2013 Prophetic Insights by Matt Sorger

Matt Sorger

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As I waited upon God going into 2013 I received these words from the Lord. Some came in the form of impressions, others came as visions and some came as scriptures that God was breathing on for this season. Prophetic words are an invitation from the Lord. I sense these following 13 prophetic insights are to be decrees that we aggressively pursue for 2013. They are invitations for use to lay hold of.

1.    Stagnant waters will be stirred in a fresh way. I saw pools of Bethesda stirring again and a fresh healing stir being released. God wants His people to lay hold of the divine healing anointing in a fresh way this year. I saw deep seated, lingering disorders being healed, even down to the chromosome level. I saw stubborn areas within the soul and flesh being healed that people have battled with for years. In John 5:2-5, 9 Christ performs a healing on the Sabbath. Jesus never did anything by chance or accident. He was very purposeful in His intention. God is calling His people to access His healing and power from a place of rest. The Sabbath is more than just a day of rest. It’s a spiritual position of rest. In Christ we enter into the Sabbath. We receive because of the finished work Christ has done on the cross. Rather than begging God for what He has already done, we are simply to step in and receive the finished work. A new level and substance of faith is coming into the heart to receive the finished work. God is highlighting the spirit of faith and understanding the finished work of Christ. Living from the Sabbath position will be crucial in obtaining all God has for us.

2.    A prophetic ear will be given to not only hear but to also listen and comprehend. This hearing will also occur from a position of rest in His presence. A key scripture is 1Sam 3:3,10. In a time of no widespread revelation and where the eyes of the high priest Eli were growing dim, the light was still burning in the temple near the ark. As Samuel rested before the ark in the presence of God, the voice of God speaks to him. After several times of hearing, but not understanding, Samuel is instructed by Eli to say, “Speak Lord for your servant is listening.” There is a big difference between hearing and listening. God is refining the prophetic ear and the prophetic movement. He is calling His prophets and His people to come into a place of rest in His presence in the light of revelation. From that place the voice of God will speak. Not only will His voice be heard, but it will be listened to and comprehended. A new clarity of hearing and perceiving God’s voice is coming. It will not be by self-effort or striving. It will be from resting in His presence. Not by might, not by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord.

3.    New language will be given by God to properly and clearly communicate truths God is highlighting and speaking. For example, the term “soaking” was not used until the outpouring of God’s Spirit in the 90’s. This term helped explain the concept of being filled with God’s presence. New language will be given by the Spirit to more deeply and clearly understand truths God is bringing forth of spiritual realities.

4.    God is giving the blueprints for the new wineskin God is forming. In Josh 3:3-6 the people were to follow the ark into a way they have never gone before. As we follow the moving of the presence of God He will lead us by His Spirit into places we have never gone before. The walk of sanctification will be vital in preparation for the wonders God will do. God is saying to be ready to pull the tent pegs up. When the cloud of His presence moves we need to move with Him. We have to be willing to fold up old structures and ways of doing things in order to stay current and fresh with God.  God’s marching orders will be given. There will be new alignments and relational structures to facilitate the move of God.

5.    We will not continue to do things the same way. The cloud of God is moving and with that our activities will shift. Our focuses will shift. Some old structures will have to adapt and morph with the new way God is moving. There will be fresh Spirit-led activity. God doesn’t want us to be busy. He wants us to be fruitful. Forms, structures and even activities we have done in the past may shift as God moves in new ways. Be prepared to let go of some things and to embrace and step into some new things you haven’t done before. It will be vital to go where the Spirit is breathing. Don’t hold onto something God isn’t breathing on any longer. Be fruitful by moving and being led by the Spirit.

6.    God will be highlighting and deepening within His people an understanding of the true identity of the believer. Revelation of how to live out of union with God will come forth. We will understand our oneness with God and live out of our inner spirit man. For those who are one with God are one spirit with Him. 1Cor 6:17,19

7.    God is going to bring revelation into foundational spiritual truths. Things we thought we knew and understood, God is going to have us look again and He is going to give us deeper revelation and understanding into things we thought we knew for years. Look back upon foundational truths and new light and revelation will be shone upon them bringing the manifestation of true spiritual realities.

