The Battle For Identity: Grace vs. Decision

• Church Fellowship and Engagement [00:33:24 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor urges the congregation to move beyond Sunday-only attendance, emphasizing that the church is a fellowship where members walk life together, referencing the Church of Acts.
• Community Service and Missions [00:34:44 ▶️ 📄]
  > Details are provided regarding a quarterly meal preparation event for the homeless at Covenant Presbyterian and a Father's Day barbecue fundraiser to support mission partners.
• Men's Spiritual Warfare [00:37:36 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor introduces a 'Men's Month' series focused on five specific battles that shape godly men, asserting that the enemy attacks men hard because their victory impacts the church, family, and community.
• Battle for Identity [00:41:17 ▶️ 📄]
  > The first of the five battles is identified as the battle for identity, arguing that knowing one's identity as defined by God is crucial to preventing the enemy from controlling one's direction.
• Identity Crisis [00:41:30 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor argues that the primary battle for men is for identity, not success or temptation, and that confusion of identity leads to a loss of direction.
• Cultural vs. Biblical Definition [00:43:29 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor contrasts the world's method of selling identity through benefits (career, money, approval) with God's definition of identity based on being created in His image.
• The Enemy's Strategy [00:50:01 ▶️ 📄]
  > Using Genesis 3 and Matthew 4, the pastor illustrates that Satan's first move is always to confuse identity ('If you are the Son of God...') rather than attack behavior directly.
• Self-Sabotage [00:55:09 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor explains that the enemy does not need to destroy a man, only confuse his identity, which causes the man to sabotage himself.
• Identity vs. Achievement [00:57:25 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor argues that identity is a gift received from God at creation, contrasting it with the cultural trap of believing identity must be earned through achievements, promotions, or success.
• Spiritual Warfare and Confusion [00:55:09 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor explains that the enemy's primary tactic is to confuse a man's identity to cause him to sabotage himself, citing the Garden of Eden and Jesus' temptation as examples.
• Sonship vs. Orphanhood [00:58:52 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor distinguishes between living from a received identity as a child of God versus living in fear and slavery like an orphan, referencing Romans 8.
• Job and Failure [01:05:09 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor asserts that jobs are merely for paychecks and failures do not define identity, urging listeners to separate their self-worth from their employment status or mistakes.
• Identity vs. Orphan Mindset [01:10:47 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor contrasts the orphan's need to prove worth and earn acceptance with the son's security in belonging and being loved by God.
• Living from Acceptance [01:13:03 ▶️ 📄]
  > He argues that sons live 'from acceptance, not for acceptance,' meaning their actions flow from a secure identity rather than a desperate need to earn it.
• Confidence in Battle [01:17:12 ▶️ 📄]
  > Using David and Goliath, he illustrates that true confidence comes from knowing who you belong to, allowing one to fight 'from' identity rather than 'for' identity.
• Response to Failure [01:22:58 ▶️ 📄]
  > He explains that a son knows where to return when failing, citing the Prodigal Son to show that identity is restored before responsibility is addressed.
• Identity vs. Orphan Mindset [01:24:52 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor contrasts living with the security and confidence of a 'son' against the fear, insecurity, and striving of an 'orphan' mindset, noting that while failure affects fellowship, it does not change God's desire to restore.
• Enemy Labels vs. God's Identity [01:27:29 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor challenges the congregation to identify false labels (failure, addict, unworthy) imposed by the enemy and to stop striving to earn acceptance that Jesus has already purchased.
• Salvation as the Foundation [01:29:32 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor establishes that winning the battle of identity begins with salvation, addressing those who may not yet have an identity because they have never been saved.

• Sermon Illustration [00:38:06 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor shares a personal anecdote about negotiating with God regarding the focus of the sermon series, asking if women would feel neglected during a 'Men's Month,' only to realize the Holy Spirit's direction was firm.
• Sermon Illustration [00:43:49 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses an analogy of retail advertising (Belks, Amazon) to explain how the world sells the 'benefits' of identity (success, money, approval) rather than the product itself, causing men to spend money they don't have for things that don't quench their spiritual need.
• Sermon Illustration [00:51:31 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor references the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness, noting that Satan attacked Jesus' identity ('If you are the Son of God...') immediately after his baptism, proving that identity is the primary target of spiritual warfare.
• Sermon Illustration [01:01:09 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor shares a personal frustration about people leaving the church, noting that while it bothers him, it is a reality of life that highlights the fragility of identities based on relationships or titles.
• Sermon Illustration [01:05:27 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses a rhetorical example of a job loss to illustrate that a job is just a paycheck and not one's identity, joking that if they stop paying, he wouldn't work there anyway.
• Sermon Illustration [01:13:32 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor shares a personal childhood story about his mother, Janice Welch, who was physically strict (digging nails into arms) but never made him feel like he didn't belong, illustrating that he lived from acceptance rather than trying to earn his place as a child.
• Sermon Illustration [01:17:25 ▶️ 📄]
  > He uses the biblical story of David and Goliath to illustrate that David's confidence came from his identity as God's covenant people, not his own strength, allowing him to see the giant as an opportunity for God rather than an insurmountable obstacle.
• Sermon Illustration [01:23:42 ▶️ 📄]
  > He references the Parable of the Prodigal Son to demonstrate that even when a son fails and loses everything, his identity as a son remains, and the father restores him with a robe, ring, and sandals before addressing his failures.

• Pastoral Charge [00:06:20 ▶️ 📄]
  > Visitors are asked to fill out a connect card and drop it in the offering plate.
• Pastoral Charge [00:05:42 ▶️ 📄]
  > Congregation is asked to volunteer to visit Brother Jesse to provide respite for his caregiver.
• Pastoral Charge [00:35:46 ▶️ 📄]
  > Volunteers are asked to commit to specific time slots (2-4 or 4-6) for meal preparation and VBS setup.
• Pastoral Charge [00:54:21 ▶️ 📄]
  > Refuse to accept criticism or negative input from individuals who do not have a positive, constructive relationship with the listener.
• Pastoral Charge [00:56:58 ▶️ 📄]
  > Verbally repeat the affirmation that identity is received, not achieved.
• Pastoral Charge [01:08:12 ▶️ 📄]
  > Internally affirm to oneself that their identity is received from God.
• Pastoral Charge [01:22:42 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor asks a specific individual (Jimmy) and the congregation to come forward and bring notebooks to take notes.
• Pastoral Charge [01:23:43 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor instructs the congregation to stand up during the retelling of the Prodigal Son story.
• Pastoral Charge [01:28:09 ▶️ 📄]
  > Ask oneself if they are living under an identity not given by God or still battling for identity in a specific area.

