Part 6 of 12 / Identity In Christ: Seeing Yourself The Way God Sees You
- Chris Houser
- 3 days ago
- 6 min read
Introduction
One of the most important and often overlooked parts of the Christian life is Identity.
It sounds like this:
"Am I Doing Enough?"
"Am I Feeling Right?"
"How Do Others Perceive Me?"
What if I told you it is none of those things, but truly about WHO you are?
When you begin to view yourself the way Christ sees you, it will shape you in:
How You Approach God
How You Respond To Failure
How You Walk Through Life
What You Believe You Deserve
There are genuinely many believers that are saved, but still are living with an old identity.
Thoughts they carry sound like this:
"I'm Not Enough . . ."
"I'll Always Struggle With This . . ."
"I'm Just A Sinner Trying To Do Better . . ."
Salvation did not just forgive you, it REDEFINED you!
When you begin to see yourself the way God sees you, you will struggle to walk in the freedom that He has already given you. This week, we are going to identify your identity in Christ.
You Are Not Who You Used To Be
Hear this powerful truth in Scripture:
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he/she is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." - 2 Corinthians 5:17
This verse is NOT symbolic language, it is spiritual reality.
Do you realize that when you came to Christ:
Your Past Was NOT Just Covered, It Was DEALT With!
Your Identity Was NOT Improved, It Was TRANSFORMED!
Your Life Was NOT Adjusted, It Was Made NEW!
Here is the challenge for you:
Even though your identity has changed, your thinking often has not caught up yet. You may still feel like your old self, you may still think like your old self, but your feelings are NOT your identity.
God's TRUTH is!
You Are Now A Child Of God
One of the most personal and life-changing aspects of your identity is this:
You Are No Longer Distant From God
You Are His Child
"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God . . ."
- John 1:12
This is NOT a title you EARN, it is a position you are GIVEN!
You are NOT:
A Stranger Trying To Get Close
An Outsider Hoping To Be Accepted
Someone Barely Tolerated
You Are ADOPTED!
". . . you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, 'Abba, Father.'"
- Romans 8:15
"Abba" is NOT formal here in the writing, it is deeply PERSONAL. The word Abba here in the text is reflecting closeness with the Father, Security in Him, and Belonging to Him. God is NOT relating to you as a distant authority, but He is related to you as a Father because knowing this, it changes everything.
You Are Righteous In Christ
Hearing that you are Righteous in Christ can feel difficult to accept at first, espeically when you are aware of your imperfections and flaws as an individual. But, Scripture is very clear:
". . . that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." - 2 Corinthians 5:21
This does NOT mean that you will never struggle. It means that when you’re standing before God, it is no longer based on your behavior, but it is based on Jesus Himself. When God looks at you, He does not see you through the lens of your past, He sees you through Jesus Christ His Son!
What does this mean?
You Are ACCEPTED!
You Are JUSTIFIED!
You Are MADE RIGHT With Him!
You are not someone trying to become righteous, you already are in Him!
You Are Free, Even When You Do Not Feel It Yet
Many believers struggle because they think they have to feel something in order to be free. Old habits, thought processes, and even patterns may still be present when they are in Christ. This can lead to frustration and even confusion. However, freedom in Christ is NOT something that is gradually earned, it is something you learn over time to walk in.
"Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed." - John 8:36
Notice: NOT "you will eventually become free."
YOU ARE ALREADY FREE!
But, freedom must be understood and lived out. It is possible to be free in truth and still live bound in old mindsets. This is why RENEWAL is necessary.
Renewing Your Mind - Aligning With The Truth Of Christ
The transformation of your life begins with the transformation of your thinking. Scripture is clear:
"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind . . ." - Romans 12:2
Your mind has been shaped by:
Past Experiences
Lies You've Believed
Words Spoken Over You
Habits Formed Over Time
When you are renewed in Christ, God begins a new work:
Replacing Lies with Truth!
This is a process, NOT a moment!
You begin with:
Recognize False Thoughts
Replace Them With Scripture
Choose Truth Even When Feelings Disagree
Over time, your thinking begins to align with who you really are in Christ!
Letting Go Of The Old Identity
One of the hardest parts of growth is letting go of who you used to believe you were. Even if that identiy was painful, it was familiar. However, God is inviting you to release it.
". . . put off . . . the old man . . . and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and . . . put on the new man which was created according to God . . ." - Ephesians 4:22-24
This is INTENTIONAL! You do NOT accidentally step into your new identity, you choose it!
You begin to say:
"That's Not Who I Am Anymore."
"That Thought Doesn't Align With God's Truth."
"I Choose To Believe What God Says About Me."
Slowly, something begins to shift! You stop living from your past and starting living from your new identity in Christ!
When You Do Not Feel Like Who God Says You Are
There will be moments where your identity in Christ feels distant and that is okay!
You may think:
"I Don't Feel Like A New Creation . . ."
"I Still Struggle Too Much . . ."
"I Don't See The Change Yet . . ."
But your identity is NOT based on your perception, it is based on God's DECLARATION!
Your growth in God takes time and the transformation in that will be a process. But keep peace in your heart that your identity is already established in Him. In those moments you feel like you don't need sometihng new, remember that what He has said about you is already true.
Conclusion
Your identity is the foundation of your Christian life! If you see yourself incorrectly:
You Will Approach God With Hesitation
You Will Live Life With Insecurity
You Will Struggle To Walk In Freedom
When you begin to see yourself the way God sees you: EVERYTHING CHANGES!
You Walk With Confidence, NOT In Yourself, But In Him!
You Approach God With Boldness, NOT Fear!
You Live From Truth, NOT From Insecurity!
You Are NOT Who You Were!
You ARE Who GOD Says You Are!
Application
This week, begin to actively renew your identity:
Write Down Scriptures That Describe Who You Are In Christ
Speak Them Out Loud Daily
When Negative Thoughts Arise, Challenge Them With Truth
Practice this declaration: "I Am A Child Of God. I Am Accepted, Forgiven, And Made Righteous With Christ."
Reflection Questions
What negative beliefs about yourself have you been holding onto?
Do you see yourself more through your past or through God's truth?
What Scripture speaks most deeply to your identity right now?
What would change if you fully believed who God says you are?
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You that You have given us a new identity in Your Son Jesus. Help us to see ourselves the way You see us. Break every lie that we've believed about who we are and replace it with Your Truth. Teach us to walk in confidence, not in ourselves, but in who You have made us to be. Renew our minds daily, help us to live from our identity in you, and not from our past.
We ask this in Jesus' Name, Amen.
Week 7 Preview
"The Holy Spirit: God Living Within You."
Next week, we will hit very personal in the Holy Spirit through why He is our Helper.
Who Is The Holy Spirit?
What Does It Mean That God Lives Inside of Me?
How Do I Hear His Voice And Be Led By Him?
You will begin to comprehend and understand that you are not walking this journey alone, but with God Himself within you as He guides you every step of the way through the Holy Spirit.
