Acts 27:21-25 NKJV
[21] But after long abstinence from food, then Paul stood in the midst of them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss. [22] And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. [23] For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, [24] saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ [25] Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me.
Beloved,
As we cited the last time and as indicated in the above passage, when we know who we are, we know what we can do. When we fail to establish our identity, we are less motivated to do the needful to develop ourselves. Let’s look at some who failed in the place of identity and observe where it landed them:
Adam and Eve, Genesis 3:9-11. They gave up their right to dominion when they allowed the devil to misinterpret God’s instructions to them. Because of this, they lost their position along with the benefits of that position.
Lucifer, Isaiah 14:12-16. He forgot that he is a created being, which made him to overestimate his worth in his own eyes. He was punished for that assumption, and he can never receive redemption.
Cain, Genesis 4:4-5. Cain had a different vocation from his brother and should have offered a heartfelt sacrifice in line with his profession. But he didn’t put his heart to the sacrifice and instead became jealous of his brother whose sacrifice was acceptable to God. Because of this, he became the first murderer in the Bible.
The prodigal son, Luke 15:11-13. He thought his identity stemmed from his possessions. When he eventually lost the possessions, he realized he was nothing without the covering of his father.
Judas, John 15:6. He fulfilled a negative prophecy by betraying Jesus due to his greed and poor choices. He is forever known as a betrayer.
Fortunately, identity crisis can be corrected. Next time, we will look at what we can do to avert any crisis that may have come about as a result of our ignorance or Satan’s deception. Until then,
I commend you to God and to the word of His grace.
I call you blessed. I call you NATIONS.
Jesus Feet 2024