[00:04:39] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]
[00:04:39] Quiet bunch of people this morning. So either somebody didn't have enough of coffee today or it ain't hot enough for you out there today. I don't know. But anyway, welcome. Welcome to church this morning. Let's give God a round of applause. A praise offering to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Amen.
[00:05:10] you know, as we go through the service. But most of you probably know, but if you don't know to the extent, Brother Jesse is not doing well. And that's why y'all haven't seen them here in months.
[00:05:24] But also, if you would like, if you would like to visit him, they really, really, really, Paul was over there this past week. And sometimes Dottie, because she's pretty much caregiving the whole time, can't even get away. So, I mean, someone that could sit with him and
[00:05:42] visit with him for an hour while she goes and runs some errands. But if you can do that, would like to visit Brother Jesse, I promise you, you will be blessed because even though he's not doing
[00:05:51] well, he is still just super, super Jesse James. And they live in Rock Hill. Just see me after church i can give you their address you can and phone number you can give her a call or whatever
[00:06:07] but uh just be a huge blessing to them if you could do that as well um but anyway let's um let me say if you're visiting with us today thank you for being here it's a pleasure glad you're
[00:06:20] here if you would do us a huge favor and there is a connect card that is in the pew in front of you if uh if you have not ever filled that out and you've been with us even if you've just been here
[00:06:31] once or twice, but if you would fill that out and drop it in the offering plate, we would really, really, really appreciate it to have a record of your visit. And so, well, y'all ready to worship?
[00:06:42] We come here to worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Amen. It's not about us, is it?
[00:06:48] It's all about him. So let's stand and go to the Lord in prayer. Lord, we thank you for this opportunity to be in your house today. Lord, we thank you, Lord, that you are in your house today.
[00:07:00] Lord, we don't want to come into this place and leave not being in the presence of an almighty God.
[00:07:07] Lord, we didn't come here day to day just because it's Sunday.
[00:07:10] Lord, we come here to be blessed by you.
[00:07:12] God, we come here to experience you.
[00:07:15] And so God, today as we leave this place and while we're here, Lord, we just pray your spirit fall upon us.
[00:07:21] Lord, I pray, God, that you speak to the hearts and minds of those that are here.
[00:07:24] Lord, I pray, Lord, that you bring freedom to those that may be in bondage for different reasons or different situations, maybe different struggles that they've been having in their lives.
[00:07:35] Lord, that they leave this place today lighter than when they came in.
[00:07:40] And so, Lord, we love you, we thank you, and we just give this service to you.
[00:07:44] It is all yours.
[00:07:46] In the name of Jesus, we pray, amen.
[00:07:48] If you'll just read with us the call to worship, praise the Lord.
[00:07:52] Praise, O servants of the Lord.
[00:07:55] Praise the name of the Lord.
[00:07:57] Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore.
[00:08:03] From the rising of the sun to its going down, the Lord's name is to be praised.
[00:08:09] Give the Lord a praise offering this morning.

[00:08:11] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:08:11] He put them in their trouble.

[00:12:54] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:12:54] He saved them from their distress.
[00:12:57] He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains.
[00:13:03] Amen.

[00:13:03] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:13:03] brought you out of the deepest darkness and broke your chains let us give thanks to him for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind amen you give him some praise come on all right we

[00:21:14] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:21:14] got a few announcements um if uh in our newsletter if you don't have our newsletter um on the back wall you can grab one they're on the back wall there's a it's the whole month of june on here
[00:21:28] but i'm gonna highlight some stuff going on uh this week and uh towards the end of the month also um so today at uh two o'clock uh between two and six we have plentiful harvest and we serve and we
[00:21:44] generally do about 150 meals um if you can't serve from two to six you can do two to four or four to six whatever uh fits your schedule best um if you need any more information on that
[00:21:57] uh miss kim raise your hand uh see miss kim over there miss kim winstein um secondly we have vbs coming up um come on we're gonna reach the kids you know that's our next gen so we want to reach them um today we uh have decorations at two o'clock starting
[00:22:21] and miss terry uh will be heading that up so if you want to help decorate or serve um if you have not signed your kit up also we need to register those today also um so see miss terry raise your
[00:22:36] hand again thank you miss terry um uh thirdly we've got a um the father's day uh barbecue coming up so today after service they will be taking uh donations for the barbecue today after service and
[00:22:53] next week after service and this is the father day special and this grabs your tickets for you and it's on June 20th between 11 and 1.30 so we encourage you to get some barbecue if you don't eat barbecue buy some for
[00:23:10] somebody else and give it away come on now so lastly we have for the men on your bulletin on the bottom it's called battle ready it's a men's breakfast and I encourage every man to come
[00:23:29] I encourage every man to bring somebody There's no age specific We're going to do breakfast We're going to worship together We're going to pray together So I encourage that That's at 8 o'clock on the 27th of June
[00:23:48] Which is a Saturday So what we need to do What we encourage you to do Is invite obviously But we need you to sign up So we know how much to cook So if you are bringing somebody
[00:24:00] that is not in here today and it might be a neighbor or somebody we need you to sign up or contact somebody so we know how much to cook amen all right if the ushers would come down we're
[00:24:12] going to take up offering if you would uh prepare your hearts for offering um we give because it's all his anyway amen um and we give because it advances his kingdom and it's not for us it's for
[00:24:31] am, right? And I got a story. So it's about giving. A couple years ago, Michelle and I, my wife, we need new tires on the car. And it was December. And so, you know, December,
[00:24:49] you start looking at your finance a little different because Christmas is coming, right?
[00:24:52] And I was like, well, let's wait to January until we get some tires because we don't want to drop that that little chunk of money right and I go and check the mail and when I check the mail I'm
[00:25:04] like what is this it looked like a check you know how you get fake checks in the mail sometimes you know you're like oh cool check it was and so I opened it it was $713 check from something I had
[00:25:15] overpaid I only needed $400 for the tires so he gave me and her above and beyond what we needed because he always provides so you know just and and today as we as we go to give um i encourage
[00:25:32] you to ask god what he wants you to give seek him in your giving um just ask him what he wants to give if it's above and beyond whatever it may be you know but so let's go to the lord in prayer
[00:25:45] our gracious heavenly father we thank you for today we thank you for this time as we gather in your holy name. Lord, as we prepare our hearts to give, because we don't give because you need
[00:25:56] it. We give to advance the kingdom because we know you are our God of overflow. Lord, we just give this all to you because it's yours. Lord, we just love you and we thank you for all
[00:26:13] these things. We give you all the honor, all the glory, and all the praise in the mighty name of

[00:26:18] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:26:18] Jesus. Amen. For even the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many. He brought them out of the darkness and the shadow of death and broke their
[00:28:03] chains in pieces. Oh, that man would give thanks to the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful

[00:28:10] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:28:10] works to the children of men. Amen. God's ever set you free from something that means something

