A Case of Stolen Identity
02/04/17 (12/06) Video Broadcast
One of the most important messages on this web site. Identity is the central issue behind so much of what we do and how we think. An examination of what our identity needs to be, and why a lack of biblical identity is central to many problems that believers face in their walk with Messiah today, and a major contributor to why many refuse to turn to the Hebrew Roots of our faith.
Well, we are ready to
begin our study portion
for today's broadcast.
And we're gonna talk today
probably one of the most
important things that
we can talk about at any
time.
I like to focus on
important topics and this
is a topic that I never
really realized the
importance of it until
maybe 7 or 8 years ago or
something close to
that, somewhere in that
neighborhood.
I really just was amazed
by the power that this
understanding can have on a person's life. I apologize for the dog barking out there. I wanted to really communicate this; that it's extremely, extremely important that you and I and all of us get a firm understanding of this.
And that is who we truly are.
Who we truly are in Yahushua. Sorry for the banter there.
It's extremely important that you grasp the importance of we truly are What is our identity? Identity is extremely powerful and the enemy wants nothing more than to take the understanding of who we are away from us. He wants to take who we hear from Yahweh that we are. And cause us to believe something different. And when we believe something different we're going to have a very hard time having success in our walk with Yahweh. So our study topic for today's broadcast is entitled, "a case of stolen identity". Well, you know about identity theft in the physical realm and the crimes that are going on today. Where people steal your so called identity and try to steal money from you by doing that. But this is something far more important and far-reaching. A case of stolen identity in the spiritual realm. A case of stolen identity in who Yahweh says we are versus whom the enemy wants us to believe that we are. He has an identity of what he is all about and Yahushua has an identity of what Yahushua is all about. Then there is what scripture says we're all about and who we are. What is your identity in Yahushua the Messiah? I think, well, at some point, we have the enemy
out there seeking to become our identity. We have an enemy out there who's seeking to conform ourselves to his image and he comes to steal, to kill
and to destroy. And one of the things that he wants to steal is who you believe you are. He wants to steal your identity and cause you to think that you're like him.
Scripture says the thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come, Yahushua said that they might have life and that they may have it more abundantly.
And so we have an identity thief among us who's trying to get you to believe that you're worthless, that you would never amount to anything, and that you have no value and no worth.
Whereas Yahweh says just the opposite.
With whom do you identify and what does that mean to you in a real world and real practical sense? On a day to day basis, what does it mean? Do we fundamentally want to be known and do we embrace as being the disciples of Yahushua the Messiah. Do we identify with him even when we're under pressure? You know that we all have an innate desire to identify ourselves with something. And that's why you have people who would worship the creature and people who would worship the creator.
hat creature may be themselves, that creature may be a spouse, a family member, a friend, another person. But everyone has an object or a person with whom they identify. And a major tool of the enemy is to get you to identify with the world and the things they value rather than the Messiah.
So there is this force pulling to cause you to want to be like the world.
It's about where our affections are, the things that impress us, it's about the things we really enjoy, the friends that we think we have to enjoy things. If we're watching a movie, you notice that the producers have an identity they want to impress us with? You may not know what I'm talking about. But most of the movies out there speak to the heart of the world. What movie could speak to the things of Messiah? A whole lot of fewer movies out there doing that. And so we should not delight in the things that speak of the spirit of the world. What does this culture promote? An alternative identity, with alternative values, worldliness. The things that it sees as worthy of exaltation. The people, the shows, the things that most of the world identifies with. Movies, movie stars, clothing, sports figures, entertainment figures. In the midst of the crooked and perverse generation, are we embarrassed by Yahushua in us? Do we prefer the company of mature believers who challenge us or do we settle in the company of weak believers, or Yahweh forbid unbelievers? Who are our heroes and why are they our heroes? What kinds of songs do we sing and why do we sing them? What kind of entertainment do we love and does our heart rejoice about?
Where are our affections?
What are the things that we choose to identify ourselves with? These are very important questions we need to ask ourselves.
What kind of entertainment do you love?
When someone reads the scriptures to you, what's the response in your heart? Is it bracing to defend yourself or a willingness to hear and be corrected? When the world the things that are going on and they speak, do we sound like the world when we speak or do we sound different?
Anyone speaks let them speak as the oracles of Elohim. Do you ever notice that the youth speak a different kind of language?
I'm talking about the worldly youth. Wear a different kind of clothing.
I've been around long enough to see that every generation wants to look different and act differently than the one before. That's just how it is. They are like that. They want to be different, they want a different identity than that of their parents which they are rebelling against and want nothing to do with.
And the purveyors of wickedness from Hollywood and elsewhere, if they can get the youth to speak a different kind of language, to dress different, to act differently; guess what? They are driving a wedge between the youth and the older generation that might otherwise lead them to a wiser path.
Music is a very powerful influence in our society. I've heard it said' you can do anything you want with the youth, but you can't take away their music". And when you see the pop stars and the way they carry themselves, their attitude, their language, they do it all to portray an identity.
If they can get the young person to be a fan, to identify themselves with them; then they can influence that young person for life.
It's all about an image and with whom those who are rebellious can identify.
Every generation has its own way of expressing that rebellion. So who do you identify with? What's your identity? What are trying to portray? What's the identity of Messiah?
What are the things that he values? Are the things that we say on Facebook's and Instagram's and whatever else; are we portraying ourselves as Yahushua Ha Mashiach in us?
And today there is a lot of confusion of identity, even the lines are blurring between male and female. Men are acting like women and women are acting like men.
And that's why the number of people turning to homosexuality is at an all-time high. It's a symptom of our culture's blur between the lines.
Your identity will make its ultimate appearance through the decisions that you make. Your decisions will be formed by the condition of your heart and the things that have your affections. And one of the biggest reasons why certain things have that are not good to have people affection because they are seeking to find themselves. And Hollywood has all kinds of characters that you can find yourself and identify with.
All kinds of alternative identities.
What I wanna share with you today is that; we have an identity in Yahushua Ha Mashiach, Yahushua Messiah. And our identity in him has a far greater opportunity for us and is based on far greater promises and greater rewards than anything anyone could latch on to.
We see in the Torah that men were identified with their father like Baruch son of Neriah. And we see that carried into what's called the New Testament; Simon by Jonah, Simon son of Jonah.
Historically men were sometimes identified by their trade.
Maybe their national origin and maybe even the location they came from. These are all secondary identities. Our first and our foremost identity is with Yahushua the Messiah and that identity needs to supersede all things in this world. As believers we must identify ourselves with him, there is no hybrid. We either identify with him and our life with him or we identify with the world and what it has to offer. So where is our heart?
Do we have the fragrance of the Messiah flowing off of us when we talk, when we conduct ourselves?
And do we turn up our nose at the things that are at war with him or that are contrary to him? Do we enjoy the things that are contrary to him? What do you call yourself? Do you call yourself a Christian? You know that even Christianity has a certain identity to it, certain pictures come to mind? Maybe stained glass windows and crosses and church buildings and people worshipping. There is all time Christianity that's one identity, the old fire and brimstone picture.
Then there is the more ritualistic form of Christianity found in Catholicism and Lutheranism. A lot of literage involved in orthodox Christianity here is the Christianity that's more of a charismatic Christianity that is built around the, " oh, we're gonna follow the spirit and we're gonna be loud in our praises and we're just gonna let things, let it all just flow around" you know. And others are more reserved and singing hymns instead of getting out the electric guitar. You know there is different brands of identity even within Christianity. Do you get where I'm going with this? You've got all the worldly identities and what they are all about, what they value, what they are into.
And if someone decides, "well. I'm gonna be a Pentecostal Christian, I like Pentecostal Christianity and so I'm gonna a Pentecostal Christian". Another person may decide, " well I'm gonna be a catholic, I like Catholicism so I'm gonna be a catholic". And there is the Torah believing Messianic and that identity and what that's all about. Gonna get your tassels on and in some circles, you're gonna don the little keeper. You know you wanna like the Jews. And so you embrace that identity and say, "I wanna be like the Jews". And so you do the things that Jewish people do. Whether it's scriptural or not, that isn't the issue. It's whether it's what they do; if they do it I wanna do it. And so what I want to encourage us all to
embrace is this identity that we have in Yahushua
Ha Mashiach.
You there is not a single person from Genesis to Revelations that ever called themselves a Christian. That was a true believer, they would call themselves Christians, other people on the outside labeled them Christians. It was actually intended to be an insult, something to be funny.
But who are we? When someone asks you what you are, what do you say?
There is something different that we do, something different than mainstream Christianity so that we call ourselves Christian still or when we say that we are Christian do they think Sunday church, you know Christmas and Easter and things that I don't want to be associated with. If you say Messianic if I say Messianic people might think I'm you know trying to do everything that Jews do. You know traditions and things like that and I'm not into those things.
What is our identity?
Do you understand where I'm going with this? If we accept what our identity is as a believer in Yahushua and we reject anything else. And just accept who we are as disciples of Yahushua. It can transform your life; change your priorities, in major ways. I mean for instance if someone wanted to be a biker, I like to use this analogy; what's he gonna do? He's gonna go out and get some leather garb and buy himself a Harley Davidson and do the whole biker thing you know. Put on his glasses, buzz down the highway with a loud machine. Once he has embraced an identity his actions follow, right? Even in sports people take up identities with a sports team.
Someone wants to be ... You know they like this particular team what do they do? They are talking good about it all the time. And they can't wait for that team to win. If their team wins they feel great, if their team loses they feel like they've lost. Like they somehow lost something and that can even affect their moods.
Cause someone to venture into anger or depression or sadness. Just because you know one other team could get the ball across the touchdown line better than the other one. I mean seriously how silly it is. But identity is powerful. If you identify yourself with a particular sports team to the effect that you and your moods are affected by that sports team, it's an unhealthy identity.
You see where I'm going? Identity is very powerful.
So what do you call yourself? Who are you? What are you? And people ask you; what are you? What are you, people? They wanna put you in a box, an identity box. They wanna know what are you, or what are you? Who are you?
You're different. What if you said, "Well, we're the light of the world?
A city that is set on a hill that can't be hidden." You think they'd just be floored, right. I mean maybe you think you're being boastful or arrogant or like you're something. But listen. What did Yahushua say you..? What did he identify you as? He said you are, he said you are the light of the world.
He said it, right? I mean he said it, he's gotta be right. That you are the light of the world. If he said it, he can't be wrong, right?
Well, I'm just going by what my savior said I was. Not because of my righteousness, but because of his righteousness; I've become the light of the world. In a city collectively as a body, a city set on a
hill.
So he said, nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify you? No, glorify your father in heaven.
So we can say this collectively, "We as his people my savior told me I was a light of the world. I was a part of this city." Can you agree with him? Can you really agree with that, or do you look at yourself and say 'how could I be a part of that, I mean I'm the light of the world?
How can that be?" Listen it's not because of your righteousness, it's because the Messiah has cleansed you completely to the extent as if you have never sinned. So when he looks at you and me he says look the light of the world.
That's not a testimony of your works and your righteousness; it's a testimony of how far reaching his grace can go and how deep his cleansing truly is.
That means you have the light of Messiah Yahushua dwelling in you. And if you deny it, you're denying what Yahushua said
you are.
And you are calling him a liar.
