Discipleship Training- Identity

8/10/2019 Discipleship Training- Identity

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Instructor

J.D. King was powerfullyimpacted by the ministry of SteveGray in early 1996 as the revivalbroke in his congregation inSmithton Missouri. He wasforever changed through thepreaching and prayer hereceived.

Joining Grays ministry in 1999,King has worked in a number ofcapacities in World RevivalChurch including: youthministries, evangelism biblicalteaching and pastoral care.

King has also served as theInternational Director of WorldRevival Network of Ministries, anorganization providing resource

and leadership development forSpirit-led ministries.

J.D. can be reached by email at:[email protected] or at theoffices of World Revival Network

Discipleship Training

I. The Importance Of Christian Discipleship

Whats the goal of the Church? I believe that Jesus revealed His

overarching strategy in Matthew 28:19-20. In this pivotal passage,He declared,

Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them inthe name of the Father and of the Son and of the HolySpirit,

and teaching them to obey everything I have

commanded you.

So, as Christians were not specifically out to manufacture Biblescholars, singers, or even church attenders. Dontget me wrong.These kinds actions are vital for the growth of the Church, but, bythemselves, they fall short of the goal. Jesus is telling us the goalis to make disciples, plain and simple. When we begin to trulydevelop disciples, then we will get everything else that we need.

So, what is a disciple?

The term "disciple" comes from theGreek word mathetes,whichmeans a pupil or anapprentice to a master craftsman. It refers toone who is a learner and an adherent of truth. While there arediverse perspectives on what a disciple is; most agree on theessentials.

A disciple may be described as a well-grounded individual in adynamic, growing relationship with Jesus and His Church. Theyare people - not only finding their place in Christian community -and growing in GodsWord; they are also learning to express faith

with boldness and determination. A disciple is a believer learningto express the will of Jesus in the earth.

We are all being invited to enter into the challenging process ofdiscipleship.
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Discipleship IsReplication

Jesus declared the followingabout discipleship,

A disciple is not above histeacher, but everyone whois perfectly trained will belike his teacher.(Luke6:40)

Here one sees, in theclassic Jewishunderstanding, thatdiscipleship is replication. Itis when the studentbecomes just like his or hermaster.

We are now being called tofollow after Jesus andreplicate His way of life.

II. Introduction To The Discipleship Training Course

Over the followingsessions, thefoundations of Christian

discipleship will beexplored. Throughoutthese teachings, theimportance of identity,association, andengagement will bediscussed. While thesessions obviously

arentcomprehensive, they do provide an overview of essentialsfor Spirit-filled believers.

This introductory training not only helps individuals clarify theirrelationships with Jesus and the Church, it also spurs them to grow

in the works of the Holy Spirit; faithfully advancing GodsKingdomin the earth. Sessions will explore who we are, where we belong,and what we are to do. Understanding and applying this three-foldreality is fundamentally what discipleship is all about.

Admittedly, this kind of teaching sometimes gets hindered inimpact. This is due to minimal relational engagement, timeconstraints, and limited opportunities for practical application. I'vefound that participants can also be lax in reflecting on thescriptures and relevant points after the sessions. This keeps themfrom internalizing what is being taught or finding ways to personallyengage in the principles.

In many ways this is exasperated by the fact that class is beingpresented, in part, to an international audience - through theInternet. This creates a greater sense of "distance."

So, throughout the training, "exercises" and other outside activitiesare recommended. Participants will find some of these actionpointspresented in the sidebars of the teaching notes and othersreferenced by the instructor during the sessions. Please makeevery effort to engage these activities. If one truly wants toexperience growth, then indifference must be avoided at all costs.Everyone should feel free to press into the training materials ontheir own and discover new ways to apply what is being taught.

A.

Introduction To Classes

i. Lecture OneWho Are You?

The first session - not only provides a basic courseintroduction, it also lays out the importance ofsalvation, identity, and becoming free fromdarkness. Until one establishes who they are inChrist - and experiences total deliverance,


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Effective discipleship is notjust participating in Biblestudies or memorizingdoctrinal truths. Both ofthose exercises providereal value. Yet, discipleshipis about knowing, feeling,doing, and engaging.

Obviously it is difficult tofacilitate all of theseengagement points inthese lessons. Yet, I wantto invite you to press indeeper. Find more of whatGod is speaking to youtoday.

