The Declarative Power of Identity - Self Worth Part 5 - David Mitts

So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?" Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so. (Hebrews 13:6-9 NIV)

We have been sharing about our self-worth or our value as a statement of our destiny.  How we see ourselves affects what we believe for.  The Apostle Paul called this inner sight, the “eyes” of our heart.

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength (Ephesians 1:17-19 NIV)

Paul prayed that we would know Him better.  Why?  Because how we know Him affects how we see ourselves.  If we view our Father as a distant task master who is expecting perfection out of us then we live under what the bible calls “condemnation”.  Condemnation comes from the fear of judgment and our inadequacy in the face of that judgment.  

Listen to The Declarative Power of Identity

When we know Him as the one who values us so highly that He gave His Son for us, now we realize that nothing can ever be greater than that.  To value anything above the life of the Son of God is to be in idolatry of the worst kind.  So the same Apostle Paul said:

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39 NIV)

This declaration is rooted in the reality that there is no value in heaven or earth above the value of the Son of God that was rendered for our redemption as sons and daughters.

So, returning to Ephesians 1:17-19, the Apostle prays that we would out of that revelation, have the eyes of heart to be enlightened.  He ties that to knowing the hope of our calling.  Hope is another word for promise.  So God has promised us a destiny, a calling which then becomes to Him as our Father, the glorious inheritance.  Then His power is revealed as we walk that out in faith. Pause and consider that!!

So our heart, which is from where we believe and speak, is affected by hos we see Him and how we see ourselves in our calling.  Our self-image or self-worth, affects our destiny.  Our hope is shaped by our eyes of our heart being enlightened and this impacts what we believe for and thus what God will do in our lives.

Now, I want to return to the idea that it is Christ in us that is the promise or hope of our destiny or what the bible calls our glory.  Turn with me to Colossians 1:27

I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness-- the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord's people. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me. (Colossians 1:25-29 NIV)

Why is this a mystery?  It is even to this day, hidden by the veil of religion.  The mystery is Christ in US, the promise or hope of glory, of destiny.

Now, where is Christ in us?  He lives where? In our heart!  Now you can see the wisdom of the Apostle Paul’s prayer.  Christ lives in our heart.   Christ in our heart is the “hope” or promise of our glory. So we need the eyes of our heart, our faith enlightened.  

Let’s come full circle with a question.  Who do you say He is that lives in you?  Well Yeshua asked His disciples that very question:

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:13-19 NIV)

Who do you say I am? Peter responded that He is the Messiah, the Son of the living God.  He is salvation.  Yeshua responds that this revelation is not by flesh and blood.  Another way of saying that is the revelation did NOT come from experience.  Instead it came directly from the Father.  Upon that revelation the church is built, the revelation by the Father of the Son.  That then becomes what is called the “keys of the kingdom of heaven”.  It allows those who see that reality in their heart to bind and loose.  There has been much mischief over what those terms imply.  BUT if we look through the lens of destiny, or purpose in life, then the authority to know who we are in the light of our heart having received the salvation and freedom of Messiah, then we can safely what is bound and loosed in our lives is whatever we are dealing with that impairs our inner vision and destiny.  It certainly could relate to demonic powers but is more likely related to our incomplete vision hindered by our own “flesh and blood” perspective.  We want to be bound to the Spirit and loosed from the flesh, our own history. Here’s an example:

And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, (Acts 20:22 NKJV).

Paul had a destiny encounter ahead in Jerusalem and it required him to choose to go according the Spirit and not the flesh.  We have been educated to think of the flesh as sensuality and it is that.  But the flesh is more than that.  It is any strategic plan that is rooted in our own past experiences and NOT in the call of God.

God will “bind” us to our future which is “in Him”.  This is covenant talk.  Covenant isn’t just a commitment made at a wedding, but is a spiritual reality that underpins and makes possible those promises.  We declare oneness, and bind ourselves together as one.  The picture of a three-fold chord.

Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NKJV)

This is a picture of “binding” as a key to the kingdom.  It involves surrender of our “individual” identity and a willingness to discover oneness.  

So, it is with our destiny.  We must let go, or “loose” the old identity, our story and history, which provides our limitations.  Then through love, we can submit our hearts and be “bound” to our destiny.  This is how a marriage works and how goals and purpose are attained because these are “keys” to the kingdom.

This begins with the answer to the question of “who men say that I AM?”  With ears of the natural mind we want to answer like the disciples based on sense and experienced based knowing.  You see we could be asking the question of who Yeshua is or…… we could be asking the question of who He is……. In US!  The disciples answered… John, Elijah, etc.  They answered based on their experience, flesh and blood.

Peter declared by the Spirit, being in that moment, bound to the Spirit, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.".  This is the realm of Spirit-boundedness.  In this place the Spirit of God is returned to reality as our husband, our Lord and provider, our eternal Father.  Yeshua recognizes this reality because He lives in it.  He is bound to the Spirit of The Father.

I and My Father are one." (John 10:30 NKJV).