Because he did this work in you, brothers and sisters. Even though you've done nothing to deserve it, he
did his work in you and me. If you're a repentant believer in the Messiah Yahushua, that means you're willing when you realize you've done something wrong, to turn away from it seek forgiveness.
He says I'm he who accepts you. And you receive the Messiah Yahushua. Do not deny this truth.
Now I didn't say go around and tell everybody, "I'm the light of the world, I'm the most wonderful". No, he said let the light shine, they'll see that you are. Listen, you can know that you are if we aren't who is?
Someone is he identified someone. So we collectively as a body are this light of the
world.
That's set on a hill that shouldn't and couldn't be hidden. So Yahweh's people consist of numerous small lights that shine into the darkness that this world is and glorify Yahweh and his ways. And a lot of this, you know we went to a cave here this past week and we turned off all lights and it was completely pitch black. But it only took one little tiny light to defeat the darkness that was in the cave, right? Just one tiny light.
And so, greater is he who is in you and that light that's in you, than he who is in the world.
You know a lot of us may identify with our family. We got their last name because it's the family we are born into. Some cases married into if you are female. It's not wrong to identify yourself by you know to some extent the family you're born into. But you have a spiritual birth, its far greater and longer lasting than your earthly birth and the earthly identity of who you are here on the earth and we need to consider ourselves that first and
foremost; the bride of Messiah, the children of Elohim.
Scripture says, John 1:12, as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of Elohim, Yahweh's children. To those who believe in his name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of man, but you were born of Elohim, being his children. He says it.
And we're called by his name.
If you believe in his name.
Jeremiah said, your words were found, and I ate them. And your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; for I am called by your name, O Yahweh Elohim of hosts. Well, you were called by a last name whatever your last name happens to be and your first name happens to be. And now you're called by his name. What do people say when they talk about you? "Are those, those people that believe in Yahweh or something about Yahweh?"
Revelation 22 verse 3 through 4 it says, and there shall be no more curse but the throne of Elohim and the lamb shall be in it. His servant shall serve him and they shall see his face and his name shall be on their foreheads. It's talking about us. So he's put a mark on you. So this is who you are, you're my children. The children of Yahweh and so you've got his name on your forehead. There are other children on the earth who don't
have this name on their forehead.
Revelations 17: talks about Babylon. On her forehead a name was written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, and MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. You don't want that name on your forehead and be identified with her. And the false religions of the earth. We are identified by the names on our forehead. The harlot's name was written on her forehead and what name is written on your forehead? You can't have both; you're either one or the other.
You can't claim to be a people of Yahweh and then make yourself a spiritual harlot by identifying yourself with the things that are contrary to him.
A name has a lot to do with density, do it? We have no business changing that name to something else, do we? The name Yahweh is a name by which each has to identify himself with. Don't you dare change it?
Whose name is on your forehead? Daniel 9:19 O Yahweh hear, O Yahweh forgive. Oh Yahweh, listen and act. Do not delay for my sake? No, for your own sake. My Elohim, for your city and your people, are called by your name.
For your own sake, Yahweh have mercy on your people. Yahweh Tsidkenu as we shared previous broadcasts Yahweh our righteousness. Yahushua Ha Mashiach was killed on the tree right?
And now you're part of his body, we were, we now are His light in this world. The people called by his name, a part of the city called by his name. does that make a name important? It's a part of our identity. They call you those Yahweh people, hallelujah. Make sure wits associated with righteousness. Make sure Yahweh's is associated holiness and love and goodness.
Scripture also calls you branches of a heavenly vine. Yahushua says I am the vine, you are the branches. He, who abides in me and I in him, bears much fruit, for without me you can do nothing.
Oh, Yahweh has all kinds of names for us. Ephesians 1:3 blessed be the Elohim and father of our master Yahushua Messiah, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Messiah. Just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world. That we should be holy and without blame before him in love. Did you catch that? He chose you.
Before the foundation of the world that you would be blameless without blame.
Blameless, you are blameless bore him. He chose you, when? Before the foundation of the world, he chose you. He chose me, you all of us. He'd already made his decagons. The decision was based on a calling and whether or not we responded to that calling.
Is that okay to say these things about ourselves?
Apparently, Paul thought so. peter thought so 1st Peter 2: 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his own special people that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Who once were not a people but are now the people of Elohim. Who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. Do you believe that you are a chosen generation?
You are a royal that is a kingly priesthood that's Melchizedek. Melchizedek has both king and priest aspects. You are part of a holy nation, you and I and all of us are part of a holy nation.
We are all his own special people; why? So you can proclaim his praises. You were once had not obtained mercy but now you are a people who have obtained mercy, that's you, that's me.
Imagine that, someone asked what you are. I'm a part of a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his own people of Yahweh and one time I didn't have mercy but now I've obtained mercy and I'm called by his name. I'm a branch of a heavenly vine; I'm among his chosen people, the people of Yahweh. Isn't that a whole lot better than that old term Christian? I mean, I'd take these over that anytime. And he said, he said that who you are, he said that's who we are. He's identified you already, says this is who you are right now. This is your identity; this is what I call you. And guess what? His opinion is the one that counts. That's what he calls you, that's what the early disciples called each other here, look. He said to them, "his is who you are." You might think, "Well how did he... No... who you are, today right now. What if I fall away or something?" If you are a repentant believer in Yahushua the And if you continue in that you'll continue to be Messiah right now this moment as you are
this. And you don't have to go, " well I don't know, you breathing and your heart is beating, then this is
know one day maybe I won't be." but you are now, embrace who you are, rejoice in who he says you are.
I understand, I know, I'm afraid you know I think I stand take heed lest I fall, right? Ist Corinthians 10:12 I'm not talking about what you're gonna be I'm talking about what you are.
If you died right now in the condition of repentance and in faith Messiah Yahushua, it is perfectly acceptable for you to call to call yourself the saints at this moment. Because right now you doing the thing the things he requires of us in order to become his people.
Because he is so rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us. Ephesians 2:4 through 6, even when we were dead in
trespasses made us alive together with Messiah but grace you have been saved and raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Messiah Yahushua. You get what he is saying here? He is saying you are already sitting in the heavenly places like it already happened.
He's already made you alive with Messiah. Why? Because he just loves you so, so much. You're already sitting there as far as he's concerned. You are already there, the old man is already dead, the new man Yahushua the Messiah is living in you and this is all past tense.
I tell you what? It's empowering, empowering to embrace this is who we are.
That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace, he can't wait to show everybody how great his grace and mercy is towards everyone who turns to him.
It's for his namesake he's doing this, because he loves you, his kindness towards us. For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of ourselves; it is the gift of Elohim. Not of works, lest anyone should boast. It's not by your own work you gained the position you are in. Whether you think you are that way or you see yourselves that way or not. Yahweh says this is who we are and a few would not have inspired the writer of Ephesians Paul to say this is who you are unless it was true. Unless it was true. I mean he wouldn't have done it if it wasn't true. He wouldn't have allowed it if it wasn't true. That's what I'm trying to say. So why is it wrong for you and I and all of us to say this is who we are?
We are sitting in the heavenly places with Messiah Yahushua. I mean I feel like we're sitting there. But you've got to understand something; Yahweh calls the things which do or yet exist as though they do. So, we can embrace it, we can give thanks for it. Because our citizenship is in heaven from which we also eagerly wait for a savior, the Messiah Master Yahushua Messiah who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to his glorious body, according to the working by which he is able to even subdue all things to himself. Here is your citizenship. You're looking for, we're strangers in this land, we are aliens we're immigrants or something. I don't know, but our citizenship is in heaven, right? Embrace it; can you embrace this as being true of you? Can you accept it? Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. As it is written "have made you a father of many nations" Look at that, he told Abraham, "you're the father of multitudes" He had no kids. He had no children. "Abram, your name is now Abraham father of multitudes" because when Yahweh says it, guess And so he is above all things. He's above time, he's above all things. You're looking for something to identify what? It's done. It's already done. He appointed it, he sets above time. Elohim created the heavens and the earth, right?
with.
Looking for a family to identify with. How about the family of Abraham?
He said, who contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations. Now if you choose to believe, this is who you are. That you are all these things he says about you. It will be accounted to you for righteousness. And so he became the father of many nations according to what was spoken so shall your descendants be. This is what's going to happen. You must first believe in his promises. And then it will be. You must first believe you are seated in the heavenly places. You must first believe you are the chosen people, you must first believe that you are the holy nation and then it will be. It's called faith in Messiah Yahushua, that's the faith aspect of it. Not just repentance and turning away from sin, but also faith in the power of the blood of Yahushua.
Who he says you are. Galatians 3:29 if you are Messiah's then you are Abraham's seed. You are among the many, right? And heirs according to the promise. Do you identify yourself as a son or daughter of because you are the body of the Messiah. Abraham? Do you? He does. He identifies you as a son and daughter of Abraham. Do call yourself Israel? Because the reason why you're Abraham's seed is
And Messiah Yahushua was of Abraham's seed. And that identity was purchased at very weighty cost. It's that identity that we must treasure in our hearts above all the identities that are on the earth. You are the seed of Abraham. Isaac and Jacob, that's who you are. Do you embrace it, do you accept it?
Not because of your own works, but because of his great love with which he loved you. Who are you?
? The light of the world. A city on a hill.
Children of the mist high. A people who are called by his name. Branches of the heavenly vine. Yahweh's chosen people.
Royal priesthood. A holy nation His special people Israel. Israel, Israel, that's who you are.
The gentile church over the last 2000 years has rejected that identity. "Oh we are gentiles, we don't do Jewish stuff. That's all Jewish stuff, we do anything. We have nothing in common with the Jewish" Constantine wrote.
They rejected who Yahushua said we are. And according to their identity on the earth as gentiles.
The scripture says if you are Messiah's then you are Abraham's seed, you are that's who you are. Do you accept that, do you believe that? I do. And they tried to put Messiah where Messiah didn't belong, they tried to put Messiah into the winter festival of you know commonly called Christmas. And tried to put pagan things attached to him instead of biblical things like Passover and the feasts and things like that. They created their own alternative identities. A little closer to what the pagan world was doing, their rituals their ways. And denied paganism where it exists and deny Yahushua where he is supposed to exist. And the faith once delivered became assimilated into the culture through syncretism which is a mixture of religions. And they are trying to fit Yahushua into a pagan,
gentile culture. Oh, to be like Messiah is not such a jump from where you are at see?" Wouldn't you like to come and join us?
"And they thought they would, you know, bring a little Messiah into the pagan world. What they really did was that they paganized the Messiah.
He's pure, he's holy, and you can't mix the two. But they did. Who do you wanna be? Who are you, what are you? Remember you once Gentiles; that means that at one time there was a day that he said that you're a Gentile.
In the flesh who are called uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision made in the flesh by hands. At that time when? At that time, when was that? When you were what? Once Gentiles, right? At that time when you were once Gentiles, you were without Messiah. At that time when you were once Gentiles, you were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel. At that time; how about now? peaking of the past when you were a gentile, you are not a stranger now from the commonwealth. You're not an alien from the commonwealth of Israel anymore. You're not a stranger from the covenants of promise. At that time when you were once Gentiles, you had no hope without Elohim in the world. But now in Messiah Yahushua you who once were far off, far off from what?
