One of the largest problems in our church is that God's people really don't know who they are and even when you tell them, they still don't believe it.

So who are we? Are we what we do? A pharmacist, a teacher, a preacher, a mother, a father? Or are we what people have said we are? Fat, thin, pretty, ugly, lazy or a go-getter? What happens when you are no longer what you believe yourself to be? Who are you then?

What happens when you base your entire life and your worth around something that can change on a dime? A quick response…lost, confused and unhealthy.

This has a very long yet very short answer. You are who God says you are. Think of this like a triangle. At the top of the triangle is Creator God who gives you all of your identity. How does He do it? In theological terminology, we say he "commutes" it to you.

In Matthew 3, when Jesus gets baptized, you hear the Father say, “This is my son with whom I am well pleased.”

Now think clearly about this, if Jesus now lives inside of you, when the Father now looks at you, what does HE see? He sees Jesus in you, thus He commutes to you how he feels about His Son:

“This is my son/daughter ______________ with whom I am well pleased.”

Notice what comes after the word "PLEASED?” Go ahead and look it up, I will wait.

What did you find? NOTHING? That's because of what has been commuted to you. There is no "if you do this" or "because you do this". It is simply that He is well pleased with you PERIOD. Today, tomorrow and the next day. Brother and sister, breathe this in and quit fighting for approval from something that is false.

It means that you have to come to peace with the fact that our Father's love for us is not changed by your performance or lack thereof. Rest in this! Let this become your reason for the obedience in your life. Not for approval, not for gain, but for the simple idea that He is for you and wants your best.

This forms you into His ambassador (covenant people) and allows you to walk with all the power as one of His children (kingdom power).

This adoption by grace makes you a covenant child of the Father. It is who you are, and it is essential to your being. You must understand your “being” before you begin your “doing.” Unfortunately, most people get the cart before the horse and start focusing on “doing” before “being.” Therefore, they “do” without any divine authority or power.

In order to be a healthy ambassador of the Lord your “Kingdom Responsibility” must flow out of your “Covenant Relationship.” The authority needed to make disciples and move the Kingdom forward flows out of your identity as a child of God. The power necessary to accomplish the mission flows out of your obedience to Jesus as you surrender with childlike faith to His call.

If you start “doing” before focusing on “being” you will have no more authority or power than a normal person. Therefore, you start looking for your identity in performance i.e. what you do as opposed to who you are. This always leads to works-based religion and self-righteousness. Neither of which are pleasing to the Lord. It is a fine line that can easily be crossed. You must ensure that you and your disciples avoid crossing it at all costs!

Spend time on this shape and make sure that everyone in your D-group has incarnated it. If not, you will release people into a responsibility they will attempt to achieve with their skill and giftedness instead of the Lord’s authority and power. True disciples can only be made with super-natural authority and power. Both are available but only when we understand who we are, is more important than what we do!

When drawing out the identity triangle, Jesus’ name should be in the box. Erase his name and ask your disciples to write in the box where they get their identity from.

When they are done, think about reading Isaiah 44:1-20. The scripture is self explanatory.

Attached you will find a list of Scriptures of who you are. Know them and then believe them.

Ask the people you are walking with to be open, honest and vulnerable about where they are currently getting their identity from. Share with them first about where you tend to get messed up in your own thinking, and how you remind yourself who you really are.