Your Identity...has it been stolen?

Modern day thieves have become masters at impersonating others by using their personal information to their own dishonest gain.  We have had our identity stolen twice in the past 15 years.  The first time it happened we were living on a military base in England and our new credit card never arrived to us.  Someone snatched it out of the mail in NY and made over $1600 in charges.  Our credit card company caught it on the first statement and alerted us of the problem.  They cancelled the card before more damage could be done and reissued us a new one.  The second time was about 2 months ago.  Some how a person was able to obtain my debit card number (which never left my wallet) and tried to order several gift cards online, but my bank caught it immediately, no charges went though and they sent me a new card.    Identity theft is a HUGE problem and one of the fastest growing segments of crime today.

Has your identity been stolen?  I am asking in a spiritual sense, now.  Once we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are given a new identity.  Our identity is now in Christ.  One of the biggest lies the enemy tries to feed us is that we are NOT different, we haven't changed or are not in process of change.  This is one lie he tries repeatedly on all of us.  The way to combat lies is with the truth.


Before Christ we were:

DAMNED- Isaiah 13:9, "See, the day of the Lord is coming—a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger —to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it."

SICK- Mark 2:17, 'On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”  (In the Greek sick means miserable, ill, wrong)

LOST- Luke 19:10, " For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

SINNERS needing JESUS- Acts 22:16, 'And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’  Romans 3:23, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

When we repent, ask and receive Jesus as our Savior we are:

FORGIVEN- Acts 10:43, "All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

COVERED- Romans 4:7, "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered."

REDEEMED- Ephesians 1:7, "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace"  Colossians 1:13-14, "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,  in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

MADE ALIVE- Ephesians 2:4-5, "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,  made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions —it is by grace you have been saved."

OUT of DARKNESS and INTO LIGHT- Ephesians 5:8, "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light."

WIPED CLEAN- Hebrews 10:17-19, “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin.  Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus...."

MADE WELL- HEALED- James 5:15-16, "And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."  (Cure means to be free from errors, make whole)

Do you believe that is your Identity?  If you have made Jesus Lord of your life, then you are 100% forgiven, covered, redeemed, alive, out of darkness, a clean slate, made whole and healed of your past.  Don't believe the enemy when he tries to convince you the lie that you are too dirty, too sinful, no different, not worthy, not valued, loved or chosen by God. 

Romans 5:8
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:

While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

When you come out of the darkness and into the light you are justified by the blood of Christ.  To be justified means your are declared, pronounced to be just, righteous, or made the way you ought to be. 

Before we asked for forgiveness and turned from our sinful ways we were dead men walking.  We were sick, miserable, improper, wrong...and that is putting it mildly.  Jesus died on the cross to set us free from our pasts, our sins, failures, mistakes, and overall selfishness.  Romans 8:1-2, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death."

Are you living like a free person with peace of mind or are you living like the condemned being constantly tormented by your past?  Romans 5:1, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,   through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. "

If you have received this grace you are free to live your life in freedom.  It is like asking to be released from death row, Jesus paids your penalty, opens the door, but you stay put in your cell! 


You have been released!  Galatians 5:1, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

You have been made new.  2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

Your life has now been sealed with God's brand!  2 Corinthians 1:22 "He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come."

You are now a guarenteed citizen of heaven!!!  Philippians 3:18-20 "For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.    Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.   But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body."

I just love the example of Saul renamed Paul (Acts 9).  He persecuted and murdered the first new testament believers and was a destroyer of the early church.  He was changed by a personal meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus.  He repented and turned from his evil ways and was sure of his salvation and forgiveness. 

(From http://christianity.about.com/od/biblestorysummaries/a/Conversion-Of-Paul.htm)
Paul's life-changing experience on the Damascus Road led to his baptism and instruction in the Christian faith. He became the most determined of the apostles, suffering brutal physical pain, persecution, and finally martyrdom. He revealed his secret of enduring a lifetime of hardship for the gospel:  "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)

????? The same Jesus Christ who rose from the dead and did such a mighty work in Paul wants to work in my life too. What could Jesus do if I surrendered as Paul did and gave him complete control of my life?

????? If Saul, an enemy of God, can be forgiven and called a child of God couldn't I be given the same opportunity and grace?

Listen to Paul's own words on the topic: 

1 Timothy 1:12-17, "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.  Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.   The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.  Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners —of whom I am the worst.  But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.   Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen."

My prayer for you is that once you have turned to Jesus that you will recieve the grace of God and walk in the assurance of your freedom!!!