From the commonwealth of Israel. Once you who were far off have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah. Because of his life. Life is in the blood right? His life is in you now. You died and Messiah is now alive in you. Galatians 2:20 says, no longer I who lived Messiah who lives in me. The life which I now live, I live by faith in the son Elohim who loved me and gave himself for me. So you've taken on his identity brothers and sisters. That's who you are.
Yahushua in you. Is who you are. Do you identify yourself as an Israelite or you're
still holding on to the earthly identities?
Sometimes how we identify ourselves or how we're identified is by the way we practice things. If we keep... You know I went to Israel 2009 I told them I was a believer in Yahushua the Messiah and there were some Jews there who I joined for a Sabbath meal. I told them I kept Passover, Pesach and the feasts and these thing sand I told them I do these things. Do you know what they said? "You're Jewish". They didn't even care I didn't believe in Yahushua. They didn't care that I did believe in Yahushua. They didn't believe in Yahushua and they didn't believe that I did. If I kept those things, to them I'm Jewish. Did you know that when a Christian converts and
becomes, I'm sorry when Jewish person converts and becomes a Christian in some ultra-orthodox circles; they will hold a funeral for the Jewish man that became a Christian. Why? They start eating pork and dismissing the feasts and doing Christmas and Easter and things that are pagan oriented, pagan related festivals. And so to them it's like they lost their identity as being Jewish, so they host a funeral.
You see how our practices sometimes help us identify who we are? And if you're gonna say you're Israel, hey Yahushua said you are, scripture says you are. Then live like Israel lives. Like Israel is supposed to live. An embrace the identity of who we are. I'm not saying we're a replacement for Israel, I'm saying we joined Israel. One time you were gentile, what are you now?
No longer strangers from the commonwealth of Israel, you are no what? Israel. remember Ephesians 2:17 he came and preached peace to you who were afar off. When you were a gentile you were afar off. And to those who were near, talking about the jews. For through him we both have access by one spirit to the father. Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners. Now what? Fellow citizens with the saints. Have you ever noticed that we're called saints? What is a saint? Do you know what the word saint means? In the Hebrew and the Greek, it means holy one. Think about that. you ever say" hey I'm a holy one" You're not being boastful, they called each other holy ones, right? Saints that what the word means.
It's not because of your righteousness, it's because of what Yahushua did for you. That's why. Beautiful huh? You're a holy one brother and sister. You are. Yahweh says you are, you're a saint.
Your identity is really powerful I mean and you know if you decide you're gonna be a Baptist then you're not going to embrace this identity. If you decide you're gonna be Pentecostal, well Pentecostals don't do these things. If you decide you're gonna be a Lutheran or a Mennonite or whatever, there is some part of Yahushua that you're not embracing. Because he did keep the feast, he did eat clean, he did call upon his father's name, he did keep Yahweh's Torah and he wants to live in you and manifest himself through you. We've got to embrace the fullness of who he is.
Don't divorce him from his heritage, as a son of Abraham. If he's the one living in you, don't reject that part of him that wants to manifest itself through you.
So I'm not any of those other things. The identity I want is Yahushua in me. Forget the Baptist and catholic and holiness churches and Mennonites. Forget all of that the Wesleyan, the Methodist forget it. Didn't Paul say at one time in 1 Corinthians chapter 1 ,you all say you're ones of Apollo, ones of you this, I'm of that. No, we're all of Yahushua. In his identity. I don't take on the identity of John Wesley or martin Luther or Menno Simons or any of these men. My identity is in Yahushua the Messiah and him alone. I take on his identity as his disciple and I want to accept that with all that I and walk as he walked.
Forget the Gentile church and what they've said. You know there is a certain identity in what that means to be an evangelical Christian even.
I want to be what Yahweh says I am. One of the most important questions Yahushua asked was "who do you say I am?" Right. and when Yahushua was being tempted by the devil, what did the enemy go after? His identity, " oh, if you're really the son of Elohim, then do this. If you're really the son of Elohim then do that over there " He's always attacking your identity.
That's where he knows he can work.
Psalm 119 verse 105 says your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. that's why you're the light of the world. Because you 're manifesting the word of Yahweh. He's talking about the Torah, the law.
Scripture says the law and the testimony. If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. That's what scripture says. So if Messiah dwells in us brothers, we need to walk according to law and testimony so that there will be the light manifesting through us. As a new creation, we are the light of the world. He says you are the light. So walk in the light.
The Torah observant Messiah is now shining through us making us a part of this city on a hill that can't be hidden. Making us a part of Israel and a new creation. Colossians 3:9 says do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with his deeds and put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of him who created him. 2 Corinthians 5: 17 therefore if anyone is in Messiah, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new. All things have become new. Do you embrace the new man who is the new man? what's this new identity you got now?
He speaks of the things that are not yet as though they are. You may have been told you're a new creation, you may have been told you're a new man. But you've never been told who that is. Maybe, maybe you have.
Yahweh is building a nation, a nation of Israel on the earth today and you're a part of that nation. You're of the named parties in the new covenant. Jeremiah 31: 31 behold the days coming says Yahweh. When I will make a new covenant with who? The house of Israel and with the house of Judah and with the gentile. No, it doesn't have gentiles there, does it? It says the house of Israel and house of Judah. That means you've got to embrace who you are and the Messiah. Israel, Judah this is who you are. that's who the new covenant is with. Not according to the covenant I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke though I was a husband to them Says Yahweh. This is a covenant I will make with who?
The house of Israel and after those days says Yahweh; I will put my law in their minds and write on their hearts and I will be their Elohim and they shall be my people. The new covenant is with Israel and Judah. Do you accept it? Do you accept your identity as an Israelite?
Can you receive that and say it's true? You've got to, I mean this is part of who the new covenant is with. This is where you're a new creation and now you're a recipient of the covenant, it's a promise.
And the reason why you are the light of the world is because the law of Yahweh is now in your mind in your heart. And therefore what is going on inside is going to manifest itself through the outer layer. If the law is in your heart, it certainly isn't abolished. If the law is in your heart then it certainly is supposed to be manifesting itself through how you conduct your life on the earth. 1 Corinthians 6:19 Or do you not know that your
body is the temple of the Holy Spirit `who is in you, whom you have from Elohim and you are not your own. his right here is a major, major thing. I mean you gotta realize you don't belong to yourself you were bought.
You were purchased on the slave market.
You were a slave of sin and of the devil and who he said you were. Now you were bought at a price, the price was
Yahushua's blood and you don't belong to yourself. One of the biggest problems in the world today is that; people think they belong to themselves.
Your body is not your own. You don't even own yourself. You don't even own yourself, he owns you or
the devil owns you.
You're either a slave of sin and therefore a slave of the devil or you are slaves of Messiah and therefore you're owned by him. sorry, buddy but you don't get to choose this independent thing that you think you're doing. You're a slave of one or the other. Your flesh and the things it wants you to do or Yahushua and the things that he wants you to do. You were bought at a price, therefore, what? Glorify Elohim in your body and in your spirit. Both your body and your spirit are his. They are Elohim's The reason why is because
you're now a part of this call, the body of Messiah. Your former body is done away with. Now you are the body of Messiah and members of that body individually. To the extent that you may not be acting like a part of the body of Messiah. That's the trouble a lot of us have. We feel like we have to be a finished product in order to be a part of that body. No, no one is a finished product when they draw
their last breath on the earth. There is still some things that Yahushua has wanted to work out in everybody even to the day they die.
And not until the corruptible puts incorruptible will be perfectly cleansed and perfectly in line with everything he wants you to be. It's not where you are it's the journey. Are you on the journey of repentance and faith in Messiah? If you're on the journey of repentance and faith in Messiah then in his eyes you're completely cleansed. And you're his workmanship created in Messiah Yahushua for good works, which Elohim prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Think about that. He is willing to accept you right where you're at today. Where you stand today, he's willing to accept right now where you are at. Isn't that beautiful? This moment as you're living and breathing he's accepting you. And as long as you commit your life to following his way and you receive the Messiah Yahushua in yourself and you're willing to say "yes I will let you become workman of my soul. Just yeild yourself and be renewed and transformed to the image of Yahushua, the image of what it truly means to walk in perfect love. A love for your fellow man, a love for Yahweh. These two principles all commands and scripture will hang. The one who made you and formed you in the womb will mold you and form you into his perfect image.
Ephesians 1:3 through 5 blessed be the Elohim and father of our master Yahushua Messiah, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Messiah. Just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world. That we should be holy and without blame before him in love. Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Yahushua Messiah to himself according to the good pleasure of his will. You're adopted.
If your decision, your final decision is that you know Paul wrote about it here, that you are his disciple then you're adopted into a new family. Your earthly father's house is not so much focus because now we're adopted into the heavenly house of Elohim. And now it is Yahweh's will and good pleasure to give you the things you long for.
So if our earthly father's household was joined with us in this heavenly household hallelujah. We welcome them into the family.
That our first tier of identity is Yahushua ha Mashiach in us.
Malachi 3:16 says then those who feared Yahweh spoke to one another and Yahweh listened and heard them So a book of remembrance was written before him for those who fear Yahweh and who meditate on his name. "They shall be mine," says Yahweh of hosts, " on the day that I make them my jewels or my special treasure. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son. He knows we're not perfect. He's gonna have to spare us then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked. Between the one who serves Elohim and the one who does not serve him at all. Hey, you may not have everything right, but if you're like children trying to please their father, Yahweh will spare you.
Look what he calls you. His special treasure, his jewels.
Deuteronomy 14 verse 12 for you are a holy people to Yahweh your Elohim. And Yahweh has chosen you to be a people for himself, a special treasure above all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. He chose you.
Do you believe that? No one can come to the father unless Yahweh draws him through Yahushua's great love with which he loved us. Look around you. If Yahweh the great Elohim was able to look upon all creation and pick the favorite thing of all he created, the most valuable thing of all he created, he will look you, he will look at us.
he would say, "his is my special treasure, one that is so significant it's going to reflect my own image" and even though you stop, or have stopped reflecting on his image, he still loved you and treasured you enough that he would send his own son to die for you so that you could be restored to that image once again. And then if that wasn't enough Yahushua said, to
him who overcomes I will grant to sit with me on my throne. Sit with Yahushua on his throne. As I also overcame and sat with my father on his throne. I mean that when I look at that scripture I just go "whoa". I mean he must place amazing, incredible worth upon us to say ... They look at us and say, "here come and sit with me on my throne we will reign together, we're gonna rule together". You know I look at myself, I looked at my say naturally and say " how can Yahweh take a pile of yuck " that was all and cleansed me to the extent that he'd let me sit next to Yahushua on his throne? How? It's his power, it's his grace. That's how valuable we are to him.
He sees us there already. "I'll make you a partaker of the divine nature," he said. Not equal to Elohim, but only it says here 2 Peter 1:2 through 4 grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of Elohim and Yahushua our master. As his divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and reverence through the knowledge of him who called us by glory and virtue. By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises that through these you may be partakers, be partakers. Of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Partakers of divine nature when we reflect the image of Elohim.
Look what the world has to offer.
Come back to the biker garment, you get to look like a biker, a tough mean. Whoop de doo. I mean really; who cares about that? " Oh. You can be like Britney Spears". Who cares? " Oh you can be like this rock star or that rock star or that sports team or that person that everybody ... or that movie star". Forget all of that. Excuse me take this over those things any day of
the week. How about you?
Kind of makes it almost laughable in comparison, really.
