AS YOU IDENTIFY CHRIST, CHRIST WILL IDENTIFY YOU!

There are so many self-help books and programs out there that the amount will make your head spin. If you are looking to improve your life and identity, why would you not take your leading from Christ Jesus?

For the tight circle of followers of Jesus who had been witnessing His power and sharing His life, the time finally came to ask them the all-important questions. 

"When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, 'Who do people say the Son of Man is?'

They replied, 'Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.'

'But what about you?' he asked. 'Who do you say I am?'

Simon Peter answered, 'You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.' " (Matthew 16:13-16)

Proximity to Christ is paramount to knowing who Jesus is and the power He has for our lives. Other people had to speculate about who the Son of Man is (John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah), but those close to Jesus, especially Peter, would speak up under the revelation from Father God and declare just who Jesus of Nazareth was and is.

Proximity to Christ is vital in discovering and operating in your Identity in Jesus also. The closer you are with Christ - following His ways, engaging with Him daily, screening everything through the Holy Spirit and seeking Him first - the clearer your direction will be about all things, especially who you are in Christ.

When we allow the revelations of God in our lives to manifest as declarations of who God is, then God proclaims our Identity in Him! Continuing on with this event, look what happened to Simon.

Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. (Matthew 16:17-20)

Jesus calls Simon "blessed" because the revelation came by Father God and not by anybody else. Simon also got a name change - He is now Peter! But wait, there's more! Jesus promises a solid foundation to build the church, power to create change in the world even to the overthrow of Hades Gates and the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And after declaring and promising all that, He did not deny the original declaration of being "The Messiah, the Son of the Living God", but in fact "ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that He was the Messiah."

As Christians, we declare who God is, especially at certain points in our lives when we can spiritually see clearly. However, do we allow God to shout who we are in Him and operate in that Identity? All Christians are missionaries, worshipers, prayer warriors and the list goes on and on. But some of us are More Of A (fill in the blank here)  - a teacher, evangelist, usher, singer, instrumentalist, deacon, greeter, kids ministry, etc... type of person. This is what many deem a Calling or Personal Ministry. If you do not know your Identity in Christ, if you do not know what your More Of is, then I encourage you to (1) draw closer to The Lord like never before and (2) start declaring who He has been and is in your life. Because, As You Identify Christ, Christ Will Identify You!