Identity War

Fingering my ruby necklace, I sighed silently. My outfit was a bit strange that day. Sweats, an old t-shirt, dirty hair and a ruby necklace symbolized the fight going on within my heart.
 
The morning began with me overwhelmed, angry and being anything but the kind of mom I wanted to be. In the middle of the downward spiral of tears, anger and ugly words, suddenly I remembered.
 
A few short months earlier, my husband had carefully picked out a beautiful ruby. He had taken great pains to find the perfect one and had given it to me along with a lengthy note. In that note, he wrote about the kind of wife and mother he saw me to be. It reminds me of who I am in Christ.

​I ran to get the ruby necklace and put it on. The little necklace helped me get my bearings and remember not only who I am but who I am created to be. It gave me the courage to go to God and ask for forgiveness. Simply remembering changed the course of the entire day. Knowing who we are changes how we live.
 
Even Jesus’ ministry started with God declaring Jesus’ identity.
In Matthew 3:16, immediately before beginning His ministry, Jesus approached John to be baptized. When Jesus came up out of the water, God the Father declared, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased” (Matthew 3:17).
 
Immediately after God’s declaration, Matthew 4 tells us Jesus was led into the desert to be tempted. After forty days of fasting, the devil came to him and questioned Jesus’ identity saying, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread” (Matthew 4:3). That statement was an attempt to get Jesus to question His identity and then feel the need to prove who He was. Jesus was so firmly established in who He was, He felt no need to prove Himself. Instead Jesus replied in verse 4, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Bringing Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple, Satan once again tempted him to prove Himself in verse 6 saying, “If you are the Son of God... throw yourself down.” Jesus answered, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test” (Mt 4:7). He again did not succumb to the temptation to prove Himself because His identity was firmly established. The Father’s truth was stronger than the fleshly need.
 
That little necklace reminded me of who I am and helped me resist the temptation to act like who I am not. Whenever I get a bit testy, I have found I am often trying to protect a piece of my threatened identity, but when I remember who I am to God, that need dissipates.
 
You may not have a little necklace to remind you of what is true, but remembering who we are has the power to change us. We will act like who we believe we are. Because of Jesus’ death on the cross, through Him we are:
 

• More than conquerors (Romans 8:37)
• Dearly loved children (Ephesians 5:1-2; I John 3:1; John 1:12; Romans 8:14-15
• A new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)
• God’s masterpiece created by Him (Ephesians 2:10)
• Friends of God (John 15:15)
• Chosen and holy (I Peter 2:9)
• Beloved (Colossians 3:12)
• Forgiven (Ephesians 1:7)

 
We do not need to prove who we are because God has already declared it. As His children, we get to live in the identity HE has given us.

Memory Verse: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” I Peter 2:9 NIV

About the Author

Hi! My name is Wendy Gerdes and I currently live in Omaha, NE. I was born and raised in here. Except for seven years living in Florida, I have lived in Omaha my entire life. My husband John and I have been married for 21 years and have three boys and one girl ranging in age from 13 to 20. I am passionate about motherhood and love the creative work of partnering with God to help our kids develop into who He designed them to be! In my free time, I love to write, read and see friends. Dates with my husband and time with family are other favorite pastimes. I am most passionate about learning and writing about God's heart for us because when we see His heart for us, it truly changes everything! Connect with Wendy at www.wendygerdes.wordpress.com

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