DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE IN JESUS?

Do you know who you are in Jesus? When Jesus said that He has given us the power to trample over snakes and scorpions, I wonder if we believe the magnitude of this statement. Jesus tried to show us the authority we had as human beings. You see we have for years believed the enemy had so much power over us. And that all we needed to do was survive ‘this world of sorrow. But that’s not the picture that Jesus gave us. He told us we already have the power to do all that. While Jesus was on earth, He became human,

He gave up His Godly nature to show us how to live as human beings. He was trying to tell us that having authority is very much achievable here on earth. Unfortunately, many of us don’t know. We are ignorant of this very fact. The problem with ignorance is that it does not exempt you from the consequence of not knowing. Rather, you end up suffering unknowingly. So I am not sure if I believe that ignorance is bliss.

• Esther’s story…
• So what do you need to do?
• Believe
• Find God’s promises over your life.
• Develop a relationship with the Holy Spirit if you want to know who you are in Jesus.
• The right mentors will help you know who you are in Jesus
• Prayer is key to discovering who you are in Jesus
• Conclusion

Anyway, look at Esther’s example. She lived in the palace and she was queen. God had bestowed upon her favor with Him and with other people. She, however, did not know that. It’s no wonder when Mordecai asked her to save the Jews. She replied by saying that she did not know what she could do.

Esther’s story…

The back story is that Esther was an orphan who lived with her uncle Mordecai. Now, because of Queen Vashti’s rebellion, the king demoted her. And he went on a search of looking for another queen. Because of God’s favor upon Esther, the king chose her to replace Queen Vashti.

¹⁵ When the turn came for Esther (the young woman Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail) to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her. ¹⁶ She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal residence in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

¹⁷ Now Esther attracted the king more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. ¹⁸ And the king gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality

Around the time Esther became queen, there was a man named Haman who the king promoted to be his right-hand man. After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman, son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles. ² All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor. (Esther 3:

Haman was furious because Mordecai would not pay him any honor. He decided to use his power and authority to kill Mordecai and the Jews altogether. This was after learning that Mordecai was a jew hence his reason for not paying him honor. Haman was enraged when he saw Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor. 6 Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead, Haman looked for a way to destroy all of Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.

The king trusted Haman. Haman knew his authority and power and was able to use them to advance his agendas. He knew that he could get the king to oblige to his wishes.

In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, the pur (that is, the lot) was cast in the presence of Haman to select a day and month. And the lot fell on^[a] the twelfth month, the month of Adar.

⁸ Then Haman said to King Xerxes, “There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them. ⁹ If it pleases the king, issue a decree to destroy them, and I will give ten thousand talents^[b] of silver to the king’s administrators for the royal treasury.”

¹⁰ So the king took his signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. ¹¹ “Keep the money,” the king said to Haman, “and do with the people as you please.”

¹² Then on the thirteenth day of the first month the royal secretaries were summoned. They wrote out in the script of each province and in the language of each people all Haman’s orders to the king’s satraps, the governors of the various provinces, and the nobles of the various peoples. They wrote these in the name of King Xerxes himself and sealed them with his own ring. 

¹³ Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews—young and old, women and children—on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods. ¹⁴ A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so they would be ready for that day.

Haman knew how to use his authority and relationship with the king to get what he wanted. Esther on the other hand did not. Let me prove to you that she did not.

When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly. ² But he went only as far as the king’s gate because no one clothed in sackcloth was allowed to enter it. 3 In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

⁴ When Esther’s eunuchs and female attendants came and told her about Mordecai, she was in great distress. She sent clothes for him to put on instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. ⁵ Then Esther summoned Hathak, one of the king’s eunuchs assigned to attend her, and ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai and why. ⁶ So Hathak went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate.

 ⁷ Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews. ⁸ He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to instruct her to go into the king’s presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people.

9 Hathak went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. 10 Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, 11 “All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they are put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.”

¹² When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, ¹³ he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. ¹⁴ For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4)

You know, it is very easy to criticize Esther for not knowing her authority. But there has to be a reason, so let’s look at Esther’s back story. So back to Esther, she was so used to being the orphan who lived with her uncle that she did not realize that God had elevated her. And she now had the power and authority to change the fate of the Jews. ⁵ Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, 

⁶ who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin king of Judah. ⁷ Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, who was also known as Esther, had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died. (Esther 1)

Esther did not think people would listen to her. Perhaps she did not feel worthy of it all because she was an orphan. Or could it be that she thought she was on the same level as everyone else? Either way, in her first response, she reverted to her old identity. She for a minute forgot who she was. Or maybe she thought that since she was queen, she would be safe. And did not think that it was in her place to save the Jews. The task and responsibility might have seemed too big for her.

Fortunately for Esther, she had Mordecai remind her of her position. And not only that explain to her the consequences of her failure to act. Because of this, Esther rose up to the occasion and saved the Jews.

On the third day, Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. ² When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter. ³ Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, I will give it to you.”

⁴ “If it pleases the king,” replied Esther, “let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him.” ⁵ “Bring Haman at once,” the king said, “so that we may do what Esther asks.” So the king and Haman went to the banquet Esther had prepared. ⁶ As they were drinking wine, the king again asked Esther, “Now what is your petition? I will give it to you. And what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.” ⁷ Esther replied, “My petition and my request is this: ⁸ If the king regards me with favor and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.” (Esther 6:1-8)

7 So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther’s banquet, ² and as they were drinking wine on the second day, the king again asked, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.” ³ Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. 

