"How Satan Attacks Your Identity: And How to Break Free in Christ!"

Grace Mode. Yeah. And I want to title this particular series, part 1 of this series, The Danger of Twisted Self-Identity. Beloved in Christ, hear me when I say this, and I say this with all patience and love. We're not trying to stir the pot or upset anyone, but we've got to tell the truth. We have to simply tell the truth. We can no longer afford to compromise. We must have a complete and solid theology on who we are in God, because there is some confusion as to who we are.

There are a lot of self-help books and a lot of self-help teachings.

And conversely, to be totally honest with you, I, I'm questioning a lot of the material that is being printed, some of, some of which are by Christian preachers, ministers, some theologians. I'm really starting to question this because what is the motive? It is not glorifying God, but it is more or less building up self, self-esteem. So let's talk about these things. I'm not going to belabor the time because we have to have a solid theology on this because the enemy is relentless in his attempt to distort identity.

His strategy has always been the same.

He props up ego, he whispers independence, and twists truth until self replaces God at the center or at the core of the message of our life. Christ is in fact the centrality of who we are. He's the centrality of the gospel. And every scheme you see that the enemy is doing, it's not new. It's not a new scheme.

It goes back to the Garden of Eden. There Satan convinced Adam and Eve that they could be like God, apart from God. This was not atheism. It was, in simple fashion, it was narcissism. It was the elevation of self-image Hmm, above the Creator. And that same deception is alive and active today. As we move through this series of teachings, I want you to see not only what God says about our true identity, but also how the enemy works overtime to twist it.

And why grace always calls us back to dependence on Christ and fellowship with God's people.

Grace always calls us back to the core, fellowship with God and fellowship with God's people.

So let's talk about this, this identity in Christ.

Who are we really? Really, who are we? Ask yourself, who am I really? Who am I? Beloved, let's begin by looking at who we really are in Christ, because if we miss this foundation, everything else becomes shaky and murky. Scripture is clear, identity is not something we achieve, it is something we receive. Genesis 1:27 declares, so God created man in his own image. In the image of God, he created him. Male and female, he created them. From the very beginning, identity was bestowed, not built. We were created to reflect him, not replace him. We were created to reflect him, not replace him. Paul echoes this truth. Hear me. He echoes this truth in Galatians chapter 2, verse 20. I have been crucified with Christ and no longer I liveth, but Christ lives in me.

Pastor Keith, Christ lives in every single one of us.

We don't live apart from him. We're not separated from, from him. We're not separate from him. Christ lives inside of every single one of us. He lives inside of me. He lives inside of you. He lives inside of our children. True life doesn't come from looking inward, contrary to what many people say. You got to build up the inner person. You've got to make him strong. But from surrendering doesn't come from looking inward. It comes from surrendering outward to Christ. And Peter affirms this in 1 Peter chapter 2, verse 9, where he says, But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praise of him Who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light? God called every single one of us out of darkness into his wonderful light. Isn't it interesting how the enemy is trying to bid us to come back to that darkness? Jeremiah chapter 1, verse 5 adds weight to what I just stated. It adds weight to this truth. And Jeremiah says this: Before I Formed you in the womb. I knew you before you were born. I set you apart. What does this show? It shows identity is not a late discovery. It is an eternal decree given by God. Augustine, one of the early church fathers, captured this by saying, our hearts are restless until they rest in you. This is what Augustine stated, and I love this writing. I love this because I've studied this when I was in graduate school. One of the church fathers declared this. Let me say this again.

Let me repeat this again.

Our hearts are restless until they rest in you. Identity is never settled until it is rooted in Christ. Now let's pause for clarity.

Sociologists say this: our culture is dominated by something called expressive individualism.

Expressive individualism. Expressive individualism. That's the belief that you're Truest self is found by looking inward, discovering your desires, and expressing them without restraint. On the surface, hear me, this sounds empowering. It gives muscle, it gives bravado, it gives you the independence, the courage, the boldness. But biblically, it is the very opposite of truth. Stay with me, let me make my point. It's the very opposite of truth. Jesus said in John 15:5, without me you can do nothing, is what he said. The Bible teaches that life is not discovered by looking inward.

