Spiritual 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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