As you work through eachof these lectures, it isimportant to ask pointedquestions and explore

innovative ways forpersonal application. If youare not willing to do thehard work of personaldevelopment, you will notbe positioned for growth.

maturity will be allusive. While portions of thissession could appear remedial to some, we believeitshelpful to engage every portion of this curriculum.Itshard to build a context for effective discipleshipwhen participants are unwilling to find a commonstarting point. Getting everyone in the same placewith Jesus will really enable us to move forward.

ii. Lecture TwoWhere Do You Belong?

The second session penetrates deeper; movingbeyond individual concerns to reveal the significanceof community. God always intended for His people tobe interconnected. However, we are not onlylearning to be "group-minded," but to also recognizespheres of authority emanating from God. Believers,growing in the things of the Kingdom, must learn totruly honor others and live mutually submitted lives.We were designed to live and move within the love

and responsibility of an extendedfamily;recognizing fathers,and functioning as honorablesiblings.While our culture often obsesses over theindividual, Scripture encourages group or tribalidentity. To truly become a discipled people, thereality of what the Church is all about must beunderstood.

iii. Lecture Three- What Do You Do?

In this final session, we'll complete our exploration ofdiscipleship. Our goal is to not only provide anadequate conclusion to this study but to also

emphasize individual and corporate responsibility. Itis not enough to be rightly related to God and to berightly positioned within the Church. We have alsobeen called to express the wisdom, wonders, andworks of the Kingdom. Christians are to produce fruitand faithfully reflect the righteousness of God in theearth. We are called to carefully listen and respondto the voice of God; doing the works that Jesus did.Believers are to express the works of the Holy Spiritin diverse ways and expressions.

It is hoped that you will benefit from these teachings and grow inyour understanding of the ways of Jesus.


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Key Relationships

Relationships matter. Theyaffect our lives in a numberof different ways. Why dont

you consider a few of thekey relationships that haveaffected your lifewhetherthey are good or bad? Thenwrite down a few of theirnames of these people onthe lines below?

1. ___________________2.

___________________3.

___________________4.

___________________5.

___________________

6.

___________________7. ___________________8. ___________________9. ___________________10.___________________

How has your personalidentity and sense ofpurpose been affected bythese people. Is Jesus oneof the names that you wrotedown on this list? If not,why?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lecture One - Identity

I. Introduction

To talk aboutdiscipleshipisto clarify onesrelationship andidentity with God.Even thoughmany peoplefaithfully attendchurch - andeven serve,many have notestablished ahealthy identity

in their Heavenly Father. To say it another way they arereligious,but arenttruly saved.Dontget me wrong, they may

have some affinity for Jesus and His Church, but they arenttrulysonsof the Most High God.

I expect some that are listening to this today fall into this category.You may push back against this suggestion. I get it. Most dontwant to see themselves away from God. Yet, many dontreallyhave a loving, life-giving, relationship with the Heavenly Father. Idontsay that to judge, I say it to clarify a great need andopportunity. I want to invite all who are listening to this session tostep into their rightful places as sons and daughters.

Yet, there are also sons and daughters who dontknow what ittruly means to live and function as one who is rightly related to

God. In this session I also want to invite those men and women torise up in their identity and find their place in the familyof God.Ifwe are the children of God, we cannot keep living as if we wereorphans. There is so much more than what many Christians haverealized.

II. God As A Father

One couldcertainly use anumber ofdifferentmetaphors to

describe thenature andattributes of God.For example, theLord is depicted,in Scripture, as

both a husband (Isaiah 54:5, Jeremiah 31:32, Hosea 2:16)and aKing (Psalm 47:7, 1 Timothy 6:15-16).Either metaphor revealsimportant aspects of who God is and how He operates.


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Heavenly Father AndNatural Fathers

In this section weretalkingabout God as our HeavenlyFather. Ivefound that onesability to truly accept God astheir Heavenly Father isoften tied to experiencesthey had with their natural

father.

Unfortunately earthly fatherscan sometimes beneglectful. A few of themare even abusive. Sadly,difficult experiences with ournatural fathers can hinderour openness to God.

What was your earthlyFather like? Was Hecompassionate or

disconnected. Did heprovide a sense of stabilityand strength or did he makeyou feel uncovered?

Take a minute and talk toGod about it. Allow yourHeavenly Father to touchyour heart and open thedoor to more of His greatcompassion and strength.

