Overcoming Identity Crisis

Chastity Owens

Contributor

Founder & Clinical Director of Owens Behavioral Health

Let’s face it: America is suffering from an identity crisis. 2015 is marked by increased racial and sexuality tensions. Recently, the Lord told me to write a post about Rachel Dolezal - the former National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) president in the state of Washington. She became infamous on June 15, 2015 when America found out that she had been identifying as a black woman when genetics indicates she was born white.

Rachel’s story was augmented by racial and sexual tensions. On June 17, 2015, a white man, shot and killed nine people in a historic black church in Charleston, South Carolina - including the pastor of the church. This hate crime was among many of the shooting deaths of African Americans. Between August 9, 2015 and August 9, 2015, 30 unarmed African American men were killed in police shootings.

Today, African Americans are being slain daily at the hands of police brutality. Coupled with the dozens of gang-related black on black violence on a weekly basis, we are losing a significant amount of black lives to violence. Rachel’s identity of blackness placed her amid the nation’s identity crisis; characterized by America borrowing from the culture of the African American community while murdering its sons and daughters.

Around the same time as Rachel’s identity crisis, Olympian gold medalist Bruce Jenner underwent a gender transition and requested that the nation refer to him as Caitlyn. Bruce said he felt more comfortable as a woman and wanted to be acknowledged as a woman. While society’s reaction hung in a balance, the American public really did not have a moment to process Bruce’s new feminine sexuality.

After his announcement, Bruce’s internet searches began redirecting you to Caitlyn Jenner. The internet - the source of information for many - changed Bruce to Caitlyn in a matter of minutes. That’s powerful! I hope you are paying attention. While Bruce was publicly accepted by mainstream media for his sex change, Rachel said she often felt condemned for her decision to switch her race.

I was puzzled when the Lord told me to write about Rachel because she has not been in the news in months. Imagine my surprise when I saw she once again was in the news when she admitted on the multicultural talk show “The Real” that she was, in fact, born white. Her admittance was received with a standing ovation from audience members. Rachel’s uncertain demeanor convinced me that she still has a ways to go to overcome her identity crisis. This is not a judgement but an observation.

In the same way that Rachel has suffered a physical identity crisis, America is suffering from a spiritual identity crisis. A close read of James 4: 1-12 reveals 3 steps America can follow to overcome its spiritual identity crisis.

James 4:1-12 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor? 

Let’s tackle this identity crisis by jumping onto our first step.


Step 1: Check Your Motives 

Conflict is often a key indicator of an identity crisis. Fights and quarrels evoke external conflict. Unfulfilled desires evoke internal conflict. According to the bible, these types of conflict can cause people to want to hurt each other - even to the point of death. When our wants and desires control our lives to the point that we are willing to hurt each other, that’s when our motives are too deep. When we depend on ourselves to fulfill our desires, it can become an overwhelming distraction because we are operating in an assignment that is not meant for us. That desire can become a distraction. Rather than fulfill our desires, we are to bring our requests to God in prayer (See Philippians 4:6).

Prayer allows us to check our motives. It allows God to look at the heart of the desires, our motives to decide if we have enough spiritual maturity to handle the request. He also looks at the long-term consequences of this request. Some people think they should receive every request they make before God. Lies! God grants requests based on His riches and His glory. Ultimately, the request can either bring us and others closer to Him or it can only fuel our own selfish desires. For this reason, prayer is necessary because it allows us to check the motives for our requests.

Step 2: Submit Yourself to God

                                  

The second step to overcoming an identity crisis is to submit yourself to God. At some point, we have to come to terms with the fact that we are involved in an ever-going battle between God and the devil. God is a gentleman. Unlike the devil, God will not force himself on you. God gives you the option to choose Him. The devil does not. This is why we must actively submit ourselves to God. When we take a step towards God, He comes toward us. When our hearts and minds are focused on Him, He purifies us. 

Submitting to God requires us to deny ourselves - our desires - and follow God. The bible says, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 

For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God” - Luke 9:23-27.

Step 3: Know Your Role

The third step to overcoming an identity crisis is to know your role in Christ. After you have submitted to God, He calls us now to be kind to one another. The bible says that we are not to slander one another. We are not to speak against our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are not to speak against the law and judge it. We have a Lawgiver. We have a Judge. We have a Lord. We have a Savior and His name is Jesus. He is the one who is able to save and destroy.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. - Romans 12:1-2.

