Neil T. Anderson - Your Identity in Christ

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

EUGENE, OREGON

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Your Identity in Christ

Taken from The Bondage Breaker

Copyright 2007, 2019 by Neil T. Anderson

Published by Harvest House Publishers

Eugene, Oregon 97408

www.harvesthousepublishers.com

ISBN 978-0-7369-8624-3 (pbk)

ISBN 978-0-7369-8625-0 (eBook)

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CONTENTS

L ydia was a middle-aged woman who was dealt a bad hand. Memories of ritual and sexual abuse that she suffered as a young child had haunted her throughout her life. Her shattered self-perception was written all over her when she came to see me. As Lydia told me her story, she displayed little emotion, but her words reflected total despair.

Lydia, who do you think you are? I mean, how do you perceive yourself? I asked.

I think Im evil, she answered stoically. Im just no good for anybody. People tell me Im evil, and all I do is bring trouble.

As a child of God, youre not evil. You may have done evil things, but at the core of your very being is a desire to do what is right, or you wouldnt be here, I argued. I handed her the following list of scriptures describing who she is in Christ:

IN CHRIST

Would you read these statements out loud right now? I asked. Lydia took the list and tried the first one: I am G-G-Gods ch-ch Suddenly her whole demeanor changed, and she sneered, No way, you dirty bleep !

It is never pleasant to see the evil one reveal his ugly presence through a victim like Lydia. I calmly exercised Christs authority and shared with Lydia about her identity in Christ. Realizing that she was not just a product of her past, but rather, a new creation in Christ, she was able to throw off the chains of spiritual bondage and begin living according to who she really was, a child of God.

Later, Lydia told me that when I asked her to read the list, it appeared to go blank. Satan didnt want her to know the truth of who she was in Christ or how Jesus meets her needs for life, identity, acceptance, security, and significance. He knew that Gods truth would disarm his lie just as surely as light dispels darkness.

You Are a Child of God

Nothing is more foundational to your freedom from Satans bondage than understanding and affirming what God has done for you in Christ and who you are as His child. Your attitudes, actions, responses, and reactions to lifes circumstances are greatly affected by what you believe about yourself. If you see yourself as a helpless victim of Satan and his schemes, you will probably live like a victim and be in bondage to his lies. But if you see yourself as a dearly loved and accepted child of God, you will likely start living like one. That is what John said in 1 John 3:1-3: See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we areBeloved, now we are children of Godand everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.