The Ultimate Search

Apostle began his charge by explaining that before God calls people, He establishes purpose and identity in their lives.

He went on to explain how identity is a spiritual capital and people who live without purpose lose direction.(Luke 1:28).Major Points To Note From The Teaching! ✍🏻

📍 The priority of heaven is to first establish identity before purpose: When the Angel appeared to Mary, he began by stating her identity before explaining her purpose (Luke 1:28).

📍 Identity is more important than your assignment. God was not waiting for things to happen before Mary was called by her identity.

📍 Identity happens first in the Spirit before it is seen externally. When God reveals Himself, He introduces identity before it becomes a reality and then a result (Genesis 17:5).

📍 Sometimes, there is a disparity between God’s identity and the identity we carry. Some of us have taken on the identity the world has given us because we are trying to fit in.

Apostle went on to teach us about the narrative identity:

This is the story you have formed about ourselves. It is the internal identity that shapes how you see yourself, how you relate with others, and what you expect from yourself.

What Forms Narrative Identity?

1️⃣ Family foundation: What feelings come up when you think about your earliest memories? Some of these have shaped us into cycles we need to unlearn. We must relearn and learn to affirm ourselves.

2️⃣ Key life experiences: Educational achievements, career milestones, heartbreak, and setbacks. If not handled carefully, these can define you. Your setbacks can shape you either negatively or positively.

3️⃣ Goals and aspirations: What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind? What do you want to be remembered for?

📌 Despite all these, your identity must be intentionally formed based on what God says about you. You carry intrinsic value as someone made in the image of God (1 Peter 2:9).

📌 Have the mindset that you are chosen and not forsaken. I am bought with a price. Purpose flows from intrinsic value, it starts with who I am.

📌 Your career can be a vehicle for the fulfilment of purpose. Purpose is not happiness, but happiness is found in purpose.How Do You Create or Shape Identity?

1️⃣ Have clarity: Be clear about the goal and set a plan on how to fulfil it.

2️⃣ Create the right environment: Surround yourself with people who encourage your goals.

3️⃣ Be intentional about the identity you form: Anything you want to become, wire your mind as though you already are. The more conscious you are of this, the more you embrace the image you’ve chosen to create.

Success is addictive and failure can be demoralising. Whatever you think of yourself consistently, you eventually become (Proverbs 23:7).