As you listen, write down

what He says:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yet, one of the most deeply moving biblical depictions Ivefound isthat of a father.While one could easily use the kingly metaphor orother expressions, I find the image of Father preferable because itreflects the deepest relationship and identity markers withinhumanity. Through childhood experiences, people understand theincredible power of fatherhood and family. Either you had a dad oryou didnt.And if you did, he was either good or bad. There issomething deeply primal about the notion of a father. Itreverberates in the very depths of our being.

Moreover, the Fatherhood of God is one of the most importantconcepts in Scripture. While Fatherhood references are not asstrongly expressed in the Old Testament (presumably because of

the terms connection with pagan religions and some of the sexual

overtones associated with it), it is specifically used in a number ofpassages:

He is your father, who made you his!(Deuteronomy 32:6)

But you are our Fatherour Redeemer from of old is your name.

(Isaiah 63:16) Yet, O Lord, you are our Father...(Isaiah 64:8).

Have you not just called to me: MyFather, my friend from my

youth.(Jeremiah 3:4).

I thought you would call me Fatherand not turn away fromfollowing me(Jeremiah 3:19).

I will lead thembecauseI am Israelsfather(Jeremiah 31:9). A son honors his father... If I am a father, where is the honor due

me?(Malachi 1:6).

Have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us(Malachi 2:10).

There are also a number of passages where the term is not used,but it is alluded to. These include: Exodus 4:22-23; Deuteronomy

1:31; 8:5; 14:1; Psalm 103:13; Jeremiah 31:20; Hosea 11:1-4;Malachi 3:17.

The Fatherhood of God becomes much more pronounced withJesus in the New Testament. The terms Abba,or Fathercomesforth from Jesusmouth some sixty-five times in Mathew, Mark, andLuke and over one hundred times in John. So, the Fatherhood ofGodis referenced over 165 times in the Gospels (compared toonly 15 times in the whole Old Testament).

Our Father in heaven(Matthew 6:9b).

Abba, Father,he said, everythingis possible for you.(Mark14:36).

the Father himself loves you(John 16:27).

Jesusreferences to God as Abbawere largely unprecedented.This was a term that little children used when they addressed theirdaddies.It was a very intimate phrase. Shockingly, there is noevidence in early Jewish literature that Jews ever addressed Godthis way. They felt it was too personal. Suddenly Jesus wasrevealing more about God than what had been understood inprevious generations.


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Write Down Some ofthe Qualities Of AGood Father

Most everybody has someideas about what being agood father is all about.Maybe we have neverarticulated them, but westill have them in mind.Below I would like you towrite down some of thequalities of a good father:

1. __________________2. __________________3. __________________4. __________________5. __________________6. __________________7. __________________8. __________________9. __________________

10.

__________________

Do you feel God embodiesthese qualities?

Which of these qualitieshave you experienced inyour own relationship withHim?

_______________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Through Jesus' pronounced emphasis on the Fatherhood of God, it isnot surprising that the rest of the New Testament also emphasizesthis metaphor. The Apostle Paul references God as Father overforty times. Some of these examples are found in the following:

we cry, Abba,Father(Romans 8:15).

the Spirit who calls out, Abba, Father(Galatians 4:6). Grace and peace to you from God our Father(Ephesians 1:2).

all of us can come to the Father(Ephesians 2:18).

one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and inall(Ephesians 4:6).

Some of the other Apostles also referenced God as Father.

See what great love the Father has lavished on us(1 John 3:1) Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father(2 John 1:3)

To those who have been called, who are loved in God theFather(Jude 1:10)

A. The Kind of Father God is

If God is in fact depicted as a Father, then we need to explorewhat kind of father He is. From the pages of scripture we learnthat He is holy (Leviticus 11:45, 19:2) and just (Job 8:3, Psalm9:16); filled with truth and honor (Daniel 4:37). These attributesspeak of nobility and strength. They speak of a Father thatactively superintends and protects. They speak of powerful Kinglymetaphors and the kinds of things revealed throughout the OldTestament. The truths reveal a transcendent God who is overand above His creation.

Yet, that is not the only way that God is depicted. He is alsoshown as a God of imminence who invades time and order. He is

not just a designer or source of power; He is also relational. Hecomes down into the midst of children; showing greatbenevolence and love. While all of who God is needs to bediscussed, I feel we need to take a deeper look at certain aspectsof the Heavenly Father.

i. The Heavenly Father is Good

We live in a world that is sometimes destructiveand dark.Not everyone has the most noble ofintentions. Even so much of religionis misguidedand selfish. In the midst of all this, we need tounderstand the distinctiveness of our HeavenlyFather. In contrast to everything else, He is good.

"Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He isgood!(Psalm 107:1a)

I would see the Lord's goodness in the landof the living(Psalms 27:34)

I will cause all my goodness to pass in frontof you.(Exodus 33:19)


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The Goodness of God

We have been talking aboutthe goodness of God. Forsome this is only a vaguereligious ideal - a conceptwithout any real worldapplication. This tragicdisconnection is unfortunate.God desires to move intangible ways in His sons and

daughters. He wants toimpact His own with real actsof kindness and benevolence.

I would like for you to thinkabout what the goodness ofGod means in terms of yourlife. Think about what it lookslike in operation. What does itmean in terms of thoughts,emotions, and physicalhealth? What does that meanin terms of finances andgeneral well being? Get thatpicture in your mind andmeditate on it. Speak it out.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Now, turn to someone elseand talk to them about thegoodness of God. Allow therealities of who He is to come

alive to them.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

ii. The Heavenly Father is Filled With Love

In the same way there is also the overwhelminglove of God. In a world of great hatred andperversion, He is selfless and encouraging. He isabundant and kind. This isnta weak, humanisticlove. We are talking about a deep transformativelove. It is a compassionate, longsuffering love thatstands firm throughout time and eternity.

The LORD your God is in your midst, a

mighty one who will save; he will rejoiceover you with gladness; he will quiet you byhis love; he will exult over you with loudsinging(Zephaniah 3:17).

But you, O Lord, are a God merciful andgracious, slow to anger and abounding insteadfast love and faithfulness(Psalm86:15).

because of his great love for us, God, whois rich in mercy, made us alive...(Ephesians 2:4).

God is love(1 John 4:8b).

B. Who He Made Us To Be (Sons)

This loving, Heavenly Father - who does nothing but good - hasmade us to be His beloved sons and daughters. This is such animportant truth because it is the opening biblical metaphorassociated with humanity. In the first Scriptural decree, Goddescribes humanity as the Imago Dei or image bearers.We

were made in the image of God to express His purposes assons.

"Then God said, Letus make man in our image, in ourlikeness" (Genesis 1:26).

Specifically the term likenesswas associated with sonship.(Notice a similar reference in Genesis 5:3, When Adam hadlived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his ownimage; and he named him Seth.) We are depicted from the verybeginning as sons and daughters of the living God; expressingHis great purposes in the earth.

What does all this mean?

i.

We were stewardsof Godsgreat plan.ii.

There was a clear identity and responsibility that distinguishedus from the rest of creation.

iii.

We had a firm place in a family that enabled us to act.


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Sonship

We talked about God's roleas father. The directimplication is that we aresons and daughters. Whatdoes it mean to be a goodson or daughter?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Which of these things couldyou work on?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

III. Sin And The Loss Of Identity

How could those who possessed so much, turnfrom the One who so greatly blessed them? Thatis the question that reverberates through time andeternity. Sadly, Godssonsand daughters

embraced sin and rebelled against their HeavenlyFather. What we have here is not just a terriblebreakdown, but also estrangement. Sin hascreated a terrible sense of alienation anddisconnection in Godsfamily.

There are all kinds of consequences to these decisions.

A. Curses Come Upon Humanity Because Of Our Choices

God didntbring evil and destruction upon humanity. Webrought it upon ourselves. Through our acts of rebellion weinvited darkness to come and dwell with us. This was neverGodsintent for us.

Cursed is the ground because of you(Genesis3:17)

if you do not obey the Lord your God and do notcarefully follow all his commands and decrees I am

giving you today, all these curses will come on youand overtake you(Deuteronomy 28:15)

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today,that I have set before you life and death, blessing andcurse. Therefore choose life, that you and youroffspring may live.(Deuteronomy 30:19)

B. All kinds of darkness and evil are being released through ourdefiance of God

The list of this terrible outworking is quite long. Consider someof what is going on in the hearts of the spiritually estranged.The orphansare filled with:

Anxiety

Fear

Sickness and disease

Broken relationships

Loss of identity

C. SpiritualOrphansare trying to discover their identity in a myriadof unhealthy ways.

There are a number of ways that the broken and disconnectedare trying to find their way. Some of these pursuits include thefollowing:

Money


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Identify With Jesus

Take a moment andbegin to really identifywith Jesus. Press intoHim and reflect upon Hisgreat sacrifice for you.Try to prayerfullyposition yourself withHim. Consider Him asyour very purpose and

source of life.

