How many of you have felt at some point that you could do anything? How many of you have gotten into something and then realized that you couldnt really do it? How many of you are insecure about something? I want to share the power and importance of letting our identity overshadow our insecurity as we serve the Lord in our jobs, our friendships, and our day to day lives. Acts 19:11-20 “God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them. Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.” ----- Even the clothes and handkerchiefs Paul used healed the sick and cast out evil spirits. Other men tried to do the same using the name of Jesus, but “one time an evil spirit said to them, “I know Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you (15)?” Then the evil spirit attacked the men and they ran away because it was stronger than they were. In their own strength, they could not stand. In their own understanding, they shrank back. They had no answer for the question of identity. So what can we learn from those men? First, we cant walk in any power if we dont know who we are. If we walk trying to imitate someone else, we cant stand in the place God intended for us. Yet if we walk on the path God has set specifically for us, we have the almighty on our side. We need not sun away “naked and hurt” but we can stand firm because not only do we know Jesus, but we have direct access to Him and we carry the Holy Spirit with us always. The enemy will attack your identity because it is the most Christ like thing about you. He will ask who you are, so be ready with a response. TRUTH. “I am the daughter of the most High God” “I am Gods son in whom He is well pleased.” “I am an ambassador of Christ.” “Who are you?” When the sons of Sceva ran off naked and bleeding, the name of Jesus was “held in high honor.” God still had His way, He was still glorified, and a city of witchcraft burned their sorcery scrolls and burned them an spread the word of the Lord. You arent big enough to mess up Gods plan. God will do what He wants, and we get to play a part in it. We have the choice to let our part be in agreement with God or against Him. So let us not shrink back but stand firm in our identity-spoken and sealed by God. Allowing the author and perfecter of your faith to write over your insecurities, revealing your true identity, that you may stand ready in the Truth against anything that could come at you (Hebrews 10:23,39; Exodus 14:13, 1 Corinthians 1:30). If we allow out TRUE identity, the testimony of Jesus to be our only reality, insecurity gets choked out every day. If you dont have a response to that question “Who are you?” dont feel ashamed or shrink back- ask the Lord to show you who He made you to be. He will answer you.
Posted on: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 15:28:12 +0000