Who am I?
That the Lord of all the earth,
Would care to know my name,
Would care to feel my hurt.
Who am I?
That the bright and morning star,
Would choose to light the way,
For my ever wandering heart.
Not because of who I am,
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done,
But because of who you are.
I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow,
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I'm calling,
Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,
And you've told me who I am.
I am yours, I am yours.
Who am I?
That the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love
And watch me rise again.
Who am I?
That the voice that calmed the sea,
Would call out through the rain,
And calm the storm in me.
Not because of who I am,
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done,
But because of who you are.
"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" 1 John 3:1
It seems many times we get so caught up in who am I that we loose sight of who He is. Whether it is the self center search for identity and importance or the self deprecating paralysis of I am not worthy and not capable...they all focus on "self." You hear many times "It's not about me...it's about Jesus." Easy to say not always easy to do. Our "self"... "flesh" wells up at every turn. It's a constant battle. The first step is to recognize your battle.
Are you constantly looking inward trying to find yourself and purpose? Are you too afraid to step out in your calling because you believe your are not good enough. Do you hear the enemy saying "who are you, that God would use someone like you?" Do you battle addictions and compulsions? Do you have analysis paralysis? The enemy knows our weakness. If he can keep us focused on ourselves we can not focus on The Kingdom. I battle everyday...some days easier than the others.
Years ago God spoke to me to pray for the Christians in Lebanon. I didn't even know where that was at the time. I had a horrible vision of Christians being slaughtered. Quickly the enemy was speaking in my ear...you just had a pizza dream..."who are you, that God would use someone like you?" Days later I heard on The 700 Club that all the Christians in Lebanon had been slaughtered. I just shook with regret that I had thought only of myself.
"He who seeks only himself brings himself to ruin, whereas he who brings himself to naught for Me discovers who he is." Matthew 10:39
It is only when we get beyond asking who am I to who I am in Christ we begin to discover who we really are.
Millions of Americans will be celebrating the 4th of July holiday today. Sometimes it is easy to get caught up in the fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, and family reunions. I wonder how many don't even realize it really is Independence Day. A remembrance of the day we declared our independence from Great Britain. It represents our freedom as a nation. This freedom was bought with the sweat, toil and blood of countless Americans who initially fought to obtain it in the Revolutionary War, as well as those who have fought to secure it over the past 2 1/2 centuries.
As an American I am grateful for my freedom, but I shall be eternally grateful for my freedom in Christ. The freedom bought with the sweat, toil, and blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus' life, ministry, torture and death were planned before the creation of the world in order to redeem the hearts of mankind and demonstrate God's love for us. God in the person of Jesus Christ identified so closely with every human being who had ever lived or who ever would live that all of our pains, sicknesses, failures, sorrows, lies, rebellions, transgressions, hatreds and murders...all the brokenness of humanity...became Jesus'.
"... Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:31-32. This truth brings us the ultimate freedom...freedom from sin and death. Freedom from the bondages of our flesh and the oppression of the devil. "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery" Galatians 5:1.
On this Independence Day, I am going to declare my freedom! My freedom from sin and death! I Declare my "Dependence" on The Lord, Jesus Christ. I Declare...
I am God’s child - for I am born again of the incorruptible seed of the Word of God, which lives and abides forever (I Peter 1:23)
I am God’s workmanship, created in Christ unto good works (Ephesians 2:10)
I am His elect, full of mercy, kindness, humility, and long suffering (Romans 8:33; Colossians 3:12)
I am a believer, and the light of the Gospel shines in my mind (II Corinthians 4:4)
I am a doer of the Word and blessed in my actions (James 1:22,25)
I am a joint-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17)
I am a new creature in Christ (II Corinthians 5:17)
I am a partaker of His divine nature (II Peter 1:3,4)
I am a spirit being - alive to God (I Thessalonians 5:23; Romans 6:11)
I am a tither, so I have the right to heavenly windows open and poured-out blessings! (Malachi 5:10)
I am alive with Christ (Ephesians 2:5)
I am an ambassador for Christ (II Corinthians 5:20)
I am an overcomer by the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony (Revelation 12:11)
I am born of God, and the evil one does not touch me (I John 5:18)
I am called of God to be the voice of His praise (II Timothy 1:9; Psalm 66:8)
I am complete in Him Who is the Head of all principality and power (Colossians 2:10)
I am delivered from the power of darkness and translated into God’s kingdom (Colossians 1:13)
I am far from oppression, and fear does not come near me (Isaiah 54:14)
I am firmly rooted, built up, established in my faith and overflowing with gratitude (Colossians 2:7)
I am forgiven of all my sins and washed in the Blood (Ephesians 1:7)
I am free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2)
I am greatly loved by God (Colossians 3:12; Romans 1:7; I Thessalonians 1:4; Ephesians 2:4)
I am healed by the stripes of Jesus (I Peter 2:24; Isaiah 53:5)
I am holy and without blame before Him in love (I Peter 1:16; Ephesians 1:4)
I am more than a conqueror through Him Who loves me (Romans 8:37)
I am part of a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people (I Peter 2:9)
I am raised up with Christ and seated in heavenly places (Colossians 2:12; Ephesians 2:6)
I am redeemed from the curse of sin, sickness, and poverty (Galatians 3:13; Deuteronomy 28:15-68)
I am strengthened with all might according to His glorious power (Colossians 1:11)
I am submitted to God, and the devil flees from me because I resist him in the Name of Jesus (James 4:7)
I am the head and not the tail; I am above only and not beneath (Deuteronomy 28:13)
I am the light of the world (Matthew 5:14)
I am the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ (II Corinthians 5:21)
I am the temple of the Holy Spirit; I am not my own (I Corinthians 6:19)
This is real freedom...freedom in Christ!
Please join us for our Independence Day discussion on HeartCry.