Embracing Identity and Purpose Through God's Strength

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing Our God-Given Identity

Understanding our identity in God is crucial. Like Gideon, we may see ourselves as weak, but God sees us as mighty because He is with us. Our true identity is found in Him, and embracing this truth leads to a life of purpose and impact. Gideon's story is a powerful reminder that God often sees potential in us that we cannot see in ourselves. When God called Gideon a mighty warrior, it was not because of Gideon's own strength or abilities, but because God was with him. This is a call for us to stop dictating our lives and allow God, the Potter, to shape us, the clay. [32:07]

Judges 6:14-16 (ESV): "And the Lord turned to him and said, 'Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?' And he said to him, 'Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.' And the Lord said to him, 'But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.'"

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel weak or inadequate? How can you invite God to redefine your identity in that area today?

Day 2: Trusting in God's Strength

Gideon's story teaches us that God's strength is made perfect in our weakness. By reducing Gideon's army, God demonstrated that victory comes from Him, not from human strength or numbers. Trusting in God's power over our own is essential for fulfilling our purpose. This narrative challenges us to rely on God's strategy rather than our own understanding. When we face overwhelming odds, it is an opportunity to witness God's power at work. Gideon's victory with just 300 men is a testament to the fact that God does not need large numbers to accomplish His purposes. [39:20]

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (ESV): "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Reflection: Think of a situation where you are relying on your own strength. How can you shift your trust to God's strength and strategy today?

Day 3: Consecration and Purpose

Consecration involves being set apart for God's purposes. It requires a transformation of character and a commitment to live by God's standards. This sets us apart and enables us to represent God effectively in the world. Consecration is not just about avoiding sin but about actively pursuing God's will and being a vessel for His purposes. It is about living a life that reflects God's holiness and love in every sphere, whether in the boardroom or on the battlefield. This transformation is a journey that requires daily surrender and alignment with God's heart. [44:48]

1 Peter 2:9 (ESV): "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."

Reflection: What is one area of your life that needs to be set apart for God's purposes? How can you begin the process of consecration in that area today?

Day 4: Aligning Desires with God's Will

When our desires align with God's purposes, we unlock the resources of Heaven. Like Hannah, who dedicated her son to God, we must present our requests with a heart aligned to His will, ensuring our ambitions serve His kingdom. This alignment is not about suppressing our desires but about transforming them to reflect God's heart. When we seek first His kingdom, our needs and desires find their rightful place in His plan. This requires a heart posture of surrender and trust, knowing that God's plans are always for our good and His glory. [51:10]

Psalm 37:4-5 (ESV): "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act."

Reflection: What is one desire you have that may not be fully aligned with God's will? How can you seek to align it with His purposes today?

Day 5: Living by Different Rules

As consecrated individuals, we live by a different set of rules. We are called to represent God in every sphere of life, not conforming to the world's standards but standing out as His ambassadors. This requires courage and a deep sense of purpose. Living by God's standards means being willing to stand out and sometimes stand alone. It means making choices that reflect God's values, even when they are counter-cultural. This distinctiveness is not about being different for the sake of being different but about being a light that points others to God. [46:10]

Romans 12:2 (ESV): "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

Reflection: In what ways are you tempted to conform to the world's standards? How can you choose to live by God's rules in those areas today?

Sermon Summary

In today's message, we explored the profound theme of identity and purpose in God. We began by reflecting on the invitation from God to truly know Him, as knowing Him leads to understanding our true selves. God calls us to stop dictating our lives and instead allow Him, the Potter, to shape us, the clay. This is a call to embrace our God-given identity and purpose, much like Gideon, who initially saw himself as weak and insignificant. God, however, saw him as a mighty warrior, not because of his own strength, but because God was with him.

We delved into the story of Gideon, who was called to lead Israel against the Midianites. Despite the overwhelming odds, God reduced Gideon's army to just 300 men to demonstrate that victory comes not from numbers but from God's power. This story illustrates the importance of aligning with God's purpose and trusting in His strength rather than our own abilities or resources.

We also discussed the concept of consecration, which involves being set apart for God's purposes. This requires a transformation of character, a deep confidence in God, and a commitment to live by His standards, not the world's. Consecration is about understanding that we are not ordinary; we are called to represent God in every sphere of life, whether in the boardroom or on the battlefield.

Finally, we touched on the importance of aligning our desires with God's purposes. Like Hannah, who prayed for a son to dedicate to God, we must present our requests with a heart aligned to God's will. When our needs meet God's purposes, we unlock the abundant resources of Heaven.