[00:32:51] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]
[00:32:51] to you. Amen. Because what the devil means to bind, God said, he who the son sets free is free indeed. And you know, what I have learned is that we don't serve a God that partially sets people
[00:33:09] free, right? We serve a God who gives us the freedom we need. We just got to walk in that freedom. We got to understand it and walk in it because it is there. So before we jump in,
[00:33:24] And I just want to reiterate a couple of things that Jason said because they are extremely important for you.
[00:33:31] Because I always tell you this, is to grab your newsletter, put some stuff on your calendar, get involved in something other than just Sunday morning.
[00:33:42] I want you here every Sunday.
[00:33:43] I want you to bring 10 people with you, all of that.
[00:33:46] But, or at least invite a person each week.
[00:33:49] You know I have control whether they come, right?
[00:33:52] But I would want you to invite somebody.
[00:33:54] But in a sense, when you do things outside of just Sunday morning, you get to be a part of the fellowship better.
[00:34:01] And the church is a fellowship.
[00:34:03] It just is what it is.
[00:34:05] When we look at the Church of Acts, it wasn't just a Sunday morning event.
[00:34:11] It was a fellowship, right?
[00:34:12] And what happens is when we fellowship like that, we walk life together.
[00:34:16] And that's what it's meant to be, right?
[00:34:18] We're just a big old family that walks life together and encourages one another throughout life.
[00:34:24] And that's really what it should be.
[00:34:25] So do that.
[00:34:27] But really today we are kind of, well not kind of, we are essentially needing to step up and to step in because we don't typically do this, but it did work out this way because we're kind of on a schedule for a plentiful harvest.
[00:34:44] And so we are going to be going in two different directions today.
[00:34:47] So we need people over there serving, right, and cooking and preparing meals for the probably 150 people that we will feed.
[00:34:56] And most of them will be people who, not like you, could just go get food.
[00:35:01] Most of them are, the majority of them are people who are homeless and would not have food.
[00:35:06] But we'll do that once a quarter, and it happens to be today.
[00:35:08] And also our VBS set up decoration and all that is today, so we'll kind of be in two different places.
[00:35:14] So if you're not a part of the VBS team, if you can go over, I'll tell you, they mostly need help over there from the 2 to 4.
[00:35:24] That's when you're cooking, preparing, boxing.
[00:35:27] They don't eat there.
[00:35:28] They take it to go.
[00:35:30] But all the cooking, preparing, boxing, you know, and then cleaning up after ourselves.
[00:35:37] So if you were to say, I couldn't commit to the whole 2 to 6, which is totally understandable, and you could say, well, I could do 2 to 4 or I could do 4 to 6,
[00:35:46] but the two to four is probably where they'll need you the most so and and some of you are like well i'm new i don't know where that is it's not here so we do this at the covenant presbyterian so it's
[00:35:57] right if you just kind of go right down to the red light here uh where mcdonald's is right across the street you'll see covenant presbyterian and you just go in there that's where we do we ever
[00:36:08] they do that there every single week if you didn't know about that and different churches or Civitan groups or whatever lead one we do it once a quarter over there so um so that's where we'll
[00:36:19] be is right down there at the Covenant Presbyterian um and then um of course our missions thank thank y'all so much for responding last week to missions um what a what a praise report we are missions is
[00:36:33] important for the church um and so it gives us an opportunity to reach past where we can't reach in our own community. So thank you for that. We do have some mission partners that we support
[00:36:44] monthly, and that comes from you. It really does. Your generosity to say, hey, I'm going to give over and above so that we can spread the gospel outside of our territory. And so our mission team
[00:36:56] does a good job of keeping up with all that. So thank you for that. But they will be doing a fundraiser on Father's Day. It's really kind of hard to call it a fundraiser when you're just
[00:37:06] buying food right but you'll have some good really good barbecue that will be smoked probably way better and you're going to get at any restaurant for way cheaper than you're going to get any restaurant and then you don't have to go wait in any lines on father's day this is just
[00:37:23] a win-win for everybody and all the proceeds goes to our mission partners amen so we're going to jump right in so this month so father's day is in june right but i wanted to do something really
[00:37:36] different this year. I felt like the Holy Spirit had really laid on my heart to really do like a men's month. Now, before I get too far into this, women, this does not mean you get the month off. This does not mean you sleep all month in church because you will get
[00:37:56] something out of this. Because I was like, so I really said that. I don't know about y'all, but I try to negotiate with God sometimes, right?
[00:38:06] It never works out, but I'm just being honest.
[00:38:08] I'm like, God, now, this is what I felt like the Lord had laid on my heart to do.
[00:38:13] And I'm like, but what about the women?
[00:38:14] They're going to feel neglected for a whole month.
[00:38:19] But anyway, I'll tell you, the way the Lord gave me these, anybody's going to get something from it, but I really want to engage our men.
[00:38:27] That's why we have the battle-ready men's breakfast this month as well.
[00:38:33] Because there are five, you can't probably see that up here, but five battles that the Lord gave me that shaped godly men.
[00:38:44] Regardless of your age, regardless how long that you have been a believer, and I'm certain women probably battle with some of these too, if not all of these.
[00:38:54] I can't speak for a woman because I'm not a woman.
[00:38:57] Praise the Lord. Amen. So I'm certain you'll probably get something from this, but what I do believe is that these five battles as a man, if you can win these five battles, you are going to
[00:39:17] be amazed at what God does in your life. You're going to be amazed at how your life transforms if you can just win these five battles in your life.
[00:39:29] And no doubt, you're either fighting them now, you have fought them.
[00:39:33] Some of you may have overcome some of these battles, but not all of them.
[00:39:36] So if you are a man, don't miss June.
[00:39:41] And if for some odd reason you do, please go back and watch it.
[00:39:44] Don't just like, oh, I wasn't at church, because these are very, very specific things the Lord has given me for you as a man.
[00:39:52] Because I do believe that when men fight the battle that God has called them to fight, when men grow, let me tell you, everything is better.
[00:40:07] The church benefits from it.
[00:40:08] The family benefits from it.
[00:40:11] The community benefits from it.
[00:40:14] That is why the enemy attacks men so hard.
[00:40:18] I'm not saying he don't attack on women too.
[00:40:19] But I'm saying he attacks men so hard because he knows when men are fighting the right battle for the right reason and they're winning these five battles, it really creates some problem for the devil.
[00:40:36] And he doesn't like it.
[00:40:38] So really, the whole idea behind the series is this.
[00:40:41] Every man is in a battle.
[00:40:43] Bottom line.
[00:40:44] You're in it whether you recognize it or not.
[00:40:47] The devil doesn't just leave you alone if you're not in church.
[00:40:53] He doesn't just leave you alone if you're not in your word.
[00:40:56] He doesn't just leave you alone because of any other reason.
[00:41:00] Bottom line is, if you're a man, you're in a battle, right?
[00:41:03] But the question really isn't whether I'm in a battle.
[00:41:07] The question is, and it isn't if you will fight.
[00:41:11] The question really is, what will you fight for?
[00:41:14] And so today I want us to pick this up.
[00:41:17] Our first battle is where it all starts.
[00:41:22] And it all started from the very beginning of time upon this earth, but it is the battle for identity.
[00:41:30] As a man, you've got to know who you are.
[00:41:35] I'm not saying you've got to know what you want to be, who you think you are, who the world says you are, who somebody else says you are you got to know who god says you are you got to know as a man who you
[00:41:52] are and let me just kind of throw this one liner at you is this if the enemy can confuse a man's identity then he can control a man's direction think of that for one moment how powerful that
[00:42:10] statement is if the enemy can confuse your identity as a man then he can literally and i'm sure it's with a woman too i'm gonna throw that out because i'm not saying as well it's probably
[00:42:21] the same but as a man if god if the enemy can confuse your identity then he can literally control your direction and that's why we got to win the battle of identity before we can continue
[00:42:36] to move on so let me just kind of put it in this perspective we live in this world right And this world that we live in has this huge identity crisis.
[00:42:44] It just does.
[00:42:46] It probably always has.
[00:42:48] As I look back, and I think 20, 30 years ago, yes, things have changed.
[00:42:52] But at the end of the day, men are searching for identity in all the different places, right?
[00:42:58] It could be in careers.
[00:43:00] It could be in success because these are the world where the world says that you'll find your identity, right?
[00:43:05] It could be in money.
[00:43:06] It could be in politics.
[00:43:07] It could be in certain achievements or certain relationships.
[00:43:11] It could be in hobbies.
[00:43:13] It could be in approval on social media or whatever.
[00:43:15] I mean, there's endless amount of ways that men search for identity.
[00:43:22] Because, and we do that, listen, we do it because the culture tells us to do that.
[00:43:29] Let me just throw that out.
[00:43:33] You do that because the culture tells you to do it, even if you don't realize the culture is telling you to do it.
[00:43:39] It is literally in everything you watch, listen to, you just don't even realize it.
[00:43:45] And you know how the devil sells you that bill of goods?
[00:43:49] The same way that Belks or any other store sells you anything.
[00:43:58] The same way that Amazon sells you what you buy on Amazon.
[00:44:04] Simply this, they're not selling you a product.
[00:44:10] They're selling you the benefits of the product.
[00:44:14] So if all the advertisers can make you believe that you need that thing and it's going to benefit you in some kind of way, you're willing to spend the money on it.
[00:44:26] Even if you don't have the money to spend on it.
[00:44:30] But if it's going to benefit me, I don't know about y'all, and you know I tell on myself an awful lot.
[00:44:36] I don't know about y'all, but if I can feel that I benefit from something, I can just talk myself right into it.
[00:44:47] I get so easy because I can feel I benefit from it.
[00:44:52] And so that's what the world does.
[00:44:54] The culture tells a man the benefits of searching for their identity in all the wrong places.
[00:45:02] The problem with that is we seem to never find the benefits of that.
[00:45:06] It never seems to quench what we need as a man.
[00:45:12] Because the culture will tell you this.
[00:45:14] You are what you earn.
[00:45:16] Or you are what you accomplish.
[00:45:20] Or they will say you are what others think about you.
[00:45:24] Now some of you men are like, I don't care what other people think.
[00:45:26] But that's not every man.
[00:45:30] And the culture will tell you that you are defined by your failures.
[00:45:35] Which is 100% not true.
[00:45:37] because God tells us something totally different than all of that.
[00:45:42] And can we just say praise the Lord that God doesn't see you the way the world sees you?
[00:45:49] Because God sees us totally different and God says totally different than the world.
[00:45:56] Now, here's where if you're a man, I see a bunch of fan there.
[00:45:59] Y'all hot?
[00:46:01] Wow.
[00:46:03] Is there anybody freezing right now?
[00:46:05] I'm not even going to look up.
