem-solving, or decision-making, by facilitating collaboration and ensuring everyone's voice is heard. They act as a neutral, impartial guide who helps the group work together and achieve their objectives. This involves planning, leading, and managing group discussions or processes to support participants in collaborating, communicating, and achieving their desired outcomes.
When you talk to God…He speaks back! It is amazing. God loves you so much that He will speak to you and speak identity over you.
When you ask God who am I, God will NEVER answer back to you:
“You’re a disappointment”
“You’re a mistake”
“You’re just average”
Why? Because this goes against the truth of His Word!
David knew his identity.
14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.
16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.
You were created by Jesus…for Jesus!
God will speak identity over you that restores purpose in your life:
Peace bringer
Light in the darkness
Healer
Warrior
My child
Are you trying to earn an identity through success, ministry, or like I tried in people pleasing?
Or are you resting in the name God has already given you?
I know your parents gave you a name already and if they are like my wife and I, they put some thought in it…hopefully. Even if they didn’t, God’s love will rename you and redeem you.
God’s Love Renames and Redeems You
God’s Love Renames and Redeems You
1 But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!
Notice something here. There are two names used here. Jacob and Israel. Both are the same person.
When Isaac and Rebecca had a set of twins. They named these twins Jacob and Esau. Esau’s name meant hairy. He was a hairy baby, so hairy the bible says it was like a garment (Genesis 25:25). Jacob the younger brother was born holding the heal of his brother. His name means heal grabber, supplanter.
Jacob’s birth name symbolizes deceit and trickery. This is exactly what happened. He manipulated his brother, deceived his almost blind father, and stole his older brother’s blessing.
After all of this, Jacob has an encounter with God and had a wrestling match in which his thigh was dislocated.
28 He said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.”
His identity was changed from manipulator (Jacob) to a man that who wrestled with God and came out changed (Israel)!
He left that place with a new identity and a new walk. God not only renamed him, but He redeemed him.
When you have an encounter with God, God doesn’t just forgive your past—He renames your future. Your walk is going to be DIFFERENT! People will notice you don’t walk the same. The way you talk is different. The way you carry yourself is not the same!
When God gives you a new identity it reveals how He intends to live through you! God has called me a facilitator, so I am going to walk that out help people learn and solve their problems not according to my opinions, but according to God’s thoughts.
If God has called you a peacemaker, it means you will carry His peace into conflicts.
If He calls you truth teller, you will speak life into dark places with boldness and love.
Your God-given identity is not just a title—it’s a MISSION.
What name have you been living under that God never gave you?
It’s time to lay it down and receive the name God speaks over your life!
When you understand your God given identity, you will be living from God’s love and it will make you fearless!
Living from God’s Love Makes You Fearless
Living from God’s Love Makes You Fearless
27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
Once you begin to hear God’s voice and receive His love-rooted identity, you begin to live with courage and clarity.
18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.
19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
5 Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”
When you know the voice of God, fear no longer controls:
Your decisions
Your relationships
Your calling
Living fearlessly doesn’t mean that life will be easy…it does however mean you live free.
Free to speak truth in love
Free to stop comparing yourselves to others
Free to not be offended
Free to forgive
Free to obey God even when it’s risky
Free to walk in your divine identity
In his book Living Fearless, Winship shares stories of people in war zones, conflict regions, and corporate offices finding supernatural peace and power—not because of training—but because they heard God say,
“This is who you are. Walk in it.”
Conclusion - Who Am I Jesus?
Conclusion - Who Am I Jesus?
As we close this morning, let me ask you personally:
Whose voice have you been listening to?
The voice of fear?
The voice of culture?
The voice of your past?
or the voice of Jesus?
He is ready to answer the question “Who am I Jesus?”
He is not confused about your identity. He sees you clearly. He calls you by name…the name He gives you. He loves you perfectly-and His perfect love drives out all fear.
Altar Call
If you are ready this morning to receive the identity that God has for you… a new name. Make your way up to the altar and we are going to pray a simple prayer.
Jesus, who do you say I am?
If you’re ready to let go of fear and live from the name God has given you, come to the altar, or raise your hand. We want to pray with you and stand with you as you step into your true identity—rooted in God’s love.