2 Corinthians 5:20 now then we are ambassadors for the Messiah, ambassadors for Messiah. What does an ambassador do? He is like, a liaison you know go between. one can be an ambassador of you know some European country then they would be the go between, between the countries and someone to try and to communicate you know the wills and interests of the country they happen to be a part of to the other country. We are ambassadors and we're communicating the will, we're ambassadors for Yahshua Ha Mashiach. We're the ones representing his kingdom on this earth. That's an important role. You've got an important job to do. We need to be communicating what this kingdom is all about.
This kingdom talks about one Sabbath to another, one new moon to another, all flesh coming to worship before him. It talks the feast of Tabernacles. The whole world is gonna keep it one day. It talks about the nations not learning war anymore, there being peace on the earth.
We're ambassadors for his kingdom. Our kingdom is not of this world. We need to live our lives as though we really believe that. We're not impressed by the world and the things that the world is impressed with. We're not depressed by the things the world is depressed with because we have a hope living in us.
As ambassadors for Messiah, when terrible things happen we speak up and say, "But there is hope, there is a better kingdom coming and you can be a part of that kingdom now. So that when he comes he will accept you and embrace you as a part of his nation of Israel". So we implore you Paul said, we implore you on Messiah's behalf. Be reconciled to Elohim, be reconciled.
That's what we're calling out to everyone. "Be reconciled to Elohim!
"As ambassadors calling people to the wedding feast and we're not like the people of this world that always fearful and completely powerless walking in hatred and confusion because Elohim
has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of sound mind. Beautiful. And we are complete in him. Colossians 2:9 we are complete in him if you're thinking you need something more than Yahushua, you do just not believe how complete we are. Any possessions, any identities that will compete with him, anything that is not according to
him.
You don't need it. Colossians 2:9 through 10, in him dwells all the fullness of the divine nature bodily; and you are complete in him, who is the head of all principality and power. So the one living in us is far greater than anything
that you could grab a hold of in this world.
Because he is the head of all things.
You are of Elohim little children and have overcome them because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. You know even if they were to kill the body they can't touch the soul unless you let them.
who's the one in the world?
Satan, he's the one who's in the world right? All right ; who's the one that's in you? Yahushua. Who's greater? Yahushua, right? So what are you afraid of? If the devil himself appeared to you and says "well, I'm gonna kill you" . Would you need to be afraid? No because the one that's in you is greater than he is.
You don't have to fear evil or evil spirits; he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. He has delivered us from the power of darkness. We're not under the power of the evil one, we're under the power of Yahweh. We have been delivered from the power of darkness and we have been conveyed to the kingdom of the son of his love. Oh, I love, son of his love. In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sin. Conveyed means to be transferred from one to the other. You've been transferred from that power of darkness and transferred or conveyed to the kingdom of the son of his love.
Therefore you're head, not the tail. Deuteronomy 28:13 Yahweh will make you the head and not the tail. You shall be above only and not beneath, if you heed the commandments of Yahweh your Elohim, which I command you today and are careful to observe them. Who are you? We're the head not the tail. "What?" We're above not beneath. "What?" In fact, we're Messiah's friends, Yahushua's friends, we're friends with him. We're friend with the king of the universe. See, Yahushua says you're my friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants , for a servant does not know what his master ids doing; but I have called you friends for all things that I heard from my father I have made known to you. Well I don't know, I've failed to do the things he commanded me sometimes.
So the disciples, I mean they weren't exactly . . . When they were walking with him, they had to be corrected sometimes for their immaturity and their lack of understanding and their you know sometimes childish ways. But he said "you're my friends, I still accept you. And Peter I know one day you're going to deny me three times in fact. But you're still my friend".
You say 'well I don't know I want to do what he commands me, I wanna focus on the real kingdom. Sometimes I get weak and I fail him". 1 John 1:9 if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Do you believe this is true? He is faithful, he is just; do you believe he is faithful and just? All right then you must believe he is faithful and just to what? Forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. You confess your sins before him, you acknowledge that you have failed him, you realize that you need his help, you cannot do it by your own power, your own strength. Come boldly to the throne of grace. Hebrews 4:15 for we did not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we're yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly, boldly, boldly. To the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. If you're gonna treat Yahweh, Yahweh is a hard man, Yahweh is a hard Elohim, reaping what he hadn't sown and you know bury your talent in the soil and too afraid. I'm afraid. You're not putting your faith in Yahushua. If you can come boldly to the throne of grace that means you don't have to wonder whether he will forgive you. You confessed your sins and you manifest a commitment, on-going commitment toward righteousness and your trajectory is one toward growth you know hallelujah. Expect the mercy, expect the grace in a time where you and I and we all need it. When we were not a part of this family. That we were once gentiles our sins separated us from him. But when we turned our hearts to him and decided that we're gonna be his children, we wanna act like his children and we wanna yield our hearts to love. Then any failure to love, any failure to keep his commandments is now a family matter. So it's in house stuff. In-house issue and he will deal with you as children. You may get disciplined, its a sign he is your dad still. But ultimately, he's gonna spare you like a father who spared his children whose threats are attentive to his will. And because we do come boldly to the throne of grace, it shows we really trust his grace. We believe what he says about his grace, we believe he is faithful, we believe he is just. If we're afraid we don't believe he is faithful, we don't believe he is just then we won't trust his grace. But we as his children can believe, we can remain at peace with Yahweh because of that on-going relation, he's promising us right now. Unlike the world maybe when they sin, they don't go to the father. When they sin, they don't seek that relationship, we do and that's a major difference. Therefore having been justified by faith we have peace with Elohim through our master Yahushua Messiah. I'm speaking these matters because so many of us struggle with faith in Messiah. You know the world is looking for peace, they want that. There is no peace and us we're first at peace with the one who made us. Through Yahushua the Messiah. And to the extent whatever sins we commit, we don't identify ourselves with those sins, we don't identify ourselves being one who does sin. We don't identify ourselves with the sins of the past, we don't live there anymore. Don't judge me by what's in my rear view mirror , I don't live there anymore. My eyes are on the windshield, going through the windshield I'm looking ahead. I'm going this direction.
So quit looking in the rearview mirror yourself and consider yourself to be a people who are dead to sin and alive to Yahushua your master. Therefore likewise you also reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin but alive to Elohim in messiah Yahushua our master.
So we identify ourselves as dead to sin, alive to Elohim. Romans 8:16 the spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of Elohim. And if children then heirs, heirs of Elohim and joint heirs with Messiah, if indeed we suffer with him that we may also be glorified together. We have to be willing to suffer as I shared in the previous broadcast. Be willing to suffer with him and for him. We are his children, joint heirs he says.
Heirs of Elohim joint heirs with the Messiah. Goes with the territoty, you're gonna suffer like he did if you identify yourself with him. He did suffer, but your joint heirs. Sit at the right hand of Messiah.
But look at this, be glorified together with him. That the part we need to look to be glorified together with him.
everything he's promised us. So many words, so many things he says we are .
And it's all these things.
And when his spirit is in us , he will cause us to walk in the statutes and judgements and we will do them. You know Yahweh don't hold a grudge? He actually forgives.
He's not one to hold a grudge toward one who humbly seeks his mercies and forgiveness. And commits his life toward walking as Yahushua walked. Once again the enemy lied to you and say " he holds a grudge and you'll never make it". The enemy will lie to you , will try to steal who you are and say " you'll never be good enough to be Yahweh's people". Yahweh says just the opposite. It's not about you being good enough, it's whether Yahushua is good enough and he is good enough.
If you just turn over the reins to him. Whose voice are you gonna believe? You think Yahushua came to die for perfect people? You're greatly mistaken. He came to die for sinners. Have you ever walked into a perfect congregation? You wouldn't be able attend there, right? I mean, it would really be empty.
Look at the Corinthian assembly. The book of Corinthians they are a mess. Yet they were saints, believers.
All these things ; you know what? You can do all things through Messiah who strengthens you.
He's offering you an identity.
As being more than conquerors through him who loved you.
You are more than a conqueror.
So our boasting is not in our righteousness, Jeremiah 9:23 let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches. But let him who glories glory in this. That he understands and knows me. I am Yahweh exercise loving kindness, judgement and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight.
So who are you? What are you? You're the light of the world. You're a city on a hill. You're a child of the most high. You're called by his name. You're a branch of the heavenly vine. You're a part of his chosen people. We are a royal priesthood. We are a holy nation. We are his special people. We are the people of Yahweh. We are the people of Israel. We are a new creation.
We are the e temple of Yahweh's spirit. We are the body of Messiah. We are his workmanship. We are adopted sons and daughters. Yahweh's jewels. His special treasure. Partakers of the divine nature. Ambassadors for Messiah. People of power, love and sound mind. We are complete in him. We are transferred to the kingdom. We are the head and not the tail. Above and not beneath. Friends with Messiah. Forgiven and cleansed. We are a people at peace with Elohim. A people who are dead to sin. We are more than conquerors through him in us. And this is not a complete list. You are all these things and more. With one simple decision.
Turn away from unrighteousness and receive the Messiah Yahushua for the forgiveness of sin. And all this is yours. This is who you become.
That's the power of his grace. There is no in between you either are or you're not.
You already are loved. The question is ; do you love him? But no matter how far or how far you will have to go even if you're far away he is calling you.
"Accept the identity I want to give you". Embrace it, because there is nothing in this world that could possibly compare to the promises that we have in the word of Yahweh.
There isn't any identity that could possibly compare to the identity we have available to us in him. Can you think of anything? No, there is nothing, nothing at all. What does the world have to offer you?
A temporary identity for 70 years or however short your life is gonna be. Of pain , of turmoil, of fighting for supremacy of hatred. No real hope for the future. A temporary life, a temporary glory on the earth, a temporary crown. Compare that to Yahweh's promises , the creator of all things is offering us great and precious promises and nothing compares to what we can receive through him. I know there is someone listening , who needs to hear this. Always is.
Is there anything more honorable than aligning yourself with the one who loves ,Yahweh the creator
of the universe? Anything better than the one who has loved and accepted , even considered being a friend with the most powerful being in the universe. The creator of all things? Yahweh wants that kinds of relationship with us. He lost it in the Garden of Eden when we turned away from him. But he's done so much to restore us to the relationship again. If that's what we really want.
Do you want it? I want it. Fear not , he says : I am your shield and you're extremely greatly rewarded." Some of you
need to hear this message again and again and again.
the scriptures in this message we shared are these two links. www.eliyah.com/identity.pd f And the graphic, this graphic right here.
You can download it at www.eliyah.com/identity.jp g ecause the enemy has stolen your identity and
cause you to think that you're something that you're not .Really you are Yahweh's and he's deceived you into thinking you're not.
So who are you and what are you? This is who we are.
Let's pray; Oh father Yahweh, in Yahushua great name. I just pray father Yahweh that everyone listening to the sound of my voice to understand father that the awesome promises that we have in you and who you say we are. Father we know it's only by your righteousness that we are anything at all.
And that the only thing we really deserve is the lake of fire and judgement. But you chose to love and convey us to the kingdom if the son of your love. Father we embrace it.
We forsake all false identities. We set aside the earthly identities , in favor of the heavenly identity and who we are in you. Now father let's walk out that identity as disciples of Yahushua , as ambassadors for kingdom. As your chosen people, as Israel .
Dwell in place of your spirit. Your special treasure.