[00:46:06] I will bump the cool one degree because y'all are fanning.
[00:46:16] Yeah, I see that.
[00:46:19] The women's fanning, the men probably won't be cold, so it's a win-win.
[00:46:22] Let's move on.
[00:46:25] But men, listen to this.
[00:46:27] Today, I intend to give you everything you need to win the battle of identity.
[00:46:32] You're not going to walk out of here and expect that the devil's not going to attack you.
[00:46:37] But I'm going to give you three things today.
[00:46:40] that you can absolutely win the battle of identity.
[00:46:45] You can absolutely remind the devil when he comes to attack you.
[00:46:49] Because, let me say this, the first battle every man faces, it's not the battle for success.
[00:46:56] Understand this, it's not.
[00:46:58] I know you want to be successful, but that is not your first battle.
[00:47:02] And I'm even going to say this, your first battle as a man is not even temptation.
[00:47:07] It's not even the battle of temptation.
[00:47:09] It's not.
[00:47:10] Do you know the very first battle as a man that you face is your battle for identity?
[00:47:16] Because if you can understand your identity, then you have a whole lot of power for all the other things.
[00:47:25] Let's read here in Genesis chapter 1.
[00:47:28] Y'all heard this a million times, but let's look at it together.
[00:47:31] Then God said, let us make man in our own image.
[00:47:34] According to our likeness, they will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.
[00:47:42] So God created man in His own image.
[00:47:45] He created him in the image of God.
[00:47:48] He created them male and female.
[00:47:53] Here's a good one-liner.
[00:47:55] If Satan can make a man forget who he is, then he'll never become what God created him to be.
[00:48:06] And it's right here, in the very beginning.
[00:48:10] There's a such thing in the Bible called the law of first mention.
[00:48:15] And so it really states that when God mentions something first in the Bible, that rule stays the same all throughout.
[00:48:25] And so what you're never going to find all throughout the Scripture, all the way to the end, is that somehow God didn't create you for purpose and in His image.
[00:48:38] Because He has.
[00:48:40] It's just something we don't even have to deny.
[00:48:43] We don't even have to think of it because really what happens is the devil just wants us to forget who we are.
[00:48:50] Because if we can forget who God says we are, then we could never be what God created us to be.
[00:48:58] And so this brings me to our encounter point for today.
[00:49:01] You got your fill in the blanks, but here's our encounter point.
[00:49:05] A man who doesn't know who he is will spend his life becoming what everyone else wants him to be.
[00:49:10] let me let that soak in for a minute and most of the time we're like no I'm not going to be what everybody else wants me to be but you are if you don't know who you are
[00:49:22] because if you don't know who you are then whether it's the world or whether it's your boss or whether it's your wife or whether it's your whoever you're always trying to please someone else because you're not operating in who God said that you were.
[00:49:46] And so here's my first point.
[00:49:49] The enemy always, and I'm using the word always, and y'all know I barely use absolutes, but I believe this.
[00:49:57] The enemy always attacks identity first.
[00:50:01] Genesis 3, 1 through 5.
[00:50:03] Let's read that.
[00:50:03] Watch this.
[00:50:05] Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals.
[00:50:07] Y'all know this, right?
[00:50:08] That the Lord God had made.
[00:50:10] He said to the woman, did God really say you can't eat from the tree in the garden?
[00:50:14] And what did the woman say to the serpent?
[00:50:18] She said, we may eat from the fruit of the trees in the garden, but about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, you must not eat it or touch it or you will die.
[00:50:29] No, he says, you will certainly not die.
[00:50:33] The serpent said to the woman, in fact, God knows that when you eat it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like god knowing good and evil and so when you look at this
[00:50:44] passage here's what you didn't had a strategy right the serpent had a strategy and he and he doesn't be in this passage he does not begin by attacking eeg's behavior does he he doesn't attack
[00:51:01] her behavior at all as a matter of fact he attacks her very understanding of god and her place before God, right? And so every temptation begins with identity confusion. And you see this same pattern. This is how predictable the enemy is if we're not watching it. The
[00:51:23] very same thing happened in Matthew chapter 4 with this list of things. If you're a son of God, do this. If you're a son of God, do that, right? But you know what's really interesting
[00:51:31] to me about that passage? Well, two very interesting things about that passage. Number one was the audacity of the devil right to try to confuse the word to the word but but you got to understand
[00:51:51] if he has that kind of audacity to try to confuse the word to the word because the jesus is the word right if he would do that to jesus what will he do to you and so if he literally thought that he
[00:52:13] could confuse jesus and his very identity of who he is then what would he do to us he's not going to give up he's going to try his very best because absolutely satan knew jesus was the son of god
[00:52:29] i mean absolutely 100 he knew it he wasn't trying to see jesus if you are the son of god prove it to me that wasn't what he was doing right he knew jesus was because literally right before that in
[00:52:45] matthew chapter 3 what did god say this is my beloved son you don't think satan missed that opportunity on earth to be a part of that do you heck no he knew it and so his first attack
[00:53:01] even against jesus was in his own identity literally he's saying if you are if you are the son of god in other words he's saying to jesus himself prove yourself validate yourself earn what god has already created what will he do to us same thing prove yourself validate
[00:53:25] yourself like we somehow have to earn our identity in christ because what he realizes is that many men spend their lives trying to prove what God has already settled back in Genesis chapter 1.
[00:53:43] Trying to prove our value, trying to prove that we're enough, trying to prove respect, trying to prove significance.
[00:53:49] Everything that God had already Himself settled in Genesis chapter 1.
[00:53:57] But it's because sometimes as a man, we may forget who God says we are.
[00:54:04] We got to remember who God says we are, not who the world says we are, not what certain culture says we are, not what somebody that don't like you says you are. I've said this before and I'll
[00:54:21] say it again. Do not, I'll give this to anybody, do not take criticism from someone that you would not let them speak into your life. You know what I'm saying? Don't do that. If you wouldn't even
[00:54:42] receive something on the good end from them, definitely don't receive something on the bad end from them. And so the thing is that the enemy doesn't have to destroy the man. He just really has to confuse the man what he did in the garden of eden let's just sum that up right he didn't
[00:55:09] have to destroy them at all he couldn't destroy them because god created them all he had to do was confuse them and when he confused them guess what happened they sabotaged themselves so in your life all he has to do is confuse your identity all he has to do is confuse you as a
[00:55:33] man, in this area or this area or this area and sit back and watch you sabotage your own self.
[00:55:41] And he is so good at doing that.
[00:55:43] That is what he is.
[00:55:45] So let me say this one more time.
[00:55:48] The enemy always attacks identity first.
[00:55:51] That's why we got to win this battle first.
[00:55:54] Because when we win this battle, then we can move on to the other four battles.
[00:55:59] But if we can't win this battle, If we keep going around wondering who we are and who we are in Christ and what God has done in our lives and who He says we are and who we belong to,
[00:56:15] then we'll walk in a state of confusion.
[00:56:19] Maybe not today and every day and every moment of every day, but I promise you the devil is going to do his very best at times in your life when he sees the most opportunity to try to attack your identity.
[00:56:33] Think about this.
[00:56:35] When he did that to Jesus, when was it?
[00:56:37] When Jesus was at his weakest because he'd come off of his fast.
[00:56:41] He saw an opportunity.
[00:56:44] That didn't work for him.
[00:56:45] And that's where we want to be.
[00:56:47] Where it doesn't work for him, that doesn't mean that he's not going to try.
[00:56:50] And he's going to try to find it at your weakest moment.
[00:56:53] Second thing today is this.
[00:56:56] If you don't get nothing else, I want you to get this one point right here.
[00:56:58] your identity is received it's not achieved matter of fact i want you to say that my identity is received not achieved one more time my identity is received and not achieved we're gonna do that one more time my identity is received it's not achieved right going that's
[00:57:25] what it's literally said in genesis chapter one we don't have to go back and read that But you know, in Genesis chapter 1, Adam's identity was received.
[00:57:37] He didn't have to achieve it because the Bible tells us in that passage that before Adam did anything, he was already something to God.
[00:57:48] Right?
[00:57:49] I mean, if you notice the order in the passage, God created him first.
[00:57:55] Right?
[00:57:55] Creation, God created Adam, then God assigned Adam.
[00:58:00] So identity came before responsibility.
[00:58:06] God did not give Adam responsibility and say, earn your right to be my child.
[00:58:15] No.
[00:58:18] Before Adam ever did one thing, in God's eyes, he was already something.
[00:58:25] Because God created him in the image of them, right?
[00:58:29] The father, son, the whole, you get it, the them, you know it, right?
[00:58:33] Adam was created.
[00:58:36] And so, in that passage, being came before the doing.
[00:58:42] And so, I think sometimes us as men, if we're not careful, we can reverse that order.
[00:58:52] We can forget that our identity is received and not achieved.
[00:58:58] And we can start thinking that we have to achieve something for a certain identity.
[00:59:06] Right?
[00:59:07] And then all of a sudden we can start thinking, I'll be somebody when.
[00:59:12] Here's the danger.
[00:59:13] I'll be somebody when.
[00:59:16] And you can put the when in.
[00:59:17] When I get that promotion.
[00:59:19] When I buy that house.
[00:59:21] When I get married.
[00:59:22] When I have enough of money.
[00:59:24] When I achieve success.
[00:59:26] When I build my business.
[00:59:28] When I do this.
[00:59:28] I'll be somebody when.
[00:59:31] But that is not at all the way God did it.
[00:59:34] God didn't say, Adam, you'll be somebody when you achieve this.
[00:59:39] He said, no, you are somebody because I created you like me.
[00:59:43] You're in my image.
[00:59:47] And so it was received.
[00:59:49] But here's the problem.
[00:59:51] If identity, if our identity has to come from achievement, then I'm going to tell you your identity will always be fragile.
[01:00:01] If your identity has to come from something that you do, And this is the confusion of the enemy to the man.
[01:00:09] Because then we'll be battling all the wrong things for all the wrong reasons.
[01:00:14] We're fighting a ghost war at that point.
[01:00:17] Because we're just trying to feel something.
[01:00:19] Because if identity has to come from achievement, what I do, then your identity is going to 100% always be fragile.
[01:00:29] Because here's why.
[01:00:30] Achievements disappear at times.
[01:00:33] You look back at your life Things you may have accomplished at some point in your life And you may not even be doing those things anymore Right?
[01:00:43] Because the truth is Jobs end They don't always last Sometimes a company closes down Could be nothing you did But if your identity is found in that job What are you going to do if the job ends?
[01:01:02] Bodies age Businesses fail people leave sometimes.
[01:01:09] I hate it as a pastor when people leave the church.
[01:01:12] It bothers me.
[01:01:13] I can get all up in my feelings sometimes.
[01:01:15] I hate it.
