you're believing lies about yourself

Hello everybody. Welcome to another episode of Christ with Coffee on Ice. I am your host Ali Yost. It is a joy and honor to be here as it always is. I love you guys so much. Happy Friday everybody. Yeah, today I'm excited. I'm excited for today's episode. I will say little side note. First off, we do have our coffee on ice. I'm sure you guys could all guess what it is. Drum roll, please. We have our pumpkin spice latte iced with oat milk. It's my favorite. So we do have our coffee on ice. We have our Christ. Thank you Jesus for another day. What a beautiful day it is today. I will say the day that I'm filming this, this is the little side note that I wanted to add. The day that we are in the studio right now is the day that I guess the whole internet has been saying that Jesus was going to come back and it was the rapture. So I honestly wasn't even getting a whole lot of that on my 4U page, which is shocking because I think a lot of most of my content that comes on my feed is all like Jesus stuff. So I actually had no idea that that was even going on until yesterday, the day before. And anyway, obviously we're still here. And if you guys are listening to this episode, it's a few weeks from now, so we're definitely still here. But yeah, that has just been kind of a silly thing on the internet. And I think it's had a lot of us Christians scared, which makes me sad because I just don't think that that's what God would want for us to be afraid. I think that obviously it says in his word that we should be prepared no matter what, because we do not know the day or hour of which God is going to send his son back. And it even says in scripture, I think I believe it's in the book of Matthew where it says that not even Jesus himself knows, only the Father knows. And so yeah, it's been interesting to observe and see happening on the internet because I'm like, huh, that's so interesting. I think people have been doing this since like the 1800s, like people probably before that, it's like I'm sure people have been predicting and they've put all these clues together. But if I'm going to be honest, I think that that's pretty prideful for us as just a human race to think that we can predict the day and time of which Jesus is coming. Because I feel like that, whether we realize it or not, is saying that we know more than even Jesus himself or that we are intelligent enough to predict what God is doing and when he will come. And I think just from my own life and on a much smaller scale of just like day to day things, but it's been very evident in my life and I've been humbled time and time again that I cannot predict what God is doing ever. I can try and I can try to predict God's timing and how he's going to do things or whatever. And I've never been able to successfully do it. And I'm also not saying I'm the smartest person on earth, but I don't even think the smartest person on earth could ever predict what God is doing. I just think as the creation that has come from him, it seems a bit prideful for us to think that we can predict what God is going to do or even say that we are any steps ahead of Jesus himself. It just feels very arrogant of us. And I don't think that that's a majority of people's intention with what's been going on online with predicting and trying to, I think, you know, I'd like to assume that it comes from a place of good, but it feels prideful for us to think that we could ever know. So with that being said, obviously this is very delayed. You guys won't be hearing this for a few weeks after all of this. So maybe this is all irrelevant by then when this episode airs, but I think, you know, it's not that we shouldn't believe, obviously we all believe if we are Christians, we do believe in the coming of Jesus. And so that is something to be ready for and prepared for. And I think the best way to be prepared for that is to be faithful every day and to be obedient to Jesus every day, to the best of our abilities and to really give him our lives, you know, and really make him the center of every avenue and aspect of our lives, to be committed to him, to love him, and to not be ashamed to tell people about the faithfulness of God and the goodness of God and to not be ashamed to let our lives be a sacrifice to the Lord. And I think that's the way we prepare is to just continue to be faithful to God and let the fruit of our lives even minister to people. And that's all we can really do. I don't think that there's anything more we should be doing than that. I think, um, yeah, it's crazy. I mean, I don't know if it's like real or not, but I was like seeing people like selling their belongings, selling their cars, like crazy stuff. And I'm just like, I don't really know what productivity there is. I don't see God saying that that's what we need to do to prove that we believe. I just think that the best way to prove that we believe in Jesus is by taking every day as seriously as it would be our last and to be as faithful to Jesus today as we would be as if it was our last day. I think that's all we need to do. So anyway, if, if, you know, the book of Revelation and even seeing everything that's happening in the world and, and the thing is, is I do think that it's, it's biblical because it is, it says in God's word that we will know when the time is coming just as a woman knows that her baby is coming, you know, through birthing pains. And so like as a body, I think we can acknowledge that there, there is a shift that has happened. Um, I