A New Identity

My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die. Galatians 2:20-21

PART OF THE PROCESS of growing up is figuring out who you are. Our kids are in the process of discovering their identity. The good news is that Christ doesn’t merely provide a new persona for our children to try on for size and comfort; he offers himself to become their new identity. If they do not take hold of Christ, they will live out some inferior identity based on what they do or the way they’re wired —the cool kid, the athlete, the scholar, the nerd, the pretty one, the rebel, the rule follower, the comedian, the cynic, the victim, the musician. But when they see themselves as joined to Christ, they will live lives of joy and peace.

Instead of allowing the world around them to define them on its terms, we want the truth about identity in Christ, found in the Word of God, to shape how our children see themselves. Based on Scripture, our children who are in Christ can say:

I am a friend of Jesus.

I am no longer a slave to sin.

I have been accepted by Christ.

My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells in me.

I am a new creature in Christ.

I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

I am chosen, holy, and blameless before God.

I am God’s workmanship created to produce good works.

I am a member of Christ’s body and a partaker of his promise.

I am a citizen of heaven.

My life is hidden with Christ in God.

Lord, for ________ to think of herself in this way requires that she be transformed by the renewing of her mind. This can only happen as you, by your Spirit, use your Word to convince ________ of this true and lasting identity. Help me see the ways ________ is not yet convinced of this true identity in Christ and give me the right words at the right time to point her to who she is in you.