Embracing Our Identity and Authority in Christ

In Christ, we have something in Christ that we do not have in ourselves. Can somebody thank God for that? I preached a couple of weeks ago, and one of the things I brought out is the fact that most of us, unfortunately, most of us even as Christians and Believers spend most of our Lives managing the identity that was handed to us. [00:00:27]

Surrender really is about living outside of yourself. See, when we come to Christ, the big thing, the big blockade, the hindrance for many, many people is what they don't want to surrender. They still want to be autonomous. They want to do their own thing. They want to manage their own lives. [00:04:32]

Surrendering to Christ is not just about giving up control. It's about stepping into a new identity that transforms every aspect of life. You know, the goal of the Gospel, contrary to the way some people Preach Today, the goal of the Gospel is not to affirm you, celebrate you, and even accept you. [00:05:19]

Authority in Christ is not earned but granted. They think that this status of being bold and strong and blessed and authoritative and Powerful is something we have to achieve. It's something we have to earn or Merit or do enough to gain, and instead, we have to understand it is the gift of God's grace in our lives. [00:06:32]

We have to watch out that we're not living for identity, trying to create an identity, trying to establish an identity. We are not living for identity; we're living from Identity. We're living from this Union that God has established that we've done nothing to contribute to, that we've but received as the great grace and gift of God. [00:07:12]

Just as an ambassador doesn't possess Authority inherently or by virtue of themselves, it but is granted by the leader who sent them. Our Authority comes from being associated with Christ. A president has a cabinet, and the cabinet is endowed with authority that comes from him. [00:08:12]

This is why the enemy always attacks identity first because Authority flows from Identity, and power is attached to Authority. He wants to keep you from Authority. He wants to keep you from Power ultimately, and the way he does that is to attack your identity, to try to sever you from Christ. [00:09:00]

The best illustration of authority versus Power is this: a police officer. So we have this police officer standing by a busy intersection. Cars are breezing by both ways, and this police officer is standing there, and suddenly the officer raises a hand, and when they raise their hand, all the vehicles, even those weighing several tons, come to a complete halt. [00:11:34]

If you would know your identity, exercise your Authority, you're going to find attending power. You're going to find attending power. You might be resisted by the enemy himself. Circumstances may be stubborn in your life, but if you will know your identity, exercise your Authority, you're going to find power at work in your life. [00:16:29]

Our identity and our Authority overrule human power, or I should say powerlessness. Our identity and Authority overrule our own powerlessness. God is the one who gives the new identity, and with that comes Authority and power, but there's a continual tendency and a Temptation and a daily struggle here. [00:27:24]

The two most important things any believer need know is what they are in themselves and then what they are in Christ. See, what I am in myself drives me to Christ. What I am in myself makes me desperate for Christ. What I am in myself makes me look away from myself. [00:30:30]

Know what you are without him, but know who you are in him. Know what you are, yes, but know what you are, yes. Know one side, but know the other side. Here's my question and challenge this morning: are you identifying with who you are apart from Christ, or are you identifying with who you are in Christ? [00:43:29]