There is just There is just one question I one question I would like you would like you to ask yourself to ask yourself

today ...today ...

Who does Who does God say God say

that I amthat I am

what is ...what is ...

?The answer is simple and yet incredibly profound.

"Identity is the fact of being who or what a person

or thing is"

The dictionary says

"Identity is the practice of that which brings us into harmony with the life that the Father has chosen for us."

Graham Cooke

John 18:38

Pontius Pilate asked the age-old philosophical question ...

The The truesttruest thing in the  thing in the universe is what universe is what GodGod says says about us.about us.

But whoever did want him, who believed he was who he claimed and would do what he said, He made to be their true selves, their child–of–God selves.

John 1:12 (The Message)

What marvellous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it––we're called children of God!  That's who we really are. 

1 John 3:1(The Message)

Lets have a look at IDENTITY in the life of

Peter

Jesus pressed them, "And how about you? Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter said, "You're the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Jesus came back, "God bless you, Simon, son of Jonah! You didn't get that answer out of books or from teachers. My Father in heaven, God himself, let you in on this secret of who I really am."Matthew 16:15-

16 (The Message)

Jesus is speaking with his disciples … 

The most important question we will ever answer is:    

Our eternal life depends upon it ...

WHO IS JESUS

… "And now I'm going to tell you who you are, really are. You are Peter, a rock. This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out."

Matthew 16:18-19 (The Message)

Then Jesus says to Simon / Peter ...

SIMON PETER

“Broken reed” “Rock”meansmeans

Jesus “called out” Peter's ... 

Peter would still deny Jesus three times.

Despite spending over 3 years with Jesus, seeing countless healings, miracles and being with the risen Lord, Peter would return to his old life as a fisherman, unsure of who he really was.

... something was about to

... something was about to

We don’t yet see Peter living in his true IDENTITY, but ...

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Acts 2:1-4 (NIV)

"They were filled with the Holy Spirit - clothed with power to be witnesses and

fulfill the Great Commission."

But, there was also something else

significant happening …

What happened to Peter & the others during this Holy Spirit encounter?

TRUE. 

Luke describes the wind as a sound that came from heaven.

including IDENTITY ...

When heaven invades earth everything changes.

In the following verses in Acts 2 and onwards we see that through this encounter with heaven, the identity Jesus had declared earlier over Peter was activated in his life.

In the following verses in Acts 2 and onwards we see that through this encounter with heaven, the identity Jesus had declared earlier over Peter was activated in his life.

Peter & the others became . . .

The REAL Peter was now living out of his TRUE

IDENTITY.

Supernaturaljump-start

We need a

Into our true identity

We see the same thing We see the same thing happening throughout happening throughout Scripture in the lives of Scripture in the lives of

God's childrenGod's children

And as he was praying, heaven was opened and

the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove.

And a voice came from heaven: You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am

well pleased.

Luke 3:22(NIV)

As he neared Damascus on his

journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to

the ground and heard a voice

say to him, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?Acts 9:3 (NIV)

Then the man said, Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel ...

I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.

Genesis 32:28,30 (NIV)

ENCOUNTERS with GOD

IDENTITY in ME

activate

27 years of walking with God has taught me this ...

As children of an amazing Father we should be ...

Are you ready

 Positioning ourselves to encounter Him

Cultivating an expectation for encounter

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.

Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV)

Just like Jeremiah, we have an

IDENTITY which has it's origin in

our amazing eternal Father.

Just like Jeremiah, we have an

IDENTITY which has it's origin in

our amazing eternal Father.

“because I know WHO you are,  I SEE all you can BE.

Our Father says to us...

In this world much of our identity has been formed

through external things in our lives.

However, there is a ...

External IDENTITY

Performance

What others say

ExperiencesTitles & positions

What others think

This is the TRUTH about IDENTITY

formed from EXTERNALS

MUCH OF IT IS NOT ACTUALLY

TRUE!

So, what is true about our identity?

What is our Father saying

"I know who you really are and you

are amazing" 

Father says to you ...

"I'm always revealing to you who you really are"

"Each time we encounter each other your true IDENTITY is activated in you more

and more"

"GO and BE who you ARE"

Dano McCollam

  "If our past experience and performance are the prophet of our future, then our potential is limited to our past"

Dano McCollam

declarations

My past is not the prophet of my future.

