the point of attack
There are many areas in my life that the enemy attempts to impede my growth, but there is a common tactic to all of his schemes.
If you are the Son of God…
The enemy comes straight at my identity in Christ, just as he tried to throw Jesus off balance in his identity as the Son of God. My walk to maturity begins with a recognition of my identity in Christ. Neil T. Anderson’s book Victory of Darkness details excellently how my identity is not in what I do, or my race, or my background, but as a Christian, my identity is as a child of God with infinite worth and infinite value. There are many aspects of my new identity in Christ that he explores, each one of them can be applied to a specific point of attack. In these temptations, I declare that I am a spiritual being, servant of God, and a person of faith. There is a quiet confidence when I have a mature understanding of my identity in Christ. I don’t need to prove that I am Christian to anyone, not to myself, my family, my friends, or my church – it’s the confidence that comes with assurance of salvation and of my new life in Christ.
You are as much of a child of God when the anointing of God’s Spirit descends on you like a dove, as you are in the wilderness when all of the forces of hell come to attack you.
It took time for me to establish this confidence as a child, and that confidence is still growing. Often during these dry times, or times of intense hardships, or personal moral failure, I would run to seek counsel from those who could help me as I felt so defeated in my walk. One of the most encouraging things that someone has every said to me was, “J. Thomas, you are as much of a child of God when the anointing of God’s Spirit descends on you like a dove, as you are in the wilderness when all of the forces of hell come to attack you.” Those words were the best in stabilizing my walk through the wilderness. Each of us are attacked in many different ways on this spiritual journey. I have found no weapon or piece of armor as powerful as recognizing who I have become, and I am because of Jesus’ death on the cross. One speaker explained the value we each have in this way: How do you measure the value of something, for instance like this watch? In today’s economy, we often say that the value of it what someone is willing to pay for it. Well, I want each of you to know that you have infinite worth and infinite value because the price that God paid for you was the life of His only Son Jesus Christ.
You have infinite worth and infinite value because the price that God paid for you was the life of His only Son Jesus Christ.
Observation - Have you ever doubted your identity as a child of God?
Understanding - What does having infinite value and infinite worth mean to you?
Application - If it was really true and you believed it 100%, what will you do with your confidence as a child of God today?