[01:01:21] I like it when they come.
[01:01:24] Not when they leave.
[01:01:26] But the truth of the matter is sometimes people leave.
[01:01:32] Sometimes titles change.
[01:01:34] Sometimes life just don't stay the same.
[01:01:39] And if we somehow feel like we've had to achieve our identity, and it's going to get really, really difficult because that identity is going to always remain fragile.
[01:01:51] It's going to always be the thing because God declares three things and I'm going to give you these three so you can fill them in.
[01:01:59] Number one, three truths about your identity that God declared.
[01:02:02] Number one, you were created by God.
[01:02:05] God declared it.
[01:02:06] Like this is why you say, this is why you can say no matter when you get in awe in your emotions or when you feel a certain way, you can say you know what i'm created by god and that is a declaration that god said and so
[01:02:22] therefore you can take it to the bank nothing ever changes the devil don't have to like it but the devil can't change that you were created by god right this is bottom line i am not an
[01:02:35] accident i am not random and i am not a mistake do you know what the psalmist said in 139 14 he said i will praise you because i have been remarkably and wonderfully made made by god
[01:02:51] you were created by god to even better i'm created in god's image you're going to need to remind if you're going to win this battle of identity you're going to have to remind the devil of that
[01:03:04] i'm created by god and not only that i'm created in his image as what genesis 127 tells us but you know what that does for you as a man? It gives you dignity and value. It's not just I'm randomly
[01:03:23] created. No, I'm created with value. I'm created with dignity because I'm created in God's image.
[01:03:32] It means that your worth has zero determination about your culture. Cultures change. Come on, y'all know that. Lord have mercy, does cultures change. I can't even keep up with the change of cultures i just figured out what cancel culture was and now they say it's over i mean every time
[01:04:00] you turn around the culture is changing i can't even figure out what culture is what but i don't have to really worry that much about it because when it comes to my identity it has zero to do
[01:04:13] with the culture it's not determined at all by that because my worth is determined by my creator because God says I was created in His image.
[01:04:28] And then the third truth about that that you might have to remind the devil is that you were created for God's purpose.
[01:04:35] What does Ephesians 2.10 tells us?
[01:04:37] For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works.
[01:04:41] You weren't created merely to survive.
[01:04:44] God didn't put you here and say, figure it out, survive.
[01:04:49] No, we don't have to survive because we were created to represent God on earth.
[01:04:56] And if I'm going to represent Him, then He has given me what I need to represent Him.
[01:05:01] Right?
[01:05:02] And so, let's receive something this morning.
[01:05:06] Here's what I want you to receive this morning.
[01:05:08] This is this.
[01:05:09] Your job is not your identity.
[01:05:11] It's your paycheck.
[01:05:13] It's important for a paycheck.
[01:05:15] That's it.
[01:05:16] It ain't your identity.
[01:05:18] If they came in tomorrow and said, you don't fit here anymore.
[01:05:27] You might just say, I don't think I ever fit here to begin with.
[01:05:32] But if you're saying that I don't work here no more, I'll receive that.
[01:05:37] Because, of course, you know, if you quit paying me, I'm not going to work.
[01:05:42] You might have to say that, but truth of the matter is, your job is not your identity.
[01:05:47] It's your paycheck.
[01:05:48] And matter of fact, it's your place on this earth to be the representative of God on this earth.
[01:05:57] God's put you there to represent him God's put you there to be on mission God's put you there to do something for him that might just transform the life of somebody else it just so happens you getting
[01:06:11] paid to do that have people tell me well I'm not in ministry like you are yes you are you're just in a different place of ministry you might not work in ministry in the church
[01:06:21] but you might work at ministry at wherever you work that's where your ministry is and so you're on mission everywhere you go that's what we are we are his and so we're on mission right so your job is not your identity it's just your paycheck and please understand
[01:06:40] your failures have nothing to do with your identity most of the time well i'll i hate to use absolutes because i really really don't like to use absolutes but there are some things you just can't not use absolutes and i truly believe this is that every failure is a prayer failure
[01:07:00] meaning this if i did something without praying and i did it on my own it might fail but if i'm praying and i'm seeking and i'm receiving and i'm hearing god's not going to tell me to do something
[01:07:15] that's going to fail god can't fail god cannot fail it's not that just god won't fail god can't fail. You say, well, God might lead me to do something that I don't like. Well, that don't
[01:07:31] mean it's a failure because God told you to do it. It ain't failure. It might seem like a failure to you, but it can't be a failure if God told you to do it. But your failures have nothing to do with
[01:07:44] your identity. We've all failed. We've all messed up. We've all done not headed things. If you're a man, you have, is there any other man other than me that's done something dumb in here before?
[01:07:57] If you didn't, I was going to say, if you don't raise your hand, you are lying in the house of God. You are lying right in the house of God. Of course you've done something dumb before.
[01:08:12] Exactly. Right. Because your identity has nothing to do with that. It has everything to do, understand this, this is something you're going to have to say to yourself, my identity is received.
[01:08:26] You can't work yourself into being a child of God. Your identity is received from Him.
[01:08:39] Point three is this.
[01:08:43] Sons, when I know who I am, sons live differently than orphans.
[01:08:49] Understand that.
[01:08:51] And I'm going to tell you what I mean by that.
[01:08:52] Romans 8, 15 through 17 says this.
[01:08:56] For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear.
[01:09:00] Instead, you received the spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, Abba, Father.
[01:09:05] The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are...
[01:09:12] Thank you.
[01:09:13] We are what?
[01:09:15] We are God's children.
[01:09:19] That means something.
[01:09:20] That's not something God just put into the Word of God just to put it in there.
[01:09:27] There's a whole real theological application and understanding to being adopted into the family of God.
[01:09:38] To being adopted by Him.
[01:09:41] And so, we are God's children.
[01:09:43] And if children, we're also heirs.
[01:09:46] watch the progression here so we're god's children and if we're children we're heirs heirs of god and co-heirs with christ if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him is that last one thank you we're good okay so sons live differently than orphans
[01:10:12] literally if you were to sum up that verse and this was one of our built to last men's discipleship thing if you were to sum up that verse we're sons not slaves god has brought us
[01:10:33] out of slavery into his family into an heir of him and so the huge difference between knowing your identity.
[01:10:47] Let me say this.
[01:10:48] There is a huge difference between knowing your identity and living from your identity.
[01:10:55] Right?
[01:10:58] There's a big difference from knowing your identity and living from your identity.
[01:11:04] Because in that verse, he said you weren't called to go back.
[01:11:12] Put that verse back up there again.
[01:11:15] It's important we get this.
[01:11:16] For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, right?
[01:11:23] He didn't free you to go back.
[01:11:28] He freed you to go forward.
[01:11:32] And so there's a huge difference in knowing.
[01:11:36] And what I mean by that is, look, many people can quote Bible verses or know theology or know that God loves them or whatever else, right?
[01:11:50] I mean, many people can know that.
[01:11:52] but you can know all of that and still live like a spiritual orphan because there's a mindset to being an orphan and here's the mindset the mindset of being an orphan is i have to prove myself
[01:12:09] i have to earn acceptance i don't belong or i don't know where i belong or i am what i accomplish or I have to perform to have value.
[01:12:24] This is the mindset of an orphan.
[01:12:27] But the mindset of a son, and that's why I love this passage, is because it gives us the contrast between the two.
[01:12:36] But the mindset of a son says this, I belong, I am accepted, and I am loved, and I am secure in my father's house.
[01:12:47] Right?
[01:12:50] I'm secure there Because the greatest battle isn't getting God to love you.
[01:12:57] That's not the greatest battle.
[01:12:58] I think the greatest battle is believing that He already does.
[01:13:02] Right?
[01:13:03] Because sons live from acceptance, not for acceptance.
[01:13:10] There's your one good liner.
[01:13:12] Sons live from it.
[01:13:14] Right?
[01:13:15] An orphan is constantly striving.
[01:13:17] They're always chasing, always proving, never feeling like they belong, always feeling like where's my place where's my identity how do I know who I am that's the mindset of an orphan but sons don't wake up every single morning trying to earn a place in the family
[01:13:32] I can't remember ever waking up from the time I remember going in my house growing up as a kid going, how do I make myself a Welch? How do I make myself a child of Butch and Janice Welch?
[01:13:53] How do I make myself? I don't ever remember doing that. I just belonged. And I lived like I belonged because I never thought I didn't belong. Oh, I made them mad. And I got plenty of belt
[01:14:16] whoopings in my life and the janice welch claw i'm gonna tell you right now if janice had little kids today she would go to jail because she because she was only five foot two and once we
[01:14:36] got to be like teenagers and we were you know way way larger than her but she i always wondered why she kept nails but it was so she could dig them in your arm i mean she would wouldn't she i mean
[01:14:55] in church this woman in church and she would dig them in your arm till you bled oh she said no about the bleeding you don't remember she would go to jail today if she had little kids hey but
[01:15:22] but you know what i'll say this out of all the whoopings out of all the claws in your arms um all of that i never ever never heard them go you don't belong never and so i didn't never grow
[01:15:41] up not thinking i didn't belong but that's how we got to be with god i messed up i mean we we do mess up unfortunately we're not perfect but god's not ousting us because we messed up like we're
[01:15:55] still his sons. He still loves us. He doesn't orphan us just simply because we just messed up because sons live from acceptance. And that's how I walk in life. My mom used to say this thing to
[01:16:12] us that, you know, we just believed it. Welches were winners. We just believed it. Welches were winners. And then we started saying it to our kids. Welches were winners. So it's just kind of one of those things that you live from acceptance. That's where you know that you
[01:16:35] win the battle of identity. It's because whatever happens in your life, you're not walking around going, God, do I belong? God, am I still yours? God, do you still love me? No, you walk as a son
[01:16:51] in acceptance. And I'm going to jump on down to three because of time, but you got to know this.
[01:16:59] Wait a minute, I think I'm in three.
[01:17:03] Man, my notes, I'm just telling you.
[01:17:05] I like it when I don't really use my notes as much as I need to.
[01:17:09] So here's this.
[01:17:12] So a son, here's what a son does.
[01:17:13] A son has confidence in battle, right?
[01:17:16] This is why you've got to battle these five battles.
[01:17:18] Because you have confidence in them.
[01:17:20] Remember David and Goliath, 1 Samuel chapter 17, you remember that?
[01:17:25] Man, if this does not speak to a man's identity in God, I don't know what does.
