I am delighted to have you join me in the journey of embracing our identity in Christ-the new series we started two weeks ago. Today we shall consider the topic-Seeing ourselves through the eyes of God.

To be able to understand your identity as a child of God, you need to understand how God sees you and to see yourself the way He sees you. You need to understand God’s heart towards you; his compassion towards us.

It’s tempting to build your identity on your experiences in life, on your accomplishments, or on your mental assessment of yourself. But like I have said, your true identity is ultimately based on what God has done in you and for you.

The original identity of man was declared by God in Genesis 1. He made man in His own image and blessed them; and in vs 28 said to them-“Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Man’s original identity was to have dominion over everything on earth. Like we all know, we lost this identity when Adam and Eve rebelled against God. But through Jesus Christ God has recovered our original identity from the devil. And in the scriptures, He has taken time to declare to us how He sees us and how He feels about us. So we are going to take a look at some of God’s pronouncements in the bible describing how He sees us. These pronouncements are not new to you; but I encourage you to pay close and reflective attention to them this time and I pray that the Holy Spirit would supernaturally renew our minds to the truth of these scriptures.

You are unique

Jeremiah1:5 states-Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart. And Matthew 10:30 declares-Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. These scriptures remind us that each one of us is uniquely crafted by God. Every aspect of who you are — your personality, your family, your experiences, your ministry in the body of Christ, your skills and accomplishments — have been carefully designed by God. No matter the circumstances of your birth, you are not an accident or coincidence. You were specially and intentionally made to be you. So its so important that you do not take you for granted. You need to appreciate the fact that God is intimately involved in your life. And you need to start seeing yourself as a unique individual made for a special purpose. The Holy Spirit would help you if you ask Him.

You Are Loved By God

God loves every one of us individually. You have seen that He lovingly designed every detail of your person. Imagine the love involved with that intricate design! And He declares His love for us in so many scriptures. I particularly appreciate the declaration in Romans 8:35-“Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.” No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.”

God declares His ultimate and unconditional love for us here, stating that nothing can separate us from His love. He states that our challenges and even our actions cannot separate us from His love. I always wonder why people would rather ignore God’s unequivocal declarations of love and always remind you that if you do this or that, God would turn His face from you. Please, get it into your mind that your identity in Christ is-Nothing can separate you from the love of God. You are the only one that can distance yourself from the love of God. His love is unconditional and constant.

You Are Forgiven

Because Jesus, who was without sin, died the death you should have died on the cross, you can be forgiven of sin. What you have done wrong is no longer counted against you, and all that Christ did right is now counted for you.Therefore, in God’s eyes, if you have accepted what Jesus did for you, you are completely forgiven. From His perspective, you are without sin. It’s not that you won’t sin, but when He looks at you, He calls you forgiven. Your identity is-Forgiven

You Are Redeemed

What does your forgiveness mean? You are redeemed — that is, Christ’s sacrifice has bought you back from the forces of sin and evil that once owned and controlled you and made you His.

When God looks at you, He does not see a former sinner. He does not see you in light of who you once were. He sees you as redeemed: a new creation that has been made whole. According to 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. You do not have to define yourself in light of your past mistakes. God does not do that. You can walk in the identity of someone who has been made new in Christ.

You are justified freely

Romans 3:24 tells us we are “justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Your worth and value in the eyes of God is not in your achievements and efforts; it’s in Christ’s finished work. The world including Christians would judge us by our actions; our successes and our failures, but God says we are justified freely. This means you have been declared righteous — not because of what you have done, but because of what Christ has done for you. This truth is so difficult for us to grasp so we keep struggling to gain God’s acceptance and to impress Him by our actions. Your identity is; forgiven, justified, free from condemnation. May the Holy Spirit help you to accept this identity. So you can be delivered from the pressure of struggling and striving for acceptance; and so you can begin to love and seek the Lord from a place of gratitude because you are sure you are already accepted.

You are more than a conqueror

Romans 8:37 declares, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” You are already victorious in Christ! This doesn’t mean you won’t face difficulties. You will. But it does mean that you should face these challenges from a position of victory, not defeat. When cash flow is tight, when someone falls sick, when the family is bereaved, remember that you are more than a conqueror. These challenges don’t define you. How God sees you does!

You Are Adopted

What does it mean to be considered a child of God? It means that you have been adopted into His family. You are considered a legitimate child of God and having all the rights and privileges of Jesus His Son.

God sees you as a cherished child who bears His name. Just as earthly adoption is a legally binding process that names you a permanent and integral part of a family, heavenly adoption is just as permanent and binding. You are His child, and He will never take that away.

You are a Chosen Generation and Priests

1 Peter 2:9 states- “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…”

We have said this in different ways. You are chosen by God. You have been selected by Him for a special purpose. You are part of a special family. Some of us that belong to a good family Church know what it means to be part of a close community-a holy nation. And as a priest, you have free access to God at any time and you have the privilege of representing Him on earth.

The reason why many of us are still trying to fit in with the world is because we don’t understand who God says we are and how special we are to Him.

If you are saved, God has given you a new identity! All we have said above are who you are. This is You. This is your permanent identity. It can never be removed, taken away, or changed.

This is who you are when you are all alone, bereaved or facing challenges. This is who you are when you fall sick or when you are broke

This is who you are when you don’t get the job you applied for, when you are a matured single or when you face infertility issues.

This is who you are when you’ve sinned so severely it doesn’t seem forgivable, yet to God, it is.

No matter how you feel today, or who you used to be, or what you’re going through, your identity in our loving Father is who you are for all eternity.

Lord, grant us deep understanding that we are your adopted sons and daughters with the same rights and privileges as Jesus Christ your son; reveal to us the significance of the truth that we are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, your own special people, that we may proclaim your praises for calling us out of darkness into your marvelous light…”