Say out loud, Jesus, Iidentify with you and

your wonderful work onthe cross. I have diedwith you and I now livebecause of your greatwork on my behalf.

Feel that sense of deepassociation andconnection with Jesus.Allow this marveloustruth to wash over you ina powerful new way.

Sex and Pleasure

Personal Expression

Entertainment

Clothing and Fashion

Jobs

People, whether religious or not, are often trying to fill an empty voidin their lives. They are not just gripped by darkness but with what wecould call an orphan spirit.They are trying to find meaning in areasthat cannot provide any real direction or help for them.

How much of this has been affecting you?

IV.Jesus As A Restorer

Much of what I have been telling you in thisteaching is troubling. The ugliness anddespair that sin brings is horrific. Yet, I wantto begin to share some good newsabout a

good God.I want to talk to you about aHeavenly Father that wants His sonsanddaughtersback.

He will not stand for this ongoingestrangement and alienation. Though we have been rebellious anddishonorable, He is the one who is advancing toward us. Thoughwe have spurned His goodness, He is still working to bringreconciliation.

Because of humanitystremendous value and worth to God, Hesent His First-born son, Jesus, to reconcile us to Him. Understand,He didntjust come to remove the darkness and sin in our lives. Hecame to restore us into a place of family and give us a sure identity.

Through this, we will not only know who we are, but whose we are.

V. Salvation And Our Identification With Jesus

A. Dealing With The Broken Image

So how does this happen? How do people with a marredimage - a broken sense of identity - become restored totheir heavenly Father? Isntthis one of the essentialquestions that must be answered?

We are obviously talking about the wonderful reality ofGodssalvation through Jesus. Undoubtedly, we all need tobe saved through His shed blood. Redemption issomething that must be experienced. Yet, the problem ismost of us believe that we are already saved. That mayvery well be true. But there is something wrong with apeople who claim to be saved but have no sense of identityand purpose. People who are not living in intimaterelationship with the Heavenly Father can hardly be calledsonsor daughters.


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Things other than Godmotivate many. Thereare realities that pressup against you andcause you to react. Itcould be your job, youreducation, or even anunquenchable thirst forentertainment. Most

everyone is beingshaped by certainpullsin his or her life.So, what is shapingyou? What are youspending your moneyon and staying up atnight thinking about?Take a few minutesand write some ofthese things below:

1. _______________

2.

_______________3. _______________4. _______________5.

_______________

Why do think thesethings are impactedyou?

________________________________________________________________________

Are you really beinghonest? Is that what isreally motivating you?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

B. Meaning of Identification

There may another way to frame thisup. Since we are talking about identity,we need to continue to build on thismetaphor. What would happen if wetruly began to identify with Jesus? Whatif we grab hold of the fact that Jesusidentified with us so that we couldidentify with Him?

This is an important aspect ofsalvationsappropriation that I havent

observed as clearly in the past. Quite simply salvation takesplace through our deep, gut-wrenching identification withJesus. As we identify with Him, we get an identity.

"Because Gods children are human beingsmade of flesh

and bloodthe Son also became flesh and blood. For only

as a human being could he die, and only by dying could hebreak the power of the devil, who had the power of death.Only in this way could he set free all who have lived theirlives as slaves to the fear of dying." (Hebrews 2:14-15)

"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that inhim we might become the righteousness of God." (2Corinthians 5:21)

As believers in Jesus we are now closely identified with Him.By "identification" I mean that God identified us with Christ inHis redemptive work (death, burial, resurrection, etc.). Weassociate with Jesusdeath and shed blood. Through this wenow consider ourselves dead to sin and alive in Jesus.

"Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also livewith him. For we know that since Christ was raised fromthe dead, he cannot die again; death no longer hasmastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin oncefor all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the sameway, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ

Jesus." (Romans 6:8-11)

Jesus became our substitute, acting in our place. So we canbe accreditedwith what He did. Jesus became what wewere, so that God viewed Him as being us. What was and isin Jesus is now in us. What was released through His death,resurrection, and ascension has now been given to us.