It is given by looking upward.

Expressive individualism is seen in a ton of slogans across social media.

You're familiar with this one? Listen to this one: you do you.

Here's another one: follow your heart. Here's another one: live your truth.

Here's another one. You've got to be the best version of yourself.

There are modern echoes of Eden's whisper. They sound harmless, but carry devastating consequences when detached from God's design. Psychologically, there are differences between healthy self-esteem and narcissistic self-preoccupation. Healthy self-esteem means recognizing the worth God has already given us, that we are loved, we're chosen and created in his image. But narcissism is self turned inward, self turned inward. It magnifies self without God. Clinicians describe it as grandiosity, self-centeredness, and a hunger for admiration. Scripture warns us of this in 2 Timothy 3:2. It says this, and many of you are familiar with this text. It says, people will be lovers of themselves, Lovers of money. They will be boastful. They will be proud. They will be abusive. The first sign of the last days is a distorted view of self-love.

Let me give you some clinical care. Clarity on this.

Now, I have a, I have a graduate degree as well in counseling.

Part of my Master of Divinity was in counseling, and counselors often note that narcissism isn't just about arrogance, it's also about insecurity.

The narcissistic heart Constantly seeks approval because it has no anchor in God at all. Without Christ, people oscillate between pride and despair, never resting in true identity.

Let me give you an illustration.

Think of a mirror. A mirror has no light of its own. If you're watching me on social media, hear me.

A mirror has no light on its own.

It only reflects what stands before it. When it faces the sun, it reflects brilliance.

Oh my goodness.

But when it is turned inward, it reflects only That's the difference between identity in Christ and identity in self.

God designed fingerprints and DNA as unique identifiers for every single one of us. No two are the same, and I believe we all can agree on that. No two are the same, yet every one of them points back to a creator.

Likewise, identity is unique to each of us, but it is not self-invented. It is God-stamped. It is not self-invented. It is God-stamped. God made man in his image. If our identity is something we receive from God, then it makes sense that the enemy's greatest tactic is to distort what we've received from God. That brings us to his playbook.

Let's amplify this somewhat.

The deception of self.

I wanna amplify this.

Let's expose the enemy's playbook.

Family, I need to talk to you plainly and clearly. The world is gassing us up with messages that sound empowering but are spiritually venomous. They are spiritually poisonous. I need you to hear me on that. They are venomous. They are poisonous.

I know that many of you are quiet.

That means that you're thinking right now.

From the very beginning, the enemy's tactic has been the same. In Genesis chapter 3, verse 5, the serpent told Eve, you will be like God. In other words, you don't need him. You can define yourself. Paul warns in 2 Timothy chapter 3, verse 2, that in the last days People will be lovers of themselves. And Romans 1:25 tells us that people would exchange the truth of God for a lie and worship and serve created things rather than the Creator. Notice that the serpent never denied God's existence when he spoke to Eve in the garden. He distorted God's intention. The lie was not atheism, but autonomy. This is exactly what we see today. People claiming to believe in God, but insisting on defining themselves apart from him. This is the old lie of Eden in modern-day clothes, fashionable clothes. Today it shows up as a gospel of self. It says, love yourself above all else, even before God. It promotes authenticity without accountability, empowerment without dependence, independence as the highest virtue for humanity. But beloved, hear me, this is not strength. This is not bravado. It is isolation. It is isolation disguised as freedom. It is isolation disguised as freedom. Sociologically, this is what thinkers call performative culture. Social media has trained people to craft an image rather than cultivate character. You see this all over social media.

Preachers are doing all type of absurd things, saying all type of absurd things, doing everything they can do for clicks and views. Popularity now is the diet of the day. Who cares if it is truth or not? God does. God in fact does care.

You can look successful online while being empty inside, but Jesus said in Matthew chapter 23, verse 27, that the Pharisees were like whitewashed tombs which look beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead. Performative culture is not new. It's just a digital version of Phariseeism.

