How Do You Define Yourself?

For some odd reason, recently, I was thinking about my identity. How do I define myself? Who am I? What are my identifiers?

So. I sat down and developed this list in a “free thinking” way.

• Son, sibling, child, adult, cousin
• Father, uncle, minister, pastor, encourager
• Friend, lover, teacher, student
• Faithful, consistent, friendly,
• Lifelong husband to one wife…

Though I can describe myself by many words, phrases and descriptors, I can easily find that some other words I’m not listing are equally accurate and uplifting. Others may be detractors or defeatist. Some are self-limiting, revealing, and point us down paths we may not want to walk.

Regardless, you and everyone else has their own set of words and values to describe us. Think about it for a moment. Do you want to hear how others define you? Probably not. On the one hand, their words do not impact me, and on the other hand, I simply do not care.

When God called to Moses from the burning bush and began setting him on the path to recovering Israel out of Egypt, this 80-year-old man who had a history in Egypt and now Midian, took a hard look at himself:

But Moses said to God, “
Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh,
and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”
(Exodus 3:11 NKJV)

Who am I? Maybe he went through the same mental checklist as I did. I’m not sure if he had the time, for God immediately responds to tell him who God is.

And God said to Moses,
“I AM WHO I AM.”
And He said,
“Thus you shall say to the children of Israel,
‘I AM has sent me to you.’ “
(Exodus 3:14 NKJV)

I Am, in Hebrew, is simply four consonants where God reveals to Moses a word that could be used to define who He is. This is called a Tetragrammaton. God goes on to tell Moses to tell Israel, “I AM hath sent me to you.” He goes on and says, ‘The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’  In other words, my history is from long ago and will go forever ahead, and it is a memorial for all generations! (Exodus 3:15-16)

Here’s my thought today. It’s good to know how you see yourself, but you always have the opportunity to define a “new you.” We always redefine who we are by words and thoughts from our mind and experiences, from our culture, DNA and history, but we also have an opportunity to spotlight what we want to be and add words and actions to modify our position.

However, before you just start using words or phrases, perhaps there are some things you could think through.

What words will I use to define who I want to become? Do they have power to speak positively, or negatively? Will they lift to new heights, or bottom out in the gutter? Can they be used to influence myself and others for the good? Or does everything I think through simply define a new low?

Solomon wrote a powerful notation in his writings that should help any of us lay the foundation for the words we use to describe ourselves.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit.
(Proverbs 18:21 NKJV)

Your words will produce fruit. Perhaps for the good, and perhaps not!

James carries this thought even further and gives strict admonition to the church.

My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.
(James 3:1-10 NKJV)

Perhaps studying the words we want to use will help us to define who we are – to self, to loved ones and strangers everywhere.

Let me share this list of positive framed words that are scripture based that can help you define yourself by the Word of God. Maybe you will download and carry with you, speaking and retelling who you are to yourself, and then living like you know it to be true. Call it Positive Reinforcement.

I Am….

1. A child of God (Romans 8:16)
2. Redeemed from the Hand of the Enemy (Psalms 107:2)
3. Forgiven (Colossians 1:13-14)
4. Saved by Grace through Faith (Ephesians 2:8)
5. Justified (Romans 5:1)
6. Sanctified (I Corinthians 6:11)
7. A New Creature (II Corinthians 5:17)
8. Partaker of His Divine Nature (II Peter 1:4)
9. Redeemed from the Curse of the law (Galatians 3:13)
10. Delivered from the Powers of Darkness (Colossians 1:13)
11. Led by the Spirit of God (Romans 8:14)
12. A Son of God (Romans 8:14)
13. Kept in Safety Wherever I Go (Psalms 91:11)
14. Getting All My Needs Met by Jesus Christ (Philippians 4:19)
15. Casting All My cares upon Jesus (I Peter 5:7)
16. Strong in the Lord and in the Power of His Might (Ephesians 6:10)
17. Doing All Thing through Christ Who Strengthens Me (Philippians 4:13)
18. An Heir with God and a Joint Heir with Jesus (Romans 8:17)
19. Heir to the Blessings of Abraham (Galatians 3:13-14)
20. Observing and Doing the Lord’s Commandments (Deuteronomy 28:12)
21. Blessed Coming in and Blessed Going out (Deuteronomy 26:6)
22. An Heir of Eternal Life (I John 5:11-12)
23. Blessed with All Spiritual Blessings (Ephesians 1:3)
24. Healed by His Stripes ( I Peter 2:24)
25. Exercising My Authority over the Enemy (Luke 10:19)
26. Above Only and Not Beneath (Deuteronomy 28:13)
27. More than a Conqueror (Romans 8:37)
28. Establishing God’s Word Here on Earth (Matthew 16:19)
29. An Overcomer by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of My Testimony (Revelation 12:11)
30. Daily Overcoming the Devil (I John 4:4)
31. Not Moved by What I See (II Corinthians 4:18)
32. Walking by Faith and Not by Sight (II Corinthians 5:7)
33. Casting Down Vain Imaginations (II Corinthians 10:4-5)
34. Bringing Every Thought into Captivity (II Corinthians 10:5)
35. Being Transformed by Renewing My Mind (Romans 12:1-2)
36. A Laborer Together with God (I Corinthians 3:9)
37. The Righteousness of God in Christ (II Corinthians 5:21)
38. An Imitator of Jesus (Ephesians 5:1)
39. The Light of the World (Matthew 5:14)
40. Blessing the Lord at All Times and Continually praising the Lord with My Mouth (Psalms 34:1)