Reclaiming My Identity: Lessons from the Prodigal Son

When the prodigal son received his inheritance early(before he was mature enough to handle it), he no longer represented his father. He took off his identity because he never truly valued it or understood it. He had to learn the hard lesson of what happens when you are wasteful and ungrateful.

This son got so low that the food of pigs was better than what he could afford to eat. I’m sure his confidence was shattered, but he learned humility.

This son returned to his father and expected to be mistreated because he knew that his behavior was wrong, but his father ordered that the best coat be put on him. The coat, shoes, and ring that he was given was more than clothing, it was symbolic of him being given his identity back. He was a beloved son. He was valued and never forgotten. His return was celebrated because he now understood what he truly had and who he truly was. There was no way he would make the same mistake twice. He was celebrated because his confidence was hit so hard that he needed that celebration of affirmation.

How many times does God have to celebrate and affirm us before we believe what He says is true.”? How many times do we feel bad and unworthy, but God comes around the corner with the best coat to affirm us and show us that we belong to him?

Many of us have not only left and undervalued God in some way, but we either have or will return to Him expecting to be rejected. I want to tell you that this is not God’s heart toward us. I also want to help you understand that we don’t have the right to take on the attitude of the prodigal son’s brother when we see our kingdom siblings going through.

This brother was unhappy about the celebration that was being given because he didn’t understand a need for it. He may have looked down on his brother all of their lives but he was not around to see his sibling as his father did at his lowest state.

We are not God. We do not hear the prayers, the apologies, or the self loathing that our brothers or sisters go through. It is not fair or right for us to judge our Father’s heart. In fact, we should be the servant who is willing to go and find the best coat for our sibling who has returned home.

My own heart had to be checked because as I read the story of the prodigal son, I was on the side of the faithful brother who seemingly did everything right. I wondered about the need of having a celebration for the prodigal son and then the purpose of it was revealed to me.

To be honest, God doesn’t have to explain anything to us, but knowing His heart of love and the mercy that He has towards us daily is more than enough to desire what He desires.

Winning souls is the goal. We don’t win souls for the kingdom with a judgmental heart or attitude. We must also be reminded that at some point, we were all the prodigal son returning to the arms of the Father hoping for His grace.

Recommend Reading: Luke 15:11-32; Luke 15:7

Notes:

-the ring is a seal of sonship. With this ring, business can be conducted on behalf of the father. (The Passion Bible)

-Slaves had no shoes. The father in this story, asked for the best shoes to be brought for his son. (The Passion Bible)

*There is a difference between wealth and identity. Your identity is that you are loved. Financial status can change. The fact that you are loved never does.

Comments

The Process of Faithing It: Trusting Jesus with Your Faith

“Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction” (Mark 5:34 NKJV). Can you imagine Jesus in a crowd? Everyone has a need, but His target in that moment is to go and build the faith of a little girl’s family at the request of her father because they think that she will die. The father is scared, but Jesus was on the way until He felt something. This feeling was different, but powerful. Jesus turns around looking, asking questions, but finds his answer in the form of a woman, standing and looking amazed at what just happened to her. After 13 years of anemia, tiredness, dizzy spells, soiled clothing, and impacted relationships, she is healed. This woman with an issue of blood had spent all of her money, but decided to trust Jesus with her faith, which was all that she had left. Jesus was not too busy to stop and ask, “Who touched me?”. The disciples reminded Jesus of all the people that were around them, but this touch was different. Some...

The Healing Prophet

I did not desire to write this, but I heard this title and agreed to be obedient. I once read a statement by Tasha Cobbs Leonard. She shared that she would go and sing, return home, and then feel depressed. I understand that feeling more than I would like to admit. Depression is a weapon the enemy uses against those whom God has anointed in many areas. Depression has stagnation attached to it, and its assignment is to either kill you, isolate you, or both. As a therapist, I help many people navigate through depression. I advise increased therapy sessions and medication when needed. I tell them all the ways to battle what has been battling them while being in the very same fight myself. Depression is nobody’s friend. It is an enemy that wounds. The Healing Prophet is an intentional title. It speaks to the heart of the one who carries and speaks the oracles of God, and today, God has a word for you, and for me. “Get up and believe Me.” I...

Breaking Out of The Mundane

I r emember when I first got filled with the Holy Sp i rit . I felt as if I had no control over my self . I woke up one morning singing a song that I ha d never heard in the language of God and that thang had a lot of high notes, but it was beautiful. I found myself praying more and I was n' t so rese r ved with what God wanted to do with me. I recall praying for my mother and I was the one to fall out, but her medical report came back perfect. I also rem em ber spending the night with my aunt and getting no sleep at all because I was sent there to work. I danced around her hospital bed and I prayed for her, her leg was healed that night. I also recall just walk ing around the hospital praying down the halls. Now I wonder what happen to me . W hy am I so dis c ontent when I know the power of God and what he wants do through me? I've become reserved. The question I ask my self now is how do I break out of the mundaneness that I feel in my life....

