Be Confident in Whose You Are
By Rick Warren

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’” (John 8:12 NIV).

When Jesus said, “I am the light of the world,” he was defining himself. He was saying, “I know who I am.” At least 18 times in the Bible, Jesus said, “I am” and then gave a description. He described himself as the door, the bread of life, the way, the truth, the resurrection, and the life. Over and over, he defined himself. Jesus knew who he was (and still is), and as a result, he was not under pressure.

This is the principle of identity. As long as you are unsure of your identity, you’re going to be pressured to fit into other people’s molds. They will manipulate you. They will try to make you into what they think you ought to be, rather than what God made you to be.

One of the major causes of stress comes from trying to be somebody you’re not. When you are fearful that someone’s going to find out what you’re really like and that you might not be able to keep up the façade, it causes stress.

The only way you can counterbalance outside external pressures is to have an internal sense of satisfaction about who you are and who God made you to be. You discover who you are by knowing whose you are.

The Bible says that you were created by God. You are deeply loved by him. You are accepted as you are. He has a plan for your life. Until you settle this issue of identity, you will be insecure and you will be pressured by stress. You cannot serve other people until you settle this issue.

Jesus constantly did things that surprised everybody else. He put himself below others and served them. None of the disciples would have ever thought to wash each other’s feet in the Upper Room because of their insecurity. But Jesus always served from a position of strength. He knew who and whose he was, so it didn’t matter that he lowered himself to serve them.

Service comes from self-esteem. Until you overcome your insecurity and feel good about yourself, you won’t feel like helping anyone else. Be secure in who you are and whose you are so that you can effectively serve others.

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Talk It Over

What are the differences between what the world and others say about you and what you believe God says about you?

What does it mean to serve from a position of strength?

Why do we serve more effectively when we are secure in our identity in Christ?

For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!

Eternal Realities Complete Audio Series

It’s time to get the truth . . .

Questions about life after death are too important to leave unanswered – it’s time to get to the truth.

That’s why Pastor Rick put together an audio series called Eternal Realities: Heaven and Hell with clear, biblical answers about what happens when you leave this earth, and how you can be absolutely certain of your eternal destination.

This 3-message series gives you evidence from God’s Word on:

The reality of Hell – and why you don’t want any part of it.

The reality of Heaven – and the incredible hope it gives life here and now.

The eternal choice we all make – and how to be certain you're going to heaven.

An eye-opening resource for any Christian, Eternal Realities is also the perfect series to share with people you know who have questions about life after death or who may not realize the eternal significance of their earthly decisions.

So request your copy of Pastor Rick’s Eternal Realities Complete Audio Series when you give below to help share the hope found in Christ with more people. The good news about Heaven is too good to keep to yourself.

This devotional © 2017 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

You can listen to Rick Warren on OnePlace.com.