Oh father Yahweh, thank you for calling us out of the darkness into your marvelous light.
And now glorify your name, as people on the earth
behold the light of the world. Yahushua ha Mashiach living in us. And it's in his name why?
By his grace, by his work, his work on the tree .
We pray all these things for truly yours is the Kingdom and power and glory and majesty. Forever and ever in Yahushua great name we pray.
understanding can have on a person's life. I apologize for the dog barking out there. I wanted to really communicate this; that it's extremely, extremely important that you and I and all of us get a firm understanding of this.
And that is who we truly are.
Who we truly are in Yahushua. Sorry for the banter there.
It's extremely important that you grasp the importance of we truly are What is our identity? Identity is extremely powerful and the enemy wants nothing more than to take the understanding of who we are away from us. He wants to take who we hear from Yahweh that we are. And cause us to believe something different. And when we believe something different we're going to have a very hard time having success in our walk with Yahweh. So our study topic for today's broadcast is entitled, "a case of stolen identity". Well, you know about identity theft in the physical realm and the crimes that are going on today. Where people steal your so called identity and try to steal money from you by doing that. But this is something far more important and far-reaching. A case of stolen identity in the spiritual realm. A case of stolen identity in who Yahweh says we are versus whom the enemy wants us to believe that we are. He has an identity of what he is all about and Yahushua has an identity of what Yahushua is all about. Then there is what scripture says we're all about and who we are. What is your identity in Yahushua the Messiah? I think, well, at some point, we have the enemy
out there seeking to become our identity. We have an enemy out there who's seeking to conform ourselves to his image and he comes to steal, to kill
and to destroy. And one of the things that he wants to steal is who you believe you are. He wants to steal your identity and cause you to think that you're like him.
Scripture says the thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come, Yahushua said that they might have life and that they may have it more abundantly.
And so we have an identity thief among us who's trying to get you to believe that you're worthless, that you would never amount to anything, and that you have no value and no worth.
Whereas Yahweh says just the opposite.
With whom do you identify and what does that mean to you in a real world and real practical sense? On a day to day basis, what does it mean? Do we fundamentally want to be known and do we embrace as being the disciples of Yahushua the Messiah. Do we identify with him even when we're under pressure? You know that we all have an innate desire to identify ourselves with something. And that's why you have people who would worship the creature and people who would worship the creator.
hat creature may be themselves, that creature may be a spouse, a family member, a friend, another person. But everyone has an object or a person with whom they identify. And a major tool of the enemy is to get you to identify with the world and the things they value rather than the Messiah.
So there is this force pulling to cause you to want to be like the world.
It's about where our affections are, the things that impress us, it's about the things we really enjoy, the friends that we think we have to enjoy things. If we're watching a movie, you notice that the producers have an identity they want to impress us with? You may not know what I'm talking about. But most of the movies out there speak to the heart of the world. What movie could speak to the things of Messiah? A whole lot of fewer movies out there doing that. And so we should not delight in the things that speak of the spirit of the world. What does this culture promote? An alternative identity, with alternative values, worldliness. The things that it sees as worthy of exaltation. The people, the shows, the things that most of the world identifies with. Movies, movie stars, clothing, sports figures, entertainment figures. In the midst of the crooked and perverse generation, are we embarrassed by Yahushua in us? Do we prefer the company of mature believers who challenge us or do we settle in the company of weak believers, or Yahweh forbid unbelievers? Who are our heroes and why are they our heroes? What kinds of songs do we sing and why do we sing them? What kind of entertainment do we love and does our heart rejoice about?
Where are our affections?
What are the things that we choose to identify ourselves with? These are very important questions we need to ask ourselves.
What kind of entertainment do you love?
When someone reads the scriptures to you, what's the response in your heart? Is it bracing to defend yourself or a willingness to hear and be corrected? When the world the things that are going on and they speak, do we sound like the world when we speak or do we sound different?
Anyone speaks let them speak as the oracles of Elohim. Do you ever notice that the youth speak a different kind of language?
I'm talking about the worldly youth. Wear a different kind of clothing.
I've been around long enough to see that every generation wants to look different and act differently than the one before. That's just how it is. They are like that. They want to be different, they want a different identity than that of their parents which they are rebelling against and want nothing to do with.
And the purveyors of wickedness from Hollywood and elsewhere, if they can get the youth to speak a different kind of language, to dress different, to act differently; guess what? They are driving a wedge between the youth and the older generation that might otherwise lead them to a wiser path.
Music is a very powerful influence in our society. I've heard it said' you can do anything you want with the youth, but you can't take away their music". And when you see the pop stars and the way they carry themselves, their attitude, their language, they do it all to portray an identity.
If they can get the young person to be a fan, to identify themselves with them; then they can influence that young person for life.
It's all about an image and with whom those who are rebellious can identify.
Every generation has its own way of expressing that rebellion. So who do you identify with? What's your identity? What are trying to portray? What's the identity of Messiah?
What are the things that he values? Are the things that we say on Facebook's and Instagram's and whatever else; are we portraying ourselves as Yahushua Ha Mashiach in us?
And today there is a lot of confusion of identity, even the lines are blurring between male and female. Men are acting like women and women are acting like men.
And that's why the number of people turning to homosexuality is at an all-time high. It's a symptom of our culture's blur between the lines.
Your identity will make its ultimate appearance through the decisions that you make. Your decisions will be formed by the condition of your heart and the things that have your affections. And one of the biggest reasons why certain things have that are not good to have people affection because they are seeking to find themselves. And Hollywood has all kinds of characters that you can find yourself and identify with.
All kinds of alternative identities.
What I wanna share with you today is that; we have an identity in Yahushua Ha Mashiach, Yahushua Messiah. And our identity in him has a far greater opportunity for us and is based on far greater promises and greater rewards than anything anyone could latch on to.
We see in the Torah that men were identified with their father like Baruch son of Neriah. And we see that carried into what's called the New Testament; Simon by Jonah, Simon son of Jonah.
Historically men were sometimes identified by their trade.
Maybe their national origin and maybe even the location they came from. These are all secondary identities. Our first and our foremost identity is with Yahushua the Messiah and that identity needs to supersede all things in this world. As believers we must identify ourselves with him, there is no hybrid. We either identify with him and our life with him or we identify with the world and what it has to offer. So where is our heart?
Do we have the fragrance of the Messiah flowing off of us when we talk, when we conduct ourselves?
And do we turn up our nose at the things that are at war with him or that are contrary to him? Do we enjoy the things that are contrary to him? What do you call yourself? Do you call yourself a Christian? You know that even Christianity has a certain identity to it, certain pictures come to mind? Maybe stained glass windows and crosses and church buildings and people worshipping. There is all time Christianity that's one identity, the old fire and brimstone picture.
Then there is the more ritualistic form of Christianity found in Catholicism and Lutheranism. A lot of literage involved in orthodox Christianity here is the Christianity that's more of a charismatic Christianity that is built around the, " oh, we're gonna follow the spirit and we're gonna be loud in our praises and we're just gonna let things, let it all just flow around" you know. And others are more reserved and singing hymns instead of getting out the electric guitar. You know there is different brands of identity even within Christianity. Do you get where I'm going with this? You've got all the worldly identities and what they are all about, what they value, what they are into.
And if someone decides, "well. I'm gonna be a Pentecostal Christian, I like Pentecostal Christianity and so I'm gonna a Pentecostal Christian". Another person may decide, " well I'm gonna be a catholic, I like Catholicism so I'm gonna be a catholic". And there is the Torah believing Messianic and that identity and what that's all about. Gonna get your tassels on and in some circles, you're gonna don the little keeper. You know you wanna like the Jews. And so you embrace that identity and say, "I wanna be like the Jews". And so you do the things that Jewish people do. Whether it's scriptural or not, that isn't the issue. It's whether it's what they do; if they do it I wanna do it. And so what I want to encourage us all to
embrace is this identity that we have in Yahushua
Ha Mashiach.
You there is not a single person from Genesis to Revelations that ever called themselves a Christian. That was a true believer, they would call themselves Christians, other people on the outside labeled them Christians. It was actually intended to be an insult, something to be funny.
But who are we? When someone asks you what you are, what do you say?
There is something different that we do, something different than mainstream Christianity so that we call ourselves Christian still or when we say that we are Christian do they think Sunday church, you know Christmas and Easter and things that I don't want to be associated with. If you say Messianic if I say Messianic people might think I'm you know trying to do everything that Jews do. You know traditions and things like that and I'm not into those things.
What is our identity?
Do you understand where I'm going with this? If we accept what our identity is as a believer in Yahushua and we reject anything else. And just accept who we are as disciples of Yahushua. It can transform your life; change your priorities, in major ways. I mean for instance if someone wanted to be a biker, I like to use this analogy; what's he gonna do? He's gonna go out and get some leather garb and buy himself a Harley Davidson and do the whole biker thing you know. Put on his glasses, buzz down the highway with a loud machine. Once he has embraced an identity his actions follow, right? Even in sports people take up identities with a sports team.
Someone wants to be ... You know they like this particular team what do they do? They are talking good about it all the time. And they can't wait for that team to win. If their team wins they feel great, if their team loses they feel like they've lost. Like they somehow lost something and that can even affect their moods.
Cause someone to venture into anger or depression or sadness. Just because you know one other team could get the ball across the touchdown line better than the other one. I mean seriously how silly it is. But identity is powerful. If you identify yourself with a particular sports team to the effect that you and your moods are affected by that sports team, it's an unhealthy identity.
You see where I'm going? Identity is very powerful.
So what do you call yourself? Who are you? What are you? And people ask you; what are you? What are you, people? They wanna put you in a box, an identity box. They wanna know what are you, or what are you? Who are you?
You're different. What if you said, "Well, we're the light of the world?
A city that is set on a hill that can't be hidden." You think they'd just be floored, right. I mean maybe you think you're being boastful or arrogant or like you're something. But listen. What did Yahushua say you..? What did he identify you as? He said you are, he said you are the light of the world.
He said it, right? I mean he said it, he's gotta be right. That you are the light of the world. If he said it, he can't be wrong, right?
Well, I'm just going by what my savior said I was. Not because of my righteousness, but because of his righteousness; I've become the light of the world. In a city collectively as a body, a city set on a
hill.
So he said, nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify you? No, glorify your father in heaven.
So we can say this collectively, "We as his people my savior told me I was a light of the world. I was a part of this city." Can you agree with him? Can you really agree with that, or do you look at yourself and say 'how could I be a part of that, I mean I'm the light of the world?
How can that be?" Listen it's not because of your righteousness, it's because the Messiah has cleansed you completely to the extent as if you have never sinned. So when he looks at you and me he says look the light of the world.
That's not a testimony of your works and your righteousness; it's a testimony of how far reaching his grace can go and how deep his cleansing truly is.
That means you have the light of Messiah Yahushua dwelling in you. And if you deny it, you're denying what Yahushua said
you are.
And you are calling him a liar.
Because he did this work in you, brothers and sisters. Even though you've done nothing to deserve it, he
did his work in you and me. If you're a repentant believer in the Messiah Yahushua, that means you're willing when you realize you've done something wrong, to turn away from it seek forgiveness.
He says I'm he who accepts you. And you receive the Messiah Yahushua. Do not deny this truth.
Now I didn't say go around and tell everybody, "I'm the light of the world, I'm the most wonderful". No, he said let the light shine, they'll see that you are. Listen, you can know that you are if we aren't who is?