Think of Instagram filters.

People can adjust every blemish on a photo while privately battling depression, anger, Hurt, pain. The image looks perfect, but the soul is fractured and broken. It's fractured and broken.

Minister Ophelia, it's fractured and broken.

This is not the same disconnect Jesus rebuked in the Pharisees.

Clinically speaking, Pastor Pitts, hear me. Pastor Tracy, hear me. Clinically speaking, narcissistic traits show up as grandiosity, entitlement, and lack of accountability.

In spiritual terms, this is rebellion and isolation. A person becomes convinced, I don't need community, I don't need correction, I don't need God. Yet the Bible is clear. Proverbs 18:1 says, whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire. He breaks out against all sound judgment. This is why it's dangerous for prophets to be isolated. God never called you as a prophet Man or woman of God to be isolated. God calls every single one of us, regardless of whether you're a prophet, whether you're a pastor, an apostle.

God calls every single one of us to community, to fellowship, not to be isolated.

God even said in the book of Genesis, "It is not good that man be alone." A person becomes convinced that they are the cat's meow and the dog's bow wow when they are isolated. They say, I don't need community, I don't need correction, I don't even need God. Therapists warn that prolonged isolation fosters echo chambers. Where people only hear their own voice spiritually. This is what happens when believers reject counsel, accountability, or church fellowship.

I know you get comfortable, and I know it is a wonderful thing to watch a stream at home, but it is dangerous. If you're not in the fellowship of the saints, the Bible says in Hebrews 10:25, forsake not the assembly of yourselves together. Why? Because there's a grace where there is community and church fellowship. Because if you're isolated, it creates echo chambers. Echo, echo, echo, echo chambers.

And it sounds like God because the enemy is good at parroting your voice.

or attempting to sound like God, but it is dangerous.

The voice of self becomes louder than the voice of God.

Let me give you this illustration.

Imagine a coal removed from a blazing fire. At first, it still glows, and for a moment it looks alive, but separated from the flame, it dies. Glow and soon dies. That's what independence from God looks like. It masquerades as strength, but it leads to emptiness.

This one, this this next point is really near and dear to my own heart, and I'm concerned about our children. This assault on children. In our youth, nowhere is this deception more aggressive than in the assault on our children every single day. I was listening to Fox News talk about Snoop Dogg and how he was under attack because he was watching a movie on with his grandson. I believe it is, and within the movie it talked about. Same-sex marriages. There were 2 women, and the grandson literally started asking him questions about this. And, and this rapper was saying— Snoop was saying this— he was saying that it, it doesn't make sense that I have to go to a movie and deal with this type of behavior that's taking place that is unseemly.

It is an assault on our The enemy knows that if he can twist identity at the seed stage, the harvest will be distorted for generations. If he can, if he can twist or pervert identity at the seed stage, the harvest will be distorted for perpetual generations. In schools and culture, children are told to find their own truth. And define themselves however they feel, even if it contradicts God's word. Now, isn't that perverse? That is twisted. Even on social media, kids are discipled by algorithms more than by scripture. They measure worth by likes and follows.

And trends instead of the cross of Christ.

Psychologically, young people are pressured to choose. They're pressured to choose labels and identities before they've even matured in understanding who God is and the God that made them to be the person they are today. A 12-year-old may feel pressure to declare an identity on TikTok that will follow them into adulthood, even though they lack the maturity to understand themselves. This is not freedom. It is bondage disguised as choice. And none of this is accidental. It is strategic. Hear me when I say this. This is not accidental. It is strategic. Satan knows that a confused child becomes conflicted as an adult. This is why we must guard, we must teach and pray over our children every single day. Psalms 127:3 reminds us children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring, a reward from him. And Psalms 139:14 declares, I praise you because I'm fearfully and wonderfully made. We must say to the next generation, your identity is not self-made, it is God-given. Jesus himself modeled this when he blessed the children in Matthew 19:14, saying, let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. In Christ, children are not problems to solve, but treasures. They are literally national treasures. to protect from this perversion that is taking place. But the good news is this, the good news is this, God has not left us to fight this deception alone. He gives us grace.

