“Practically Operating From Your True Identity” – Episode 3

Many individuals feel a relentless pressure in their spiritual life, constantly striving for peace, approval, or even God’s love, yet never quite reaching it. This frustration often stems from operating out of a false, performance-based identity. The sources reveal that when a believer is rooted in their true identity in Jesus Christ, they stop striving and start living. This understanding transforms how we relate to God, handle mistakes, and interact with others.

The greatest spiritual shift occurs when we stop trying to become righteous, holy, and complete, and start believing we already are through Jesus’s finished work. This is the essence of God’s grace: abounding victory is entirely possible only through His amazing grace [v].

1. The Foundation of Grace: Identity Over Behavior

Your true identity is fixed by what Jesus Christ has done, not by what you do. Guilt and shame are spiritual attacks designed to inflict identity amnesia, convincing you that you are what you did instead of who God says you are.

Redefining Righteousness and Guilt

• Righteousness is External: Your righteousness is determined by what Jesus did, not by your own performance or actions, even righteous ones.
• Guilt and Shame Do Not Define You: When you do something “stupid,” you do not deny what happened, but you deny its right to define you. Sin and past mistakes should not be allowed to define who you are, as you have already been defined by Christ.
• No Condemnation: For those who are in Christ Jesus, “There is therefore now no condemnation”. When accusing thoughts come (“you failed,” “you messed up”), you must pause and declare, “Nope, that’s not my voice, and that’s not God’s voice, because that’s not who I am”.
• Perfection in Christ: Through Jesus’s single offering, God “hath perfected forever them that are sanctified,” meaning you are eternally complete, whole, and restored to your original design.
• God’s Unchanging View: God does not see you through the lens of your past mistakes. Heaven never changed how it saw Adam and Eve when they sinned; they changed how they saw themselves.

Overcoming Shame Through Intimacy

Shame loses its power when you stop hiding. Instead of running from God (like Adam hid in the Garden), you should run to Him, fully known and fully loved. When guilt and shame attack, speak out loud: “That’s not who I am. I’m righteous. I’m forgiven. I’m in Christ”.

2. Unlocking Communication: Hearing God from Rest

Being rooted in Christ means you are already wired to hear the voice of God. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice,” which gives the believer confidence that they are connected and capable of receiving divine guidance.

Full Access and Confidence

You are one spirit with the Lord (1 Corinthians 6:17). There is no spiritual “ceiling” you need to break through; there is full access and complete connection. You don’t have to perform or follow complex steps to hear God; you simply tune in.

The Power of Stillness

The biggest obstacle to hearing is often too much talking. To hear God, you must:

1. Be Still: Just be quiet and listen, trusting that He is speaking.
2. Trust the Inner Nudges: Start trusting the inner nudges, the peace, and the God thoughts instead of doubting every spiritual experience.
3. Reject the “Dumb Deep”: Stop trying to impress people with exaggerated or unnecessary spiritual insights. God won’t tell you things you already know, such as the need to get a job when you are shaking from hunger.

The Stewardship of Revelation

When God reveals something to you, it may be for you alone. The ability to keep a confidence is a test of whether God can trust you with revelation. Not every spiritual insight is meant to be shared publicly.