Identity

Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.” Matthew 4:3

The Customs and Border Protection officer looked at the passport in her hand, then looked up at me. She stared, then looked back at the passport. This cycle repeated itself for an uncomfortable amount of time. I had never considered what happens when my identity is identity is doubted and me passport is denied, but I was afraid I was about to find out.

 To be honest, it was four in the morning and I’d been up for nearly twenty four hours after ten days of non-stop touring in Israel while fighting a sinus infection. I probably didn’t look much like the appropriately-groomed, smiling person in the picture anymore.

But never had my identity been subject to this much scrutiny.

Perhaps no one understands having one’s identity questioned better than Jesus.

It was the first thing Satan attacked when Jesus began His ministry on earth. After forty days and nights without food, Jesus was hungry. Satan used this in his attempt to thwart Jesus’ mission. He wasn’t just appealing to the hunger of His flesh. He was tempting Jesus’ pride with the words if you are the Son of God.

If you are…

 Satan wasn’t asking if you are because he didn’t know. He knew exactly who Jesus was. He wanted to see if Jesus would give up His rightful identity to satisfy his hungry, weak, and weary flesh—or worse, to react out of pride. Pride had been Satan’s downfall when he wanted to be God. Now he mistakenly thought he could sway Jesus to act in pride and do the same. (How thankful we are that he was wrong!)

Unfortunately, Satan’s defeat in his game of “If-then” with Jesus didn’t convince him to quit playing. He’s just chosen a different target—us.

 And to our great detriment, we play along.

Have any of these thoughts gone through your mind?

•  If I was a true Christian, then I wouldn’t still have those thoughts.
•  If I was a better parent, then my child wouldn’t be turning from God or in trouble at school.
•  If I was a better spouse, then we wouldn’t fight so much, the house would be clean, the yard well-groomed, and the bank account full.
• If I can do enough good works, then I can be forgiven and worthy of heaven.

When our thought starts with an if and end in a negative feeling about who we are, we need to stop and consider the source. God’s questions for us don’t include the word “if” when it comes to our identity.

 When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, God statements for us are “you are.”

•  You are a child of God and heir with Christ (see Romans 8:16-17).
•  You are being transformed into the image of God (see 2 Corinthians 5:18).
•  You are more than conquerors (see Romans 8:37).
•  You are redeemed (see Luke 1:68).

 And the list goes on. God can answer all our if-then statements with His Word.

Satan doesn’t want us to know who we are, and he will make us question our identity through his lies and deceptions.

Like Satan’s targeted attack on Jesus, he’ll come at us most when we are hungry, exhausted, stressed, anxious, depressed, or uncertain, so we should start by understanding where we are most vulnerable.

We hold onto the truth by taking every question we have about who we are and who we are meant to be to the One who created us.

 I once heard it said that in the marketing world, there are only two people who get to name something—the one who made it and the one who bought it.

 No matter how worn out, bedraggled, and frazzled we look, when we arrive at Heaven’s Gate, St. Peter will not be there questioning our identity like the Customs officer questioned mine.

Please join the conversation by sharing what “if” are you most vulnerable to? Which Scripture have you found to be the most reaffirming when your “ifs” come?

Be challenged to search Scripture for God’s truth in response to every “if-then” you have believed.