Be Careful What You Put After “I Am”
I was having a conversation with my brother about identity, and the Holy Spirit put something on my heart that I haven’t been able to shake:
Be careful what you put after the words “I am.”
We say things like:
“I am an alcoholic.”
“I am an addict.”
“I am addicted to pornography.”
“I am broken.”
“I am a failure.”
“I am an angry person.”
“I am just this way.”
But when you belong to Christ, is that really who you are?
There is a difference between acknowledging a struggle and making that struggle your identity.
You can say, “I struggle with alcohol.”
You can say, “I struggle with pornography.”
You can say, “I struggle with anger.”
You can admit temptation, weakness, and even failure.
We should never hide our sin or pretend our struggles aren’t real.
But your struggle does not get to name you.
The thought the Holy Spirit put on my heart was this:
When you continually say, “I am,” you can begin declaring that your struggle IS who you are—when Christ says it is not.
Scripture tells us:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!” — 2 Corinthians 5:17 CSB
The enemy would love for you to take something you’ve done, something you’ve battled, or something that once controlled you and attach it permanently to your identity.
But Jesus says you are new.
So maybe we need to change our “I am.”
I am a child of God.
I am redeemed.
I am forgiven.
I am a new creation.
I am no longer a slave to sin.
I am being transformed.
I am loved.
I am His.
That doesn’t mean the temptation magically disappears. It means the temptation no longer gets to tell you who you are.
There is tremendous freedom in being able to say:
“This is something I struggle with, but it is not who I am.”
Stop allowing yesterday’s bondage to introduce you today.
You are not what you did.
You are not what you battled.
You are not what you were addicted to.
You are not the worst thing you’ve ever done.
Your identity is found in Jesus Christ.
So today, listen closely to the words coming out of your own mouth.
What are you putting after “I am”?
Make sure what you are calling yourself agrees with what He calls you.
“For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” — Colossians 3:3 CSB
Rev. Carlos Figueroa
TheFreeBible.org —
