Christian Identity Theft

CHRISTIAN IDENTITY THEFT

Rom. 12:2; John 15:5

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR

1. An 8-year-old boy and his 5-year-old sister were riding in the back seat of the car. Their mother overheard what they were saying.

2. The boy said, “There’s so much to think about! I just think all the time!” He turned to his sister and said, “Do you think all the time?”

3. The girl paused, then said, “No, I only think about half the time!” Funny. Someday she’ll find out her brain is always working, even when she’s asleep!

4. Today we’re taking a look at how we think.

B. THE THIEF & WHAT HE’S STEALING

1. IDENTITY THEFT is when an unauthorized person gains access to your private assets. But this also happens spiritually. Satan attacks the mind. He tries to get us to redefine what God says about us, what He wants for us. Children, teens, and young adults are at high risk to having their identity stolen.

2. IT’S SATAN’S NATURE TO STEAL. JOHN 10:10. Satan doesn’t really care about stealing your car or your house or your money. He’s interested in stealing your Spiritual treasures; things that have value with God and are of eternal significance.

3. SATAN WANTS TO STEAL OUR IDENTITY AS THE PEOPLE OF GOD. The enemy wants you to forget that you’ve been born again by the Spirit of God, that you’re a new creation in Christ!

C. YOU’RE EXTREMELY VALUABLE TO GOD

1. You may ask, “Why would Satan care about me? I’m a nobody!” Satan wants to steal your soul because you’re valuable to God. A thief doesn’t want worthless things, but valuables.

2. Sotheby’s sold Napoleon’s toothbrush for $48,000 in 1988. Jackie O’s fake pearls just sold for $256,000. What made these items so valuable wasn’t what they were made of, but WHO owned them.

3. You are owned by Christ. You are valuable. You are priceless. That’s why the enemy targets you.

4. The title of this message is “Christian Identity Theft.”

I. THE PROBLEM OF CHRISTIAN AMNESIA

A. FORGOTTEN THEY WERE CLEANSED. “For whoever lacks these...[has] forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins” 2 Peter 1:9.

1. “AMNESIA” is the “Partial or total loss of memory caused by brain injury, by shock or repression, etc.” In extreme cases it can result in loss of identity.

2. EXAMPLE: Readers Digest told about a woman who'd been married five years.

a. She suffered a head injury & forgot everything.

b. She had to be taught to talk, eat, dress, walk and be completely reeducated.

c. Her husband had to date her all over again and they were finally remarried.

d. But she never remembered her past.

B. SITUATION: MOMENTARY IDENTITY

1. There are many Christians who, when they go to church, they are:

a. Drawn into God's presence,

b. Spiritual things become real;

c. They hear the Word and,

d. Are convinced of its importance and their need to obey it.

e. They may even come to the front and "make a commitment."

2. But almost as soon as they get out of the door of the church,

a. They forget their identity;

b. …what they've heard;

c. …all that God has done for them.

3. That’s why multitudes of Christians are living in the flesh, not comprehending who they are. They go through life like zombies – half alive and half dead; half in the world and half out of it. Don’t live in a twilight Christianity with partial identity; instead live in God’s full light as a son or daughter of God!

C. FAULTY IDENTITY? LOSE POWER!

1. Why is the enemy doing all this? Because he’s trying to lower your expectations of what GOD will do. The devil wants you to believe that you’re DAMAGED goods, that you don’t meet the standard for God to step in to help you.

2. You must guard your identity in Christ or the enemy will make you believe you're DISQUALIFIED from receiving God's best. You ARE the righteousness of God in Christ! A poor self-image expects little, asks little, & receives little.

3. God means for your identity to become the doorway to your destiny -- for you to believe God for great things. You must have God’s vision of victory to avoid Satan’s forecast of failure.

4. There are at least 2 things needed for your identity to become established:

II. TWO ASPECTS OF IDENTITY

A. FIRST KEY: THE MIND

1. The Greatest Commandment is, “You shall love the Lord your God with...all your MIND” Mt. 22:37; Mk. 12:30; Lk. 10:27. To read and study God’s Word is to love the Lord with your mind, to “increase in the knowledge of God” Col. 1:10.

2. Paul saw this as crucial to the Christian’s worldview; “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your MIND. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” Romans 12:2.