The old humanity, with former evil tendencies, was crucifiedwith Jesus.Previous ways of thinking and behaving areexterminated, executed with Jesus. We part company withworldly principles and actions. Sins dominion isbroken.Through Jesus, believers are no longer a slave to old habitsand attitudes. We are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).

We get our identity through identification.


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Adoption

Reflect on what it reallymeans to be adopted byGod. Think about how thattruth should impact yoursense of identity andpurpose. How should thiswonderful outcome affectyour subsequent behaviorand actions?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What happens if a sonkeeps behaving like anorphan?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How does a belovedsonreally behave? Write downsome of your thoughtsbelow:

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

VI. Receiving The Spirit of Adoption

A. Jesus The Eldest Brother

So, we have been learning through thissession that Jesus Christ broke open the wayfor us to be restored as sons and daughters.That is such good news for us. He is the onewho is actively restoring honor to His Fatherand reestablishing the broken family. Jesus

truly is the elder brotherwho made the wayfor the rest of us to be restored to the Father.

For God knew his people in advance,and he chose them to become like hisSon, so that his Son would be thefirstborn among many brothers andsisters.(Romans 8:29)

Jesus was firstborn of Godsmany sonsand daughters.Through our deepassociation and trust in Him, we receive bothsonshipand identity.In fact, it might besaid that we become co-heirs with Jesus;

receiving a tremendous inheritance.

"If we are children, then we are heirsheirs of God and co-heirs with Christ"(Romans 8:17).

B. Sonship And Adoption

This wonderful reality of a restored sonshipthrough Jesus shows up in a number ofdifferent biblical passages.


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Declaration

It is incredibly important toappropriate the truth ofwhat we are sharing aboutJesusgreat work in ourlife. So I want you to praythe following prayer outloud right now:

I did not receive thespirit of slavery to fallback into fear. I havereceived the spirit ofadoption. I am a son. Ihave a loving HeavenlyFather!

Do you believe the truth ofthat declaration? Is itcoming alive in your heart?

____________________________________________________________________________________

Consider making this aconfession all week until itcomes alive in your heart.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"But to all who did receive him, who believedin his name, he gave the right to becomechildren of God," (John 1:12)

See what kind of love the Father has given tous, that we should be called children of God;and so we are. The reason why the world

does not know us is that it did not know him.Beloved, we are God's children now, and whatwe will be has not yet appeared; but we knowthat when he appears we shall be like him,because we shall see him as he is. Andeveryone who thus hopes in him purifieshimself as he is pure." (1 John 3:1-3)

For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God,through faith.(Galatians 3:26)

For all who are led by the Spirit of God aresons of God. For you did not receive the spiritof slavery to fall back into fear, but you havereceived the Spirit of adoption as sons, by

whom we cry, Abba!Father!(Romans 8:14-15)

He has identified us as his own by placing

the Holy Spirit in our hearts.(2 Corinthians1:22a NLT)

All of this is referring to a spiritof adoption.Wewho were once alienated and broken are nowreceiving strength and status. We know who weare and where we are going. We once again havea family through the sacrifice of Jesus.

Sonshipnow gives us, not just favor and asense of value, it gives us a place to belong.

Not everyone who has prayedthe prayerandbeen involved with church has necessarily foundthis place of sonship.Some of you need toexplore your heart today and ask whether youneed to better identify with Jesus and betterappropriate His work?


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Faulty Identities

What are some of thedifferent things giving youa sense of identity? Take

a moment and writedown some of thesethings. Be honest!

1.

_________________2.

_________________3. _________________4. _________________5. _________________

Anything other thanJesus is a faulty identity.Now, I want you to praythat the faultyidentitiesand purposes be brokenoff your life. Ask God toestablish you in His greatstrength and purposes.

VII.Breaking Off Old Identities

A. Introduction

Part of obtaining this newidentityin Jesus is giving Him

freedom to break off all thedarkness and turmoil in yourlife. Many who attend churchand who consider themselvessaved,haventadequatelydealt with all these issues.They haventallowed Jesus totruly establish His identity inthem.

You may say, I really dontneed anything broken off mylife.I understand that

response. A lot Christians saythat. Iveeven said it. Yet, if you are getting your identityfrom money, fashion, entertainment, or even areas like yourspouse or children, you may be in trouble. There is notnecessarily anything wrong with any of these things, butthey are not where identities are truly made.