[01:17:30] because when David went to see what was going on, here's what David saw what everybody else didn't see.
[01:17:43] Everybody else saw a giant and David saw a covenant.
[01:17:49] Everybody else saw this huge obstacle for the nation of Israel and David saw an opportunity for God to move.
[01:17:59] David's confidence had nothing to do with his sling.
[01:18:02] That was just the tool he had for God to use.
[01:18:07] Some of y'all, come on now.
[01:18:09] I was so anointed it went right over your head.
[01:18:13] David didn't walk up with confidence in his sling, and he certainly didn't have confidence in the armor that they tried to give him.
[01:18:23] He was like, I can't fight in this.
[01:18:26] Get this stuff off of me.
[01:18:27] Because David knew who he was, and he knew who God was, and he knew what opportunity God had.
[01:18:36] had and so it had nothing to do with david's skill it had nothing to do with his strength please understand what i'm telling you it has nothing to do with your skill it has nothing to
[01:18:45] do with your strength it has everything to you saying god whatever i've got it's yours to use and god i'm not going to let the devil try to somehow confuse my identity and so david didn't
[01:19:02] David's confidence comes from literally knowing who he belonged to.
[01:19:07] And I can prove that because literally what he said was this very words.
[01:19:11] Who is this?
[01:19:12] Here's David staring this giant in the face.
[01:19:16] This young man who is staring this giant in the face that is literally taunting them.
[01:19:27] And all the other entire armies of Israel are hiding out.
[01:19:32] and literally David says who does he think he is that's paraphrasing who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he could defy the armies of God David's speaking from identity David is saying we are God's we are God's army
[01:19:55] we are not our own we belong to him and who in the world is this uncircumcised Philistine that literally thinks that he has the audacity to mock God.
[01:20:12] That's identity, right?
[01:20:16] And so David wasn't fighting Goliath for his identity, not to earn his place in the army.
[01:20:25] That wasn't David was fighting for.
[01:20:27] David was fighting from his identity.
[01:20:29] That's two totally different things.
[01:20:32] Because when a man fights from his identity, let me tell you what it changes you want to write these down when you fight from your identity it changes how you fight that's strategy brother when you are fighting from your identity
[01:20:48] it changes how you fight secondly it changes who you're fighting the army israel israeli army they thought they were fighting a giant they couldn't beat their perspective was all wrong but david comes in and says no no no i'm not fighting for identity i'm fighting from identity so let me tell
[01:21:11] you something i don't see the same person y'all see i don't see the same problem you see i don't see the same giant you see because it changes who you're fighting if you're fighting the wrong fight
[01:21:27] you're not going to win the battle so it changes how you fight it changes who you're fighting listen and it changes why you're fighting, right?
[01:21:40] That's purpose.
[01:21:43] And then last, it changes what you're fighting for.
[01:21:48] That's identity.
[01:21:50] So when you begin to look at this, you realize that there was something very powerful about the identity that David walked in because he didn't see the giant they saw.
[01:22:03] All he saw was a defeated foe that just hadn't failed yet.
[01:22:10] And so when those things hit our life, when we walk in identity, we don't have to battle for that.
[01:22:18] We walk in it.
[01:22:19] And we fight from our identity.
[01:22:22] And that's going to change how we fight.
[01:22:23] So instead of me battling something I shouldn't be battling in myself, I'm going to realize that all I've got to do is go down and get on my knees and pray, and God's going to take care of it.
[01:22:35] I don't have to worry about it because I serve that God.
[01:22:39] And then last is this.
[01:22:40] Jimmy, y'all can come on up.
[01:22:42] Sorry, Grace.
[01:22:44] Somebody has to take notes for Grace.
[01:22:48] When I call them up and I still got more to preach, she's like, I can't take notes.
[01:22:52] Just bring your notebook up here.
[01:22:54] Oh.
[01:22:55] So, let me say this.
[01:22:58] A son knows where to return when he fails.
[01:23:02] I want to end on this for a very good reason because you might be sitting in here and you might be going, Mike, you say that maybe I'm not defined by my failures.
[01:23:13] But you just don't know how many times I try to do what's right.
[01:23:18] How many times I'm giving my very best, but I keep failing.
[01:23:22] Or I'll do good for a while and I fail.
[01:23:25] Well, let me explain something to you.
[01:23:28] When you're a son, that's part of your identity.
[01:23:30] Meaning this.
[01:23:31] Meaning this part.
[01:23:32] A son, when he fails, he knows where to go.
[01:23:36] Right?
[01:23:38] Because, let me, remember the story of the prodigal son?
[01:23:42] Y'all go ahead and stand up.
[01:23:43] remember the story of the prodigal son notice what remember that story he lost his money he lost his dignity he lost his direction but do you know in all of that he never stopped being a
[01:23:58] son here he was going out on his own losing everything doing everything opposite of what he was supposed to do and he did he lost money he lost dignity he lost direction he lost everything
[01:24:13] but he never lost being a son because when he came home his father didn't say if you want to be my son prove yourself that ain't what his father said he didn't say if you're going to be my son
[01:24:28] you got to earn your place back in this family he didn't say that he didn't even say if you're going to be my son you got to pay me back all of my money you lost
[01:24:39] he didn't even say that instead the Bible says the father restored him Put a robe, a ring, and sandals on him.
[01:24:51] You know why?
[01:24:52] Because identity before responsibility.
[01:24:56] Relationship before restoration.
[01:24:59] You see, failure definitely will affect your fellowship with God.
[01:25:03] I'm not saying it won't.
[01:25:05] I'm not telling you it's okay to be disobedient to God.
[01:25:09] And it will affect your fellowship with God.
[01:25:11] But what it does not change is God's desire to restore his sons.
[01:25:17] you see the enemy wants every single person every single man living like orphans because he wants us fearful insecure he wants us defensive he wants us very easily manipulated by the enemy because he knows when we're walking as sons of god that we'll be walking in security regardless
[01:25:44] of circumstances we'll be walking in confidence we'll be walking courageously like david and we'll be walking stable and he doesn't like that because he knows when a man knows who christ is that man leads differently that man loves differently that man works differently and that man fights
[01:26:05] differently because identity will help determine your direction when you walk in identity you'll flow in that direction. So men, the question this morning isn't whether you're saved, but the question is, are you living like a son or living like an orphan? Because many of us
[01:26:30] in this room have accepted Christ. And truthfully, we know that, but we're still carrying this orphan mindset, still trying to prove ourselves, still trying to overcome and live on our own and do things that we can't do outside of Him, still trying to earn acceptance instead of
[01:26:53] walking, still trying to fight for something instead of from something. It's like we're just trying to prove, still trying to earn what Jesus has already purchased for us, still living beneath the identity that God has given to us. And so today, I think the Father is inviting us
[01:27:16] to stop striving and start living as sons because that's what we are if we're believers.
[01:27:25] You see, now I'm going to ask you another question.
[01:27:29] What name have you been carrying that God has never given you?
[01:27:36] What name have you been carrying that God's never given you?
[01:27:41] Could it be something like failure or addict, maybe angry, maybe weak, maybe rejected, maybe unworthy maybe not good enough because those are enemy labels those aren't god labels those are enemy labels and so today i want us to just ask this very question in our closing is
[01:28:09] am i living from some identity that god has not given me am i still in the battle for identity in an area of my life.
[01:28:29] What I've found is it's rarely, rarely in every area of our life.
[01:28:33] It's usually an area.
[01:28:35] And it usually maybe is an area from our past, something we've forgiven ourselves for, some failure or something from our past.
[01:28:45] And the devil knows that there's an area in that place that we will strive instead of walking from.
[01:28:54] And so we have to, we want to get rid of that.
[01:28:56] because the first battle, like I said, that you've got to win as a man is the battle of identity because when we do that, then every other battle becomes downstream. I didn't say it becomes easy,
[01:29:11] but it does become downstream because if you don't know who you are, you will continually chase the wrong things. You will continually think that those wrong things are going to do something for you. Even though many times you've realized they don't, but you will still chase it.
[01:29:32] You'll follow wrong voices and you'll fight wrong battles. But when you know who God says you are as a man, it'll change everything in your life. And winning the battle really starts, number one, with salvation. I mean, you may be in here today and you may be like,
[01:29:52] I don't have an identity because I've never been saved.
[01:29:58] Maybe if that's you, we're going to pray.
[01:30:01] Today is the day I'm going to give you a chance to leave this place knowing you're saved.
[01:30:05] Then we're going to fight this battle because God declared when you're His, you're His.
[01:30:14] Amen?
[01:30:15] So every head bowed and every eye closed, if you're in this place today and you do not know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you're saved, let's start there.
[01:30:25] Dear God, pray this prayer with me.
[01:30:27] Dear God, today, I want to give my life to you.
[01:30:31] I want to surrender every aspect of my life.
[01:30:34] God, I want to be a Christian today.
[01:30:37] Today, I want to leave knowing that I'm a child of God, that I'm saved.
[01:30:42] Lord, that my identity is in you and only you.
[01:30:47] God, I know I'll have things that I still battle, things that still need to be healed, things in my life, Lord, that I'll have to even learn to surrender to You.
[01:30:55] But today, I want to settle who I belong to.
[01:31:00] So God, today, I ask forgiveness for every sin I've ever committed.
[01:31:04] God, I ask forgiveness for every time I've ever failed You.
[01:31:09] God, I ask for forgiveness for every time I've ever doubted You.
[01:31:13] God, I ask for forgiveness for every time I've tried to live life on my own.
[01:31:18] And today, I want to settle it.
[01:31:21] And I want to know for sure that I belong to You.
[01:31:25] So God, step out of heaven.
[01:31:26] Step into my life.
[01:31:29] God, forgive me.
[01:31:30] Be Lord of my life.
[01:31:31] Lord, I'm giving it all to you.
[01:31:33] Even though I don't probably truly understand, but I'm giving it all to you.
[01:31:37] And I'm going to rely on your Holy Spirit to help me from this moment forward.
[01:31:42] So God, I give it all to you.
[01:31:44] Save me.
[01:31:45] Make me a child of God right here, right now, today.
[01:31:49] In Jesus' name.
[01:31:52] So today, Jimmy's going to lead us.
[01:31:55] I want you to come and pray.
[01:31:57] I'm going to be right here if you need special prayer.
[01:32:00] Or maybe today you want to just come and declare that today I've settled it.
[01:32:05] I belong to Him.
[01:32:07] And that's what really matters.
[01:32:09] We're going to take a moment, and Jimmy's going to play.
[01:32:12] And if you want to come up and pray, I want you to do that.
[01:32:14] Something maybe you need to leave right here.
[01:32:16] Maybe God today, the Holy Spirit revealed so clearly to you, your battle for identity in an area of your life.
[01:32:24] And you want special prayer, or you just want to come and leave it.
[01:32:27] But just do and respond as the Lord leads you to respond.