In this place His identity is their identity with the purpose of their covenant, salvation of the children of God.

In the same way, we have Yeshua living in our hearts.  This is the new covenant.  In this reality who He is in us is our purpose and destiny.  Now, we must answer the question: Who do you say that I am?

It is the “I am” that counts.  He is not just the “I am” as Messiah.  He is also the I am in us. And there is a battle of kingdoms over the “I am”.

There will be a kingdom conflict over the question.  Who do men say “I am”?  Will we define ourselves by other’s opinions or will we declare that we are Messiah in us, the promise of Glory.

Turn with me to Col 1:24-29:

I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which [4] is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily. 

(Colossians 1:24-29 NKJV)

Christ in US is the hope or promise of glory.  He states, we “preach Him”.  The word means proclaim or declare.  We declare Him!  This means that we have Him in Us and whatever Him we declare is the Him that lives through us.  This then becomes our wisdom.  This wisdom then perfects us into our destiny.  

Activation:  

We are going to press in for the I am!  We are always declaring the I am just not purposefully.

Look at the word purpose fully.  We need to declare Him towards our purpose.

Press in for the answer: “Who do you say that I am in your life?”

Now declare that to your partner.

Day 1 – I DECLARE God’s incredible blessings over my life. I will see an explosion of God’s goodness, a sudden widespread increase. I will experience the surpassing greatness of God’s favor. It will elevate me to a level higher than I ever dreamed of. Explosive blessings are coming my way. This is my declaration.

Day 2 – I DECLARE I will experience God’s faithfulness. I will not worry. I will not doubt. I will keep my trust in Him, knowing that He will not fail me. I will give birth to every promise God put in my heart and I will become everything God created me to be. This is my declaration.

Day 3 – I DECLARE I have the grace I need for today. I am full of power, strength, and determination. Nothing I face will be too much for me. I will overcome every obstacle, outlast every challenge, and come through every difficulty better off than I was before. This is my declaration.

Day 4 – I DECLARE it is not too late to accomplish everything God has placed in my heart. I have not missed my window of opportunity.  God has moments of favor in my future. He is preparing me right now because He is about to release a special grace to help me accomplish that dream. This is my time. This is my moment. I receive it today!  This is my declaration.

Day 5 – I DECLARE I am grateful for who God is in my life and for what He’s done. I will not take for granted the people, the opportunities, and the favor He has blessed me with. I will look at what is right and not what is wrong. I will thank Him for what I have and not complain about what I don’t have. I will see each day as a gift from God. My heart will overflow with praise and gratitude for all of His goodness.  This is my declaration.

Day 6 – I DECLARE a legacy of faith over my life. I declare that I will store up blessings for future generations. My life is marked by excellence and integrity. Because I’m making right choices and taking steps of faith, others will want to follow me. God’s abundance is surrounding my life today.  This is my declaration.

Day 7 – I DECLARE that God has a great plan for my life. He is directing my steps. And even though I may not always understand how, I know my situation is not a surprise to God. He will work out every detail to my advantage. In His perfect timing, everything will turn out right.  This is my declaration.

Day 8 – I DECLARE God’s dream for my life is coming to pass. It will not be stopped by people, disappointments, or adversities. God has solutions to every problem I will ever face already lined up. The right people and the right breaks are in my future. I will fulfill my destiny.  This is my declaration.

Day 9 – I DECLARE unexpected blessings are coming my way. I will move forward from barely making it to having more than enough. God will open up supernatural doors for me. He will speak to the right people about me. I will see Ephesians 3:20 exceedingly, abundantly, above-and-beyond favor and increase in my life. This is my declaration.

Day 10 – I DECLARE that God will accelerate His plan for my life as I put my trust in Him. I will accomplish my dreams faster than I thought possible. It will not take years to overcome obstacles, to get out of debt, or to meet the right person. God is doing things faster than before. He will give me victory sooner than I think. He has blessings that will thrust me years ahead. This is my declaration.

Day 11 – I DECLARE Ephesians 3:20 over my life. God will do exceedingly, abundantly above all that I ask or think. Because I honor Him, His blessings will chase me down and overtake me. I will be in the right place at the right time. People will go out of their way to be good to me. I am surrounded by God’s favor.  This is my declaration.

Day 12 – I DECLARE I am special and extraordinary. I am not average! I have been custom-made. I am one of a kind. Of all the things God created, what He is most proud of is me. I am his masterpiece, His most prized possession. I will keep my head held high, knowing I am a child of the most high God, made in His very image. This is my declaration.

Day 13 – I DECLARE that God is bringing about new seasons of growth.  I will not get stagnant and hold on to the old.  I will be open to change knowing that God has something better in front of me.  New doors of opportunity, new relationships, and new levels of favor are in my future.  This is my declaration.

Day 14 – I DECLARE that I will use my words to bless people.  I will speak favor and victory over my family, friends, and loved ones.  I will help call out their seeds of greatness by telling them “I’m proud of you. I love you. You are amazing. You are talented. You are beautiful. You will do great things in life.”  This is my declaration

Day 15 – I DECLARE that I have a sound mind filled with good thoughts, not thoughts of defeat. By faith, I am well able. I am anointed. I am equipped. I am empowered. My thoughts are guided by God’s Word, every day. No obstacle can defeat me because my mind is programmed for victory. This is my declaration.

