Identity

Isaiah 43:1b NKJV

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine.”

Encouragement for the Journey

Previously, when I taught children, I taught them two things I knew were important to the foundation of their understanding. We focused on two core topics:

• The Names of God (God’s Identity)

• Who God Says We Are (Personal Identity)

As I instructed them, I referenced the scriptures associated with each name. I believe this practice is equally important for adults. Before I taught them, I took time to meditate on each passage myself, letting the words settle into my own heart first. Only then did I teach and speak those truths over their lives, so that they weren’t just reciting verses, but truly learning to stand on His promises with understanding and confidence.

Who is this great God that we serve?

Exodus 3:13-14 NKJV

¹³ Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them? ¹⁴ And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”

I love to read and pray the names of God. Reflecting on His names and their meanings brings clarity and a deeper understanding of who God truly is. The love of the Lord and the mercy He extends are evident in His names, and we come to recognize this more as we read the holy Word of God.

When I taught children, we would learn a new name every week. We would go in the Word and read the scriptures that speak about that name. Then we’d end with a prayer and use that name in the prayer. Each week we’d go back through the names. They loved learning about his name- and this was at all ages!

There are many “gods” in this world, but only one true and living God—Hallelujah! To know Him is to love Him. Just as we learn the names, roles, and backgrounds of the people we meet, so we should seek to know Abba. Becoming familiar with His names provides greater insight into the revelations found in Scripture, and we can apply them to ourselves.

When I pray, I call upon His name intentionally and specifically:

“Jehovah-Sabaoth, You are the one who fights for me and I believe You will go before me in this situation.”

“Adonai! You are Lord over all, and I worship You!”

What does God say about us?

Isaiah 43:1-3a NKJV

¹ But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.” ² When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. ³ For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior…”

I took a six-week class at a church I visited with my family some years back. I don’t remember the name of the class or the book we read. But there was a chapter on identity. When I read it I couldn’t put it down. The book contained a list of scriptures on identity called The I Am’s. In class, we were told to read them every day. So I did. I actually didn’t finish the book… I stayed in that chapter. As I read who God says I am, it stuck with me. Though I didn’t fully understand all that I was reading, it began to change how I saw myself. This was stated at the top of the I Am’s:

“The more you affirm who you are in Christ, the more your life will reflect your true identity.”

This is so true. I made several copies of The I Am’s after that class. It was a pamphlet-sized amount of scripture with 5 pages, but I still read it daily and shared it. When I started homeschooling my boys, I added the I Am’s as our devotional for a time. I remembered the man who taught the class said kids need it too, so we read one page every morning for a time. I was not as diligent with it as I should have been with them, but it was a start. I, however, continued off and on throughout the years. I knew what it did for me, so I taught it to children in different settings (a shorter list). Whether in nursery, children’s church, dance practice, or in a homeschool co-op, I made it a priority to teach them.

There is a great deal of identity confusion in this present time, and not only among unbelievers. Within the body of Christ, many of the saints (including children) lack a solid foundation in their identity in Christ. Numerous believers are unfamiliar with what our Abba Father declares about them. As a result, they are not fully experiencing the love of Christ that has been poured out on us since the moment we accepted Him. In saving us, He changed our name and brought us into the Kingdom of God—Praise Be!

Understanding who He is and who He says we are is essential, because the world seeks to define us in other ways. Culture, family, society, and educational systems all attempt to place labels on us. Over the course of our lives, we may receive many titles, nicknames, and labels—some positive, some negative—and even spoken curses. They attempt to minimize this God we serve as if He is not El Shaddai (God Almighty)! He is Elohim, the Creator of All things, but if we do not know our true identity in Christ, we are likely to internalize and believe the false definitions instead of the truth of our God.

I am attaching two lists below.

One is the short version of the I Am’s I taught to children and the other is the Names of God.

*This is not the full list of names. Also, I did not list all scriptures for each name from the Word; I listed only one or two for each. I encourage you to start with this list if you’ve not spent time learning the Names of God, and build from there.

Brothers and Sisters in the Faith… the Word of the Lord tells us who we are. It says we are loved, we are redeemed, we are chosen, we are accepted in the Beloved, we are called, we are adopted and not orphans… there’s so much life and love given to us in the Word. So, as we read the Names of God and who He says we are, I pray we know the importance of knowing who God is for ourselves so we can teach others (not just children). I pray we come to know what our Abba Father calls us to be, and we accept it as our true identity. I pray we teach our children and our children’s children with diligence, knowing that we are called to teach them.

Feel free to download the lists below and be encouraged to learn more about Abba and your true identity!

Words for the Journey