Identity

After you’re first saved, the enemy seems content just trying to keep you tied to all the worldly stuff you now desire to give up.  It’s easy enough to keep you bound through money, addictions, etc.

After you’ve walked with the Lord for a while and are not as tied to worldly things (although it’s a lifelong process of surrender and sanctification) I think the enemy works extra hard to get you to develop identities other than a daughter or son of Christ.
For a few years I’ve been walking through a place in which the enemy is trying to get me to place identities of sickness on myself.  I have had a lot of weird symptoms come and go, and it could be easy in those times to say, “I am a person with stomach issues.” or “I can’t eat that, I think it bothers my stomach” or even “That will be too much for me to do and I won’t feel well when I come home.”.  And while sometimes we do need to refrain from certain foods and be careful about our level of exertion, I think it’s a very fine line between wisdom and fear.

Over and over again I have had to remind myself that I am a healthy person and that God does not want me to carry a burden of sickness on my shoulders.  That even if I experience weird health things, it doesn’t mean I’m a sick person.  In fact, as time has gone on, I’ve found that almost all of these symptoms are tied to stress levels.  I believe so much of my negative health has been a result of spiritual warfare.

Now, none of these issues have been that bad or life threatening.  They are things that nag, bother, and are meant to instill fear into my soul.

But, over and over again I reject the identity of sickness and put on the identity of God.

Praise the Lord, my soul,
 and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins
 and heals all your diseases  
Psalm 103: 2-3

It is not the Lord who gives sickness, but the enemy.  Jesus bore the cross to heal our infirmities.  By Him stripes we are healed.

I do not want to take on an identity of sickness because once I gave my life to Christ, that is no longer someone I can be.

But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
Isaiah 53: 5

Even if I experience sickness here on earth, it is not who I am and not who I will become.  I will always fall back into the arms of a Savior who already died so I can be the most healed and whole version of myself.

He died for me to be me, Melissa, daughter of the most high King Jesus.

(Blogtober day 8)