think that this has been a buildup for a long time, but I think even since the beginning of this year, I feel like I've seen God and I, I, I can't like necessarily put my finger on it. I, we can blanket it in a huge statement like saying revival is coming. And I know I've used that word sometimes and now I, I've like navigated that with the Lord, with even like using that word too much. But at the end of it all, whether we can really pinpoint it or not, I think as a church, we can agree that something's happening and God is moving and, and he, something, he's doing something in our generation, in this country specifically, in the world, like he's doing something. There's been a shift. I think that it would be naive for us to just turn our back completely and be like, oh, well, whatever, like whenever Jesus comes, like, I think it is very biblical for us as a church to be like, hmm, something's in the air. The birthing pains, like there's, there's signs and there are things of being like, okay, it is near, like the time is near, but we can't predict the exact date and time. Like that is not biblical, but it is near. So yeah, I think that is worth acknowledging. I do believe that we could be on the brink of something really huge that God has, and I'm really excited for it. I think even us as believers, there should be nothing to be afraid of. There should be nothing to be afraid of. I think as long as we're living our lives faithfully to the Lord every day, and the thing is, is he knows your heart. And so if he, if he know your heart is pure for him, that's all he need. We have nothing to worry about. You guys have nothing to worry about. There's nothing, it burdens me the most when I see Christians that are like scared. I'm like, why are we scared? Well, what are we scared about? I mean, maybe it'll be a pretty crazy experience, for sure. But like, I don't think we have anything to be fearful of. Anyway, what was that side tangent? I don't know. I just think it's because of obviously the day that I'm filming this on, that it's brought all this up. I've even gotten a lot of you guys like, requesting for us to talk about the book of Revelation and talk about the end times and talk about the times that we're in. And to be honest, I don't feel, it's not that I'm not open to talking about those things I would love to, but I just don't believe that I've, I've honestly educated myself enough. If I'm just being so for real, I don't know if I've studied enough of the book of Revelation. And so I would like to have more of a theological just understanding and more of a foundation before touching on that stuff. Cause that's like a big, big conversation. And so yeah, I mean, I'm open to it. I think that that would just take me sitting down and really studying and taking the time and effort to prepare to talk about something like that. And so yeah, I'd be, honestly, I'd be more than happy to do that, but I just don't believe I'm at a place just yet to speak on that. I just don't want to ever speak about anything that I just don't feel like I've sat with Jesus enough with, you know, and so I'd like to sit with Jesus more about that before bringing it to the pod. But I hear you and I see you. And if, if that's something that you've wanted for this podcast, I'm glad to touch on it. I don't know, maybe even I could bring on a guest for that, like somebody who's like really theologically sound in those things and have a discussion with somebody who could even bring more wisdom to the topic rather than just me sitting here by myself. Anyway, that's me processing out loud. Guys, I'm really excited for this episode. This episode was inspired literally two hours ago. I had no idea what we were going to talk about and I was getting ready in my bathroom, just reflecting with Jesus. And I was, I was reflecting on some recent conversations that I've been having just like with people in my life. And I was talking to a friend even this morning, and we were talking about identity. And I know that that's something we've touched on before in this podcast, but I just have like such a fresh revelation of, I just want to talk about it again. I would, I would love to just talk about the topic of identity and what that means for us as believers, but not only that, but like what to look out for when it comes to the enemy, because it's his biggest thing that both what the enemy wants to steal from us the most is our identity. Who we've been created to be, and if he can convince us otherwise, like he's one. And that goes for not only non believers, but also believers, like he does that. It's, it's across the board. I mean, he just wants to convince every person who's been made in the image of God that they are not who God says they are, or they are not who God has created them to be. And he can be so sneaky about it. And so I wanted to talk about that. And I, the conversation that I was having with my friend was really interesting because we were talking about the fact that a lot of times the enemy will plant seeds in our mind about who we are, like who he says that we are convincing us that it's the truth. When honestly, that was never a part of our identity from the beginning. Like let's say you have this fear of being needy or too much. And so the enemy will plant all these ugly seeds in your mind saying like, you are literally so annoying. All you do is need, need, need, need, need, need, you're so needy, like you're just honestly a burden. You're a nuisance. You're annoying. Okay. So all