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Devotion 1 - The Orphan Spirit

Devotion 1 - The Orphan Spirit Many people do not spend much time thinking about their identity. However, the truth is that our behaviour, our feelings, how we treat ourselves and others, as well as our daily decision making, are closely linked to how we perceive our identity, even though we may do so unconsciously. In fact, according to psychologists and sociologists, most problems related to human relationship, whether emotional or mental, can be traced to our identity. Our distorted identity is rooted in the orphan spirit - an ancient spirit unleashed upon mankind by Satan, the first orphan. Satan, after he sinned against God, was thrown out of heaven, his original home, to the earth. Since then, he experienced rejection, abandonment and loneliness. He lost the presence of the Father. Out of jealousy, his primary goal is to make all humanity like himself, fatherless, with no inheritance and totally lost - an orphan! Hence, many of the man-made religions are ‘fatherless’ at the c
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Devotion 2 - Our Identity In Christ

Devotion 2 - Our Identity In Christ Jn.10:10 – “ The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy…” Since the Garden, our true identities have been stolen and reprogrammed by Satan. Through deceit and lies, he has robbed us of our God-created identity and thus hindered us from reaching our full potential in Christ. We need a biblical understanding of identity to transform our hearts and renew our minds as we seek to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord. A secure and healthy identity in Christ will anchor and guide us through the changing seasons and circumstances of our lives. Identity Defined – “Who am I?” Many of us get our identity through external referencing. In other words, we let others define our identity.   When we are young, we build our identity from what our parents tell us, our teachers tell us, etc. For that reason, those who suffered verbal abuse since young, tend to grow up with very poor self-image and low self-esteem. When we a
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Devotion 3 - Our Identity In Christ - Justification

Devotion 3 – Our Identity in Christ -  Justification To be “in Christ” is the most basic identity as a Christian. In fact, all other essential components of our identity are based on or drawn from this identity. To be ‘justified’ is another important component of our identity which we need to understand well. It is the very heart of the gospel and one identity that Satan always try to confuse us on. But what does it really mean to be justified? Rom.5:1 - “ Therefore, having been justified by faith , we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” Justified is a legal word, it means one has been declared ‘right’ according to the appropriate law. And in the kingdom of God, to be justified means that one has been declared ‘righteous’ by God with respect to His law. But how can God declare us righteous with respect to His law when in reality, we continue to disobey it on a regular basis? Gal.3:10  – “ For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curs
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Devotion 4 - Our Identity as Sons & Daughters of God

Devotion 4 – Sons &  Daughters of God 1 Jn.3:1 – “ Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” God did not just pardon our sins and clothe us in the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ, He has also adopted us into His family.   In fact, out of love, He had planned this from the beginning. Eph.1:4-5   – “ He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world , that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will”   Justification secures our legal relationship with God as judge. In justification God declares that we are righteous in Christ. Adoption secures our relationship with the God as the Father. Through adoption, God makes us His children and that makes Him personally responsible for our welfare, over every aspect of our lives. Abba! Father! Gal.4:6  – “ And because you are son
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Devotion 5 - New Creations

Devotion 5 – New Creations Through our union with Adam, we are all born sinners and thus, we behave like serial sinners, sinning every day in thought, word, deed and motive.   The good news of the gospel is that through our union in Christ, we are justified become children of God. However, truth be told, many of God’s children still struggle as serial sinners daily. How do we live in our new identity and have victory over sin? A New Heart & A New Spirit Eze.36:26-27 “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” This promise was given to us some 600 years before the death of Christ. And God has promised to radically change our hearts and put His Holy Spirit within us to enable us to obey Him.  For that reason, Paul says “if anyone is in Christ, he is
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Devotion 6 - Identity as Saints & Servants

Devotion 6 - Identity as Saints  & Servants Sainthood is one of the most misunderstood identities for Christians. Many think that saints are exceptionally godly and holy people. However, the truth is that every believer is a saint. We can see that in most of Paul’s greeting in his epistles: Eph.1:1 – “ Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus…” Phil.1:1  – “ Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi…”   Col.1:1-2  – “ Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the saints  and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse…”   Sainthood is not a spiritual attainment, but rather, a new identity of every believer. A saint is someone who has been sanctified, and sanctified means ‘to separate or set apart for God’. As believers, we have been set apart to be Christ’s own possession. Thus, all Christians are saints by stat
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