Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Spiritual Identity Theft

Identity Theft
Identity Theft (Photo credit: Don Hankins)
~This post was written by my sister~ Sarah Letterman

In today's society, we are all too aware of the crime known as Identity Theft. Whether shopping online, using a credit card to pay for a meal at a restaurant, or even receiving a financial statement in the mail, we find ourselves vulnerable to crooks looking for access to our personal information. Once they have it in their grasp, these crooks, under the guise of you, open up bank accounts, apply for credit cards, and make purchases, leaving you holding the bag so to speak. The effects of this are devastating, and it can take several years for you to clear your name, remove the unmerited debt, and restore your credit.

As Christians, we must be aware of Spiritual Identity Theft. A quick comparison reveals that they are similar in nature to one another. Satan, our adversary, enjoys gathering personal information about us. He uses our weaknesses, past failures, current circumstances, and future goals. Not to convince others that he is us, (as secular crooks attempt to do) but rather to convince us that we are not who Christ Jesus says we are: Redeemed, a new creation, children of the promise, more than conquerors, beloved.... His ultimate aim is to separate our identity from that of one who is in Christ. Once our identity is successfully "stolen," we become filled with doubt and confusion, questioning who we are. The end result is spiritual blindness to the joy and peace that comes with knowing Christ as our Lord and Savior, and we are left vulnerable and broken, susceptible to further deceptions.

I must confess that I have fallen victim to this ploy on more than one occasion. In fact, many times in my walk with Christ, he has had to gently remind me of who I am in him. The scriptures, God's written word, are full of promises and pronouncements proclaiming his love for us and our identity in him.

Psalm 100:3 "Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us and not we ourselves; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture."
Psalm 23:1 "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want."

I enjoy the above verses because they remind me that god made me for his pleasure to be my caretaker and my abundant and infinite resource as he leads me home.

Song of Solomon 2:4 "He brought me to his banqueting house and his banner over me was love."
John 15:16 "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you."

These two verses remind me of my identity as Christ's beloved.

2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new."

This verse always reminds me that my past failures, blunders, loyalties, and even successes are not where I find my worth, but rather in being born again by Christ's precious blood.

These are some of the scriptures that Christ has shown me during my walk with him to bring to remembrance my identity in him, and give me assurance of my place by his side. I encourage you, brothers and sisters in Christ, as I admonish myself, to remember who you are, and rejoice daily in the security of your identity in Jesus Christ our Lord. May Jesus bless you.
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12 comments:

  1. Word also says WE have dominion over the things of this earth. If we are in Christ and He is in us then the things of this world should not be given place to control us, our thoughts,actions,and hearts. Sorry Satan, our identities are secure!!

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    1. I like that command! You used the word "secure" and your comment definitely made me think of the security of the believer, something I would like to discuss in depth in a post sometime.

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    2. sure Jesse, keep up the good work!!

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  2. Another area we could discuss some time is the way Americans couples and singles flock to other countries to adopt children when there are plenty here looking for someone to call mom & dad.

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    1. Sure! I think it's great to help out on the grand scale by extending outside the boundaries of our country. But I do agree that we need to do a better job at home as well. Maybe I could use this in a post sometime.

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  3. Jesse, you and Sarah have been blessed with the authorship talent. Keep up the good work, never doubt yourself. God has put you where he wants the both of you. ML, I think you know who I am...

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    1. Thank-you very much from both of us. What you said really means a lot to me. It makes me know that I'm heading in the right direction. I definitely know who you are! I knew when I saw your last comment about self-examination. Your comment greatly influenced my next post.

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    2. ML, thank you so much for your kind words. Very encouraging. -Sarah

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  4. Perparing to speak on this topic, I found your blog helpful in my studies. Thanks for sharing what's in your heart.

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