Standing Firm in Faith for a “Whole” Life: Part 3–Identity

We’re continuing our blog journey through the book inSPIRE®–Faith for a “Whole” Life – (coming soon). Chapter three begins by looking to Jesus, who will help us consider the power of our spiritual identity.

Jesus’ Earthly Identity

Jesus was fully God and yet human. He spent time on earth, as we do. He came from a complex human lineage, lived with imperfect friends and family, and navigated tumultuous times, just like we do.

From a human point of view, how was Jesus able to walk as the most influential and yet the most humble and sacrificial person to step foot on to earth, under those circumstances?

A More Powerful Identity

What Jesus drew from is what you and I desperately need–an identity beyond the limitations and patterns in our earthly histories. A more powerful identity.

Fortunately, a more powerful identity is within reach. Jesus showed us the way at his baptism.  As he came up out of the water, dripping with wholehearted devotion, the heavens opened and God the Father spoke audibly to a crowd: “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” (Matthew 3:17 NLT)

God pronounced his relationship to Jesus right there, in the muddy waters of the Jordon River. He was declaring a relationship with no deficiencies, no weakness, no downside, no sin, nothing to get past, nothing to carry.

We’ll see just how critical that relationship is going to be, as Jesus leaves this celebration of love and obedience to begin his public ministry. Off he goes into the wilderness to fast and pray for forty days.

Nothing to Prove

Have you ever experienced an uplifting, spiritual Sunday, only to feel like all that is holy slips away as soon as Monday arrives? On this “Monday,” the devil showed up to challenge Jesus. He knew that Jesus was physically depleted from weeks of fasting, so he took aim at the most obvious target–Jesus’ stomach: “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread,” the devil taunted. (Matthew 4:3 NLT)

Unfortunately, the devil must have missed Jesus’ baptism, particularly the part where God declared that Jesus was his beloved Son. The devil began with the question of identity that was settled there: “If you are the Son of God …”

He erroneously assumed that Jesus would be worried that his status with God the Father was in question, and he would need to prove his worth by producing warm loaves of baked bread.

Jesus didn’t fall for it. He was and is the Son of God and had nothing to prove. And even though he was running on empty in the wilderness, he wouldn’t satisfy his hunger with something that was wrongfully gained. He’d rather starve.

Drawing on our Spiritual Identity

There comes a time when we, too, need to drink from our spiritual roots–especially in those moments when our natural tendencies and predispositions kick in and tell us that us that we are powerless against our enemy, the devil.

Establishing our spiritual identity as sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father and drawing on the power of God, in faith, is our mighty spiritual weapon. This is how we face our muddied genealogies, harried histories, and toughest temptations.