those thoughts, like all those seeds are being planted in your mind. And now it is like your biggest fear to be needy. And so now you're doing everything in your efforts to not be needy, but it's almost interesting because I feel like a lot of times when those seeds are planted in our minds, we are so focused on not being that thing that we actually end up becoming it. Because we've been convinced that we could be or are that very thing. And so in all the efforts that we're making, focusing on it so much, like, well, I better make sure I'm not needy and annoying. It's like, or whatever that is, like you're focusing on not being that so much so that you've actually, it's like a little bit of like a uno reverse of the enemy where because you're focusing so hard on not trying to be that thing, you become it. And then it becomes your reality. And then you're shaking hands with it. And then you're like, Oh, I actually am really annoying. I am really needy. Because of all the efforts of you trying not to be needy has made you needy. And now you've adopted an identity that was never for you from the beginning. And so now you're seeing the proof. You're like, Oh, wait, no, I, what are you talking about? I am because like, look at what's happened. And then people are calling you annoying. And it's like, it's become real now. Like that seat isn't just a seat anymore. Like you've done things now to water it unintentionally, you thought you were doing the opposite, but you're like, you're doing things to and now it's sprouted and it's a real plant. And so you're looking at it, you're like, what do you mean? It's right there. Like, it's real. Like, what do you mean? I'm not needy. But those actually never a part of your identity from the beginning. And so it's interesting, like I'll even look at my own life where I've believed things about myself, like, I've believed that I'm not smart enough. And that's a straight up lie. But it's a lie that I think was planted in my mind at a very young age when I just wasn't the best at school. And I think I'm not bashing the schooling system because like, hello, we need school. We need education, like, we need that stuff. But I think that there's such a temptation of putting our identity in that and our worth in that and our worth in like scores and how we do on tests and, you know, the SATs and being accepted into certain colleges and stuff. Like, those are all good things, but handled irresponsibly where it's like, it's all of this or nothing, like, this is who you are and nothing, it can be very damaging for kids, you know, or young adults, teenagers who are growing up and just starting to discover like who they are. And they're growing into the person that God has created them to be. And so I think for me, and not having a foundation of Jesus, like I did not have a solid foundation of God growing up, I didn't get my worth through Jesus, I didn't let him speak to me identity and truth of who I was. And so growing up and not getting good test scores, it didn't necessarily mean I was dumb. It just means probably those topics weren't really my thing or like, I wasn't applying myself enough or I just like didn't care. It doesn't mean I wasn't capable and I wasn't smart, but I let those things tell me that I wasn't smart. And so now I've believed that I'm not smart. So now I'm not even going to bother like trying to apply myself or read books or I don't even let myself go there because I've already been convinced that I'm stupid. I know that sounds crazy, but like I'm already dumb. So why try? And then I actually am kind of dumb. Listen, hear me out. I know, okay, like I could be using better words. It's not true. I know I'm not dumb, but it's like, and now I'm not even trying. So like, I'm not even trying to fill my mind with wisdom and knowledge and reading books and like so and being a sponge, I'm not even letting myself get there. And so now I do have a lack of knowledge. I'm not dumb, but like I do have a lack of knowledge because I've convinced myself I'm, I will never absorb it. I will never learn those things. I'm not smart enough. I'm going to try and I'm going to fail. That's what I learned in school. Like I did nothing but fail in school. I wasn't smart enough. And so and then it became my reality where like I wasn't quote, I didn't have enough knowledge. Like I wasn't even applying myself or letting myself. So that's just a personal like revelation that I had for myself. And it's an example of like, the enemy convinced me that I was stupid, that I was not smart. I wasn't capable of absorbing any kind of knowledge, any kind of wisdom, especially when it came to like reading books and like learning more about things like that, you know. And so because I believed it, and I saw the proof in my test scores at school and stuff, I didn't even try. And now I'm living that reality. I've adopted that identity. I've shaken hands with it and it's become who I never was actually supposed to be, but I shook hands with it. And so anyway, it's, it's so sneaky. It's so sneaky of the enemy and we don't even see it. And then it's like, once we see the proof of it, because we've unintentionally come into agreement with it, it's become our identity. It's become our reality. And so yeah, the enemy loves to tack our identity because if he can confuse us about who we are, it affects how we live, love and trust God. Some common ways that the enemy tries to distort or convince us of a false identity is one example is through lies about our worth. You're not