Someone is he identified someone. So we collectively as a body are this light of the
world.
That's set on a hill that shouldn't and couldn't be hidden. So Yahweh's people consist of numerous small lights that shine into the darkness that this world is and glorify Yahweh and his ways. And a lot of this, you know we went to a cave here this past week and we turned off all lights and it was completely pitch black. But it only took one little tiny light to defeat the darkness that was in the cave, right? Just one tiny light.
And so, greater is he who is in you and that light that's in you, than he who is in the world.
You know a lot of us may identify with our family. We got their last name because it's the family we are born into. Some cases married into if you are female. It's not wrong to identify yourself by you know to some extent the family you're born into. But you have a spiritual birth, its far greater and longer lasting than your earthly birth and the earthly identity of who you are here on the earth and we need to consider ourselves that first and
foremost; the bride of Messiah, the children of Elohim.
Scripture says, John 1:12, as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of Elohim, Yahweh's children. To those who believe in his name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of man, but you were born of Elohim, being his children. He says it.
And we're called by his name.
If you believe in his name.
Jeremiah said, your words were found, and I ate them. And your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; for I am called by your name, O Yahweh Elohim of hosts. Well, you were called by a last name whatever your last name happens to be and your first name happens to be. And now you're called by his name. What do people say when they talk about you? "Are those, those people that believe in Yahweh or something about Yahweh?"
Revelation 22 verse 3 through 4 it says, and there shall be no more curse but the throne of Elohim and the lamb shall be in it. His servant shall serve him and they shall see his face and his name shall be on their foreheads. It's talking about us. So he's put a mark on you. So this is who you are, you're my children. The children of Yahweh and so you've got his name on your forehead. There are other children on the earth who don't
have this name on their forehead.
Revelations 17: talks about Babylon. On her forehead a name was written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, and MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. You don't want that name on your forehead and be identified with her. And the false religions of the earth. We are identified by the names on our forehead. The harlot's name was written on her forehead and what name is written on your forehead? You can't have both; you're either one or the other.
You can't claim to be a people of Yahweh and then make yourself a spiritual harlot by identifying yourself with the things that are contrary to him.
A name has a lot to do with density, do it? We have no business changing that name to something else, do we? The name Yahweh is a name by which each has to identify himself with. Don't you dare change it?
Whose name is on your forehead? Daniel 9:19 O Yahweh hear, O Yahweh forgive. Oh Yahweh, listen and act. Do not delay for my sake? No, for your own sake. My Elohim, for your city and your people, are called by your name.
For your own sake, Yahweh have mercy on your people. Yahweh Tsidkenu as we shared previous broadcasts Yahweh our righteousness. Yahushua Ha Mashiach was killed on the tree right?
And now you're part of his body, we were, we now are His light in this world. The people called by his name, a part of the city called by his name. does that make a name important? It's a part of our identity. They call you those Yahweh people, hallelujah. Make sure wits associated with righteousness. Make sure Yahweh's is associated holiness and love and goodness.
Scripture also calls you branches of a heavenly vine. Yahushua says I am the vine, you are the branches. He, who abides in me and I in him, bears much fruit, for without me you can do nothing.
Oh, Yahweh has all kinds of names for us. Ephesians 1:3 blessed be the Elohim and father of our master Yahushua Messiah, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Messiah. Just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world. That we should be holy and without blame before him in love. Did you catch that? He chose you.
Before the foundation of the world that you would be blameless without blame.
Blameless, you are blameless bore him. He chose you, when? Before the foundation of the world, he chose you. He chose me, you all of us. He'd already made his decagons. The decision was based on a calling and whether or not we responded to that calling.
Is that okay to say these things about ourselves?
Apparently, Paul thought so. peter thought so 1st Peter 2: 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his own special people that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Who once were not a people but are now the people of Elohim. Who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. Do you believe that you are a chosen generation?
You are a royal that is a kingly priesthood that's Melchizedek. Melchizedek has both king and priest aspects. You are part of a holy nation, you and I and all of us are part of a holy nation.
We are all his own special people; why? So you can proclaim his praises. You were once had not obtained mercy but now you are a people who have obtained mercy, that's you, that's me.
Imagine that, someone asked what you are. I'm a part of a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his own people of Yahweh and one time I didn't have mercy but now I've obtained mercy and I'm called by his name. I'm a branch of a heavenly vine; I'm among his chosen people, the people of Yahweh. Isn't that a whole lot better than that old term Christian? I mean, I'd take these over that anytime. And he said, he said that who you are, he said that's who we are. He's identified you already, says this is who you are right now. This is your identity; this is what I call you. And guess what? His opinion is the one that counts. That's what he calls you, that's what the early disciples called each other here, look. He said to them, "his is who you are." You might think, "Well how did he... No... who you are, today right now. What if I fall away or something?" If you are a repentant believer in Yahushua the And if you continue in that you'll continue to be Messiah right now this moment as you are
this. And you don't have to go, " well I don't know, you breathing and your heart is beating, then this is
know one day maybe I won't be." but you are now, embrace who you are, rejoice in who he says you are.
I understand, I know, I'm afraid you know I think I stand take heed lest I fall, right? Ist Corinthians 10:12 I'm not talking about what you're gonna be I'm talking about what you are.
If you died right now in the condition of repentance and in faith Messiah Yahushua, it is perfectly acceptable for you to call to call yourself the saints at this moment. Because right now you doing the thing the things he requires of us in order to become his people.
Because he is so rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us. Ephesians 2:4 through 6, even when we were dead in
trespasses made us alive together with Messiah but grace you have been saved and raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Messiah Yahushua. You get what he is saying here? He is saying you are already sitting in the heavenly places like it already happened.
He's already made you alive with Messiah. Why? Because he just loves you so, so much. You're already sitting there as far as he's concerned. You are already there, the old man is already dead, the new man Yahushua the Messiah is living in you and this is all past tense.
I tell you what? It's empowering, empowering to embrace this is who we are.
That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace, he can't wait to show everybody how great his grace and mercy is towards everyone who turns to him.
It's for his namesake he's doing this, because he loves you, his kindness towards us. For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of ourselves; it is the gift of Elohim. Not of works, lest anyone should boast. It's not by your own work you gained the position you are in. Whether you think you are that way or you see yourselves that way or not. Yahweh says this is who we are and a few would not have inspired the writer of Ephesians Paul to say this is who you are unless it was true. Unless it was true. I mean he wouldn't have done it if it wasn't true. He wouldn't have allowed it if it wasn't true. That's what I'm trying to say. So why is it wrong for you and I and all of us to say this is who we are?
We are sitting in the heavenly places with Messiah Yahushua. I mean I feel like we're sitting there. But you've got to understand something; Yahweh calls the things which do or yet exist as though they do. So, we can embrace it, we can give thanks for it. Because our citizenship is in heaven from which we also eagerly wait for a savior, the Messiah Master Yahushua Messiah who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to his glorious body, according to the working by which he is able to even subdue all things to himself. Here is your citizenship. You're looking for, we're strangers in this land, we are aliens we're immigrants or something. I don't know, but our citizenship is in heaven, right? Embrace it; can you embrace this as being true of you? Can you accept it? Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. As it is written "have made you a father of many nations" Look at that, he told Abraham, "you're the father of multitudes" He had no kids. He had no children. "Abram, your name is now Abraham father of multitudes" because when Yahweh says it, guess And so he is above all things. He's above time, he's above all things. You're looking for something to identify what? It's done. It's already done. He appointed it, he sets above time. Elohim created the heavens and the earth, right?
with.
Looking for a family to identify with. How about the family of Abraham?
He said, who contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations. Now if you choose to believe, this is who you are. That you are all these things he says about you. It will be accounted to you for righteousness. And so he became the father of many nations according to what was spoken so shall your descendants be. This is what's going to happen. You must first believe in his promises. And then it will be. You must first believe you are seated in the heavenly places. You must first believe you are the chosen people, you must first believe that you are the holy nation and then it will be. It's called faith in Messiah Yahushua, that's the faith aspect of it. Not just repentance and turning away from sin, but also faith in the power of the blood of Yahushua.
Who he says you are. Galatians 3:29 if you are Messiah's then you are Abraham's seed. You are among the many, right? And heirs according to the promise. Do you identify yourself as a son or daughter of because you are the body of the Messiah. Abraham? Do you? He does. He identifies you as a son and daughter of Abraham. Do call yourself Israel? Because the reason why you're Abraham's seed is
And Messiah Yahushua was of Abraham's seed. And that identity was purchased at very weighty cost. It's that identity that we must treasure in our hearts above all the identities that are on the earth. You are the seed of Abraham. Isaac and Jacob, that's who you are. Do you embrace it, do you accept it?
Not because of your own works, but because of his great love with which he loved you. Who are you?
? The light of the world. A city on a hill.
Children of the mist high. A people who are called by his name. Branches of the heavenly vine. Yahweh's chosen people.
Royal priesthood. A holy nation His special people Israel. Israel, Israel, that's who you are.
The gentile church over the last 2000 years has rejected that identity. "Oh we are gentiles, we don't do Jewish stuff. That's all Jewish stuff, we do anything. We have nothing in common with the Jewish" Constantine wrote.
They rejected who Yahushua said we are. And according to their identity on the earth as gentiles.
The scripture says if you are Messiah's then you are Abraham's seed, you are that's who you are. Do you accept that, do you believe that? I do. And they tried to put Messiah where Messiah didn't belong, they tried to put Messiah into the winter festival of you know commonly called Christmas. And tried to put pagan things attached to him instead of biblical things like Passover and the feasts and things like that. They created their own alternative identities. A little closer to what the pagan world was doing, their rituals their ways. And denied paganism where it exists and deny Yahushua where he is supposed to exist. And the faith once delivered became assimilated into the culture through syncretism which is a mixture of religions. And they are trying to fit Yahushua into a pagan,
gentile culture. Oh, to be like Messiah is not such a jump from where you are at see?" Wouldn't you like to come and join us?
"And they thought they would, you know, bring a little Messiah into the pagan world. What they really did was that they paganized the Messiah.
He's pure, he's holy, and you can't mix the two. But they did. Who do you wanna be? Who are you, what are you? Remember you once Gentiles; that means that at one time there was a day that he said that you're a Gentile.
In the flesh who are called uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision made in the flesh by hands. At that time when? At that time, when was that? When you were what? Once Gentiles, right? At that time when you were once Gentiles, you were without Messiah. At that time when you were once Gentiles, you were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel. At that time; how about now? peaking of the past when you were a gentile, you are not a stranger now from the commonwealth. You're not an alien from the commonwealth of Israel anymore. You're not a stranger from the covenants of promise. At that time when you were once Gentiles, you had no hope without Elohim in the world. But now in Messiah Yahushua you who once were far off, far off from what?
From the commonwealth of Israel. Once you who were far off have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah. Because of his life. Life is in the blood right? His life is in you now. You died and Messiah is now alive in you. Galatians 2:20 says, no longer I who lived Messiah who lives in me. The life which I now live, I live by faith in the son Elohim who loved me and gave himself for me. So you've taken on his identity brothers and sisters. That's who you are.
Yahushua in you. Is who you are. Do you identify yourself as an Israelite or you're
still holding on to the earthly identities?
