The Baggage Of An Identity Crisis || Teenage Summer Baggage #6

 

TEENAGE SUMMER BAGGAGE #6:

The Baggage Of An Identity Crisis

In Psalm 139:14, David challenges us to respond to God's working in our lives with acceptance and awe, "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well." 

God isn't confused about who He made us to be, and we shouldn't be confused about it either. May we find rest and victory in who God created us to be.

Identity: the distinguishing character or personality of an individual.

In today's message, we are dealing with a crisis...a situation that has reached a critical phase.
We call it a crisis of identity or an identity crisis. Many children and teens (and even some adults) have become very confused about who they are, where they are headed, and what they are created to do.

The Bible has the answers for the questions of life. Let's go to God and ask HIM to help us today!

I. Let's talk about Our Identity 

Question: how do we view a person's identity to be?

Our background?

How we talk?

What we wear?

How much money we have ?

Our current culture?

Our social media status? 

Our gender?

Our talents?

Question: what does God say about our identity?

1 Corinthians 1:30  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 

31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

Question: why should I accept my identity in Christ and live according to it?

1Corinthians 1:24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 

25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 

27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 

28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 

29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

II. Let's consider God's Creativity - Psalm 139

Psa 139:14  I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. 

15  My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 

16  Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. 

17  How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! 

18  If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

A. Adoration - purporting to praise the LORD because you are beginning to understand the magnitude of His creative working in you!

B. Observation - it's clearly the hand of God and masterful creativity. 

C. Rejection - Some people willfully reject their Creator, but when there's proper adoration and observation it throws out the willful REJECTION of God's marvellous working in your life. 

III. Let's consider our identity compared to our final destination: "Eternity."

There are two main directions in eternity:

Eternal Life

Eternal Death

You are presently headed in one of those directions. Before salvation, everyone is head toward eternal death. We live in sin, in bondage to sin and will face the reality of the weight of sin oneway...unless we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. He then gives you eternal life. Once you receive eternal life it can't be taken away from you. FUNNY thing though: just because you have eternal life doesn't mean you are choosing to live like it. 

Colossians 3:1-17 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

A believers response to God is one of faithfulness and honor. We make choices that lift up His name and give HIM glory. When we change our identity to be outside of God's will, according to our flesh, or shifting to whatever is popular, we trample down His lovely name before the world. 

God isn't confused about who He made us to be, and we shouldn't be confused about it either. May we find rest and victory in who God created us to be.

Thank you for reading,

Justyn Smith - aheartforrevival.com