👑 Built for Greatness: Understanding Your True Identity

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Queue up “Who are you?”, The Who’s iconic song. Recall the classic refrain:

I really wanna know

(Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)

I really wanna know

(Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)

Come on, tell me, who are you

(Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)

'Cause I really wanna know

(Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)

Released in 1978, the song spoke to the new generation of punk rock bands and set The Who at the top spot of the rock world … at least for a while.

Fun fact: The Who set the record for loudest concert ever in 1976 coming in at 126 decibels 100 feet from the stage speakers. No word on how all those deaf concert-goers are doing now.

Today, this question challenges us as well to ask a key question, with a slight tweak. Rather than “Who are you?” if the song were written today, the refrain instead should be:

“Who am I?”

The Voice in Your Head

If I could enter your head and listen to your thoughts, how would I hear you describe yourself? Are you the proud master of your universe, the focus of all things—peons, beware? Are you the self-obsessed loser who feels he can’t do anything right and everything is against him? Maybe you're the people-pleaser who exhausts himself trying to live up to everyone’s (including God’s) expectations. Or maybe you’re the cynical, black-pilled kind-of-guy who feels helpless, hopeless and ready to give up?

I believe that how we view ourselves is fundamental to being more the man God has called us to be. If we take the definition of who we are from the world (or from our own toxic thoughts about ourselves), we set ourselves up for continuous heartache, pain, and even shame.

There is another option available to us as God’s children. We can look to the Bible and define ourselves as God sees us and by what He says about us. We can have our perspective transformed so that the victorious Christian life becomes our reality.

This doesn’t mean we aren’t going to struggle with sadness or sorrow anymore but it does mean we can recover quicker when we do fall into despair, disillusionment, and even depression.

God’s Blueprint (of You)

The truth of who you are is found in the Bible, from the very Giver of Life. Consider the things that He says about you (this is my cheat sheet):

• You are God's masterpiece - Ephesians 2:10

• You are made in the image of God - Genesis 1:26

• You are fearfully and wonderfully made - Psalm 139:14

• You have unique talents and gifts that the world needs - 1 Cor 12:12, 18, 27

• You are loved by God more than you could ever imagine and nothing can ever separate you from His love for you - John 3:16; Romans 8:38-39

• You are never alone for God is always with you - Joshua 1:9

• You are an ambassador - 2 Corinthians 5:20

• You are a conqueror - Romans 8:37

• You are a child of God, and thus He is your Father - Romans 8:15

• You are an heir of God and co-heir with Christ - Romans 8:17

• You live under no condemnation - Romans 8:1

• You are a citizen of heaven - Philippians 3:20

• You have a room being prepared for you in heaven - John 14:2

• You are called for a unique purpose and destined for future glory - Romans 8:18

• You have the mind of Christ - 1 Corinthians 2:16

• You are a new creation - 2 Corinthians 5:17

• You are chosen, a royal, holy, and God's special possession - 1 Peter 2:9

• You are complete in Christ - Colossians 2:9-10

• You have been given all you need to live the life God has called you to - 2 Peter 1:3

Whose perspective is correct? Yours … or God’s?

Who do you believe? Yourself or God?

I could go on with more examples of how God has created you and how He views you, but I think you get the picture.

God has created you as a one-of-a-kind masterpiece; a loved, never-alone, chosen member of divine royalty! You have purpose and worth not because of anything you do, but because of what He has done. You can't become more (or less) worthy ... you have worth and dignity because you were created in His image.

You have the complete capacity to be exactly the man He wants you to be … right now. You do not have to wait for the feelings to convince you of this truth. The Bible provides you with the facts. Your choice is to live in a confident belief in God’s truth or suffer in the self-imposed delusion that God got it all wrong with you.

I suggest you write down or print out the above list of verses. Put it somewhere prominent that you will see daily so you can be reminded of how awesome you truly are, how loved you are, of the incredible future God has in store for you.

When those dark clouds of despair, disillusionment, and depression come, break out your “I’m awesome in the eyes of the King of kings” list and remind yourself who you really are. Your circumstances might not change, but your perspective on them just might … and perspective changes everything.

This week's action plan:

1. Read the above verses and write out the complete verse of those that really speak to you

2. Meditate on Romans 8:28-39, relishing in God's plans, purposes, and love for you

3. Worship as you listen to “Who You Say I Am” by Hillsong Worship

4. Print the list above out and place it in a prominent place you can access when your mind starts playing tricks on you

Thanks for joining us for MTM 13 and stay tuned for MTM 14 next Saturday morning.

If you found value in what we shared, please share More The Man with family and friends and help us build a community of exceptional men that includes YOU.

Questions? Send a note to Will.