Sometimes how we identify ourselves or how we're identified is by the way we practice things. If we keep... You know I went to Israel 2009 I told them I was a believer in Yahushua the Messiah and there were some Jews there who I joined for a Sabbath meal. I told them I kept Passover, Pesach and the feasts and these thing sand I told them I do these things. Do you know what they said? "You're Jewish". They didn't even care I didn't believe in Yahushua. They didn't care that I did believe in Yahushua. They didn't believe in Yahushua and they didn't believe that I did. If I kept those things, to them I'm Jewish. Did you know that when a Christian converts and
becomes, I'm sorry when Jewish person converts and becomes a Christian in some ultra-orthodox circles; they will hold a funeral for the Jewish man that became a Christian. Why? They start eating pork and dismissing the feasts and doing Christmas and Easter and things that are pagan oriented, pagan related festivals. And so to them it's like they lost their identity as being Jewish, so they host a funeral.
You see how our practices sometimes help us identify who we are? And if you're gonna say you're Israel, hey Yahushua said you are, scripture says you are. Then live like Israel lives. Like Israel is supposed to live. An embrace the identity of who we are. I'm not saying we're a replacement for Israel, I'm saying we joined Israel. One time you were gentile, what are you now?
No longer strangers from the commonwealth of Israel, you are no what? Israel. remember Ephesians 2:17 he came and preached peace to you who were afar off. When you were a gentile you were afar off. And to those who were near, talking about the jews. For through him we both have access by one spirit to the father. Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners. Now what? Fellow citizens with the saints. Have you ever noticed that we're called saints? What is a saint? Do you know what the word saint means? In the Hebrew and the Greek, it means holy one. Think about that. you ever say" hey I'm a holy one" You're not being boastful, they called each other holy ones, right? Saints that what the word means.
It's not because of your righteousness, it's because of what Yahushua did for you. That's why. Beautiful huh? You're a holy one brother and sister. You are. Yahweh says you are, you're a saint.
Your identity is really powerful I mean and you know if you decide you're gonna be a Baptist then you're not going to embrace this identity. If you decide you're gonna be Pentecostal, well Pentecostals don't do these things. If you decide you're gonna be a Lutheran or a Mennonite or whatever, there is some part of Yahushua that you're not embracing. Because he did keep the feast, he did eat clean, he did call upon his father's name, he did keep Yahweh's Torah and he wants to live in you and manifest himself through you. We've got to embrace the fullness of who he is.
Don't divorce him from his heritage, as a son of Abraham. If he's the one living in you, don't reject that part of him that wants to manifest itself through you.
So I'm not any of those other things. The identity I want is Yahushua in me. Forget the Baptist and catholic and holiness churches and Mennonites. Forget all of that the Wesleyan, the Methodist forget it. Didn't Paul say at one time in 1 Corinthians chapter 1 ,you all say you're ones of Apollo, ones of you this, I'm of that. No, we're all of Yahushua. In his identity. I don't take on the identity of John Wesley or martin Luther or Menno Simons or any of these men. My identity is in Yahushua the Messiah and him alone. I take on his identity as his disciple and I want to accept that with all that I and walk as he walked.
Forget the Gentile church and what they've said. You know there is a certain identity in what that means to be an evangelical Christian even.
I want to be what Yahweh says I am. One of the most important questions Yahushua asked was "who do you say I am?" Right. and when Yahushua was being tempted by the devil, what did the enemy go after? His identity, " oh, if you're really the son of Elohim, then do this. If you're really the son of Elohim then do that over there " He's always attacking your identity.
That's where he knows he can work.
Psalm 119 verse 105 says your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. that's why you're the light of the world. Because you 're manifesting the word of Yahweh. He's talking about the Torah, the law.
Scripture says the law and the testimony. If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. That's what scripture says. So if Messiah dwells in us brothers, we need to walk according to law and testimony so that there will be the light manifesting through us. As a new creation, we are the light of the world. He says you are the light. So walk in the light.
The Torah observant Messiah is now shining through us making us a part of this city on a hill that can't be hidden. Making us a part of Israel and a new creation. Colossians 3:9 says do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with his deeds and put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of him who created him. 2 Corinthians 5: 17 therefore if anyone is in Messiah, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new. All things have become new. Do you embrace the new man who is the new man? what's this new identity you got now?
He speaks of the things that are not yet as though they are. You may have been told you're a new creation, you may have been told you're a new man. But you've never been told who that is. Maybe, maybe you have.
Yahweh is building a nation, a nation of Israel on the earth today and you're a part of that nation. You're of the named parties in the new covenant. Jeremiah 31: 31 behold the days coming says Yahweh. When I will make a new covenant with who? The house of Israel and with the house of Judah and with the gentile. No, it doesn't have gentiles there, does it? It says the house of Israel and house of Judah. That means you've got to embrace who you are and the Messiah. Israel, Judah this is who you are. that's who the new covenant is with. Not according to the covenant I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke though I was a husband to them Says Yahweh. This is a covenant I will make with who?
The house of Israel and after those days says Yahweh; I will put my law in their minds and write on their hearts and I will be their Elohim and they shall be my people. The new covenant is with Israel and Judah. Do you accept it? Do you accept your identity as an Israelite?
Can you receive that and say it's true? You've got to, I mean this is part of who the new covenant is with. This is where you're a new creation and now you're a recipient of the covenant, it's a promise.
And the reason why you are the light of the world is because the law of Yahweh is now in your mind in your heart. And therefore what is going on inside is going to manifest itself through the outer layer. If the law is in your heart, it certainly isn't abolished. If the law is in your heart then it certainly is supposed to be manifesting itself through how you conduct your life on the earth. 1 Corinthians 6:19 Or do you not know that your
body is the temple of the Holy Spirit `who is in you, whom you have from Elohim and you are not your own. his right here is a major, major thing. I mean you gotta realize you don't belong to yourself you were bought.
You were purchased on the slave market.
You were a slave of sin and of the devil and who he said you were. Now you were bought at a price, the price was
Yahushua's blood and you don't belong to yourself. One of the biggest problems in the world today is that; people think they belong to themselves.
Your body is not your own. You don't even own yourself. You don't even own yourself, he owns you or
the devil owns you.
You're either a slave of sin and therefore a slave of the devil or you are slaves of Messiah and therefore you're owned by him. sorry, buddy but you don't get to choose this independent thing that you think you're doing. You're a slave of one or the other. Your flesh and the things it wants you to do or Yahushua and the things that he wants you to do. You were bought at a price, therefore, what? Glorify Elohim in your body and in your spirit. Both your body and your spirit are his. They are Elohim's The reason why is because
you're now a part of this call, the body of Messiah. Your former body is done away with. Now you are the body of Messiah and members of that body individually. To the extent that you may not be acting like a part of the body of Messiah. That's the trouble a lot of us have. We feel like we have to be a finished product in order to be a part of that body. No, no one is a finished product when they draw
their last breath on the earth. There is still some things that Yahushua has wanted to work out in everybody even to the day they die.
And not until the corruptible puts incorruptible will be perfectly cleansed and perfectly in line with everything he wants you to be. It's not where you are it's the journey. Are you on the journey of repentance and faith in Messiah? If you're on the journey of repentance and faith in Messiah then in his eyes you're completely cleansed. And you're his workmanship created in Messiah Yahushua for good works, which Elohim prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Think about that. He is willing to accept you right where you're at today. Where you stand today, he's willing to accept right now where you are at. Isn't that beautiful? This moment as you're living and breathing he's accepting you. And as long as you commit your life to following his way and you receive the Messiah Yahushua in yourself and you're willing to say "yes I will let you become workman of my soul. Just yeild yourself and be renewed and transformed to the image of Yahushua, the image of what it truly means to walk in perfect love. A love for your fellow man, a love for Yahweh. These two principles all commands and scripture will hang. The one who made you and formed you in the womb will mold you and form you into his perfect image.
Ephesians 1:3 through 5 blessed be the Elohim and father of our master Yahushua Messiah, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Messiah. Just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world. That we should be holy and without blame before him in love. Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Yahushua Messiah to himself according to the good pleasure of his will. You're adopted.
If your decision, your final decision is that you know Paul wrote about it here, that you are his disciple then you're adopted into a new family. Your earthly father's house is not so much focus because now we're adopted into the heavenly house of Elohim. And now it is Yahweh's will and good pleasure to give you the things you long for.
So if our earthly father's household was joined with us in this heavenly household hallelujah. We welcome them into the family.
That our first tier of identity is Yahushua ha Mashiach in us.
Malachi 3:16 says then those who feared Yahweh spoke to one another and Yahweh listened and heard them So a book of remembrance was written before him for those who fear Yahweh and who meditate on his name. "They shall be mine," says Yahweh of hosts, " on the day that I make them my jewels or my special treasure. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son. He knows we're not perfect. He's gonna have to spare us then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked. Between the one who serves Elohim and the one who does not serve him at all. Hey, you may not have everything right, but if you're like children trying to please their father, Yahweh will spare you.
Look what he calls you. His special treasure, his jewels.
Deuteronomy 14 verse 12 for you are a holy people to Yahweh your Elohim. And Yahweh has chosen you to be a people for himself, a special treasure above all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. He chose you.
Do you believe that? No one can come to the father unless Yahweh draws him through Yahushua's great love with which he loved us. Look around you. If Yahweh the great Elohim was able to look upon all creation and pick the favorite thing of all he created, the most valuable thing of all he created, he will look you, he will look at us.
he would say, "his is my special treasure, one that is so significant it's going to reflect my own image" and even though you stop, or have stopped reflecting on his image, he still loved you and treasured you enough that he would send his own son to die for you so that you could be restored to that image once again. And then if that wasn't enough Yahushua said, to
him who overcomes I will grant to sit with me on my throne. Sit with Yahushua on his throne. As I also overcame and sat with my father on his throne. I mean that when I look at that scripture I just go "whoa". I mean he must place amazing, incredible worth upon us to say ... They look at us and say, "here come and sit with me on my throne we will reign together, we're gonna rule together". You know I look at myself, I looked at my say naturally and say " how can Yahweh take a pile of yuck " that was all and cleansed me to the extent that he'd let me sit next to Yahushua on his throne? How? It's his power, it's his grace. That's how valuable we are to him.
He sees us there already. "I'll make you a partaker of the divine nature," he said. Not equal to Elohim, but only it says here 2 Peter 1:2 through 4 grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of Elohim and Yahushua our master. As his divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and reverence through the knowledge of him who called us by glory and virtue. By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises that through these you may be partakers, be partakers. Of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Partakers of divine nature when we reflect the image of Elohim.
Look what the world has to offer.
Come back to the biker garment, you get to look like a biker, a tough mean. Whoop de doo. I mean really; who cares about that? " Oh. You can be like Britney Spears". Who cares? " Oh you can be like this rock star or that rock star or that sports team or that person that everybody ... or that movie star". Forget all of that. Excuse me take this over those things any day of
the week. How about you?
Kind of makes it almost laughable in comparison, really.
2 Corinthians 5:20 now then we are ambassadors for the Messiah, ambassadors for Messiah. What does an ambassador do? He is like, a liaison you know go between. one can be an ambassador of you know some European country then they would be the go between, between the countries and someone to try and to communicate you know the wills and interests of the country they happen to be a part of to the other country. We are ambassadors and we're communicating the will, we're ambassadors for Yahshua Ha Mashiach. We're the ones representing his kingdom on this earth. That's an important role. You've got an important job to do. We need to be communicating what this kingdom is all about.
