Who are you?

Usually when a person is asked this question they respond with their name.  They may then follow it up with what they do – their job.  Though our name is important, it does not describe who we really are, and though our job is important, it does not fully define what we are all about.  So what defines who we are? What is our true identity?

We spend a whole lot of time getting to know others, but what about getting to know ourselves? It’s funny how we are with ourself each and everyday, yet we may not know who we really are   The most important person you can know is yourself.  If you don’t know who you are, how will you truly get to know others? If you don’t know who you are, how will you know what to do with yourself?.  I think a lot of people have an identity crisis.  They don’t take the time to define who they are.  When they see themselves, they usually walk away with a feeling of disgust.  They are drawn to the mirror of life to analyze what they see (God forbid we go a day without looking into a mirror), but for many, they are dissatisfied with what they see.  Embrace who you are and be who you are called to be!  Don’t try to be someone else!  Joyce Meyers said, “God will help you be all you can be, but He will never help you be somebody else.”

So who are you? I believe our identity is made up of 3 characteristics…

1. Who You WERE

We should all have a story of who we once were.  But if who you once were is still who you are, you need to ask yourself, “am  I growing?”  If your’re not growing then where are you going?  Our past is the story of who we were.  It is the thing that we build upon and learn from.   It makes up a large part of our identity.  The story of who we were should be a powerful testimony.

~ Revelation 12:11…”They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.”

Our testimony is our story.  It is the life lesson we have learned and are now better because of.  You may have wasted your past, or  you may have been wasted in your past, but don’t waste what you should have learned from your past.  Don’t let your past failures determine your future.  Learn from your past mistakes and use them as stepping stones to something greater.  Leave who you were behind, but keep your life lessons with you.  Forgive yourself and forgive others.

2. Who You ARE

We only have today, and today matters.  John Wooden said, “Make everyday your masterpiece.” Today is what we are in control of so make it the best.  You can’t change yesterday, and you don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but you can choose what you do today.  Take the time NOW to be who you are called to be.  Don’t wait for your life to happen one day, make life happen today.  As a child of God who we ARE is huge.  This is who we A.R.E

A = Accepted

~ Romans 15:7 – “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”

R = Redeemed

~ Galatians 3:13 – “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.”

E = Equipped

~ Hebrews 13:21 – “May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

3. Who You WILL BE

Who are you becoming? What is your vision for your life? Part of your identity is who you will be.  Don’t just live in the now, plan for your future.  Don’t let who you will be just be a matter of chance.  Paint a target for your life.  How will you know where to go and what to focus on if you have no target? A target for your life helps point you in the right direction.  God is into setting goals.  He wants us to sit down and plan out the future.

~ Luke 14:28-31

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ “

Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace.

If you haven’t taken the time to write down your vision and define who you want to be, DO IT!!! Don’t just think about, write it down and make it clear.  Too many times we have dreams and desires but we forget about them because we don’t write it out clearly.  There is something powerful in writing down the vision for our life, it helps us keep the target in sight.

~ Habukkuk 2:2-3

Then the Lord replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.  For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false.  Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.

~ Proverbs 29:18 

Where there is no vision, the people perish:

When you find your identity you will find yourself. 

When you find yourself you will find your purpose.

When you find your purpose you will find God.

When you find God you will find eternity. 

When you find eternity you will find ALL THINGS COMPLETE.