In addition to our roles as worshippers, we are sons and daughters of God. The bible said that anyone who is led by the Spirit of God is a son of God. We submit to the Lord, not as a slave that is bounded by fear. We have received the Spirit of adoption and we can cry out to God as our Father. His Spirit testifies with our own spirit that we are children of God. (Romans 8:14-16). Hallelujah!

When we receive a revelation of who we are and who we are in Christ, the strongholds of an identity crisis melt away. Therefore you are no longer outsiders (exiles, migrants, and aliens, excluded from the rights of citizens), but you now share citizenship with the saints (God's own people, consecrated and set apart for Himself); and you belong to God's [own] household - Ephesians 2:18-19. Who am I? I am a child of God. Who are you? A child a God. What is America? One nation under God. Despite the fact that America is now characterized with racial and sexual tensions, it does not change our identity. Perhaps it is time for us to return to our first love, check our motives, submit to God and know our role in Christ.

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The "Animal Kingdom" Mindset-Satan's Deception

One night I was watching a nature documentary focusing on the leopard. This particular male leopard spend most of the night trying to make a kill. The first kill he made was snatched away when a pack of hyenas swarmed over to claim the carcass for themselves. The leopard went right back into the game and managed to make another kill. He climbed up a tree with a dead impala in his mouth looking to stash his food.  After smelling the kill, a female lion approached the leopard as he sat high in the tree. She began climbing up the lower branches. Lions aren't great climbers like the leopard, but the lioness knew with the reputation she has she doesn't have to be. A lion can weight close to 50 percent more than a leopard, so of course this made the little fella nervous. The leopard began moving higher to get away and out of panic he dropped his meal. The lioness then proudly walked off with his hard-earned dinner. This incident is what I immediately thought of as I read Matthew 6 this morning. Jesus covers many things in this chapter, one of which is financial and worldly gain. He tells us,

Matthew 6:19-20 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

The leopard spent all night looking for food just to end up with nothing at the end of the night. Think of the energy this takes! This leopard had to stalk, chase, and kill its pray just for it to end up in a mouth of an animal who did nothing but steal. It happens! Luckily for us we are made in God's image so we don't have to live like this poor leopard. Yet many of us are. Growing up I watched my mom work 12-hour shifts just to end up penniless on payday. Many of you are going through those lengths right now. Hey I understand, bills need to be paid and food needs to be on the table. Even with that need,  this shouldn't be the primary thing we strive for. The world says we should, but God tells us otherwise. Satan wants us to live like the animals in the wild. He wants us to wake up only focusing on chasing money, food, love and successful careers just like a lion wakes up only thinking of the hunt, building rank and mating. Animals in the wild live focused only on those things with no knowledge of God who sends down rains to feed them and quench their thirst, the God who creates life every time they reproduce. How many of us are living the same way? How many of us wake up thinking about the bills that need to be paid and tasks that need to be done at work without acknowledging God whatsoever?  

This is satan's agenda, and it's dominating popular culture as well as seeping into the church.

Pop Culture

I believe I examined this before, but it's worth repeating. Let's look at one of the biggest songs of 2013, "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke featuring Pharrell and T.I.. This song is targeted towards those who Robin Thicke considers to be "good girls." Robin is using this song to target them and sway them into having sex with him. Some may say I am looking too much into it, but it is what it is! So this is the logic he used to sway the "good girls." The pre-chrous goes,

"OK now he was close, tried to domesticate you."

On the surface it appears Robin is talking about the man the good girl is with, but in reality he is talking about God. In particular he is attacking the way God expects us to live by standards higher than the animal kingdom. He expects us to control our lust and forfeit our desires to submit to His will. Robin goes on to say,

"But you're an animal, baby it's in your nature."

Deception contains a tiny bit of truth that is stretched to the point of breaking in order to cover a huge lie. Yes we are made of flesh which means that by nature we are driven to sin. But we are NOT an animal. We are made in God's image and God is not an animal. Through the Holy Spirit we accept the keys freeing us from sin that Jesus died and rose again to give us. Satan used this tactic when I was driven by lust. I would think, "yeah I'm a Christian, but it's okay to indulge in lustful desires because I am young, I have hormones, and it's only so much I can do to stop that. God understands." Lies! God understands what we are going through, granted. For this reason He provides us with a way out, He does not give us a pass to give in. 

