Today we continue our new series entitled, “It’s already done!”, under the banner of the overall series for the year, “Supernatural Manifestation.” Yesterday I introduced you to the following passage. Let’s go back to it today.
In the opening paragraph of the Apostle Peter’s second letter, he said:
Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
(2 Peter 1:1-4)
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. Peter introduced himself as “Simon Peter” (his name), “a servant” (his heart), and an “Apostle” (his calling). We would do good in learning from this pattern. His name was not “Apostle Peter”, his name was Peter. Actually, he was born as Simon. Jesus later named him Peter, so he continued with the name Simon Peter. But my point is that “Apostle” was not his name, it was simply his assignment. At his core, Peter was a “servant” of Jesus the Christ. Don’t ever get so caught up in a title, that you lose your identity.
2. It is important to acknowledge the fact that your story does not begin where you ministry does. You were who you are, well before you start doing what you were called to do. I’ve had many titles in ministry, but my story did not begin, nor does it end, with any of the titles. I know who I am, so am I comfortable doing what I am called to do.
3. The reason I spent 70 messages on the “As Jesus Is” series, before I started the, “It’s already done” series, is because identity precedes performance. You must know who you are before you start doing what you are called to do.
4. Divine identity and divine function go hand-in-glove.
a) If you don’t know who you are and you start doing what you believe you are called to do, your performance will be both inauthentic and ineffective.
b) God’s anointing only flows through the authentic. Conversely, if you know who you are — that you are called to live “As Jesus is, in this world” — but you don’t do anything after having received the revelation of your divine identity, it will lead to frustration.
c) Knowing you have greatness in you, without any external proof of your internal reality can lead to frustration and even depression.
d) There is a difference between being processed and being stagnant. There is a season of your life where God will hide you and process you behind the veil of obscurity. But there will then come a season when He expects you to act. In that season, if you don’t move, you are not being processed, you are procrastinating; and you are frustrating the grace of God.
5. Peter did not introduce Himself as the Apostle Peter. He introduced himself as Peter, a servant of God, who just so happened to be called to be an Apostle. Learn from Peter. Make sure you know who you are, keep the role of a “servant” at the core of your being, and then do what God has called you to do.
6. This series is about realizing all God has already done for you. You don’t work for what God has already done. You simply believe and receive it by faith. You then work because you are called, not to earn the call. Simon the Fisherman did not have work hard to earn a spot on Jesus’ team. God planned for him to be on the team from the foundations of the world. All Simon the Fisherman had to do was believe and receive the identity and the assignment. First he received the identity. Simon became Peter. Then he received the assignment. The fisherman became an Apostle. Once Simon the Fisherman got a revelation of who he was, he spent the rest of his life doing what He was called to do. The same should be said of you!
Closing Confession: Father, this is a year of Great Victory for me. You made plans for me before the world began. You then sent me into the world at just the right time. I spent years living my life in pursuit of my identity and purpose. I discovered both when I discovered Jesus. The revelation of who Jesus is, led to the revelation of who I am. I am, because He is. I know who I am. I know what I am called to do. And I will spend the rest of my life BEING and DOING. My BEING precedes my DOING, so my DOING is authentic! I don’t DO to BE. I DO because I AM! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