enough. You're unlovable. You don't matter. Another way this is really good. And this is literally exactly what I was just trying to communicate with the whole school thing and like just my life with all of that is by tying our identity to performance. And so making us believe our worth depends on how much we achieve, produce or succeed. That feels like one of the most strategic ways of the enemy is like convincing us, even in our relationships with God, but like think about it too in the world. Like when people don't have their identity anchored in God and anchored in the truth of the word of God, if people don't have their identity anchored in Jesus and they don't have their worth in him, the only other option is worldly things like performance and achievements and things that you can do, things that you can achieve and produce. Like that is the only other option. And I will say that I've fallen victim to that. I have, I've felt like such a failure and it didn't even make sense because I turn around and I look at all that I've achieved and it's still like wasn't enough. I can still kind of fall to that. So there's still a temptation, I guess, like where the enemy will still kind of try to throw those things in my mind. I'm much better at just being like about it. Like, okay, I know that's not for me because I know the truth of who I am. But one way that he has kind of snuck in that's harder for me to see is like performance with God. And so he'll even try that in the church where he'll convince you that the only way that God will move for you, the only way that God will answer your prayers, the only way that God will produce the fruit in you that you want produced is if you achieve, succeed and do the most. Granted, I'm not saying that there aren't efforts that we're supposed to be making in our journeys with God. Of course we are. Like he can't work with somebody who's not willing to work. He can't work with somebody who's not willing to work on themselves. He's not, he can't work with somebody who doesn't have an open heart actually. Let me say that because a lot of times I've looked back and I've been like, oh God, you actually did all the freaking work and all I had to say is okay. All I had to say is yes. All I had to say is I'm willing. All I had to do was open my hands. All I had to do was like lay on the operating table and like let you just do what you needed to do to my heart. Like more times than not, that's actually what God needs is just our yes. So he needs us to meet him with our yes and he needs to, he needs somebody who's willing, you know, but he does all the work when it comes to transformation and like any fruit that we want in ourselves, like change, you know, where if we feel convicted about something we're like, okay, yeah, God, that's got to change. He does it all. He just needs us to say yes. And so I actually kind of take back what I was originally saying there, but you get what I'm saying. But yeah, he needs somebody who's willing. So I don't say that to be like, oh, well, just float and God will do it all. Like, he needs a willing vessel. But yeah, there have been times where I've noticed, I've shared this with you guys. I've been in the secret place and I'm like, I don't know why, but I'll fall into this like I gotta let God know. I gotta let him know that I'm so grateful for him and I love him and I need to check off all the boxes and I need to make sure that I'm, I'm, I'm repenting and then I need to make sure that I'm letting him know of my adoration. And the thing is, is like, yeah, all those things are so necessary in your walk with God, like you have to be repented. You have to confess your sins. You have to let him in. You have to be vulnerable. You have to have communication with him. Like just like any healthy relationship, he loves that he values vulnerability. He values communication. He values authenticity. He values genuineness. Like he wants all of that. And so it's like, all those things are good, but the minute that we are doing it, because we know it's what we're supposed to be doing, because we want to make sure that we're doing all the things to make sure so then God can move. That's not how he works. Like he wants it to flow and for it to be natural. And it's not that he doesn't have grace for it. Cause there are times that I've shown up and I've been like, beep, boop, beep, boop, boop, God love you. And I mean it, but it's like, I'm okay, Allie, let it go, my girl. All right. I can see right through that. You don't need to do all that for me. You don't need to perform like some kind of circus monkey. Okay. Like I love you. And actually stop. I want to pour right now. You're not pouring. You're not pouring. I know your heart and I know this is coming from a good place. Okay. So thank God. Thank God that God knows our hearts because it's like even in that he's like, Hey, hon, I know you're trying. I know you're trying to do. I see it. I know you're not trying to take advantage of me. I know you're not trying to manipulate me. I know that you were just doing this because you love me and you want to be obedient, but like chill. Actually, I need you to sit back and let me pour. Okay. Times I've done that and I'm just like wrecked like literally like wrecked on my back. Like, okay, God, you just wanted me to receive right now. Like he just wants to freaking love you. He just wants to love you like pour it out on you. And so yeah, there's a temptation even in our relationship with God to perform. And that's so enemy