Knowing who we are in and through and because of Christ is absolutely imperative to a Christian believer! Why? Because when we believe that Jesus is LORD, that He died on the cross and rose again, and we put our faith and hope in Him and begin to follow Him, it changes our identity.
In 2 Corinthians 5:17 and Colossians 3:9-10 we see that when we put our faith in Jesus, we become a new creation. We get to put on a new self, and we are born again of an incorruptible seed – the Word of God. We see in Romans 8:33, Ephesians 1:7, Colossians 1:13-14, Isaiah 1:18 and Psalm 103:10-12 (and so many more places!) that because of Jesus’ work on the cross and our belief in it, we are forgiven (released, pardoned), justified (rendered innocent), redeemed (bought back or ransomed), and dearly loved.
Friend, this changes everything!
Because of Jesus’ work on the cross, no longer are we far off – instead, we’re brought near! No longer are we slaves to sin, rather we have become dear friends of God. We have been adopted by the Father and now are co-heirs with Christ of God’s glory. We have become the Bride of Christ and will rule and reign with Him as His beloved partner at the end of the age.
But if we don’t know that – or more likely – don’t believe it in the depths of our being, we often continue to live like orphans, barely making it from one day to the next, never realizing that through Christ, we are overcomers who can walk in faith, joy, peace, love and hope regardless of our circumstances.
I hope, I pray that this is making sense, because this is so important!
The voice of shame speaks to us all the livelong day. It comes through our past, cultures of shame (family, friends, or acquaintances that literally speak shame to us), our culture (and its unreachable standard of perfection), and literally through the enemy of God, who is named the accuser of the brethren in Revelations. In Revelations 12:10 we see that the enemy is literally speaking against us 24/7. He’s constantly telling us who we’re not, reminding us of how we don’t measure up, pointing out our faults and our failures, and speaking accusations against us. So, if you feel like shame is constantly speaking to you, you’re right!
And that is why it is so imperative to know what Christ says about you – and who you are in Him! Because just as the enemy is speaking about you 24/7, so is Jesus, and His words are right and true. He has so much to say about who you are and who He made you – and is helping you – to be. But if we don’t know what He says about us, if we don’t know who we are in Him, then the only voice we’re hearing is the voice of the accuser. And if that’s the only voice we’re hearing, then likely, it is the voice we’re going to listen to and believe.
Oftentimes what we believe about ourselves is what we will become. So, when we begin to know and believe what Jesus says about us, we move toward becoming that.
So, how do we know what He says about us? We go to His Word.
Over and over and over, I’ve seen women’s hearts transform as they begin to read aloud the truths of what God says about them. Day by day, as they speak aloud the truth, it gets a little deeper and a little deeper until it begins to be the reality they live out of. Knowing this, I wanted to see what the Bible truly says God says and thinks about me. As a result, I compiled a list of over 50 ‘I am’ statements of who we are in Christ. Because of space constraints, I’m including 15 of them here, but if you would like a downloadable pdf of all of them, please enter your email here and the pdf will be emailed to you shortly.
Feel free to print this download out, stick it in your Bible, tape it to your bathroom mirror, hang it in your office, or share it with a friend – but please, I’m beseeching you to make a habit of speaking 5-10 of these statements over yourself each day. Let the truth of what God says about you replace the voice of shame, and live as a new creation, one who knows they are forgiven, justified, redeemed and dearly loved because of Christ!
Who I am in Christ
In and through and with Christ
I am loved with a powerful, undefeatable, unconditional love. John 3:16, Eph. 2:4-5, Col. 3:12, 1 Thess. 1:4, Song 8:6-7
I am forgiven (released, pardoned). Eph. 1:7, Ps. 103:10-12, Isa. 1:18, Col. 1:13-14
I am safe in Jesus and protected from the evil one. 1 John 5:18, Ps. 91:1-16, Isa. 41:10
I am free from fear and terror. Isa. 54:14, Zeph. 3:15
I am an overcomer, because greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:4
I am merciful as my Father is merciful (not giving others what they deserve). Luke 6:36
I am chosen and dearly loved by God. 1 Pet. 2:9, Col. 3:12, Eph. 1:4
I am rejoiced over with singing, even when I’m in need of rescuing. Zeph. 3:17
I am God’s masterpiece, created anew in Christ Jesus so I can do the good things He planned for me. Eph. 2:10
I am sheltered under His wings, and covered by His hand. Ps. 91:4, Ps. 17:8, Ps. 61:4, Ex. 33:22
I am a branch of the Living Vine; as I remain in Jesus, I bear fruit. John 15:1-5
I am holy and blameless in His sight. Eph. 1:4
I am dead to sin (it no longer has any hold or power over me), but alive to God. Rom. 6:11
I am justified (rendered innocent) by God. Rom. 8:33
I am redeemed from the curse of confusion, defeat, pain, sickness, destruction and death. Gal.3:13, Deut. 28:15-68
To learn more about who God says you are, join my six week Bible study ‘betrothed.’ Learn more about it by clicking here.