8.    The understanding of spiritual warfare is shifting. We are moving from “warfare” breakthrough to a “decreeing and establishing” breakthrough. This will occur with a deeper revelation of who and where we are. Rather than fighting into the second heaven from being under, we will rule and reign from the third heaven being over. I understand that we wrestle not with flesh and blood (Eph 6:12) and that even Jesus experience personal warfare when He was tempted by the devil and overcame by the spoken word of God. But this warfare will not be fought to obtain victory, but will be fought from a place of victory. Christians will live from a third heaven reality understanding how to establish on earth as it is in heaven. A new perspective, a new revelation and with it a new manifestation of Kingdom authority will be released. God is bringing people into a new level of spiritual authority. Eph 2:5-6 is a key scripture. The church will shift from an Old Testament model of spiritual warfare (Dan 10:13) into a New Testament revelation of establishing what has already been won (Col 2:15).

9.    This is the season of the fulfillment of dreams. Many are being brought from a time where the word of the Lord tested them. The second dream to Joseph was highlighted to me in Gen 37:9-11. In it Joseph sees eleven stars and the sun and the moon bowing down to him, speaking of his promotion into a position of authority and influence. Eleven plus two is 13, the number of this year. People are going to step into the manifestation of unfulfilled dreams. The warfare of the last season is being washed away and a new heavenly perspective is being granted. Just as Joseph’s betrayal and trial maneuvered him into his assignment and destiny, so will the trials and testings in our lives propel us into our destinies. Key scriptures are Gen 37:9, Gen 45:5-8, Psalm 105:17-24.

10. God is delivering people from burdens. But it’s not just the removal of burdens. As Psalm 81:6-7 says, He will remove our shoulder from the burden and bring deliverance. This is different than the burden being removed from us. It’s us being removed from under the burden. Get ready for divine shifting that will maneuver you out from underneath burdens into a place of deliverance. In other words, situations or people may stay the same, but you will be maneuvered out from underneath them. It’s a season of deliverance for those who call on the name of the Lord. Psalm 81:6-7 shows 10 promises accompanying this deliverance. These include financial provision, divine health, fear of the Lord on the enemy, the covering of His presence, light in the darkness, food, dry places refreshed, joy, lands and nations, and reaping where haven’t labored. Lay hold of these promises for you, your family, church, ministry and business.

11. There is a generational convergence taking place. It’s a season for new young leaders to be mentored and raised up. Generations are converging together and will function together in relationship for the purpose of multiplication. Generational wells and new wells will open together. Fathers and mothers will take their place and sons and daughters will come into their place. Those that have not been fathers will now step into a fathering role. Gen 26:18-24 is a key scripture for this.

12. I saw a vision of an open door. This is the year of the open door. As we run through it we will come into divine acceleration. New favor, new opportunities and new advancements. Key scripture is Rev. 3:7-13. God will keep us from the hour of trial coming upon the whole earth. It’s time to hold fast what you have so no one robs you of your crown. Have patient endurance. The name of God will be upon us.

13. I saw a vision of the Lord blowing upon a flickering flame. Usually when someone blows on a candle the flame goes out. But as God breathed upon the flame within us it got brighter and hotter. It will be a season of renewing our first love for God (Rev 2:2-7). God is bringing both an encouragement and warning that if our works are not done from the place of first love, the candlestick can be removed. Ministry work must be done from the place of first love for Jesus. God is calling people back to the simplicity of worship and living a life in His presence. This will also bring deeper consecration, holiness and divine fire as a result. Key verse is Mt 12:20. A smoldering wick He will not snuff out.

I encourage you to pray over these 13 prophetic decrees and meditate on them and apply them to your lives as the Holy Spirit leads you.

Matt Sorger

www.mattsorger.com

Prophetic Words for 2013 by John Belt

John Belt

I really believe that God has good things in store this year. I’m a firm believer that when we put God first in our lives, making Him our true contentment that everything falls into place.  Many things that we’ve been seeking the Lord for and wanting to see happen I believe will begin to happen this year.

Songs of Victory

I John 5:4 “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world- our faith.”