core because God has never, never, ever wanted that. He never, ever wanted that. He just wants a genuine relationship. And so yeah, it's an icky feeling though. And it leaves us feeling so much worse than before. And it's funny because like even when I was in the world and there were things that I achieved and goals I got to, it's like you get to that thing and then you're still unfulfilled because your identity is in the things that you can produce. Like, you know, your work ethic, whatever that looks like, your successes, your achievements. And so you achieve a thing and then you're like, now what? Because it's empty. Everything else in the world is empty outside of Jesus. He's the only thing that can fill that void of purpose and identity for us because we've been made in his image and we were made to be in a relationship with him. We were made to love him and be loved by him. And so it makes sense that anything else we are left void. It will feel good for a second and then you're like, wait a minute, now what? Wait a minute, now what do I do? Okay, I guess I'll just go for the next thing. And then you're just living the rest of your life trying to one up yourself or other people. That's great. Now we're comparing ourselves to others. That's healthy. You know? And so even that is like, it just leaves you so much emptier than you were before, so much more discouraged. And that's all the part of the enemy's plan. Another way that he will do it is by attaching shame to mistakes. So telling us you are a failure, you'll never change. You're broken beyond repair. Oh my gosh. If that is not the biggest freaking fat lie, also it's blasphemous towards God. It's so blasphemous because that's also saying that like, God can't do anything with you. He's not powerful enough. He's not big enough. You're way too far gone. You're so broken. There's so many years of damage and trauma and baggage. There's no fixing this. That's so like, God, what are you talking about? You're going to tell me that you're going to put God in a box. Stop looking at yourself for a second. Look at God and say, I'm actually putting you in a box and saying that you can't do it. Okay, the same God that's made everything, created everything, created man from dust, created woman from a rib. Okay. And you're just so broken. Your trauma's too much for God. That's not even a thing. That's not even a thing. And so it's real. I believe we've all probably felt it. There have been times where we're like carrying so much shame and we see all the things that were broken in and we're like, wow, God, I don't actually even know how you're going to be able to fix this. And the thing is, is like, that's okay. He's not offended by that. If anything, I think he'd be like, all right, can I show you? Can I show you so I can receive more glory and then you can also believe in me more? Like, I think even when we let him, even if we're like, God, I don't know how you're going to do it, but like, I believe, but help my, my, my unbelief. One of those moments where it's like, I believe, but like, help the parts of me that don't believe that's being like, all right, God, I need you to just show me that I'm wrong, please. Because I believe I'm wrong, but I need you to show me that I'm wrong. And like, opening up to him and being like, I need you to show me that you are capable and that I'm not too broken. But the enemy will try to convince us that we are way too broken. And if he can convince us that we won't be open to transformation, it's like, we're just shutting ourselves off, just like my example where I shut myself off from wanting to learn anything anymore, you know, reading books applying myself, because I was so convinced that I was too far gone. I was too dumb. So then you're shutting off the opportunity at all. And you're not even letting God work on your brokenness, because you've, you've already done this. You've already shaken hands with this lie of attaching so much shame to your mistakes and believing that you're too far gone, that you don't even let God in to heal you and to deliver you from those things. So your brokenness, your trauma, your baggage, the things that people have done to you, the mistakes that you've made, whatever that looks like, like God needs an imitation and he needs an open heart. And so if the enemy can convince you to close your heart and not let him in, you will never receive healing. You will always be carrying those burdens. You will always be carrying that bondage. You will always be carrying those chains. And that's exactly where he wants you. He wants you to believe that you are unhealable because, well, I mean, you haven't been healed. You haven't been healed your whole life. Well, why would you even turn to God anyway? He can't heal you. And then you are carrying those burdens for the rest of your life. And you are convinced that you're not capable of being healed. But the truth is, is you believed with your whole heart, a lie that you couldn't be healed and that you were too far gone. And so God hasn't even been able to get in because you haven't opened the door. You haven't let him. So it's crazy. The enemy will want us to shut off the opportunity at all, even believing like the things that we can achieve in our life, like the dreams that maybe God has placed in your heart. And if you can, if he can convince you to just cut it off and shut the door on it and say, no, I don't actually, there is no way, then there will be no way. You know, I'm not saying God can't change our minds