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

The deception goes on. Robin then says,
"Just let me liberate you
Hey, hey, hey
You don't need no papers
Hey, hey, hey
That man is not your maker
Hey, hey, hey..."

In these verses Satan is using Robin to bring forth the idea that living a Godly life is like slavery. He wants unsaved people to focus on the things you are "losing" to accept Jesus rather than the things you are gaining. God doesn't require us to completely refrain from sex. He also doesn't say sex is bad. In fact Apostle Paul being used by God advices Christians to have lots of sex so that satan won't tempt them. BUT what God is saying is wait and have sex with the husband/wife, He has for you. He doesn't want to see you giving your body to a person who will abuse you, disrespect you or belittle you. Rather He wants to build you up and heal your scars so you can be prepared for your other half and do some damage in satan's camp through ministry and prayer. Now once you are married God gives us the okay to populate like bunny rabbits. It's all good. Notice the deliberate shade satan is trying to throw at God. Robin, being used by satan, says "That man is not your maker." It's very clear this is a shot at God. However the devil is a liar. All he can do is lie. God is your maker, and He loves you. God thinks about your well-being out of love while satan thinks about what you want out of hatred. Satan wants to entice you to lure you to your destruction. In reality it is lust that is slavery and Jesus offers freedom from it.

The Church

Let's see how this agenda is also working its way into churches. 

Teacher and Pastor Joel Osteen is known for sending out inspirational quotes. On the surface many things he says sound great, but under deep examination it's very subtle deception. Osteen sent out the following note:

"God has already done everything He's going to do. The ball is now in your court. If you want success, if you want wisdom, if you want to be prosperous and healthy, you're going to have to do more than meditate and believe; you must boldly declare words of faith and victory over yourself and your family."

At first glance this looks okay. But this has that "animal kingdom" mindset written all over it! First off on an unrelated note, God is never at a point where He's done everything He's going to do. As long as you are breathing, God wants to and will work on you. The ball should never be in your court. Being a Christian is actually about forfeiting the urge to want the ball in your court and instead relying on the Holy Spirit to guide you. Now back to the other deception here. Our main goal shouldn't be to be prosperous, or even healthy for that matter. This is a theme with Joel Osteen. He often talks about riches and gaining the treasures of this world. He doesn't preach repentance and he doesn't encourage people to serve God, pray for people, and spread the love of Jesus Christ with hopes of saving souls. Anyone who would say this quote is okay I encourage to see what Jesus says. 

Matthew 6-31:33 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Jesus urges us to seek His kingdom first as Solomon did. God asked Solomon to tell Him what he wanted and it would be done. Based off of Osteen's quote it looks like he would probably ask for a worldly treasure. However Solomon asked for assistance serving God. He asked for wisdom.

2 Chronicles 1:8-10 Solomon answered God, “You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place. Now, Lord God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth. Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

God was so pleased with Him for seeking His kingdom over the treasures of this world. He told Him,

2 Chronicles 1:11-12 God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, possessions or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, possessions and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.”

This is the model Jesus is asking us to follow. Yet satan is raising up people like Joel Osteen who are teaching prosperity doctrines and encouraging people to live their lives like wild animals, only focused on how to get by. 

We are made in God's image and we have dominion over the animals on this earth, just like we have dominion over satan that his demons who try to convince us to live like animals. I know it's hard. I literally have to check myself on this everyday. Being a Christian doesn't mean God owes you success. Jesus was homeless during His life and His disciples left their homes to be homeless with Him. Yet from this homeless man many miracles came forth. God never promises us material wealth no matter how many pastors try to twist the word and say He does. He is capable of giving material wealth, but that lies in His discretion. What we are guaranteed is His mercy, love and care, and that's better than material things. He will always make sure we are taken care of, even though God's care may seem like poverty to others. During Jesus' life He was homeless, but He was able to eat, have shelter, and even pay taxes. This is because He put God first and the other things followed. He didn't expect a new car or a check for every person He prayed for. Thinking about this keeps me in check every time I begin to worry about my situation. Jesus understands and He addresses that worry with such wisdom and love.