2013 is a year of victory. God is giving his people the opportunity to play a “flying V” electric guitar.  For those of you who are not familiar with the flying V, it was an electric guitar that was designed in the 1950’s.  This electric was, in most cases, popularly associated with the roaring rock and roll sound.  What I saw is that as we lift our voice up to God like the roar of a lion victory would accompany our praise. When we do this it will set new things in motion in our lives, break chains and rock our world.  We will soar, flying in victory, as we move aggressively into His Kingdom plans.

Coat of Many Colors

This year will be a new beginning of dreams being fulfilled.  With every dream, every vision and every promised land there is a challenge and call to overcome.  The coat of many colors that was given to Joseph is a picture of what God gives to us to put on. (Gen. 37:3)  God is a God of color, of diversity, of beauty and of brightness.  He takes us beyond the place of grey and dullness calling us to dream beyond ourselves into a place that overflows and affects others.  Just as Joseph had the dream that God had given him, he also had to overcome many things to see those dreams come to pass.  In a moment he inherited a kingdom.  When the fullness of time comes for our dreams God is faithful to see that they come to pass.  Our faithfulness, commitment and uncompromising heart is required to inherit the fullness of what God has for each of us.  In order to inherit a promise we must have a dream with the accompanying grace to overcome in the seasons of life that are packaged with these dreams.

Awakening to Throne Room Worship

Revelation 4:9-11 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty- four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

When Jesus died on the cross, not only was His sacrifice for the forgiveness, deliverance, and cleansing from sin, but the veil of His flesh was rent asunder as an entryway for us to come into His courts.  The Throne Room of God is the most intimate place of worship for all believers.  Just as we see the types and shadows in the Old Testament as we look at the temple, how it resembles the areas of worship and sacrifice as a picture of the heavenly, so we can now move from the outer courts into the most holy place of God’s sanctuary.  Not to exclude how the Spirit inhabits us in the most holy place of our hearts.

There is a divine exchange that takes place when we have a heart that desires to experience that heavenly dwelling just as Paul did.  Because of our desire for the heavenly dwelling there is an equivalent blessing in our present lives on earth as He inhabits us by the glory of His Spirit.  When we speak of “Christ in us the hope of glory,” we are talking about the glory of God within us, our experiencing His Throne being set up in our hearts.  The Throne Room of God is the center point of heaven. In the same way the Throne Room of His Presence is set-up at the most central place of our being.  This year people will begin to better understand that it is mediocre at best to get stuck in a performance model of worship where intimacy with God is not central to the worship experience.  Deep calls to deep.  When we realize how deep that place is in us we will ask God to fill that place with the depths of His Spirit.  A deeper hunger will cause us to desire to be in His courts worshipping before His Throne.

Healing Power of the Spirit

Another thing that will happen this year is an exponential increase in power healing in the Body of Christ.  Those things that have been broken will be healed in people lives.  This applies to physical healing, but also to those who need emotional healing.  One of the main attributes that I’ve always noticed when healing anointing is present is that great joy accompanies it.  There is a high level of faith and joy present as we release God’s healing presence.  Part of what will help this to occur will be as we move into a place of greater dependency, true identity and are intent in our hearts to really give God all the credit for His work.  Self-exaltation, self-promotion and all the associated things that go with this will have to be removed for those who really want to see true results.  True faith is what God is looking for.  This has a two-fold meaning.  This means that the faith is pure in a way that is sincere.  It also means that the substance of faith is in operation.  This substance of faith will be such that it cuts through oppressive atmospheres to bring a substantial result in people’s physical bodies.

Acts 10:38 “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.”

Just as in the Book of Acts, Jesus went about doing good and healing all who were “oppressed” by the devil.  There is a reason why “the devil” is mentioned here.  We have to have discernment once again to recognize the adversary we are dealing with. Oppressive atmospheres are contrary to the atmosphere of heaven.  The anointing of the Spirit is what is needed to break into the lives of people in order that they may break out of oppressive prisons that the devil has bound them in.

