Who God Says You Are

“But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.”  - John 1:12 (NLT)

Have you ever found yourself replaying words someone spoke over you years ago? Maybe it was a harsh criticism, a label, or a comment that cut deep and made you question your worth. Or perhaps the circumstances of your past - the mistakes, the hurts, the regrets - have whispered lies that you carry with you into the present.

Here’s the truth: you are not your past.You are not the words that have wounded you.You are not the mistakes you’ve made or the things that have been done to you.

Yes, your story includes those chapters. But every piece of it - every joy, every heartache, every scar - must bow in submission before the authority of Jesus Christ. He is greater than your past, stronger than your present, and sovereign over your future.

God does not discard the broken parts of your story; He redeems them. In His grace, He uses even the messy, painful experiences to shape you. He is the God who brings beauty from ashes (Isaiah 61:3) and who places a new song in your heart (Psalm 40:3). What was once shame or defeat can become a testimony of His goodness.

So, if you are not defined by what has happened to you or by what others have said, then who are you?

The Bible gives us a clear and hope-filled answer:

• You are a child of God. (1 John 3:1)

• You are chosen. (1 Thessalonians 1:4)

• You are forgiven. (1 John 2:12)

• You are free from sin. (Romans 6:22)

• You are God’s temple. (1 Corinthians 3:16)

• You are more than a conqueror. (Romans 8:37)

• You are not condemned. (Romans 8:1)

• You are healed. (Psalm 30:2)

• You are an ambassador for Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:20)

This is your true identity. Not what the world says. Not what your past whispers. Not even what your own doubts may try to convince you of. Freedom comes when you begin to see yourself through God’s eyes. When His truth becomes louder than the lies.

Pause to Ponder

What words, circumstances, or past hurts have fed you a false identity? Which of the truths above resonates most deeply with you today? Take a moment to bring that before God in prayer. Ask Him to remind you daily of who He says you are and to silence the lies that try to tell you otherwise.

Friend, you are loved. You are chosen. You belong to Him. And that changes everything.

Father, thank You that my identity is found in You alone. Forgive me for the times I have believed lies about who I am. Help me to walk in the truth of Your Word, to see myself as Your beloved child, and to live in the freedom Jesus purchased for me. Quiet the voice of shame and fear, and replace it with the steady assurance of Your love. Teach me to daily remember: I am Yours.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.