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Defining Your Identity

July 1, 2016
Leeland Mooring

In part 3 of the blog series, “Worship as a Lifestyle,” Leeland Mooring dives into the biggest thing that God has been revealing to him over the past year– identity. Read as Leeland shares about what it looks like to believe the truth about being a son or daughter of the Father. 


The number one thing God’s been teaching me is what my identity is in. That’s the thing, my identity can never be in my gifting, it can only be in the Giver. Our giftings, talents, and abilities can be shaken and even removed by life, but the one thing that can never be removed is the love of Christ Jesus. Abba Father views you as a son or daughter, and when you view yourself the way He’s been viewing you all along, it changes the way you see yourself and the way you see other people.

Identity makes all the gifts He’s given you that much more amazing.

I grew up in church my whole life knowing that Jesus would be my savior, but the gospel is so much more, it’s about forgiveness and adoption– the blood of Jesus flowing through our veins. God created us in His image.

We were never made for ourselves, we were made in His image and His image is love.

We were made through relationship, and as we grow closer to Him, we can express His glory into the world. Maybe, God thinks His glory is His love. When God sent His son, He sent Him in love. When Jesus came, He could have revealed any part of the Father to us, but He talked most about His love.

Imagine if you had never tried salt before and you sprinkled it on your food, you would experience food in a whole new way, in a better way. Salt would exaggerate the flavors and open your eyes to a whole new flavor. That’s what walking with Jesus does. The very best you is in Jesus.

When Christ lives inside of you, you’re filled with the love of God.

Our joy is receiving and believing, and then the Holy Spirit fills us with the grace of God to become what we are called to be. I’m not identified by anything but Jesus. We have the choice everyday to believe the truth that God calls us His sons and daughters. We don’t have to talk about the lie that we are told, we destroy those lies by focusing on the truth.

There is no room for discouragement when you are filled with the fullness of God.

When your identity is in Jesus, it transforms your whole life. The giftings that He’s given you can be enjoyed with a full heart, knowing that we can steward them for His glory because our identity is in His love, not in the giftings. The primary purpose of the gifts God has given you is to bless Him and then to bless others. If the joy and gift has to be tied to a platform, then you will set down the gift when you don’t have a platform. Use your gift for the secret place, when you are alone with God and your identity is born. The value of something is determined by how much you pay for it and God gave His priceless son, so you are priceless. That’s where you start everyday, knowing that you are priceless to God.