My future is defined by who God says I am.

In a love relationship with Him,  I can live in the identity of who I really am.

Many of us have are familiar with the "I AM" lists.

The Word of God is full of truth about who God says we are.

I AM - A Child of God (Romans 8:16)

I AM - Forgiven (Colossians 1:13,14)

I AM - Saved by Grace through Faith (Ephesians 2:8)

I AM - Justified (Romans 5:1)

I AM - Sanctified (I Corinthians 6:11)

I AM - A New Creature (2 Corinthians 5:17)

This is what Derek Prince calls General Revelation.

This is truth about our IDENTITY

For all God’s children

For all times

All the time

uniqueunique

adjective. Being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else

Oxford Dictionary

Our God-given IDENTITY is also totally UNIQUE.

A blend of characteristics shared by no one else in the universe, but YOU.

the Bread of Lifethe Light of the Worldthe Good Shepherdthe Resurrection

Jesus’ unique identity

SOSOWHO DOES WHO DOES GOD SAY GOD SAY

THATTHAT

AM?AM?II

What is my unique identity?

God communicates with us in many ways.

One of the most One of the most powerful ways is powerful ways is

through through PROPHECYPROPHECY..

Over the years I have discovered

that the prophetic words that have been the most powerful in

my life were CALLING OUT my unique identity.

Prophetic words that affirm and “call out” our

unique identity carry supernatural grace to bring

transformation in our lives and to release destiny in us.

"The goal of the gift prophecy is to bring out the best in people"

Kris Vallotton

 "Prophecy upgrades identity and empowers us into the next dimension of God’s purpose."

Graham Cooke

WWhat prophetic words have you received that AFFIRM and REVEAL your unique identity?

two questions

WWhat is Holy Spirit reminding you of right NOW about who you

really are?

OUR UNIQUE IDENTITY

... is like a diamond... is like a diamond

“You are absolutely unique in your God-given identity”

All natural diamonds are fundamentally unique in

nature

As a diamond is rotated new facets and dimensions are

revealed.

There is much more of your true identity yet to

be revealed.

“God's light and presence is revealing who we really are and

empowering us to live powerfully in that identity.”

Every diamond refracts light in a different way

A group of prophetic A group of prophetic people were asked people were asked to seek the Lord for to seek the Lord for IDENTITY WORDS to IDENTITY WORDS to

release over us. release over us.

This is Father revealing and

affirming to you who you really are.

You are amazing.

You are God’s hero.

You are incomparable.

You are an overcomer.

You give the Father great pleasure.

You are a warrior.

You are God’s favourite tool.

You are a people changer.

You are powerful beyond belief.

You are more than a conqueror.

You represent the highest authority

because you are citizen of heaven.

You have a say in the nations.

You are royalty.

You have an audience with the

King of the universe.

You are changing natural and

spiritual atmospheres.

You are a prophet to the nations.

You are a trailblazer.

You open up the Kingdom wherever

you go.

You are the bridge between God’s

throne and earth.

You are a bringer of life, hope, peace and joy.

You unlock hearts of people so that love

can flow again.

You are skillful in all that the Father

has called you to do.

You are supernatural.

You give the Father joy.

You are a blessing.

You are a hope bringer.

You are the Father’s voice.

You are mighty.

You are a much-loved son.

You are valuable.

You are precious.

You are God’s treasured

possession.

You are valued in heaven.

You are wonderfully and marvelously

made.

You are bold and you are brave.

You are a path maker and bridge-builder.

You are awesome.

You are significant.

You are a beloved daughter.

You are seated with Christ in

heavenly places.

You are called to rule and to reign

in this life with Christ.

You are uniquely and

supernaturally gifted.

You are empowered by

the grace of heaven.

You are blessed and lack nothing.

You are a carrier of the glory of

God

You are a merchant of kingdom truth

You are an innovator in the

marketplace.

You are a mother to motherless.

You are a pioneer.

You are a revealer of the mysteries of

heaven.

You are a peacemaker.

You are a prophetic intercessory

warrior.

You are one who brings hope to

the hopeless.