Identity Theft

“Do not love the world or anything in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”  1John 2:15

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Have you heard the ads for companies that help you guard against Identity Theft?  I have.  Of course, they made me think about something.

 

In my past, I led an awesome team that tracked and caught the crooks that did this.  The spider-web connections that Identity Theft criminals produce are mind-boggling.  When one person is identified, it invariably leads to another and another and so on and so on.  You should have seen some of the flow charts of suspects that these crime-solvers put their hearts and souls into catching.  These thieves, these robbers, these violators of people’s lives were cunning.

 

The ads reminded me of another type of Identity Theft.  The one that goes unnoticed day after day after day.

 

The theft of our identity in Christ.

 

Confused?

 

Let me explain.

 

You and I are daughters of Christ.  Can we all agree on that?  From before we were conceived in our mother’s womb, God knew us.  He is our Father.  We are his daughters.  He planned for us to be on this earth and here we are.  We owe him our lives. That’s a good place to start.

 

Yet somewhere along the path, we tend to forget about all of that.

 

We push the Creator aside and choose the world.  We push aside the desire to be closer to Him and replace it with a desire to be closer to ourselves.  Doubt me on this?  I dare you to pick up a secular magazine of any kind and not see the words similar to… you deserve…do what feels good…just listen to your heart…–need I go further?

 

And on the surface that may all sound innocent and self-reflective but don’t be fooled.  When the word of the day (or century) is all about finding myself, we couldn’t get any farther lost.

 

And there is the theft.  There is where we lose our identity. There is the small and insignificant start of the lie the enemy feeds us. “You, don’t need to read Scripture, it’s boring…the magazines are more entertaining.” “You don’t need to go to church, it’s just a bunch of outdated beliefs.” “You don’t need to keep that child, it’s a choice.” “You don’t need to work on your marriage, there is someone better waiting for you out-there.” “You don’t need to…”

 

And we’re standing for it!!!

 

All those lies lead to a diminish in our identity as a daughter of Christ.  All those lies slowly convince us that God is only some cosmic being that is just sort of out there—and that he is not King.  It says we are in control—He’s not.  Oh, He may be in control of the earth spinning, but thanks, I’ve got it down here where I’m at.

 

I fell for this lie for so many decades of my life.  I took what was rightfully mine from the Creator—a gift—my identity in Him—and cast it aside for something far, far less valuable.  I didn’t know the Truth.  I didn’t know my status.

 

If you need a reminder, take a look at these:

 

-“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”  John 1:12

 

-“He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit guaranteeing what is to come.” 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

 

-“For we are God’s workmanship…” Ephesians 2:10

 

If it is clear we are the heirs of the King, then why do we act like orphans?

 

Do you see?  Satan is doing everything he can to keep us from God.  And we’re letting him!  Sisters, what are we doing?  Where is the battle cry of the women to turn our hearts to the King?  Why are we sitting idly by letting souls get devoured by the lion, which stalks us?

 

We have let the thief in the front door and pushed God out the back.

 

You and I are true princesses of the King!  This isn’t a cliché. When we start seeing ourselves as part of a royal court, then we will change the world.  Our Prince, our Savior, Jesus Christ gave his life on a cross for US.  Do we not owe him our lives?

 

Put away the world.  Put on Christ!  One leads to death.  One leads to life.