Matthew 6:25-34 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

I said this in the last post and it's worth repeating. You are kings and queens in God's eyes. Your reward is better than this decaying stuff here on earth. Your reward is in Heaven, and it's everlasting. You are cherished and highly favored by God. Think of royalty. Kings and queens don't have to worry about finding food and clothes. It's already taken care of. I am not saying quit your job or anything. I am saying our mindset can't be focused solely on those things as animals live. You are higher than that leopard that has to dedicate his life to feeding, and mating. You have the luxury of being able to focus on your relationship with God. That's all you need to do and He will make sure you are taken care of. Put God first over your needs, desires, and worries. Don't let satan reduce your beautiful God-created mind to that of an animal who aimlessly chases after what it wants and needs completely unaware of God's presence in their lives. Stop and think of the ways He's shining in your life. That's the key to breaking the worries and hurts in this world. 

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It's never too late to try again!

Being a Christian many times can make you feel like a total disappointment. However these disappointments more lie in us rather than in God. We have all been there before. Somewhere along the way you either slipped up, tripped, or maybe you just downright fell and found yourself in a place you thought you would never be again. Our first reaction in these situations is to run and hide as Adam and Eve did after committing the first sin. Our first reaction is the wrong reaction.

I'm sure it's no secret this is the first post I've added to the site in over 2 weeks. Talk about a public slip, trip and fall for me! Like many of us, I decided running away was the best reaction. So I sat there feeling sorry for myself, disappointed--you name it. However God wasn't caught up in my mistakes like I was. Instead after I repented and spoke with God about it, He simply told me to start again.

This is what God wants us to do. Strength doesn't come from staying up 24/7. True strength is shown when you get back up despite the hits, and despite satan whispering in your ear trying to convince you that you can never undo your mistakes. Jesus died so we can have the opportunity to get back up, so why stay down and feel sorry for yourself? Let's just say you abandoned your responsibilities as a homeowner for a whole year. You didn't pay your mortgage and you didn't put in the time needed to keep your house together. After all, work has been bananas during this particular year and your personal life hasn't been any better. For these reasons, you just let go. Once you realize you were falling behind and your house is falling apart, you panic and try to fix things yourself. You try to get credit cards with no success, try gambling with no luck, and even try talking to the bank. But the rule is set in stone--if you don't pay, you lose it all. Period. Just when you were about to give up all hope and you packed your boxes preparing to get put out any day now, you get a visitor. A man named Jesus is at your door. He looks like a real loner, so immediately you want to turn away. But He says to you, "I've paid your debt. Accept it and follow me." Talk about perfect timing! Yet you slam the door in His face. Instead you say you would rather get the money on your own, and you sit alone dwelling on your mistakes and ways to fix it.

This sounds crazy, and many of us would be the first to say we would never do such a thing. Yet this is what we do every time we run from God rather than run to Him when we make mistakes. Through His death on the cross, Jesus paid for our debts. He suffered the punishment we were supposed to experience because of our sins. So why suffer from your mistakes when Jesus already did for you? His death was His gift to us. This was God's ultimate display of love for you. Through the cross God's love endures forever. For some of you, this may sound like a "duh" moment--until you slip and fall. Satan's lies often sound louder than God's truth when we are wallowing in self-pity and guilt. Peter is a true example of this.

Peter's Denial and Restoration

Peter, one of the original disciples, had a slip moment as many of us do everyday. It is important to see how Jesus dealt with Peter. This is our guide to handle our slip moments.

During the last supper with His disciples, Jesus warned Peter,

Luke 22:31 Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. 

Let's think about the act of sifting wheat.

This involves separation and isolation of parts of the wheat. After his down moment, Peter went on to describe satan:

1 Peter 5:8 the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

The way lions will often hunt big pray is by getting the flock the scatter and aiming for that one isolated one. Separation and isolation. Sounds a lot like sifting, right?

After warning Peter, Jesus went on and said,

Luke 22:31 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

Jesus saw this stumbling block and prayed for Peter's protection. This statement was a prelude to the cross. Ever since the first sin in the garden of Eden satan wished to sift us as wheat through the keys of death. God saw this stumbling block and came in the flesh as Jesus Christ the son of God to free us. Jesus prayed for Peter and through that Peter was given a second chance. His faith didn't fail even though he fell.

