Week 4 - Living from Identity | Month 1 - Identity in Christ
Scriptural anchor for us through Week 4:
“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” - Ephesians 4:1
When Identity Becomes Action
Over the past three weeks we have:
Week 1: Chosen and Known: Discovered God knew us and chose us before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4–5). Link to W1
Week 2: From Orphan to Heir: Learned we are adopted into God’s family, fully accepted and beloved (Gal. 4:4–7).
Week 3: Beyond Labels: Replaced the false names given by culture, history, and self with the name God speaks over us (2 Cor. 5:16–17).
This week, we turn the corner. If the first three weeks were about receiving, this week is about starting the journey of fulfilling.
Paul says in Ephesians 4:1 that the way we live should be worthy of the calling we have received. Worthy does not mean “earning it.” It means aligning with it. Our actions should match our identity.
The early church understood this deeply. The Greek word for “worthy” here is axios, used in the marketplace to describe scales being balanced, identity on one side, action on the other.
John Chrysostom said the life of the believer should weigh as heavy as the gospel that called him. In Rome, axios could describe conduct worthy of citizenship. Paul redeems the word, showing that being worthy of Christ means living in a way that represents the Kingdom, that represents Him.
Ignatius of Antioch once wrote,
“It is better to be a Christian without saying so, than to say so without being one.”
And Bonhoeffer echoed it centuries later:
“Only he who believes is obedient, and only he who is obedient believes.”
Living from Identity’s 3 Dimensions
Living from identity is not about perfect performance; it is about consistent alignment. When your root is secure in Christ, the fruit of your life will match the tree (Luke 6:43–45).
1. Personal Integrity
In a culture where self-promotion often outweighs self-examination, integrity means you are the same person in private as in public. David prayed,
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight” (Psalm 19:14).
Augustine’s Confessions show that integrity is only possible when God’s grace brings unity between our inner and outer life. Living from identity means you measure success by your personal and private faithfulness to Christ, not the applause or acknowledgment of people.
2. Relational Witness
Jesus said the mark of His disciples would be love for one another (John 13:34–35). Tertullian recorded that outsiders marveled, saying:
“See how they love one another.”
When you live from identity, you forgive without keeping score, serve without fear of being overlooked, and honor others even when, and especially when it costs you. Your relationships become signs of heaven’s culture breaking into the earth.
3. Missional Faithfulness
Paul calls us Envoys for Christ (2 Cor. 5:20). Envoys do not live for themselves; they carry the interests of their King into foreign territory. N. T. Wright describes believers as:
“Signposts of the Kingdom.”.
Living reminders that Christ reigns. Living from identity means your workplace, your neighborhood, and your friendships are your mission field. You act and speak as if Jesus were present there, because He is, in you.
The point is not just what you do, but why you do it. When your why flows from your true identity, your life becomes a living invitation for others to meet your Father, their King.
The Role of the Holy Spirit
You can know your real identity in Christ and yet still struggle to live it out if you try to do it by your own power.
Scripture is clear: identity-shaped living is Spirit-enabled living.
The Spirit Confirms Your Identity
“You have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” (Romans 8:15–16).
Our flesh can still fail us, the world is still dark, and this is why our Father gave us the gift of the indwelling of his Holy Spirit, so that we could face the world together. The Spirit’s voice will continue to whisper and minister to our internal concepts of identity, “You are Mine”. Silencing other voices that try to tell us otherwise. Basil the Great said the Spirit “makes us like God” by forming Christ’s image in us. Without this inner witness, Christian living becomes an exhausting performance instead of joyful obedience.
The Spirit Empowers Transformation
Galatians 5:22–23 describes the fruit of the Spirit. These are not self-improvement projects; they are evidence that the Spirit is working within you. Dallas Willard taught that spiritual disciplines position us for this fruit to grow. Living from identity means cooperating with and agreeing to the Spirit’s work, instead of resisting it.
The Spirit Convicts and Redirects
When you drift from your identity, the Spirit convicts not to condemn (Romans 8:1) but to restore.
John 16:8 says the Spirit:
“will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.”
J. I. Packer wrote that conviction is how God leads His children back into alignment with who they are in Christ.
The Spirit Guides Your Mission
Acts 1:8 says:
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses.”
The Spirit equips you to live out your calling in the exact places God has sent you. Henri Nouwen reminded us that life in the Spirit doesn’t just make us beloved children, it makes us become beloved witnesses. You are not sent alone; the Spirit goes with you, leading you into relationships and opportunities you could never orchestrate yourself.
Putting it another way, your identity is no longer… “you”. The identity of “you” is the dwelling place of Christ, who lives through you upon the earth.
Stepping Forward
Identity is the ground bed of discipleship. Before Jesus ever sent His disciples to preach, heal, or cast out demons, He called them to be with Him (Mark 3:14). Being comes before doing. If we miss this order, our discipleship becomes performance-driven religion instead of Spirit-filled transformation.
