Discovery can be a very dangerous thing.

Just ask anyone who has taught a teenager how to drive a car! This hormone-fueled, inexperienced, and unfocused youngster will eventually obtain authorization, and the keys to a four-thousand pound, rolling death machine! On the open road! Where I drive … (I must still be healing from my three years of exposure to Dallas traffic!)

Anyway, enough about cars. Discovery can be dangerous in many expressions, but I specifically want to focus on how dangerous and damaging our discoveries can be for the kingdom of darkness. As Christians, one of our major mandates is not only to preach the Gospel, but to disciple nations, reforming them in the image of King Jesus. However, living out this mission will undoubtedly make you a target for the hordes of hell. This is where discovery comes in.

In my last post, I mentioned a concept that has dramatically impacted my life, and I really felt that I didn’t quite do it justice.The importance of identity. Our identities are intertwined with everything we touch. Understanding your identity is a major key to discovering, and unlocking the purposes of God through your life, and releasing them into the earth. Here are four vital keys to truly unlocking what you were made for.

1. Revelation: Discovering the Mysteries of God

One of the most important truths that I have ever learned is that my sense of self-worth, importance, and value doesn’t come from what people say about you; instead, your identity is found in what The Lord has already spoken about you. Period. If you don’t know Who God is; His character, His essence, His heart; then you will never truly discover who you are, much less what you are made to accomplish on this side of eternity!

If you don’t know what God has already spoken about you, then you probably don’t know a lot about His character. He is good, all of the time. He is loving and merciful, yet avenges evil with a fiery justice. He is complex in His simplicity, and yet simple in His complexity.

However, God will only trust you with His revelation to the degree that you trust Him with His mystery. As we seek Him, He is faithful to reveal Himself to us, but not all at once. The timing of God is flawless, but our perception of His timing is flawed. For me, I love planning, and being organized; so at times, it is difficult to trust the timing of God. Yet, in the midst of my impatience, He is building something greater than I could imagine, but in His timing.

So, to sum it up: if you don’t know Who He is, you can’t fully know who you are, or what you are called to do. It all comes back to identity!

2. Recognition: Digesting the Mysteries of God

John 8:32 says, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” This verse is often quoted as “the truth will set you free. A more accurate translation would be “the Truth that you KNOW will set you free! Truth is absolute, whether or not we absolutely choose to believe it. In John 14:6, Jesus tells us that He IS The Truth. This is not some esoteric concept, He actually means it! Jesus is literally, physically, the sole incarnation of Truth!

Let’s imagine for a moment that you are chained up inside of a prison cell. It’s dark, dreary, and depressing. Now imagine that one of the previous prisoners (unbeknownst to you) had secretly stashed keys to your chains and the cell door behind one of the loose bricks in the wall of your cell.

Now, since the readers of Conquering Kingdoms are a rather intelligent bunch, I have a question for you: Would you use those keys to unlock your chains, to open your cell door, and to make an escape? Let me give you a moment to consider your answer…

The answer is NO! No, you ask?! Of course, it’s no! Would you like to see the reason why? The answer is no, because…

You don’t realize that the keys are hidden right in front of your very eyes! You don’t KNOW the truth about the hidden keys, so conversely, you are not free.

Now apply this truth to your identity. If you do not know that you were created as more than a conqueror, a mighty man (or woman) of valor, or that you were created to rule and reign with Christ; then you will not live like a conqueror, a valorous warrior, or a reigning co-heir! Again, if you don’t know WHO God is, you will never know WHO He made you to be! The Truth that you know will set your true identity free from every hindering force.

Whether hindered by false expectations (of your own, or those of another), wounding words, or even the actions – or inactions – of yourself (or others); the discovery and digestion of Truth will bring every stronghold tumbling down, allowing you to live the victorious life that God intended!

3. Repetition: Disciplining Yourself in the Mysteries of God

One of my least favorite words is discipline. It has so many negative connotations, like for punishing your child or my least favorite; that four-letter-word that is spelled W-O-R-K. Yet, discipline is one of the most important concepts to discover and digest in your quest toward unlocking your identity.

Often, we are good at some forms of discipline, like working out, athletics, music, or studies. Rarely do we find a natural balance; where we are becoming more disciplined in our spirits, our souls, (mind/will/emotions) and our bodies.

However, this kind of discipline is possible, and it should be our goal. Like I said before, it is a balance. It is easy to fall into a legalistic, judgmental attitude because we are “more disciplined” than the rest. Also, many have taken the path of least resistance, which results in passivity, apathy, and loss of vision.

I have personally been on both sides of that equation, and I am currently discovering and digesting these very same concepts right now. It is not easy. It is not always fun. But, it is always worth it. A wise man once said, “You cannot lead someone somewhere that you have never been.” While this statement is true, I would like to make an addition. Specifically when it is concerning spiritual matters; you cannot lead someone somewhere that you do not have the discipline to stay.

I would encourage you to stay in His Presence! Stay in the secret place, where it’s just you and The Lord. It is only in His Presence that you will discover the Truth of Who He is, who He made you to be, and what you were designed to accomplish. Also, within His Presence, you will find the grace to consistently, and diligently apply the fruit of that revelation to your life in a disciplined way.

4. Restoration: Dangerously Wielding the Mysteries of God!

Restoration is the convergence, the synergy, and the culmination of the previous three keys. A transformational restoration is the end result of discovery, digestion, and discipline. When we, as the Body of Christ in the earth, begin to take our God-given authority into our hands, we begin to wisely war with that revelation.

Once we begin to war wisely, and begin properly digesting into our spirits what God is speaking, then we have an accurate perspective on what God wants to accomplish in the earth. Once that perspective comes into proper alignment with our spirit/soul/body disciplines, we begin to wield the weapons of our spiritual warfare! That, my friends is what the enemy of our souls fears more than almost anything; a victorious and united Church, marching forward with knowledge of Who their True King is, an unshakable understanding of who they are, and a vision for the future!!

So, to sum it up: if you don’t know Who He is, you can’t fully know who you are, or what you are called to do. It all comes back to identity!

I really hope that this post was an encouragement to you, and not another seemingly unattainable list of spiritual “do’s and “don’ts.” Honestly, the best way to start this process is to pray and ask God to reveal Himself to you! Also, spend some time reading God’s Word, The Bible, and get even just a glimpse of how wonderful our Creator is! It seriously is just that simple.

If you don’t know what a personal relationship with God is like, I would encourage you to find a Christian in your life that inspires you, and talk with them about their faith. Or, if you don’t have a positive example in your life (or even if you do), feel free to email me at conqueringkingdoms@gmail.com and I would love to introduce you to Jesus!

Thanks for reading! May God reveal Himself to you in a fresh and life-changing way today!!