Welcome to the kingdom citizens blog!
A strong identity that is rooted in Christ gives us confidence to stand firm in our biblical values, even in the face of adverse challenges.
By what authority is our identity verified? Our identity is not self-made but verified by our fruit—what we produce in our lives reflects who we truly are. As Kingdom citizens, our identifiers are not what the world assigns to us but what God has placed upon us. Our identity is affirmed by His authority, not by societal labels or opinions.
Do not allow others to define you by their ignorance. Just as a name holds significance, your spiritual identity carries weight, authority, and promise. This world seeks to repurpose, repackage, and rebrand you, but your identity was not manufactured; it was given by your Creator. Refuse to answer to a label that is not your name.
Verification of Identity
Identification is the evidence of who we are, a witness to the official recognition of our personhood. Just like a drivers license or fingerprints, many people attempt to replicate a legally authentic identity with a counterfeit charter of approval. This process of false identification is what we call in situationships, the representative. The fruit they bear is only rotten and seedless at best; a failed attempt at passing for someone they are not.
Though fake ID’s are getting much more sophisticated these days, under the right light, they are exposed as the counterfeits they are. So much of what we do is based on what we are. A vessel is created with purpose. Purpose is encoded with function. The function is intentionally designed with a specific solution in mind. The verification of our identity comes through the consistent behaviors others witness in us, though this is often only a snapshot of who we are.
That snapshot shouldn’t come across like a mugshot. When others honestly consider their interactions with us, they should be able to recall a picture of Jesus’ love, not a carnal christian teetering on the fence of the insanity they need delivered from. Light is unmistakable! The clarity and warmth that emitted from someone who’s on fire for Christ should shake the foundation of anyone we encounter who is lost in the dark.
God-Given Identity
Throughout Scripture, God gives and changes names to reflect divine purpose. We are promised a new name (Revelation 2:17), signifying our transformation and belonging to Him. Names are not just identifiers but promissory notes, affirming our inheritance in Christ. Jesus fully paid our debt which has delivered us into His legally binding love. Our lives are His to command for His name’s sake, according to His pleasure.
“Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.”
-Revelation 2:17
In this way we owe it to God to not only respect the identity we have in Him, but also the name by which He calls us to share His identity with others. Your name is not your own. When your name is referred to, it should be synonymous with the love of Jesus Christ. His name should be exalted in how you exhibit your identity, which should exist fully within Him.
It happens often that people call me Dev-in instead of DeV-on. That still drives me crazy but it occurred so often that I eventually quit correcting people, especially those habitual offenders. Until one day a close mentor of mine asked me why I answered to a name that was not my own. After listing my myriad of reasons and frustrations, with a hand on each of my shoulders, a smile on his face, and looking squarely in my eyes, he told me that my name carries too much weight, power, and authority (given by God) to allow others to misname me.
That statement stuck with me, changing my whole perspective. I learned in that moment why it was so important not to give others permission to label me with their ignorance. It’s about so much more than the irritation of mispronouncing my name. My name is synonymous with my identity. My name is my brand. Devin does not bear my anointing, DeVon does. I must honor God by honoring the name of my authentication in Christ. Until He gives me a new name, DeVon is the name by which my identity is authorized to exercise for His name's sake.
Sent in the Name of the Lord
God’s name itself is holy. Leviticus 22:32 rebukes those who do not respect the holiness of His mighty Name, “"Do not bring shame on my holy name, for I will display my holiness among the people of Israel." He defines Himself, and we do not have the authority to redefine Him. The Lord sends us out in His Sovereign and Holy Name. We are ambassadors spreading the Gospel in His Name, full of power and grace. Exodus 3:14 tells us: “God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” Just as Francis Chan states in Crazy Love, we must accept God as He is, not as we prefer Him to be:
“God is holy. A lot of people say that whatever you believe about God is fine, so long as you are sincere. But that is comparable to describing your friend in one instance as a three-hundred-pound sumo wrestler and in another as a five-foot-two, ninety-pound gymnast. No matter how sincere you are in your explanations, both descriptions of your friend simply cannot be true.
The preposterous part about our doing this to God is that He already has a name, an identity. We don’t get to decide who God is. God said to Moses, “I am who I am” (Ex 3:14). We don’t change that.”
-Francis Chan (Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God, pg. 18)
We don’t get to decide God’s identity. In the same way, no one but God can decide your identity. Your name is associated with your identity, which should be engrafted in the person of Christ. Honor who the Lord has crafted you to be. Do not permit others to label you with their ignorance. Politely correct them until they properly call you by name and not their preferred designation.
Nicknames aren’t an issue, unless they are distasteful. Let’s not be legalistic about this but understand that who you are should be respected and not carelessly disregarded because you won’t speak up for yourself when someone calls you anything other than the identity of Christ designates you to be. Don’t forget that you are not sent out in your own name but in the Name of the Lord, which is a blessing.
The phrase "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord," found in Psalm 118:26, signifies that a person arriving with God's authority and purpose is worthy of praise and welcome. It is closely linked to Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, where the crowds acknowledged Him as the Messiah by proclaiming these words. "Coming in the name of the Lord" signifies acting as God's representative, carrying His authority and message.
In the book of Matthew, Jesus taught His apostles what what would happen when they went out in His Name:
Jesus said to the apostles, “39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 40 He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives the One who sent Me. 41 Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.“
-Matthew 10:39-41 (BSB)
We are not sent out so that our witnesses can receive us. We have no salvation to offer other than the salvation of Christ. In context, we are not being received in our own name but the Gospel is being received by way of our obedience as extensions of the true Vine of Christ. This is important to say because many of us feel rejected personally when our witness rejects our beliefs. This rejection shouldn’t lead to a pity-party. But like Matthew 10:14 says, when they don’t receive you, take back your blessing, shaking the dust off your feet as you leave that place.
Make sure to stay tuned in for this next blog post so you don't miss out on your word of encouragement...We'll be investigating how our identity in Christ should bear fruit in our daily walk as a Kingdom citizen. Thank you and God bless!
Scripture of Emphasis:
2 Peter 1:3-4 (NIV)
" His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”
Thank You and God Bless!
Thank you for reading this blog. Your support and contribution is treasured here. Please continue to share this content so that God may work through us to be a benefit to others. I invite you to leave a comment and stay tuned in for the next blog. I pray that this blesses you and honor’s God. Let’s continue growing together as Kingdom Citizens in Christ. Show love, be kind, and trust in God. Thank you and God bless.
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