Key Takeaways

1. Identity in God: Understanding our identity in God is crucial. Like Gideon, we may see ourselves as weak, but God sees us as mighty because He is with us. Our true identity is found in Him, and embracing this truth leads to a life of purpose and impact. [32:07]
2. Trust in God's Strength: Gideon's story teaches us that God's strength is made perfect in our weakness. By reducing Gideon's army, God demonstrated that victory comes from Him, not from human strength or numbers. Trusting in God's power over our own is essential for fulfilling our purpose. [39:20]
3. Consecration and Purpose: Consecration involves being set apart for God's purposes. It requires a transformation of character and a commitment to live by God's standards. This sets us apart and enables us to represent God effectively in the world. [44:48]
4. Aligning Desires with God's Will: When our desires align with God's purposes, we unlock the resources of Heaven. Like Hannah, who dedicated her son to God, we must present our requests with a heart aligned to His will, ensuring our ambitions serve His kingdom. [51:10]
5. Living by Different Rules: As consecrated individuals, we live by a different set of rules. We are called to represent God in every sphere of life, not conforming to the world's standards but standing out as His ambassadors. This requires courage and a deep sense of purpose. [46:10]
** [46:10]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[30:47] - Knowing God and Self
[31:10] - Invitation to Identity
[32:07] - Gideon's Identity Crisis
[33:10] - God's Preference for the Weak
[34:38] - Representing God on Earth
[35:10] - Impact Beyond Recognition
[36:32] - God's Call to Stand Out
[37:04] - Gideon's Test of Faith
[38:12] - Reducing the Army
[39:20] - Trusting God's Strategy
[40:01] - The Process of Consecration
[42:00] - Building God-Confidence
[44:48] - Living Consecrated Lives
[46:10] - Different Rules of Engagement
[51:10] - Aligning Desires with God's Will

Sermon Clips

God is calling, making an invitation this morning. He said, come, come and stare at the perfect law of Liberty. Come, let me introduce you to yourself. For years, you have lived below capacity. You're telling me that when I get a better job, I can become who you want me to be. Since when did the clay start talking to the Potter how to fabricate it? The Lord is saying you are the clay, I am the Potter. Can I introduce you to you? Stop dictating for me what you think your life should be. [00:31:10]

Gideon started telling the angel, you know, our lineage is the smallest in the tribe of Menesa, and my father's household. I don't know why I'm staying on this issue of identity because I feel if the Lord can fix this in you, if you allow the Lord to fix this issue of identity, impact becomes a follow-through. Gideon said, I am this, I'm of the weakest, our tribe is the weakest. You know, look at that tribe, they allotted land to them. [00:31:58]

Have you wondered why God is interested in weak things and weak people? The same was David. David's father was from this least tribe in Israel, The Tribe of Benjamin. Jesus's family was the byway family in The Tribe of Benjamin, and David was the last son, the eighth, the one whose birth was controversial. Yet when God asked Samuel the prophet to fill his own with oil to go and look for the new king, he didn't go to the tribe of Reuben, the first tribe. [00:33:02]

The reason you look the way you look is because God chose you on purpose for that assignment he gave to you. David was the weak teenage boy, weak but full of the might and the consciousness of who he is as a child of God. So when God was looking for the person to represent him, because at the end of the day, what does impact mean? Impact means being available to represent God here on Earth. It doesn't matter what you do. [00:34:21]

God is looking for people who would represent him in that conversation. God is looking for a place on the table, and he trusted you with that job only for you to go there and blend in, forgetting that you are different. Oh, he called me, he sent me to remind you today that you are not. You are Simba, you are the king, you are the child of the lion, the lion of the tribe. You should go no more. [00:36:32]

God wanted to prove to Gideon what he meant by being a man of Valor and what he meant exactly by saying the reason you are a man of Valor is because I am with you. It's not because of your special skills, it's not because of the army you have. He said now go defeat the Midianites. So God did an experiment. He asked Gideon, count the army of the enemy, the Midian Army, and Gideon said they are 135,000. [00:37:12]

Most of us have recognized our assignments in life, but we are carrying around dead weights, and God is ready today to shed those weights in the name of Jesus Christ. He just needs your alignment, he just needs your commitment. So God said to Gideon, let me show you that they are not ready, and I will tell you the people who are ready. Take the 10,000 to a stream. I'll cause them to be thirsty and observe how they drink. [00:39:47]