Month 1 has been about laying that foundation, pouring it into the cracks and valleys left from our prior lives. We began by seeing that we are chosen and known by God before time itself. We learned that we are not spiritual orphans but adopted heirs, welcomed into His family. We faced the false labels that culture, failure, or history try to put on us, and received the new name spoken by God. Now in Week 4, we move from knowing to living, from receiving to embodying.
This week is more than a month 1 conclusion; it is a priming, it is the driving of gunpowder behind the topics to come. Living from identity is the anchor that swings us into the rest of this journey. As roots drive deep, fruit begins to form. Month 2 ahead will move us from identity into practice, showing how abiding in Christ and adopting rhythms of prayer, Word, and Spirit activities anchor us for lifelong discipleship. Month 3 will press deeper into relationships, where our identity and practice spill outward into community. Month 4 will move into mission endurance, where all we have received is carried into the world as Christ’s Envoys.
Everything ahead builds on this foundation: You are God’s beloved child, named and claimed by Him, and empowered by His Spirit. From this identity comes the life of a disciple, secure, steadfast, and sent.
This Week’s Scripture Reading Plan
Read one passage each day.
Ask: What does this tell me about who God says I am?
Ephesians 4:1–6: Walking worthy of the calling.
John 15:1–11: Abiding in Christ to bear fruit.
Colossians 3:1–17: Putting on the new self.
Matthew 5:14–16: Living as the light of the world.
2 Corinthians 5:18–21: Living as ambassadors for Christ.
Micah 6:8: Walking humbly and living justly.
The prayer we are petitioning over one another as we move through this week:
“Almighty Father, who called us out of darkness into the marvelous light of Your Son, grant that our lives may show forth Your praise not only with our lips but in our deeds. Let our words, actions, and thoughts reflect who we are in Christ. Holy Spirit, bear witness within us, fill us, and guide us so that the world sees You in us. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
Reflection Questions
Where is there a gap between your identity in Christ and your daily life?
How can you realign that area with God’s truth?
Which relationships could be transformed if you acted from your true identity?
Am I seeking to become someone through my actions, or am I acting because I already am someone in Christ?
How is the Holy Spirit prompting you to walk worthy this week?
Practice for the Week
Let’s keep this simple this week. Choose one action, habit, or relationship this week where you will intentionally live out your God-given identity in a new way.
Pair this with a daily examen: at the end of each day, prayerfully ask;
“Where did I live as a child of God today, and where did I slip back into striving?”.
Journal the results. What changed in your attitude, relationships, or opportunities when you acted from security instead of striving? Don’t overcomplicate this activity as you go through the week; One action is changing, pray over it at the end of the day, and take notes as you go, and just you see what God does through it.
Watch / Listen / Read
Watch
The Weight of Our Calling (Ephesians Pt. 12) | Francis Chan
After Francis had studied through the first 3 chapters of Ephesians and understood the incredible blessings and promises that we’ve received from God, he asks us what should our response be? How should we live in light of these truths?
Read
Book: Dallas Willard: The Spirit of the Disciplines. Chapter 1 - The Secrets of the Easy Yoke - LINK
Listen
Be Thou My Vision | Celtic Worship ft. Steph Macleod
This ancient hymn, beautifully reimagined by Celtic Worship, anchors us in the truth that our identity is found not in labels or achievements but in Christ alone. As we close Month 1 on Identity in Christ, the prayer “Be Thou my vision” is a declaration to see ourselves and the world through God’s eyes, aligning our hearts with His presence as our true source of worth and direction.
📅 This Week’s 30-Min Rally Point
We’ll meet for our first 30-minute rally point this Thursday at 7:00 PM EST via Zoom.
This is a space for reflection, encouragement, and activation, a rhythm of checking in, praying together, and pressing forward.
🕖 Zoom Time: Thursday @ 7:00 PM EST
🔗 Click to join the Zoom call - Zoom URL
Format:
Welcome & Opening Prayer (2 min)
Scripture Reading (3 min)
Teaching Recap (5 min)
Discussion Questions (12 min)
Heart-Level Questions:
Head-Level Questions:
Hands-Level Questions:
Practice Together (5 min)
Closing Encouragement & Prayer (3 min)
Bring a Bible, a journal, and any wins or wrestles you want to share. This is a safe space to grow.
Next Month's Theme: M2 - Obedience | W1 - The Heart of Obedience
Read ahead with our M2 W1 anchor Scripture: John 14:15–24
This passage shows us that obedience is not about legalism but about love. Jesus links our love for Him with our willingness to keep His commands, and He promises the Holy Spirit as the Helper who makes this possible. As you read, ask the Spirit to reveal the connection between love, obedience, and His presence in your life.
Thank you for dedicating this time to drawing nearer, to stepping forward, and to saying yes to what God has for you.
I’m glad you’re here.
Let’s run the race - Eyes Up, Chin Up!
Grace and peace,
Sam Johnston