Day 16 – I DECLARE that I will live as a healer. I am sensitive to the needs of those around me. I will lift the fallen, restore the broken, and encourage the discouraged, I am full of compassion and kindness. I won’t just look for a miracle. I will become someone’s miracle by showing God’s love and mercy everywhere I go. This is my declaration.

Day 17 – I DECLARE I will put actions behind my faith. I will not be passive or indifferent. I will demonstrate my faith by taking bold steps to move toward what God has put in my heart. My faith will not be hidden; it will be seen. I know when God sees my faith, He will show up and do amazing things. This is my declaration.

Day 18 – I DECLARE breakthroughs are coming in my life, sudden bursts of God’s goodness. Not a trickle. Not a stream.  But a flood of God’s power.  A flood of healing.  A flood of wisdom.  A flood of favor.  I am a breakthrough person and I choose to live breakthrough minded. I am expecting God to overwhelm me with His goodness and amaze me with His favor. This is my declaration.

Day 19 – I DECLARE there is an anointing of ease on my life. God is going before me making crooked places straight. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. I will not continually struggle. What used to be difficult will not be difficult anymore. God’s favor and blessing on my life is lightening the load and taking the pressure off. This is my declaration.

Day 20 – I DECLARE that I am calm and peaceful. I will not let people or circumstances upset me. I will rise above every difficulty, knowing that God has given me the power to remain calm. I choose to live my life happy, bloom where I am planted, and let God fight my battles. This is my declaration.

Day 21 – I DECLARE God’s supernatural favor over my life. What I could not make happen on my own, God will make happen for me. Supernatural opportunities, healing, restoration, and breakthroughs are coming my way. I am getting stronger, healthier, and wiser. I will discover talent that I didn’t know I had and I will accomplish my God-given dream. This is my declaration.

Day 22 – I DECLARE I will live victoriously. I was created in the image of God. I have the DNA of a winner. I am wearing a crown of favor. Royal blood flows through my veins. I am the head, never the tail, above never beneath. I will live with purpose, passion, and praise, knowing that I was destined to live in victory. This is my declaration.

Day 23 – I DECLARE I am a people builder. I will look for opportunities to encourage others to bring out the best in them and to help them accomplish their dreams. I will speak words of faith and victory, affirming them, approving them, letting them know they are valued. I will call out their seeds of greatness, helping them to rise higher and become all that God created them to be. This is my declaration.

Day 24 – I DECLARE I will speak only positive words of faith and victory over myself, my family, and my future. I will not use my words to describe my situation. I will use my words to change my situation. I will call in favor, good breaks, healing, and restoration. I will not talk to God about how big my problems are. I will talk to my problems about how big my God is.This is my declaration.

Day 25 – I DECLARE I will not just survive, I will thrive. I will prosper despite every difficulty that may come my way. I know every setback is a setup for a comeback. I will not get stagnant, give up on my dreams, or settle where I am. I know one touch of God’s favor can change everything. I’m ready for a year of blessings and a year of thriving. This is my declaration.

Day 26 – I DECLARE I will choose faith over fear. I will meditate on what is positive and what is good about my situation. I will use my energy, not to worry, but to believe. Fear has no part in my life. I will not dwell on negative, discouraging thoughts. My mind is set on what God says about me. I know his plan for me is for success, victory, and abundance. This is my declaration.

Day 27 – I DECLARE I am equipped for every good work God has planned for me. I am anointed and empowered by the Creator of the universe. Every bondage, every limitation, is being broken off of me. This is my time to shine. I will rise higher, overcome every obstacle, and experience victory like never before! This is my declaration.

Day 28 – I DECLARE that I will ask God for big things in my life. I will pray bold prayers and expect big and believe big. I will ask God to bring to pass those hidden dreams that are deep in my heart. If certain promises don’t look like they will happen, I will not be intimidated and give up. I will pray with boldness, expecting God to show Himself strong, knowing that nothing is too difficult for Him. This is my declaration.

Day 29 – I DECLARE God is working all things together for my good. He has a master plan for my life. There may be things i don’t understand right now but I’m not worried. I know all the pieces aren’t here yet. One day it will all come together and everything will make sense. I will see God’s amazing plan taking me places i never dreamed of. This is my declaration.

Day 30 – I DECLARE God is going before me making crooked places straight. He has already lined up the tight people, the right opportunities and solutions to problems I haven’t had. No person, no sickness, no disappointment, can stop His plan. What he promised will come to pass. This is my declaration.

Day 31 – I DECLARE everything that doesn’t line up with God’s vision for my life is subject to change. Sickness, trouble, lack, mediocrity, are not permanent. They are only temporary. I will not be moved by what I see but by what I know. I am a victor and never a victim. I will become all God has created me to be. This is my declaration.