though. He's so sovereign. He's so sovereign. We could shut the door. But like also it doesn't say that any door man has closed can't be opened. It says any door that the Lord has closed can't be open. And any door that the Lord has opened can't be closed. So that implies that if anyone else does those things, it can be moved. I'm also not saying that he can't still soften our hearts and open those doors. But I do believe he is a God of needing us to open the door for him, you know, where it's like we're, we're being like, okay. And we just say, okay, another way that the enemy can attack our identity is through comparison, which I kind of mentioned a little bit when it comes to performance and all of that. So if you're not comparing yourself to yourself and one upping, you know, your last achievement, then you're probably comparing yourself to others, which is the ugliest thing you can do to yourself. And also the other person, it immediately makes us like this with other people, whether we realize it or not, but like it doesn't, it kind of makes other people like our enemy in a way where it's like, if we can't be like that, we resent them and we're mad at them and we're angry with them and we're bitter towards them when they've done nothing, or we can be so down bad on ourselves being like, why can I never be that resenting them, also resenting yourself, resenting them, hating yourself, it's awful. It's like literally so ugly and it's so evil, convincing us that our value is less because someone else is better, prettier, smarter, or more spiritual. That's very much a thing too. If we're talking about the church like, hello, I know I've fallen to that where I'm like, well, they just know so much more and they're so much more spiritual. And well, they just hear from God so much more than I do. And they know so much more scripture than I do. It's this ugly spirit of comparison, but it does say in 1 Corinthians 12, 12 through 27, yet God designs each person uniquely with purpose. He has a unique purpose for each and every one of us, which means, what does unique mean? One of a kind, one of one. So every one of his children has been made uniquely, but also never to be the same. And so if we're comparing ourselves to other people and we're wanting to look like other people or we're being like, well, my journey doesn't look like that. And I don't hear from God that way. And, you know, well, I haven't been able to achieve those things and they got to do this and it happened so much quicker for them. Why is it not happening for me? It doesn't matter. Your story is different. Your story is different. Your story is different than mine. Your story is different than theirs. Their story is different from that person's like, and that's the way God's created it to be. We are all uniquely made in his image and he has a plan for each of our lives and they are not to look the same. They just don't. That's not, God is not a cookie cutter God. He is a creative God. He is a vibrant God. He is a good God. And he, he, he makes his children so different for a reason. We are not to compare ourselves to one another. And I think that will quickly rob you of your joy. That will quickly rob you of your confidence and that will quickly rob you of the way that you could see yourself through the eyes of Jesus. Like you're no longer, you're being stripped of who you have been created to be. This one we love to talk about a lot on the podcast by confusing feelings with truth. Oops. So one way that the enemy can attack our identity is by us maybe putting a little bit too much of our feelings at a place of foundation, right? So we now are putting our faith or believing that our feelings are the full truth. So this could look like us thinking, because I feel anxious, I must be weak because I feel lonely. I must not be loved, but feelings don't define identity. God's word does. We've been talking about this. We've been talking about this. So when our feelings want to come in and dictate, dictate reality, dictate our identity and dictate the truth of what's honestly actually happening because our feelings can be so loud and oh my gosh, okay. The enemy loves, loves toying with our feelings. I think because he knows we have feelings and he knows how much we can, our flesh can just kind of get swept away in that. He will use it against us. And now he's manipulating and using our feelings to hurt us and to believe truths that aren't real. And so like I've always said, feelings are great and God has given them to us for a reason. We are to have emotions. I believe God has all the same emotions that we do because we've been made in his image. I know he feels all the things, but what the enemy is doing is he's twisting it and he's using it against us by feeding lies and making us believe that those feelings are final. And it is the truth. When the truth is God's word, yeah, we're going to feel anxious sometimes and sure we'll feel lonely, but that doesn't actually mean that we're weak. It doesn't mean that we're alone. And God backs all that up in his word, in his scripture. Another way that the enemy can do this, attack our identity is through labels from the world. Labels. He loves to use that. Identities like failure too much, not enough, or even worldly success labels that distract from being a child of God. But our truest identity is in Christ. Scripture that backs that up that I'd love to read to you guys. It's Galatians 2.20. My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. Our truest identity