Free

As you begin to study the Bible over time and get to know Jesus, you’ll find that He places a totally unexpected meaning on some words in our language. Often these words in our natural realm are defined and understood in a, well, natural way. The meanings make total sense on the surface. Take the word “free” for example. Let’s look at the word free in a couple different contexts in scripture.

A sense of being

What an awesome thing when you internalize this new identity that God speaks over you! Just remember when you were a child and your mom or dad, or teacher or coach, or some other significant adult, spoke affirmation into your young life. Those words usually started with “You are…” They were words that proclaimed your special value, worth and purpose. They filled you with a sense of “being” – a new identity. When you have this sense of being that has been declared over you, it can change your life once you act on it! There is no more powerful truth about who you are, about your being – your identity – than the truth that God declares over you. Furthermore, any identity counter to God’s truth about you is a destructive lie.

An important scriptural distinction needs to be understood between: 1. receiving your true identity, and 2. identifying in Christ, to walk in that identity. You’re given your true identity when you first believe in Jesus for your eternal salvation. It’s part of that incredible, instantaneous gift of grace. However, when you choose to respond to Christ in discipleship (i.e. identify in Him), that’s when you begin to internalize it and align with that identity that’s been declared over you, living it out. It begins to drive your life.

“In terms of your heavenly identity, alignment is simply defined as positioning yourself to agree and ally with what God says about you. It’s taking off anything that doesn’t look like the person heaven describes and putting on the things that do.” – Dan McCollam

Whatever you have believed about yourself in the past has invariably driven your thinking and behavior, and controlled the direction of your life. Your entire life so far perhaps has been at the mercy of a false identity. It’s time for an awakening to your true identity!

But your true identity is only transformative once you internalize it, and proclaim that

In Christ, I am