Moving Away From Intellectual Dependency Toward Hunger for God

Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”

In this day we are living in, as it was in Jesus day, there has always been the choice for people to live by the food of the intellect or the food of the Spirit.  Those who live by the food of the intellect feed on the natural mind, theological worship and all the things that support that system of thinking. it is obvious that we need a good doctrinal foundation, but once we have that we are to move into the maturity of demonstrating the kingdom.  The Holy Spirit is the person that makes what we know in our minds effective, active and penetrating in our actions. Our lives are not to consist of just words but a life that demonstrates God’s power.  Those who have found that the intellectual approach to seeking God has not produced any power to help others will turn to true hunger for God. Some are going to say, “Enough is enough!”  They will seek God through fastings, prayers and worship allowing themselves to be fed by the pure words of God in scripture (by the Spirit), rather than the flattering words of seduction or the intellectual arguments of foolishness. God is sounding a wake-up call to His Body to fully embrace a hunger pursuit of His presence and power, not for the sake of personal benefit, but for the cause of displaying His glory and power throughout the earth.  It is due season for the Body of Christ to manifest the brightness of WHO HE IS.

Have a Blessed 2013!

John Belt

www.liveinhispresence.com

Nine Marks of Maturity by Jeremy Caris

9 Marks of Maturity by Jeremy Caris

By Jeremy Caris

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There are nine character trait combinations that I believe reveal a balanced maturity. Some of these may seem to be contradictory, but the individual traits are only perfect when tempered because they can be stretched to distortion when they are isolated. Jesus perfectly displayed all of these traits, and we will exhibit them as we grow into His fullness.

Gentleness with Boldness

The most mature believers that I have ever met have all carried a remarkable gentleness along with a ferocious boldness. So, when I find someone with incredible boldness, I immediately look for signs of gentleness. Either trait without the other is immaturity. (Mat. 11:29; 2Co. 10:1)

Humility with Confidence

Humility is the only way to true greatness. It means to be lowly and gentle of heart, mind, and spirit; but it does not mean you must abandon confidence in yourself. Confidence, on the other hand, is not self-focused and puffed up; it is knowing who you really are. It would be ignorance or false humility to pretend otherwise. (Mat. 21:5; Phi. 2:6-8)

Compassion without Coddling

This is love with accountability. It is knowing that love is always necessary, and yet there is a line where true love is stern and discerning in it’s approach. Jesus is the perfect and consistent love of God on display, and yet He did not shrink back from being firm. (John. 6)

Honor without Flattery

Maturity teaches us to value others despite their flaws, without derailing it through insincerity. To honor someone means that they carry weight with you. People carry such weight with God that He died for us all while we were absolutely flawed. If we are to imitate God, we should honor all people as well. (1Peter 2:17; Job 32:22)

Faith without Presumption

Faith is assurance of something before it is physically evident; agreeing with God. Presumption is what you think God should be saying. In our immaturity we often tend to presume to know what is best for ourselves. We must learn to trust God as our Master. He never fails or waivers from His goal of seeing Christ formed in us. (Mat. 9:29, 26:39)

Generosity with Wisdom

Generosity is giving freely and liberally, just as God always does. Yet in 1Chronicles 21:24, David said that he would not offer to the Lord something that cost him nothing. Generosity should apply understanding to guide it’s use. (2Co. 9:11; 1Ti. 6:18)

Honesty with Tactfulness

In it’s most basic sense, it means to be truthful to others and to ourselves. Yet, it’s not typically wise to say everything and anything that is truthful. We should be tactful and discrete about what we say, without lies or compromise. (Psa. 51:6; Eph. 4:29; Pro. 25:11)

Dependability with Zeal

Maturity produces ambitious people that others can count on. A reliable person with enthusiasm is the kind of person that we all want fighting alongside us. Just showing up is the most important key, since zeal without consistency produces nothing significant. (Mat. 24:45; Rom. 12:11)

Peacefulness with Tenacity

A person of peacefulness with tenacity is a person who has learned to rest in God through every storm. Learning to stay in peace takes persistent determination to deliberately set your faith it God regardless of the circumstances. (Isa. 32:18; Rom. 5:3-4)

Jeremy Caris

www.jeremycaris.com

Do You Know Who You Are? by Annette Capps

Do You Know Who You Are? by Annette Capps

By Annette Capps

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Do You Know Who You are?

