Identity: The Key to Spiritual Growth

Identity=

The Key to Spirit= ual Growth

Introduction

In an appendix in Neil Anderson’s book, The Bondage Breaker, he lists in d= etail with scripture references 66 statements of fact about the believer’s personal identity.

Identity in Relation to Our Salvation

(My Relationship to God)

1. = I am forgiven!

Acts 13:38-39 - Therefore, let it be known to you, bro= thers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is bei= ng proclaimed to you,
and everyone who believes in= Him is justified from everything, which you could not be justified from through the law of Moses.
So beware that what is said in the prophets does not happen to you.=

Colossi= ans 1:14 - in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.=

Ephesians 1:7 - In Him we have redemption through His = blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.

2.         = I am a child of God!

John 1:12 - But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be[10] Or become children of God, to those who believe in His n= ame.

1 John 3:1-2 - Look at how great a love the Father has given us, that we should be called God’s children. And we are! The re= ason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know Him.
Dear friends, we are God’s children= now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when He appears= , we will be like Him, because we will see Him as He is.

Romans 8:16 - The Spirit Himself testifies together = with our spirit that we are God’s children.

3.         = I have eternal life!

John 10:27-28 - My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follo= w Me. <= /span>
I give them eternal life, an= d they will never perish—ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand.

John 5:24 - I assure y= ou: Anyone who hears My word and believes Him who se= nt Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death= to life.

John 6:47, 51, 54 - I assure you: Anyone who believes Other mss add in Me has eterna= l life.
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I am the l= iving bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread he will live forever. The bread that I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.”
Anyone who eats= My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I w= ill raise him up on the last day.

4.         = I am secured by God in my salvation!

John 6:37-39 - Everyone the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one= who comes to Me I will never cast out.
<= /span>For I have come down from he= aven, not to do My will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
This is the will of Him who sent Me: that I should lo= se none of those He has given Me but should raise them up on the last day.

Romans 8:29-30 - For those He forekne= w From eternity God knew His people and entered into a personal relationship with them He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so th= at He would be the firstborn among many brothers.
And those He predestined, He also called; and t= hose He called, He also justified; and those He justified, He also glorified.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 - Do you not know that= your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from Go= d? You are not your own,
for you were bought at a price; therefore glori= fy God in your body.

Ephesians 1:5, 13-14 & = 4:30 - He predestined us to= be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will.<= o:p>

In Him you also, when you heard the wo= rd of truth, the gospel of your salvation—in Him when you believed—we= re sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. He is the down payment of our inheritance, for the redemption of the possession, to the praise of His glo= ry.

And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit, who sealed you for the day of redemption.

Philippians 1:6 - I am sure of this, t= hat He who started a good work in you[3] Or work among you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.<= /span>

Hebrews 10:10, 14 - By this will, we hav= e been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for al= l.

For by one offering He has perfected f= orever those who are sanctified.

1 Peter= 1:5 - who are being protec= ted by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be reveale= d in the last time.

Jude 24 - Now to Him who is able to protect you = from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of His glory, blameless and with great joy.

Identity in Relation to Our Sanctification

(My Ability to Live the Christian Life)

1.&nb= sp;        I am a member of Christ’s kingdom, and rescued out of Satan̵= 7;s domain.

Colossians 1:13 - He has rescued us fr= om the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves.=

2.         = I am a new creation and partaker of the divine nature= !

2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore if anyone = is in Christ, there is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.

2 Peter 1:4 - By these He has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires.

3.         = I am a temple or dwelling place of God!

1 Corinthians 6:19 - Do you not know that= your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own.

4.         = I am a saint – holy one – set apart and consecrated for holy purposes!

1 Corinthians 1:2 - To God’s churc= h at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus and called as saints, = with all those in every place who call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord—theirs and ours.

Ephesians 1:1, 4 - Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will: To the saints and believers in Christ Jesus at Ephesus.

for He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy= and blameless in His sight.

Philippians 1:1 - Paul and Timothy, sl= aves of Christ Jesus: To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons.

Colossi= ans 1:2 - To the saints and fa= ithful brothers in Christ in Colossae= . Grace to you and= peace from God our Father.

5.         = I am a citizen of heaven and seated there spiritually with authorit= y!

Philippians 3:20 - but our citizenship = is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ= .

Ephesians 2:6 - He also raised us up with Him and seat= ed us with Him in the heavens, in Christ Jesus.

(cf. Eph. 1:20-22 - He demonstrated [this power] The bracketed text has been added for clarity. in the Messiah by ra= ising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavens Eph 1:3; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12 —
far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
A= nd He put everything under His feet and appointed Him as head over everything for the church= .)

6.&nb= sp;        I am blessed with every spiritual blessing and have been given every resource necessary to live a godly life!

= ;           Ep= hesians 1:3 - Blessed = be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who ha= s blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, in Christ.

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2 Peter 1:3 - For His divine power has given us ever= ything required for life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us= by <= /span> His own glory and goodness.<= /i>

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7.&nb= sp;        I am complete in Christ!

Colossians 2:10 - and you have been fi= lled by Him, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

Identity in Relation to Our Mission

(My Confidence and Competence as a Witness for Christ)

1.         = I am chosen and appointed by Christ to bear His fruit!

John 15:16 - Therefore don’t let anyone judge= you in regard to food and drink or in the matter of a festival or a new moon or= a sabbath day.

2.         = I am an ambassador for Christ and minister of reconciliation!

2 Corinthians 5:18-19 - Let no one disqualif= y you, insisting on ascetic practices and the worship of angels, claiming access t= o a visionary realm and inflated without cause by his fleshly mind. =
= He doesn’t hol= d on to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and tendons, develops with growth from God.

3.         = I am authorized to proclaim the gospel and make disciples of all peopl= e!

Matthew 28:18-20 - Then Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on = earth.
= Go, theref= ore, and make disciples of Lit and instruct<= span class=3Dfntext1>, or and disciple (as a verb) all nations, baptizing them in the name= of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, Lit look I am with = you always, Lit all the days<= span class=3Dfntext1> to the end= of the age.”

Mark 16:15 - Then He sa= id to them, “Go into all = the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation.”=

4.         = I am empowered to bear witness of Christ!

Acts 1:8 - But you wi= ll receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and <= st1:place w:st=3D"on">Samaria, and to th= e ends Lit the end of the ear= th.

5.&nb= sp;        I am promised the special presence of Christ with me as I bear witness= to Him!      &nb= sp;            =

Matthew 28:20 – ̶= 0;teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, <= /span> Lit look I am with = you always, Lit all the days<= span class=3Dfntext1> to the end= of the age.”