The Importance of Identity

“And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Matthew 3:16-17

One of Satan’s most common attacks is against a person’s identity. He loves to make you question what God says about you. He wants you to doubt God. He wants you to question God’s love for you. He wants to cause division any way he can and he most often uses identity to do it.

In the beginning, God created Adam and Eve. Adam was created in the image of God, meaning he was a reflection of who God is. This is important because when Satan starts his attack on the first couple, he gets them to question what God said.

“Did God really say…” Satan starts his attack with. But notice he moves into identity. He starts with a false assumption that is really an attack on identity. He tells Eve if you eat the fruit you will be like God. That is a lie! They were already like God! They were created in his image. He was subtle in this attack.

When Jesus arrives on the scene, he is baptized by John and we get this beautiful identity statement, “this is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Jesus, before he had done any ministry, was affirmed in his identity. God said he was pleased with him, not because of what he had done, but because of who He was!

With this public affirmation of His identity, Jesus is then directed by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. Satan of course starts with his tried and true identity attacks. The very first words he speaks to Jesus is, “if you are really the Son of God…” then turn these stones into bread. Satan is trying to get Jesus to question his identity!

Perhaps he thinks, well this worked with the first Adam, it will work again. He indeed must believe this because he doubles down and starts with the same statement in his second temptation. Jesus doesn’t fall for it.

This was seen by Satan so he changes his tactic on the third temptation, but to no avail. Jesus was secure in who he was and what God had given him, so the temptations were quickly overcome.

These passages are good learning lessons for us as well. We all struggle with identity. Am I loved? Am I good enough? Does God really think of my has his child? Deep down we are all struggling with deep issues of identity and Satan consistently attacks us in this area. This is his wheelhouse!

I think the key to overcoming this type of attack is fairly simply, but often forgotten. Jesus was secure in his identity because of what God had spoken over Him. We can be secure in our identity when we remember the words that God has spoken over us!

We are his children. We are loved by him. We are safe and secure in His loving arms. He not only likes us but he adores us. He sings over us! God’s love for us never ends! It’s a fount that never runs dry!

When we feel attacked in our identity, we need only to remember the words that God has spoken over us. We need to recall the Scriptures. Pull out your Bible and read what God has said over you! Stand firm, resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Prayer - Father, thank you for loving me. Thank you for speaking words of affirmation over me. Thank you for calling me your son. Thank you for saving me. You are an amazing father and I love you. Amen.