Jet Lagged: Travel Tips to Follow on Your Way to Your Destin(y)ation

The crazy thing about traveling is that it can be really expensive, but price is only a minor technicality to people who really want to go to where it is that their heart desires to go. For the budget conscious person, high price tags can be discouraging, especially after you see 4 digit numbers with a comma attached to the place that you desire to travel to the most. For those who are not afraid to take a leap of faith, consider for a second where it is that you desire to travel. • Now, consider the cheapest city for you to fly out of? • What airline do you desire to fly on? • How long will you be at your destination ? • Where will you stay when you land? • Are you traveling alone? • How much will it cost? • Is there a lay over? The price for a plan ticket from Atlanta, Georgia to Abuja, Nigeria on a Delta flight is $5797.55. The lay over for this flight is 23 hours spent in beautiful Paris,France. All of this information seems exciting and perhaps ideal if you ha...

When Pain is Your SpringBoard

“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted, He rescues those whose spirits are crushed”(Psalm 34:18 NLT). I recently called my father to tell him that I loved him, and he didn’t say it back. I felt led to call him and choose to not take his response personally, although I wanted to. I deserved to; but God is doing a work in me concerning this area. I try to make things pretty, but hurt is never pretty and forgiveness is rarely easy. I’m challenged to forgive and to not be offended, even when I deserve to be. People do things that I don’t like, but because I want all that God has, I have to be intentional about dealing with both my heart and my hurt. It may seem crazy, but the best thing that anyone can do for you is to count you out and hurt you. Hurt can either damage you or it can create a passion in you that God can use for His glory. I am the definition of a foolish thing that God has chosen to use. All that He requires from me is that I submit to Him, even when I don’t ...

Those Are Fighting Words!!

If you would, imagine that words can be cloth in armor, have a helmet on, and can carry a sword. Now, imagine that the words are powerful and can be gathered into an army. The words are strong on their own, but in a large number, they can either propel you into your next step or stop you in your tracks. With a battle field full of words with helmets on in mind, do you see the seriousness of this powerful tool that pushes us through life? Words are spoken to us and around us in our mother’s womb. The words help to shape us and to influence our thinking patterns. Now let me ask you a question, what are you allowing the words that have been spoken to you to do? Are you using the words to fight for you or are you allowing the words to war against you?” “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1 KJV). In the beginning was the word. The word was with God and the word was God (truth). Everything that God had to say about you from the...

When Your Season Lacks Applause

Everyone wants to fulfill your purpose until they realize what it costs you to say yes to God. People judge struggles and trials that they have not had to survive in. They want what you have, but lack the understanding of the number of tears that you have shed in order to continue to bend when the applause of man says that you should stand- up and be honored when you do something great. Your greatness is attributed to God, but people who merely seek applause from others have no idea what that really means. “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images” (Isaiah 42:8). Walking in your purpose is beautiful. Walking in your purpose with a holy anointing will cost you something. God is not looking for people who want to be seen. He is looking for people who want to submit. Seeking to be seen out of season will set you up for attacks that you may not be ready for. It will cause you to be identified by enemies when your jo...

The Private, Matters

“And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.” And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.” ( Luke 1:1-20 NKJV). Zacharias’ prayer was not answered in the way that he thought that it would be. During his prayer time with the Lord, he asked God to allow him and his wife to have a baby, but years passed, and they got older. Zacharias’ went on with his life until his season changed, and it was time. Time for what you may ask; it was time for the blessing of the Lord over this man and wife to come to pass. The issue was that Zacharias had allowed this prayer to leave his heart, and unbelief took its place. Wha...

The Barrel of Meal Shall Not Waste, Neither Shall the Cruse of Oil Fail: RESET

This morning as I was thinking about the fact that God gives us a new start each year, the word reset came to mind. I tried to figure out why that word came to mind, and I began to look up its meaning. I have listed the meaning in the noun, verb, and adjective forms. Reset- set again differently, cause to enter the state representing the number 0, a plant that is planted again, to restore, a plant that has been recently transplanted, adjust again after a failure, set anew. Once I found the meaning of the word reset, I began to look for synonyms associated with it. Words like order, switch, replace, shift, changed, corrected, reformed, prepare, recondition, make ready, modify, do over, reappraise , and rework came up. At this point, I got a little excited and began to wonder how the Lord reset His people in the bible and what that word means concerning me. One of the first thoughts that crossed my mind pertained to the prophet Isaiah and the time that hot coal was placed over hi...

Why Are You Here?

During an encounter that I had with a young person recently, I told them that things were difficult for them because there were some things that they would need to do that had never been done before. The analogy that I used to help this person understand what I was saying to them was that of a wilderness full of trees. I told this young person that they would be the first one to cut down the trees in that wilderness to create a smooth path for those coming behind them. The same is true for many of us. There are large trees that we must cut down so that those coming behind us won’t have to fight as hard as we are fighting, and they will not stumble because we are destroying everything at the root that is attempting to block us. The task of doing this may seem difficult but the testimony is worth it. You have to be able to identify the things that have hindered individuals in your lineage, know what the signs of those things are in your own life, and then eliminate it. ...

JaNina B.

Search This Blog