[01:32:30] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]
[01:32:30] If you're praying, you can keep praying.

[01:35:56] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]
[01:35:56] But we're going to go ahead and close down.
[01:35:59] And so, men, let me encourage you.
[01:36:03] Walk differently this week, alright?
[01:36:06] Because what I want you to start asking yourself.
[01:36:11] Asking questions is really good.
[01:36:13] Let me encourage you.
[01:36:14] Ask them when you read the Bible.
[01:36:15] Ask questions.
[01:36:16] When you look at yourself in the mirror, ask questions.
[01:36:20] Like, why is this ball right here?
[01:36:23] Anyway, ask questions.
[01:36:24] But let me tell you, I want you to ask yourself this question every single day this week and multiple times throughout the day.
[01:36:34] Who does God say I already am?
[01:36:40] Right?
[01:36:41] Because what you're doing is winning the battle on identity.
[01:36:46] Who does God say that I already am?
[01:36:50] That's what really matters.
[01:36:53] Doesn't matter who you say you are.
[01:36:55] Doesn't matter who somebody else says you are.
[01:36:57] What really matters is, who does God say that I already am?
[01:37:02] And then, throw our graphic back up, Doug.
[01:37:05] So, next week, we will be talking about the battle for integrity.
[01:37:13] All right?
[01:37:14] So, men, plan on being here.
[01:37:20] You know what?
[01:37:21] I want you to get your wives, not your wives, to get you here.
[01:37:26] I want you to get your wives here go ahead and tell them on Saturday night get ready we're leaving for church at this time