B. Personal Examples

In my own life several different things have gripped my heartand driven me in wrong directions. I would like to share alittle bit about this.

i. Identity From Peer Acceptance

For example, when I was much younger I wasmotivated by the need for acceptance from myfriends and classmates. I went places and didthings I should not have because I was trying tofind my identity through them. Itssad, but I canteven remember names of the people who I reallywanted to receive affirmation from twenty-fiveyears ago.

ii.Identity From Biblical Knowledge

Later I became an on-fire Christian and things

began to go much better. Yet, I still allowed myselfto be defined by things other than Jesus. Oneexample is that I diligently studied and amassed alarge library with the sole purpose of proving myintelligence. I thought I could get an identity fromacquiring a lot of biblical insight. Knowing theBible and theology is certainly a good thing, butwhen that becomes a sense of identity and status,it can become misguided. Suddenly I was


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An Identity FromJesus

As we are talkingabout this, it isimportant to come toJesus with an openheart. We dontjustwant to talk abouttheological ideas, wewant to pray and seek

His face. We mustappropriate andbelieve in His greatwork.

Now, ask Jesus totruly give you a senseof identity and destiny.Let Him invigorateyour heart, mind, andemotions. Feel Hisgoodness and lovewashing over you. You

are now beingpositioned to be anddo so much more.

comparing my knowledgewith others and gaininga sense of pride that had nothing to do with thepurposes of God for my life.

iii. Identity From Marriage And Kids

Like most young adults in America, I got married andthought Idfind a sense of purpose through mymarriage. After all, I had listened to all the pop songsand saw all the romantic comedies. They all told methat when I find my soulmate,everything comesinto alignment. I thought, I am going to be happybecause that person makes me happy.In case youdontalready know, pop culture lies to you.Ultimately you wake up one morning and realize thatyour spouse cannot complete you. They areincapable of doing that. God never even designedthem for that purpose. In a similar manner, our kidscannot give us a sense of wholeness and meaning.Children are truly wonderful, but you cannot gain a

healthy sense of identity from them.

iv.Identity From Ministry

Sadly I had to learn that even ministry could not giveme the sense of identity that I was looking for.Preaching is truly exhilarating. Praying for the sick isutterly amazing. Yet, these expressions will notsustain you for long. Your ministry is not the sameas your relationship with Jesus. Your ministry will notsustain you. Trust me, I know this from first-handexperience.

C.

You Only Get An Identity From Jesus

The only way that youre going to discover your true identity isby pressing into Jesus. I am aware that you already know this,but there needs to be more than just a general understandingof these things. You need to apply them to your life.

D. So Where Is Your Identity Truly Coming From?

Now, I want you to seriously think about life and what isdrivingyou. What are the things that are shaping yourdecision-making and sense of value? What is it that really getsyou moving every day? If it isntJesus, then, with all due

respect, your identity is out of order.

When you are truly established in the life and love of Jesus, itopens the door to your true destiny. You are not called to beharassed by fears, lusts, or even by the opinions of others.You are not supposed to overly prove things or live a life ofcontinual personal projection. You are called to fully embraceyour God-given identity. You are supposed to become whoJesus is truly making you to be. He is the one who can trulygive you a healthy identity.


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Ripping Out Old Roots

God is a God of deliveranceand freedom. He breaks offthe power of darkness andevil. He uproots twistedtruths of the past.

It is time to believe that theinfluence of the past issevered. The grip of evil willnot be on you!

Right now, ask the Lord todrive out everything in yourlife that is not of Him. Praythat freedom and joy wouldoverwhelm you. Believe thatthis is the year of the Lordsfavor.

As you pray this prayer whatare you sensing?

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VIII. Becoming Delivered And Free

A. ItsTime To Deal With The Deep Conditions Of The Heart

Some of theissues were

talking about hereare more deep-seeded andsinister than mostof us would careto acknowledge.Not everythingshaping our livesis related to simple

choices or even environmental influences. Some are tied tobrittle emotions and fears. Some of our foolish actions andresponses are related to circumstances of abuse and deeppersonal disappointment. Other troubling aspects of ourbehavior are products of entrenched sin patterns and willful

defiance. We may desire to separate our actions from ouridentity, but that is difficult to do. Disturbingly, some of ourthoughts and interactions are tied to forces of darkness andwicked strongholds. I know that nobody wants to talk aboutthis, but it must be addressed if we are going to experiencetrue discipleship. We must deal with the deep issues thataffect our lives.

B.