This kingdom talks about one Sabbath to another, one new moon to another, all flesh coming to worship before him. It talks the feast of Tabernacles. The whole world is gonna keep it one day. It talks about the nations not learning war anymore, there being peace on the earth.
We're ambassadors for his kingdom. Our kingdom is not of this world. We need to live our lives as though we really believe that. We're not impressed by the world and the things that the world is impressed with. We're not depressed by the things the world is depressed with because we have a hope living in us.
As ambassadors for Messiah, when terrible things happen we speak up and say, "But there is hope, there is a better kingdom coming and you can be a part of that kingdom now. So that when he comes he will accept you and embrace you as a part of his nation of Israel". So we implore you Paul said, we implore you on Messiah's behalf. Be reconciled to Elohim, be reconciled.
That's what we're calling out to everyone. "Be reconciled to Elohim!
"As ambassadors calling people to the wedding feast and we're not like the people of this world that always fearful and completely powerless walking in hatred and confusion because Elohim
has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of sound mind. Beautiful. And we are complete in him. Colossians 2:9 we are complete in him if you're thinking you need something more than Yahushua, you do just not believe how complete we are. Any possessions, any identities that will compete with him, anything that is not according to
him.
You don't need it. Colossians 2:9 through 10, in him dwells all the fullness of the divine nature bodily; and you are complete in him, who is the head of all principality and power. So the one living in us is far greater than anything
that you could grab a hold of in this world.
Because he is the head of all things.
You are of Elohim little children and have overcome them because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. You know even if they were to kill the body they can't touch the soul unless you let them.
who's the one in the world?
Satan, he's the one who's in the world right? All right ; who's the one that's in you? Yahushua. Who's greater? Yahushua, right? So what are you afraid of? If the devil himself appeared to you and says "well, I'm gonna kill you" . Would you need to be afraid? No because the one that's in you is greater than he is.
You don't have to fear evil or evil spirits; he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. He has delivered us from the power of darkness. We're not under the power of the evil one, we're under the power of Yahweh. We have been delivered from the power of darkness and we have been conveyed to the kingdom of the son of his love. Oh, I love, son of his love. In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sin. Conveyed means to be transferred from one to the other. You've been transferred from that power of darkness and transferred or conveyed to the kingdom of the son of his love.
Therefore you're head, not the tail. Deuteronomy 28:13 Yahweh will make you the head and not the tail. You shall be above only and not beneath, if you heed the commandments of Yahweh your Elohim, which I command you today and are careful to observe them. Who are you? We're the head not the tail. "What?" We're above not beneath. "What?" In fact, we're Messiah's friends, Yahushua's friends, we're friends with him. We're friend with the king of the universe. See, Yahushua says you're my friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants , for a servant does not know what his master ids doing; but I have called you friends for all things that I heard from my father I have made known to you. Well I don't know, I've failed to do the things he commanded me sometimes.
So the disciples, I mean they weren't exactly . . . When they were walking with him, they had to be corrected sometimes for their immaturity and their lack of understanding and their you know sometimes childish ways. But he said "you're my friends, I still accept you. And Peter I know one day you're going to deny me three times in fact. But you're still my friend".
You say 'well I don't know I want to do what he commands me, I wanna focus on the real kingdom. Sometimes I get weak and I fail him". 1 John 1:9 if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Do you believe this is true? He is faithful, he is just; do you believe he is faithful and just? All right then you must believe he is faithful and just to what? Forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. You confess your sins before him, you acknowledge that you have failed him, you realize that you need his help, you cannot do it by your own power, your own strength. Come boldly to the throne of grace. Hebrews 4:15 for we did not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we're yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly, boldly, boldly. To the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. If you're gonna treat Yahweh, Yahweh is a hard man, Yahweh is a hard Elohim, reaping what he hadn't sown and you know bury your talent in the soil and too afraid. I'm afraid. You're not putting your faith in Yahushua. If you can come boldly to the throne of grace that means you don't have to wonder whether he will forgive you. You confessed your sins and you manifest a commitment, on-going commitment toward righteousness and your trajectory is one toward growth you know hallelujah. Expect the mercy, expect the grace in a time where you and I and we all need it. When we were not a part of this family. That we were once gentiles our sins separated us from him. But when we turned our hearts to him and decided that we're gonna be his children, we wanna act like his children and we wanna yield our hearts to love. Then any failure to love, any failure to keep his commandments is now a family matter. So it's in house stuff. In-house issue and he will deal with you as children. You may get disciplined, its a sign he is your dad still. But ultimately, he's gonna spare you like a father who spared his children whose threats are attentive to his will. And because we do come boldly to the throne of grace, it shows we really trust his grace. We believe what he says about his grace, we believe he is faithful, we believe he is just. If we're afraid we don't believe he is faithful, we don't believe he is just then we won't trust his grace. But we as his children can believe, we can remain at peace with Yahweh because of that on-going relation, he's promising us right now. Unlike the world maybe when they sin, they don't go to the father. When they sin, they don't seek that relationship, we do and that's a major difference. Therefore having been justified by faith we have peace with Elohim through our master Yahushua Messiah. I'm speaking these matters because so many of us struggle with faith in Messiah. You know the world is looking for peace, they want that. There is no peace and us we're first at peace with the one who made us. Through Yahushua the Messiah. And to the extent whatever sins we commit, we don't identify ourselves with those sins, we don't identify ourselves being one who does sin. We don't identify ourselves with the sins of the past, we don't live there anymore. Don't judge me by what's in my rear view mirror , I don't live there anymore. My eyes are on the windshield, going through the windshield I'm looking ahead. I'm going this direction.
So quit looking in the rearview mirror yourself and consider yourself to be a people who are dead to sin and alive to Yahushua your master. Therefore likewise you also reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin but alive to Elohim in messiah Yahushua our master.
So we identify ourselves as dead to sin, alive to Elohim. Romans 8:16 the spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of Elohim. And if children then heirs, heirs of Elohim and joint heirs with Messiah, if indeed we suffer with him that we may also be glorified together. We have to be willing to suffer as I shared in the previous broadcast. Be willing to suffer with him and for him. We are his children, joint heirs he says.
Heirs of Elohim joint heirs with the Messiah. Goes with the territoty, you're gonna suffer like he did if you identify yourself with him. He did suffer, but your joint heirs. Sit at the right hand of Messiah.
But look at this, be glorified together with him. That the part we need to look to be glorified together with him.
everything he's promised us. So many words, so many things he says we are .
And it's all these things.
And when his spirit is in us , he will cause us to walk in the statutes and judgements and we will do them. You know Yahweh don't hold a grudge? He actually forgives.
He's not one to hold a grudge toward one who humbly seeks his mercies and forgiveness. And commits his life toward walking as Yahushua walked. Once again the enemy lied to you and say " he holds a grudge and you'll never make it". The enemy will lie to you , will try to steal who you are and say " you'll never be good enough to be Yahweh's people". Yahweh says just the opposite. It's not about you being good enough, it's whether Yahushua is good enough and he is good enough.
If you just turn over the reins to him. Whose voice are you gonna believe? You think Yahushua came to die for perfect people? You're greatly mistaken. He came to die for sinners. Have you ever walked into a perfect congregation? You wouldn't be able attend there, right? I mean, it would really be empty.
Look at the Corinthian assembly. The book of Corinthians they are a mess. Yet they were saints, believers.
All these things ; you know what? You can do all things through Messiah who strengthens you.
He's offering you an identity.
As being more than conquerors through him who loved you.
You are more than a conqueror.
So our boasting is not in our righteousness, Jeremiah 9:23 let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches. But let him who glories glory in this. That he understands and knows me. I am Yahweh exercise loving kindness, judgement and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight.
So who are you? What are you? You're the light of the world. You're a city on a hill. You're a child of the most high. You're called by his name. You're a branch of the heavenly vine. You're a part of his chosen people. We are a royal priesthood. We are a holy nation. We are his special people. We are the people of Yahweh. We are the people of Israel. We are a new creation.
We are the e temple of Yahweh's spirit. We are the body of Messiah. We are his workmanship. We are adopted sons and daughters. Yahweh's jewels. His special treasure. Partakers of the divine nature. Ambassadors for Messiah. People of power, love and sound mind. We are complete in him. We are transferred to the kingdom. We are the head and not the tail. Above and not beneath. Friends with Messiah. Forgiven and cleansed. We are a people at peace with Elohim. A people who are dead to sin. We are more than conquerors through him in us. And this is not a complete list. You are all these things and more. With one simple decision.
Turn away from unrighteousness and receive the Messiah Yahushua for the forgiveness of sin. And all this is yours. This is who you become.
That's the power of his grace. There is no in between you either are or you're not.
You already are loved. The question is ; do you love him? But no matter how far or how far you will have to go even if you're far away he is calling you.
"Accept the identity I want to give you". Embrace it, because there is nothing in this world that could possibly compare to the promises that we have in the word of Yahweh.
There isn't any identity that could possibly compare to the identity we have available to us in him. Can you think of anything? No, there is nothing, nothing at all. What does the world have to offer you?
A temporary identity for 70 years or however short your life is gonna be. Of pain , of turmoil, of fighting for supremacy of hatred. No real hope for the future. A temporary life, a temporary glory on the earth, a temporary crown. Compare that to Yahweh's promises , the creator of all things is offering us great and precious promises and nothing compares to what we can receive through him. I know there is someone listening , who needs to hear this. Always is.
Is there anything more honorable than aligning yourself with the one who loves ,Yahweh the creator
of the universe? Anything better than the one who has loved and accepted , even considered being a friend with the most powerful being in the universe. The creator of all things? Yahweh wants that kinds of relationship with us. He lost it in the Garden of Eden when we turned away from him. But he's done so much to restore us to the relationship again. If that's what we really want.
Do you want it? I want it. Fear not , he says : I am your shield and you're extremely greatly rewarded." Some of you
need to hear this message again and again and again.
the scriptures in this message we shared are these two links. www.eliyah.com/identity.pd f And the graphic, this graphic right here.
You can download it at www.eliyah.com/identity.jp g ecause the enemy has stolen your identity and
cause you to think that you're something that you're not .Really you are Yahweh's and he's deceived you into thinking you're not.
So who are you and what are you? This is who we are.
Let's pray; Oh father Yahweh, in Yahushua great name. I just pray father Yahweh that everyone listening to the sound of my voice to understand father that the awesome promises that we have in you and who you say we are. Father we know it's only by your righteousness that we are anything at all.
And that the only thing we really deserve is the lake of fire and judgement. But you chose to love and convey us to the kingdom if the son of your love. Father we embrace it.
We forsake all false identities. We set aside the earthly identities , in favor of the heavenly identity and who we are in you. Now father let's walk out that identity as disciples of Yahushua , as ambassadors for kingdom. As your chosen people, as Israel .
Dwell in place of your spirit. Your special treasure.
Oh father Yahweh, thank you for calling us out of the darkness into your marvelous light.
And now glorify your name, as people on the earth
behold the light of the world. Yahushua ha Mashiach living in us. And it's in his name why?
By his grace, by his work, his work on the tree .
We pray all these things for truly yours is the Kingdom and power and glory and majesty. Forever and ever in Yahushua great name we pray.