Then Jesus warned Peter again,

Matthew 26:31-35 “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:

“‘I will strike the shepherd,

and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”

But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

As we know, after Jesus was arrested Peter did disown Him three times. After doing so the Bible says Peter wept bitterly. We all can imagine how Peter felt because we all have been there before. We all have found ourselves in good places where we felt super close to God and the next thing you know we fall to some kind of sin and feel like God couldn't be further away. Peter literally was eating with Jesus Christ and the next moment he disowned Him and found himself alone and feeling sorry for himself. Oh satan was happy then, probably laughing at Peter putting his words in his face when he told Jesus he would never disown Him. This is the same way satan tries to put it in your face when you find yourself back in an old habit you thought you shook. There are two ways to look at this story. There's our way, and there's God's way. Let's look at the difference.

If we were in Peter's shoes we would feel pretty angry at ourselves. Peter probably played that incident over and over in his mind thinking of what he should have done differently. He probably felt his sin forfeited the deal with his relationship with Christ. Sometimes we tend to think when we mess up the party between you and God is over and God and His angels leave the room for good. We like to think God is fed up with us. One of my favorite worship singers Misty Edwards once asked God for forgiveness in a song for changing His name. She was repenting for the thoughts that came into her mind convincing her that God was unforgiving instead of merciful, hateful instead of loving, and distant instead of always present. Yet these are the thoughts we deal with when we fall. Satan knows there's nothing he can do or say that will convince God to abandoned us. NOTHING. Even if he recorded every sin we committed publicly and behind closed doors and played it at the throne of God, He would still stay by our side if we repent and accept His son Jesus Christ as the only way. So back to Peter. Peter sat there weeping and feeling sorry for himself. However here's how Jesus looked at Peter's situation.

Jesus willingly gave His life on the cross thinking about His people who He loves. This includes us and it includes Peter. In the same sentence when Jesus warned Peter satan wanted to sift him, he told of his victory over satan by telling him he will turn back and help his brothers. With every fall we gain strength and a story under our belt that will be used to reach out to unsaved souls. Peter focused so much on his fall that he didn't even focus on the change. After his slip, Peter went back to his old identity before Christ came into his life. Oh how many times have we done this! We think God is done with us so we return to our old ways only to find out it isn't the same. We don't enjoy it as we once did. Peter wasn't happy as a fisherman again. He was filled with a Godly sorrow. This is a great sign. This showed the impact he allowed Jesus to have in his life. That's what matters more than the fall and it's the very thing that brings forth elevation. God's mercy is always there as long as we are living, but it's not an excuse to do what we want to do. Being a man or woman of God requires submission and obedience. This means saying no to our desires and instead asking God of His desires. This remains true no matter how many false teachers try to convince you God is suddenly okay with the things the Bible list are sins. God's mercy is for those who fall but constantly want to do better. If you are beating yourself up about your sin, God is looking at you with love and He is proud of you because even in the filth of your sin you still want better for your life--you want Jesus. Jesus knew Peter's fall before it happened and He also knew of his elevation that came from it.

After Jesus died on the cross and rose on the third day, He had with Him the keys of death and sin. He made sure He went to Peter to restore him and free him from the torment of sin.

John 21:15-19 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

Notice Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him. This was a way of restoring Peter from the three times he had disowned Him. With every restoration came an assignment. Jesus then ended in verse 15 asking Peter to follow Him as He did when He first encountered Peter. This was His way of confirming to Him that he is still a disciple of Christ, and his mission is still the same. All Peter needed to do was accept Jesus and try again.

Jesus is waiting to free you. Come to Him with a true heart of repentance and receive the freedom Jesus died to give you. It doesn't matter how many times you failed and how many people you disappointed. God still looks at you in the same way He did before your fall, and that's with love and mercy. God's cherishes you, you are His treasure! Don't let satan convince you that you are a failure. Jesus died for the hopeless, He died for the repeated sinner. He died so that you can be free of the sin that is gripping you. Peter went on and  did what Jesus did while He was on earth. Many souls were saved through Peter's deliverance. You are an important weapon in God's kingdom, and your past sins will be your bullets against satan. Your sins will be used to draw people into God's kingdom. You will be able to say, "I know, I've been through it as well. But Jesus freed me, and He wants to free you as well." You will be able to give God the glory and be vessels to set people free as you were set free. You are kings and queens in God's eyes. Satan may have brought you down for a moment, but he can't dictate your future if you run to Christ and cling onto Him. So you've been off your game for a little bit. Lift your head up, for you are still highly favored and cherished in God's eyes. Repent and have faith, for through the stripes of Jesus Christ you are healed. Take that gift and hold onto it for it is your freedom. Embrace it, get up, and try again!

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