Let the goodness and love of God to wash over us

Scripture talks about fully experiencing the freedom and lifeof Jesus. We donthave to live in the past and continue toembrace the darkness. We are being positioned for joy and

great contentment.

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.(John

8:36)

For freedom Christ has set us free(Galatians 5:1)

You have been set free from sin and have become slavesto righteousness.(Romans 6:18)

The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointedme to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to

proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight forthe blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of

the Lordsfavor.(Luke 4:18-19, referencing Isaiah 61:1-2)

This wonderful freedom and life touches multiple dimensionsof who we are. It is not just physical and psychological; it isalso emotional and spiritual. Goodness is waiting to beembraced. You must learn to appropriate Godsgreat loveand kindness. You must be convinced that He wants to bringtransformation to your entire life and ministry. Jesus desiresthat you would be whole and complete in Him.


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Embracing A NewIdentity

New identities oftenrequire new ways ofoperation and function.To move forward in thisyou cannot live, or even

think, like you did in thepast. You must nowreckon yourself dead tosin and alive in Jesus.You must change yourmind about the realitiesof the past, which isironically thefoundational meaning ofthe word repentance.We must have our mindsrenewed.

We cannot continue togive lip service; sayingOur identity is in Jesus.We must change whatwe do to line up with thatfact. What is somethingyou can do to show thatrealignment?

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IX. Walking In Your New Identity

Men and women arediscovering their identity inJesus. They are getting freefrom the darkness and pain

that has afflicted their lives.They are coming into a newposition of strength and hope.God is opening the door of

destiny to people like you and me.

Yet, as you experience the freedom of Christ, you have to truly walkin it. You must abandon any image or declaration that is not fromGod. You must stop accepting what others - outside of the Kingdom -are saying about you. This might even include well-meaning familymembers. Youreno longer defined by your feelings, circumstances,or the opinions of others. God and God alone defines you. He is theone who is establishing your future and you are pressing into thatreality.

It is helpful to begin to start living and walking with Gods intent inmind. You need to start meditating on what the Word of God has tosay about you and your destiny. So, what are some of the things thatGod saying about you now?

The Lord says, You are beloved.

I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawnyou with unfailing kindness.(Jeremiah 31:3)

The Lord says, You are never alone.

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; hewill never leave you nor forsake you.(Deuteronomy 31:8)

The Lord says, You are being made whole.

In Christ you have been brought to fullness.(Colossians2:10)

The Lord says that, You are becoming righteous.

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, thatwe might become the righteousness of God in Him.(2Corinthians 5:21)

The Lord says You are being set apart.

You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, apeople for his own possession.(1 Peter 2:9)

He says, You are an ambassador of Christ.

We are therefore Christsambassadors, as though Godwere making his appeal through us.(2 Corinthians 5:20)


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Take extra time to writedown some of the thingsthat are being broughtout during this teaching.Reflect on what you arehearing and bathe it inprayer. The Lord willshow you how to exposeany areas where youridentity is not in Him.

Make sure that youcontact us if you haveany questions:

J.D. KingWorld Revival ChurchP.O. Box 11678Kansas City, MO 64138(877) 804-5433

[email protected]

He says, Youare a co-laborer.

For we are co-workers in Godsservice; you areGodsfield, Godsbuilding.(1 Corinthians 3:9)

You need to start building your life on what God is saying aboutyou. Embrace His design for your life. Believe what He is sayingabout you. It is time to step into your true identity.

X.

Conclusion

An important part ofdiscipleship is establishing ahealthy identity in Jesus. Youare never going to be able tolive in community or evenexpress the works of God theway He wants for you until yousettle these foundationalissues. This is something thatis probably not going to besettled in one teaching session.

You are going to have to continue to work on it. I want to inviteto reflect on these scriptures and prayerfully ask God toexamine your heart.

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me andknow my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensiveway in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.(Psalm139:23-24)

Later, in these sessions were going to be building on identity;helping you learn how to live in community and more fully

embrace the works of the Kingdom. If you dont grasp thegravity of this teaching, it will undermine your ability toparticipate in the next two teachings.

Discipleship is an ongoing process. Remind yourself to go overthese concepts regularly to allow the Holy Spirit greater access.As you do, your foundation will grow more and more firm inJesus. Discipleship is not just knowledge, it also involves action.So lets be a people of action.

Discipleship Training- Identity

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Transcript of Discipleship Training- Identity