Theologians believe that the Lord chose those 300 because they were the ones that looked most ready and alert. I have a school of thought that even if the 300 were the ones who were laughing with their tongue, God was just looking for the least number. He was just looking for a way of sing, and he wanted to show Gideon I don't need you to win the war. I just want you to align. So when 300 were scooping water with their hand, God said to Gideon, send the rest 9,700 home. [00:40:22]

God said to him, okay, so what we just dealt with, that process of seeing is the process of consecration. The first process of identifying of purpose, God was using it to build a God confidence. Are you with me? So God was introducing himself to you. For everyone that did something notable before God, they encountered God. So if there's any hunger you will live here with today, it is that the Lord will encounter you in such a way that he will prepare and ready you for the calling. [00:41:51]

Consecration is the consciousness of God to the extent where you know you are set apart for him, so you do not play by the rules of ordinary men. Your rules of engagement are different. How come you go into that office and blend in? Nothing wrong with blending in. Nobody wants you to stick out like a sore thumb, but you must know who you are and whose you are. They say they are bidding for this contract. [00:44:48]

When God sent you, he puts his integrity on the line. It doesn't matter how bad the sector he's sending you is, how corrupt it has been labeled to be. So the third pillar, after the pillar of confidence in God and the pillar of building a character that aligns with your purpose, the third pillar is the sense of consecration, that I play by a different set of rules. By the time the battle came, Gideon was already there. [00:46:01]

It takes only dead men to impact their world for God. That's why Apostle Paul was saying, it is no longer I that lives, I'm dead. Some of us are too alive to fulfill the mandate of God. Your Cambridge is standing in the way. Oh man, I have everything for school. As a matter of fact, I was discussing with someone recently, I'm looking for a PhD mate, somebody we can start PhD with. [00:46:53]

When your SWOT analysis begins to come in, it becomes very, very difficult for God to take you on a path of faith. Consecration, I was telling them in first service that the way I remember consecration is with three S's. The first is separation. God will call you out from the lot. God made Gideon know you are not like every other person. Stop threshing what you are threshing in the wine press. [00:47:42]

Everyone seated here, there is a call of God over your life. That's separation. The second S is sanctification. The Bible says in a great house, there are very many vessels, some to honor and others unto what? If any man purges himself of this, he shall be made a vessel unto honor. God will not purge you, you will purge yourself and tell the Lord the class you want to operate in. [00:48:04]

Sanctification is a process of declaring your exclusivity to God, that saying I am yours, the very essence of me. I was telling someone, if you are serious about anything and you can't tie God and God's kingdom to it, it is a dangerous ambition. So that means, typical example, if you want a bigger house, there must be a bigger purpose for God in that bigger house. [00:49:04]

If you want your business to move from six figures to eight or nine figures, you must present a valid reason before Heaven how your business moving from six or eight figures to nine figures will not become a snare that will soon take you out from God's presence, but will become a tool for you to fulfill why God put you here on Earth. I give you a typical example. [00:49:52]

Hannah was coming to God with all manner of emotional blackmail. God, look at my co-wife, she's taunting me. Penina is taunting me. And God said, okay. He said, God, we went to Shiloh. My husband said, H Ram into nine places and gave H seven to her because she has seven sons. Now they can't give me more than two, even if she loves me. And God said, Ram, I don't get it. [00:50:47]

God was looking for a vessel that he can bring a prophet through. Israel had a prophet, but the man was cut off from God. He couldn't hear God anymore. Eli, the Bible says the word of God was scarce. Eli, the lamp on the altar had gone out. God was counting for women who he could. He said, where can I find a woman who is devoted, who understands purpose, that I might channel a real prophet through her? [00:51:56]

One time, Hannah went to Shiloh and began to pray desperately for a child. And then she stepped into the realms of purpose and impact. She said, God, if you give me a son, I'll give him back to you. God said, this is what I've been waiting for. I've been looking for somebody that will bring a child and give to me, that I will form and mold him into the prophet that Israel needs. [00:52:48]

When your need meets the need of God, you will know how abundant the resources of Heaven are. If you want to clap, you can clap. It's to the glory of God. So don't use emotional blackmail. Present your strong reasons why you are asking him for a child, why you are asking him for a husband. But when you tie purpose to it, oh Lord, you said, I remember you said that I will go out to the nations of the world. [00:53:48]

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