Is it possible to lose your own identity in the process of leading or teaching others how to find and establish their identity ?
Now that became an interesting question for me. I was looking for a visual or photo that would reflect this inner journey and I felt the Lord prompt me to Google search ; ‘Our identity is not in what we have or do, but in the one Who calls us and who He calls us to become‘
That search led me to the picture featured on the introduction page of this course. I pressed the visit tab to see it’s linkage ; website, organisation etc and it was blocked; withdrawn. So it was then that this question came into my spirit ; Is it possible to lose your own identity while leading others to discover their’s ?
The Lord showed me the answer is, ‘yes’. ‘Why and how’? I asked, and this is what I heard Him say ; ‘When you take your eyes off Me ; and by giving authority to those I did not say too’.
I believe this is the greater message and understanding we can bring to the verses we studied regarding Saul’s demotion. (1 Samuel 15)
Saul’s mission (calling) as King was to lead those he was entrusted with into their identity in a journey of victory through the Lords leading. But when his eyes strayed from the Lord (His leading, word, instruction etc), Saul slipped out of his anointing and broke Gods chain of command (God, Saul, Officers, troops) and sanctioned a worldly authority to the people around him, including the enemy. This was not the Lords path or original plan, and in the process of all that Saul lost his way and lost his identity.
So how do we safeguard ourselves ?
The Lord gave me this thought, which I believe applies to this message today.
‘Our protection is in our preparation’. Remember David’s experience, as below :
1 Samuel 30
David’s Conflict with the Amalekites
1 Now it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire,
2 and had taken captive the women and those who were there, from small to great; they did not kill anyone, but carried them away and went their way.
3 So David and his men came to the city, and there it was, burned with fire; and their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive.
4 Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep.
5 And David’s two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite, had been taken captive.
6 Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.
7 Then David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, “Please bring the ephod here to me.” And Abiathar brought the ephod to David.
8 So David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?”And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.”
9 So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the Brook Besor, where those stayed who were left behind.
10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were so weary that they could not cross the Brook Besor.
11 Then they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David; and they gave him bread and he ate, and they let him drink water.
12 And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. So when he had eaten, his strength came back to him; for he had eaten no bread nor drunk water for three days and three nights.
13 Then David said to him, “To whom do you belong, and where are you from?” And he said, “I am a young man from Egypt, servant of an Amalekite; and my master left me behind, because three days ago I fell sick.
14 We made an invasion of the southern area of the Cherethites, in the territory which belongs to Judah, and of the southern area of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.”
15 And David said to him, “Can you take me down to this troop?” So he said, “Swear to me by God that you will neither kill me nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will take you down to this troop.”
16 And when he had brought him down, there they were, spread out over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing, because of all the great spoil which they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah.
17 Then David attacked them from twilight until the evening of the next day. Not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled.
18 So David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away, and David rescued his two wives.
19 And nothing of theirs was lacking, either small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything which they had taken from them; David recovered all.
20 Then David took all the flocks and herds they had driven before those other livestock, and said, “This is David’s spoil.”
21 Now David came to the two hundred men who had been so weary that they could not follow David, whom they also had made to stay at the Brook Besor. So they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him. And when David came near the people, he greeted them.
22 Then all the wicked and worthless men of those who went with David answered and said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except for every man’s wife and children, that they may lead them away and depart.”
23 But David said, “My brethren, you shall not do so with what the Lord has given us, who has preserved us and delivered into our hand the troop that came against us.
24 For who will heed you in this matter? But as his part is who goes down to the battle, so shall his part be who stays by the supplies; they shall share alike.”
25 So it was, from that day forward; he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.
26 Now when David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, “Here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of the Lord”—
27 to those who were in Bethel, those who were in Ramoth of the South, those who were in Jattir, those who were in Aroer,
28 those who were in Siphmoth, those who were in Eshtemoa, those who were in Rachal,
29 those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, those who were in the cities of the Kenites,
30 those who were in Hormah,
31 those who were in Chorashan, those who were in Athach, those who were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were accustomed to rove.
So let’s recap. David goes back to his camp to find it tourched, possessions scattered & stolen, wives and children gone ; abducted. ! David and his 600 men were broken, distraught with the loss, and some in their pain wanted to stone him. It could hardly be worse for David ! What did he do ? He clearly didn’t panic! But the scriptures say he strengthened himself in the Lord. What was David doing ? He got himself into a state where he could hear by preparing his heart, re-centring his soul and allowing his mind to know the goodness of the Lord or, re-discovering, establishing and confirming his identity (conquerer, king in waiting) through the Lord for him and those he was entrusted to lead. From this position he asked the Lord this question ; ‘Shall I pursue them’? And the Lord’s answer was a very encouraging; ‘Yes’.
History and scripture tells us that he trusted, believed and obeyed the Lord, for they came back with everything, including captured spoils ; nothing was lost !
So this is your challenge today.
- Ask the Lord where in your life (choices or situations) have you lost track of your true identity ? Lost hope, swapped for worldly option etc.
- Write these down and then ask the Lord how to get back on track with each one ? Maybe say a prayer like ; ‘Father, you have kindly revealed to me this area ……………where I have stepped outside of Your will and away from my true identity’. ‘Father, show me how to step back into Your will, plan and purpose for this area of my life’ ?
- As I am writing this I sense you now have an invitation to take back all the spoil the enemy has taken from you, as David did. So please join me in this prayer. ‘Father, with all the power You have instilled in me, I now enter the enemy’s camp and take back all that he has stolen from me and my family. In Jesus name. Amen
- Spend 10-20 minutes in worship, for after the battle there is always a victory celebration !
- Thank the Lord for all He has done for you today.
Let’s pray
Father, I thank You for this insight and application for us to digest and apply to our journey of discovering our identity with you. Amen
(Personal prayer )
Father in the name of Jesus I ask that you show me how to prepare my heart and re-centre my soul ; that it will bring transformation of mind and I will know anew the goodness of You Lord. In this, may I re-discover, establish and confirm my identity through You, for myself and those You have entrusted me to lead. Amen
Craig and Winnie Patten
Itinerate Pastors / Apostolic Leaders
Encounter Ministries