Of course you do. When asked this question, you are quick to give your name, which identifies you to the world. If pressed for a further explanation, you might tell who your parents are or were. The next description you would give of yourself would probably be your occupation or maybe your spouse’s name.

But who are you?

Everything you have listed is a physical description and you know as well as I do that you are not your body. Yes, your parents created your body, but without your spirit in your body, you would not exist. You are a spirit. So, who are you really? Where did you come from? And why did you come here to live on earth?

You are a Spirit sent from God.

(Pause… and think of that!)

You are a Spirit sent from God to affect this planet.

(Did you really think your life is an accident?)

Please say this out loud: “I, _________, am a spirit sent from God.”

If you are born again, your inward witness just registered the entire truth of that statement. You know it is true.

So why in the world have we been wandering aimlessly around this earth believing something else? I’ll tell you why. When you were a child, you knew exactly who you were because you had just come from God. It took many years of training for you to forget who you are and believe you are what the world and the devil says you are.

Have you ever noticed that it is perfectly acceptable to put yourself down, talk about your shortcomings, and the negative traits about yourself? “I’m not very smart.” “I’m just a poor person.” “I can only get low paying jobs.” “I’m just a sinner.” “I’m not very spiritual.”

Even when complimented, it is traditional to say, “Oh, no, I didn’t do anything.” “What? This old suit? No, I’ve had it for years. Can’t afford a new one.” When others try to lift you up, it’s your job to put yourself back down. After all, didn’t you learn this from you parents? After a certain age, it was no longer acceptable to say with excitement and pride, “Look Mommy, see what I did!” To avoid looking prideful, you were taught a false sense of humility, to deny and disown your accomplishments.

We were taught that it was wrong to recognize and acknowledge our own greatness.

Acknowledge Your Greatness

But don’t try this in just any church. The Word of God says that we are the righteousness of God in Christ. (II Cor. 5:21) Say this out loud and you could be accused of blasphemy. Did you know that quoting scriptures is blasphemous? Well, it is in some churches. Several years ago when people began to realize the truth about our righteousness and confess, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ”, there were outcries of “Blasphemy!” “You are a sinner.” “Who are you trying to be? God?” (Would you rather we try to be the devil?)

Religion wants you to confess and declare that you are a lousy, no-good sinner. That is acceptable in religion. What do you think is acceptable to God? He is your Father and your Creator. He created you in His image and His likeness. How do you think he feels when you declare you are like the devil?

Religion implores us to declare our weakness and lack of power. It demands we acknowledge our likeness to the devil. Who do you think is behind all this? The devil, of course. He wants us to believe that he is our father. He is not.

We are spirits sent from God! We are made like him. His Spirit is in us. His greatness is in us. All that He is, is inside us, a part of us, and we are a part of Him. Never again confess a likeness to the devil or his traits. You are God’s own holy creation.

Acknowledging Your Greatness is not a Comparison

“But my parents told me I would get a ‘big-head’ if I said stuff like that.” Your parents told you that out of fear that you would think you were better than everyone else. You are not better than anyone else. Everyone is a spirit sent from God. When you acknowledge that about yourself, you will also acknowledge it about others. Why? Because when you truly believe that you are a spirit sent from God and you are like God, you will see his greatness in others.

Every spirit has the right of choice and some are choosing to be like the devil. They choose to behave like the devil because they believe they are like him and there is no greatness in them. If you believe you are a bad person, you will do bad things. If you really believe that you are great, you will do great things.

You will never exalt yourself by putting other people down. You cannot exalt your own race by being a racist. Disrespecting women will never exalt men to who they really are. Women who put down men do not exalt their gender.

God created all of us in His image and His likeness. He created us to create and bring forth out of our imagination our own individuality. Individuality, who you are, shows forth on the earth the diversity and greatness of God.

God took a planet that was void and without form and filled it with beautiful seas, fish, birds, animals of every kind and color. Then He created man and woman to be like Him. Their directive was to “guard and keep his creation.” They were to be the protectors of the physical manifestation of His greatness, the earth and the fullness thereof.

As you know, the man and woman chose to believe the serpent instead of God and things rapidly went downhill! Through Christ, our authority has been restored to us. Jesus said, “All power is given to me in heaven and in earth. “Whatever you ask in my name, I will do…. We truly have the power and greatness to rule over this earth and again be the protectors and restorers of God’s creation.

