The Purpose Experienceናሙና

The Path to Purpose—Part 1: Identity

We’re on to day two. Today, we’re focused on an integral piece of the purpose puzzle: understanding your unique identity in Christ.

When people look at your life, what do they see? What words do they use to describe you? What are the discernible characteristics of your being and personality? Is what people see the real you, or do you try to project an image that’s different from who you really are?

Taking on the right identity is key to living out your life’s purpose. Identity is the most important topic for this current generation. When you don’t know who you are, you begin to take on the identities of others. This keeps you from becoming the unique, authentic you that God created. You’ll be hindered from discovering your purpose until you know your identity. God will not give your purpose to the person you pretend to be—He will only give it to the person He created you to be.

You can’t step into your purpose unless you are living in freedom. You can’t live in freedom unless you exercise your authority in Christ. You can’t exercise your authority unless you know your identity in Christ. And you can’t know your identity until you surrender your life completely to Christ and become His child!

Knowing your personal identity isn’t enough. Why? Because it has limitations. Most people become frustrated when they find their personal identity and experience superficial success but still feel lost and purposeless. Deep down, they know they were meant for more, but they can’t figure out what that more is. They don’t know where they fit into the kingdom of God—they don’t know their spiritual identity.

Personal identity leads to success while spiritual identity leads to significance. No matter what stage of life you’re in, you may have achieved some success; you don’t necessarily have significance. There’s a difference! Success garners wealth, status, influence, and accomplishments. Significance is achieved when you use your influence to make an eternal impact on someone else’s life. Therefore, true fulfillment only comes from knowing how your personal identity fits into God’s overall plan to build His kingdom on earth. Unless you come to embrace this truth, you will be left feeling empty.

Identity is the foundation of purpose. If Satan can steal your identity, he can steal your purpose. This is why your spiritual identity is so essential because the identity that comes from being in Christ, being a citizen of heaven, can never be stolen. It has the greatest anti-theft protection ever. Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Colossians 3:3 echoes this assurance: “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ.”

At the core of identity is the idea that when we give our lives to Jesus, we become brand new people. We become spiritually reborn, a new creation. Second Corinthians 5:17 (AMP) says, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to him by faith in him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life].” This means that all of our old identity, past sins, and old ways of thinking and living are now dead. We have been resurrected to a new identity and life in Christ with a new purpose.

Our identity is to be in Christ first; then, everything else falls underneath that. God does not ask you to deny your race, culture, or background but to recognize that those things come after your kingdom identity. Any self-sufficiency outside of a life fully surrendered to Christ is a false identity. Having our spiritual identity intact is what gives us access to lives of true, eternal purpose.