is in Christ. And so any other labels outside of that can really distract us from knowing the truth of who we are, which is a child of God. Now, a question that I thought was worth bringing up here that maybe some of you guys, I feel like everything we've talked about up until this point could bring clarity to this, but like, how do I know that I am believing alive from the enemy about myself? And then how do I know the truth of who I am through Christ? How do you know that you're believing alive from the enemy is that the thought produces shame, fear, or hopelessness? If an identity statement leaves you feeling condemned, worthless, or stuck, it's not from God. And that is backed up by Romans 8.1. The thought is absolute and limiting. Lies sound like you'll always be this way. You can never change. This is just who you are. They box you in. And then of course, this is like kind of an obvious one, but that thought actually contradicts Scripture. So if the identity doesn't align with what God says about his children, it's a counterfeit and it's not real. Another way to know if you are believing something that is from the enemy about your identity is that the thought actually disconnects you from God or others. So lies typically make you want to isolate. Lies isolate you. They make you withdraw in shame or comparison instead of drawing you into freedom and love. And so that's a big one. Lies actually cause us to isolate. That's crazy. Now, how to know the truth of who you are through Christ? Truth aligns with God's word, right? So God's word is the standard. For example, if a lie is telling you, I'm worthless, the truth is I am God's workmanship created in Christ for good works, which is from Ephesians 2.10. Truth leads to freedom and peace. So even if that very thing convicts, God's truth points to restoration and not condemnation. So if God is convicting you about something, maybe he's shedding light on something, you know, that's been in you or whatever, you know, maybe ways that you've been operating, even if it convicts you, it should still follow with restoration, not condemnation, freedom and peace. Like you should feel those things versus what we brought up earlier where it's like, it just makes you feel, if it's from the enemy, it produces shame, fear, hopelessness. That's not from God. Truth builds your identity on relationship, not performance. Christ defines you by being his child, not by how you measure up. Truth often feels counter to what your emotions or circumstances say. So for instance, you may feel unloved, but God says his love is everlasting. And that is from Jeremiah 31.3. So a simple test that we could do for ourselves if we're ever feeling like we could potentially be believing or coming into agreement with a life about our identity that's from the enemy or not, whatever. But if we're like, I don't know, what is this? A simple test is we can ask ourselves, does this thought line up with scripture and who God says I am? If no, then it's a lie to reject. If yes, it's truth to cling to. I'm obsessed with that. That's so good. So anyway, that is something that each and every one of us will have to practice. Of course, there will always be opportunity for the enemy to try to come in and steal our identity from us. As long as we are living and breathing, and we are here and loved by God, the enemy will resent us for that. And he will try everything in his power to take the truth away from us because he's jealous and he's greedy and he's evil and he's twisted and he's twisted. So that will never end. And I think as long as we are armored up in the word of God and we allow the Lord to do works in our hearts and our minds, and even as we're in the midst of like navigating things and we're feeling things, it's like, okay, we need to remember what the truth is of who God says we are and remembering that identity about ourselves because the enemy won't ever stop trying to take our identity from us, but we will stand strong and firm in the truth of who Jesus says we are. And we will allow him to continue to make us strong in that, in believing who we are and knowing who we are through Jesus. So anyway, I'm so proud of you guys. Thank you for sitting through this episode. I hope that it was helpful. I hope it was fruitful. I love y'all. You are made so beautifully in his image and never doubt the purpose of what God has for your life. Never doubt who he's created you to be. You are so special and unique. I need you to know that it's the truth. There is only one of you and it's beautiful. Even if you don't fully understand all of it, that is who you are. I love you guys. Hey guys, can we actually, can we do something really cool today? Can we show somebody how cool Jesus is? Can we walk more like him, talk more like him, be more like him, represent Jesus and be the light in a place that can be so dark? I hope you guys have the best weekend and the best week until I see you next Friday, but I will see you next time. Bye. Are some of y'all still listening? Okay, if you're still here, that means you're a real one, which is why I'm about to share this with you. If you've already caught up on all the episodes so far and you don't want to wait until next Friday for a new one, I have really good news for you. Subscribe to our Patreon to get early access to the episodes every week, early access to merch launches or any other exciting news, and receive personalized, encouraging messages or Bible verses from us. 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