So why aren’t we doing it?

Because we don’t really believe it.

There is a residual belief of unworthiness. A belief that we haven’t really obtained that level of spirituality yet. There is nothing to obtain. You are there. You are raised up together with Christ and seated together with Him in heavenly places. (Eph. 2:6) You are not a child of the devil. Your Father and Creator is God. Your greatness is a result of creation. No longer deny who you are. You are a spirit sent from God. All His power is invested in you. All the wealth of heaven is yours. The Wisdom of the Ages is on the inside of you. Go forth and reign in this life!

Annette Capps

www.charlescapps.com

You Are Wanted by John Paul Jackson

You Are Wanted by John Paul Jackson

 

A few years ago, I dreamed that my father offered to give me a ride to my car. My car was only a block away, and I could have easily walked there. But after some lighthearted insistence on his part, I finally agreed to let him take me.

Instead of going the most direct route, he ended up taking me all over the area: down one-way streets, through parks and office communities. Forty-five minutes later, we were back to being within one block of my car. Frustrated, I asked my father to stop so I could just walk.

As I got out of the car, my father remorsefully said, “I just wanted to spend some time with you.”

It was then I heard a voice from Heaven say to me, “This is how you treat Me.”

“No,” I quickly retorted, “I’m not like that at all! I make time to talk with You.”

But His response left me aghast: “Yes, you are ready to talk with Me when you want, but you are not available to talk anytime I want. You are more interested in reaching your goals than spending time with Me.”

Needless to say, that dream was a wakeup call for me. It helped me better comprehend the heart and thought processes of my Father God.

You are Wanted

Genuine relationship with God is a marriage of two hearts, and like any marriage, it needs time and focus in order to grow. It also requires both people actually understanding where the other is coming from. Let me explain what I mean by that.

God’s love for you is extravagant. His love for you is greater than anything that has ever been seen before. His love for you is more than you could imagine. It is more than you could ever expect, even on your best day. And this God who loves you more than you could ever hope for wants you to be an active participant in His life.

This is not an invitation to feel condemned. Don’t think, I never spend time with God. He must be disappointed in me. Or, I know He wants me to spend more time with Him, but I just can’t right now. Don’t read this article and allow your soul to become troubled. Instead, realize how much you are wanted.

How Should you Respond?

If this is a difficult subject for you to grasp, purposefully set out to change your mind about it. For the next month, try to wake up in the morning with this thought: Today, God desires me.

As our weeks and months go by and we struggle through our valleys and trials, it can be so easy to forget our passion; the understanding of His heart for us can slip through our fingers. Then, when His invitation comes, we often respond in fear: I’m not doing enough! He’s probably upset with me! How could He ever want me? I’m not one of the faithful ones. If I come to Him now, it’s probably going to be at a great personal cost!

But again, the invitation is not meant to make you feel condemned for your actions or thought processes (Romans 8:1). It has been issued solely because He wants you. And the result of spending time with God is that you become God focused. Your life changes. Your mind, your will and your emotions become aligned with His. Your hope flourishes. You discover real, genuine, true life; you discover the real you in the middle of His affections.

When you wait on Him, He speaks. When you spend time with Him, you discover that He has been wanting to speak. He has been waiting for you to wait, so He can talk, so He can move, so He can inform, so He can touch, so He can hold, so He can caress, so He can embrace you.

Let today be your day. Go find yourself in God’s affections. Spend time with Him and discover His heart for you. And remember that you are wanted so fully and completely that when you begin to understand His desire for you, the path will straighten out beneath your feet; your questions will be answered, and you will discover a peace that passes all comprehension.

John Paul Jackson

Five False Identities by Junior De Souza

What is Identity?

      Identity means self-definition. It is who or what we believe we are from the very epicenter of our being. Consequently, it is from this wellspring that we feel, think, choose, and act. 

      Because identity is so primal to our life outcomes, God will devote significant measures and lengthy time periods to its development in us. We can expect Him to put us in odd situations whereby false identities can be illumined and stripped. We can expect Him to put us in encouraging situations whereby true ones can emerge.  