⁴ For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. If they had merely sold us as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.” ⁵ King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?” ⁶ Esther said, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!” Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubits stands by Haman’s house. He had it set up for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.”The king said, “Impale him on it!” ¹⁰ So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai. Then the king’s fury subsided. ( Esther 7:1-10)

The rest of the story is that the king ordered the soldiers to impale Haman. He also ordered that they overturn the judgment against the Jews. and the Jews became the most feared in the entire region because of how God had shown up for them. And some people even converted to become Jews.

Can you relate? Have there been times in your life when you did not know the power given to you by Jesus through the finished work of the cross? Jesus is the King of Kings and as believers, we are His bride and He tells us we are Co- heirs with Him. But if we do not believe that, we will not walk in everything that He has for us. So how can you walk in your true authority? And where even can you learn of the authority and power given to you by Jesus?

So what do you need to do?

Believe

If you have not received Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of your life. The first step you need to do is ask Him to come into your life and sincerely mean it. He is more than willing to accept you and He will never reject you. That is how much He loves you.

In believing too, have faith in Him and believe that. When He says He has translated you out of the kingdom of darkness into His glorious kingdom, He means it. Christianity is a walk of faith and the only way to receive salvation is through believing. Again, through your faith, you will walk in everything God has for you and also please God. He says that without faith; it is impossible to please Him. God counted Abraham as righteous because of his faith. Maybe it is time for you to believe. Do you agree?

The beauty of faith is that it activates every promise in our lives. Because the currency that gets us to inherit our promises is faith. Jesus even said that it is faith as small as a mustard seed that will move mountains. Do you believe in Jesus and do you believe that what He says is true? But before you can believe in His promises, you need to know the authority you have. And you can only find this in His word, which brings me to the second point.

Find God’s promises over your life.

If you do not know what Jesus did for you and the life that comes with salvation, then you will not live like one who God has blessed and Jesus has set free. And for you to do that, you need to read the Bible. Because the Bible contains everything there is to know about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Again, through reading the Bible, you will receive the revelation of who you are in Christ. And how to live a life that pleases Him.

For you to grow deeper in your Christian walk, it is essential to develop a habit of reading the Bible every single day. Because first off, faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God. And second, for you to experience the transformation that you so deeply desire, read the Bible. Because His word not only heals but also renews your mind. Jesus is the word, and He is the one who transforms you. He wants to make you look like Him and reflect Him to the world.

The more you dedicate your time to reading the word of God, the more you will have a deeper understanding of your authority. And power in Christ because the Holy Spirit will reveal it to you. You don’t need to go asking people to pray for you because when you read the Bible; you learn that you too have the same power inside to pray and have your prayers answered.

After all, Jesus says that through His blood we can go to the throne of God to receive grace and mercy in our time of need. He did not say that some people will do it for you. Rather, He said that you will do it yourself. Also, as you read the Word, the life-giving words will renew your mind. And, therefore, you will experience the transformation you need. This will help you know the perfect and acceptable will of God for your life.

Develop a relationship with the Holy Spirit if you want to know who you are in Jesus.

Jesus sent you and me, His Holy Spirit, to live among us. He is your helper, comforter, friend, and teacher. The Holy Spirit, through His power, will empower you to live a holy and pleasing life. He is also the one who will intercede on your behalf. And reveal to you every scripture you need when you need it. The Holy Spirit will never leave you, and He lives inside of you.

The Holy Spirit wants you to know Him because without Him you can never walk this Christian journey. He has all these wonderful gifts that He wants to give you. So that He can empower you to help others, whether it is through prayer, leading, ministering, or giving. All these gifts come from Him. He also has His fruit that He wants to develop you. So that you can have joy, peace, patience, kindness, and even self-control.

The Holy Spirit does not want you to walk this journey alone. He says that He will help you in every area you need Him, will you let Him? He is also the one who will reveal your identity and power in Jesus. And give you that power to trample over snakes and scorpions. The Holy Spirit also will reveal to you everything you need to know through the illumination of the word when you need it.

The right mentors will help you know who you are in Jesus

Esther had Mordecai to remind her of her authority and the power she had. He even reminded God could have granted her that position so that she could redeem the Jews. This is the importance of having the right mentors in your life. They will remind you of your God-given authority when you forget. Don’t despise the importance of having people speak over you. God wants us to have authority figures over us. We cannot do it on our own. After all we have blind spots that we don’t know about.

It is important to note, however, that you will require discernment to know the right people for you. And this will come through your relationship with the Holy Spirit. Be very diligent who you allow to speak over your life. Also, be obedient when they tell you what to do. It might hurt, but as long as it is constructive criticism, just take what they are saying and act accordingly. Sometimes we all need some tough love.

Prayer is key to discovering who you are in Jesus

Through prayer and fasting, God gave Esther the strategy to use in her authority. She did not go ahead and tell the king her petition on the first day of the banquet because God had other plans. And wisdom on how to use your authority will only come from the prayer closet. Knowing your authority is great, but wisdom is knowing when and how to use it. This is when your authority becomes effective. So spend time in prayer and ask God to give you the strategies you need to execute the authority given to you. Remember, wisdom is key in executing your authority, and this is where we find longevity and real power. Do not issue your authority or use it in places that you shouldn’t.

Conclusion

The only way you can experience all these things that Jesus has for you is through Him and isn’t it time you surrendered to Him? Why don’t you give Him a chance? The best part is that He wants you to come just as you are. He is not waiting for a perfect you or for you to get your act together. Jesus wants you to turn to Him just as you are and let Him show you who He created you to be. He will blow your mind because He will transform you to your best version and it will not be through your own strength but in your surrender.