[01:37:35] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[01:37:35] just tell them

[01:37:40] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]
[01:37:40] this is what time we're leaving now if they're five minutes late don't leave them at home

[01:37:47] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[01:37:47] but come on guys

[01:37:55] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]
[01:37:55] I really believe these five things are going to transform your life it's going to transform your family and women too no doubt about it you probably look at these and go But, yep, these are the same things that we battle too.
[01:38:09] But they're going to transform every part of your life.
[01:38:12] And they're going to make your family stronger.
[01:38:13] They're going to make our church stronger.
[01:38:15] Right?
[01:38:16] They're going to make the church stronger.
[01:38:19] And they're going to make your community and your neighborhood stronger.
[01:38:21] And all of a sudden, it's not going to be because we are some super people that do anything other than what we're doing is walking from this place.
[01:38:29] Right?
[01:38:30] Jimmy's going to close us down.

[01:38:32] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[01:38:32] All right.
[01:38:33] Thank you, Pastor.
[01:38:33] Boy, conviction standing right here.
[01:38:37] I always tease him, I have to get my steel-toed boots out and start wearing them because he's definitely going to be stepping on my toes when he's talking about stuff like this. Integrity.
[01:38:47] What do you do when nobody knows what you're doing? Integrity. So join me as we go out into the world, men and women, and take what we've learned, put it in our hearts, and share with
[01:38:59] them. May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you.
[01:39:06] May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.
[01:39:12] Shalom. Peace. Go in peace.