      If we second-guess our identity in Christ, we become what Scripture calls “double-minded”. If we become double-minded, God refuses to be invoked (Jas 1:6-8).

      Jezebel’s desperate last effort to stop Jehu was to assault his identity. She sarcastically labeled him “Zimri”–a betrayer and murderer (2Ki 9:31, 1Ki 16:15-20)–in an effort to make him second-guess himself. Joseph’s brothers likewise barraged his identity (Gen 37). Job’s wife cursed his (Job 2:9,10). Satan went after Jesus’ immediately after He received affirmation of it (Mt 3,4)! We must cling stubbornly to the identity the Lord has conferred on us.

 False Identity #1: The Family-based Identity

      Many people depend on their families to define them. This can be a positive or negative thing.

      During the first fifteen to twenty years of life, we came to define ourselves by what our families reinforced. In general, we assimilated into our personality what they affirmed and rewarded, while discarding what they disparaged or persecuted. We internalized their messages, the direct and indirect, and made them our own. 

      The messages that were helpful, holy, and healthy contributed to a sound identity. The ones that were not, or the ones delivered inappropriately, contributed to false or poor or destructive identities. Such identities would eventually hinder the full enjoyment of our new identity in Christ.
Yahweh, knowing this, told Israel not to dictate themselves by sinful family ways (Eze 18, 20:18,19, Dan 5:18-30). Any self-image rooted in family sin and negativity is a false identity, a competitor to our new identity in Christ.

      Genesis 5:3 sums this one up: …When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image…

 False Identity #2: The Socially-based Identity

      Some depend on their inner and outer social circle to define them—friends, romantic partners, co-workers, teammates, anybody in their para-family social niche. If we are not conscious and intuitive, the attitudes of those around us can conform us to their definitions of reality. As with family, not all of that is bad, and some might even be very helpful. It is the unwholesome and unbiblical definitions that we need to deflect away.

 False Identity #3: The Performance-based Identity

      In 1948, a “Humanist Manifesto” was pronounced to be the philosophy of the age in the western world. It deified the human ability to perform and achieve, a deification that penetrated every cell of Western society, including Christianity. The result? A self-definition along these lines: I am only as good as my performance…If I perform well I am well…My performance determines who I am…I am what I do.

      This performance-orientation (-obsession) inspires workaholism and perfectionism, telltale signs most easily recognized. This identity tends to produce competent and successful people who are wanting and messed up personally. Why? Their obsession is what they do, not who they are.  

      We must be grounded and founded in I am, not I do. Our innermost cornerstone must be Christ-centered (Col 2:7) and self-valuing (Mk 12:31 “as yourself”), apart from what we can do, perform, and achieve.

 False Identity #4: The Money-based Identity

      Just as a person can depend on family, social links, or performance to define themselves, so also money and possessions can be so used. Nebuchadnezzar had a materialistic identity (Dan 4:4,27-30). It was the basis of his pride for which he was judged. Though it is certainly not wrong to have material abundance (Ecc 5:19), it is quicksand to focus our identity on them (1Ti 6:10,17).

 False Identity #5: The Appearance-based Identity

      Finally, some center themselves on physical beauty. This underlies the cosmetic surgery mania. To be clear, I am not arguing for or against cosmetic surgery, but I am definitely speaking against an appearance-based identity. Narcissus, the intriguing mythical personality, lost himself in his own beauty. He drowned himself to be one with it.

      Scripture tells us to be excellent in our physical upkeep and presentation (Pr 27:9 NKJV, Ecc 9:8, Mt 6:17). It even presents examples where God used human beauty for positive purposes (1Sam 16:18, Est 2:1-18). However, Solomon said beauty is deceptive and fleeting as an innermost dependency (Pr 31:30).

 The Need for Love, Blessing, and Purpose

      All counterfeit identities are simply illegitimate ways of experiencing three things: love,blessing, and purpose. The human heart hungers and thirsts for these three things. If not found in and through Jesus, they will be sought in other ways, especially the ways mentioned above. Wonderfully, our identity in Christ provides exactly these three things. 

 True Identity: I am beloved in Christ

      In and through Jesus, we are loved fully and freely. He gave birth to us spiritually (Jn 3:5-8, 1Jn 4:7). He has made us His beloved sons and daughters (Ro 8:14-16, 1Jn 3:1,2). He has lavished His love all over us (1Jn 3:1). He has poured His love into our hearts (Ro 5:5).
Because we are His beloved, we have many amazing privileges: we are complete or “full” (Col 2:10), we are one with Him (1Co 6:17), we have Christ’s new nature (2Co 5:17, Heb 3:14), we have direct access to Him (Eph 2:18, Heb 10:19-22), we are eternally hidden and protected (Jn 10:28,29, Col 3:3), we are royalty/heirs (Ro 8:17, Gal 4:7, 1Pet 2:9, Rev 1:6 NKJV), we are citizens of heaven (Php 3:20).
This, my brothers and sisters, is what we are to define ourselves by and organize ourselves around! If you are born-again, this is your first and foremost identity. Not family, not social connections, not performance, not money and possessions, not appearance. You are the beloved of the Lord.

 True Identity: I am blessed in Christ

      In and through Jesus, we are blessed spiritually and practically. Ephesians 1 opens by saying we have been remarkably blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ (v3). Romans 4 speaks of the “blessedness” of the saved (v6-9). 2Corinthians 1:20 says every promise for us in Christ is YES! Many scriptures emphasize our blessed status: Romans 10:12, 1Corinthians 9:23, Galatians 3:8,9.

      This blessed identity means several things. First, it means we are blessed with a new identity upon salvation. As mentioned in the previous section, Ephesians 1:3-14 discusses this magnificently.
Secondly, it means we are blessed with power (Eph 3:20) and anointing (2Co 1:21) by the indwelling Holy Spirit to live out our identity in real life. In other words, we are enabled to experience every last detail of the Christ-life on earth.
Thirdly, it means we are blessed with more than enough practical resources for our earthly needs and spiritual goals. This refers to food, clothing, shelter, transportation, money, physical health and vibrance—anything (Php 4:19, 1Ti 6:17, 3Jn 2).

 True Identity: I am built in Christ

      In and through Jesus, we are built purposefully and strategically. We have been built with a specific design to fulfill a specific calling. Ephesians 2:10 says we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Peter tells us to faithfully use whatever gift(s) God has built into our being (1Peter 4:10).
We have a very practical earthly purpose in God’s kingdom! As we actualize our beloved-identity and blessed-identity, we will see our built-identity emerging naturally and supernaturally.

 Who Am I?

      You are not your family experiences. You are not your social circle’s attitudes. You are not your job, abilities, achievements, or performances. You are not your money. You are not your appearance.

      You ARE beloved of the Lord. You ARE blessed in Him. You ARE built by Him. When you make this self-definition the focus and wellspring of your daily life, then you will find life more abundantly. Then everything else will make more sense and more supernaturally fall into place (Mt 6:33).

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Reject REJECTION by Jacqueline Erasmus

The best way to deal with the spirit of rejection is to reject rejection. When you encounter rejection simply pray and say: “Lord I reject all spirits of rejection in Jesus name.” Dont just stop there in prayer. Say this: “Lord you love me with an everlasting love and as a covenant child my portion is favor and acceptance in Jesus name. Dont stop there… start to sow favor and honour into other people’s lives and expect a harvest. The bible teaches us that we will reap what we sow. Knock the spirit of rejection on the head! War against this spirit through prayer and a SHOUT of praise and thanksgiving to God for all his blessings in your life. Our battles are not against people but against the demon spirits of this world. A key principle to overcome and deflect rejection in our lives  is not to only have a defensive approach to rejection. We  also have to have an offensive approach. What do I mean with an offesive approach? Dont just put a shield up when you encounter spirits of rejection – that is of course a good thing.  Build an altar of God’s favour and acceptance in your life through prayer, worship and praise on a daily basis. Confess and proclaim God’s favour and acceptance over your life and align your mind and mouth with God’s acceptance and favor. Continue to WORSHIP and thank God for the blessing of His favor!Rejection is the portion the devil wants you to eat. You must not agree to eat and digest this kind of meal deal. Make the devil sorry he ever tried attacking you with rejection !

Jacqueline Erasmus

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