Somebody say grace. Grace.

And that grace not only saves us, but it also anchors us in fellowship. And this is the grace. This is what I call the grace of dependence, dependence upon God. And if you're listening to me in social media, on all the social media platforms, we need the grace of God in our lives because grace frees us from the law, but it never frees us From each other, God designed his design has always been that his children would flourish together.

We would flourish together, not in isolation, not in isolation.

Hebrews chapter ten verse twenty-five reminds us: Do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together, as some are in the habit of doing. But encourage one another. Why? Because community is God's safeguard against deception and drift, drifting away from God. A cold thrives in the fire of fellowship, but it dies in isolation. Jesus himself said in John 15:5, without me you can do nothing. Independence from God is not strength; it is. And independence from his people is not freedom, it is fragility. Think of the body. A hand separated from the body may still exist, but it cannot live, it cannot thrive, it cannot survive. It loses blood flow, function, and purpose. In the same way, when believers try to live independent of Christ, And his body, they wither. Psychologically, even secular research confirms that this truth about being isolated is dangerous. Neuroscientists and sociologists have found that isolation increases anxiety and depression, while fellowshipping increases resilience, peace, and joy. What scripture declared long ago is this: it is not good for man to be alone.

Genesis chapter 2, verse 18.

You heard me say that earlier. Science today is only proving what God stated in Genesis chapter 2, verse 18, that it is not good that man or woman be alone. In counseling, there is a concept called self-differentiation. Healthy differentiation means knowing your boundaries and identity while still staying connected to community. Unhealthy independence, however, rejects connection altogether. Biblically, we are called to maturity in Christ without detaching from his body. Grace then is not just personal, it is corporate. Every gathering becomes a means of grace where peace and joy and prosperity and comfort flow among the people of God. Grace redeems individuality, but never removes community. It redeems individuality, but it never removes community. Acts chapter 2, verse 42 through verse 47 paints this picture. Believers devoted to themselves, excuse me, believers devoted themselves to teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. What is the result? The Lord added to their number daily. daily, those who were being saved. Grace flows most richly where community is thriving and alive.

And so, beloved, we return to where we began, the whisper of Eden and the invitation of grace. Family, hear me, resist the old whisper that says, exalt yourself.

That path only leads to emptiness. You are most alive when you are hidden in Christ. You're most free when you are dependent on him. You're most fulfilled when you walk in fellowship with his people, not as an isolated individual, but as a living stone in his temple.

This is the clarity we need in an In an age of confusion, this is a sound doctrine that anchors us against the storm.

And this is the grace that saves us.

It saves us, you and I. Not the grace to glorify self. Let that sink in. But the grace to glorify Christ.

So let us hold fast.

Let us teach our children, our babies, our young babies. Let us guard them. Let us nurture them. Let us protect them. Let us reflect his image, not this distorted image, and not to distort his image as well. And let us be the people who declare with both our words and our lives, our identity is not self-made. Our identity is not self-made. It is Christ-given. Over every listener, Lord, I declare You are not defined by culture, by labels, or by the lies of the enemy. You are defined by Christ, chosen before the foundation of the world. We renounce the lie of self and embrace the truth of grace. We call forth a generation of children who know who they are in Jesus and who will will not bow down to the idols of self-worship, self-aggrandizement, but will submit their lives to Jesus and be formed in the image of Christ. Amen. Thank you guys for listening. This is just the beginning of this series. This is part And for those of you that are listening online, thank you for watching our videos on YouTube. I would love if you would subscribe to our channel, all of our social media platforms, and follow us. And, and, and make sure you check the bell notifications so when we ever— whenever we post material online, that you'll hear and know that there's a fresh revelation coming. And know this, that God has created all of us in his image, not in the image of self. Thank you for being partners with us here at 514 Grace Church. And my wife Tracy and I, we, we both love you and thank you for supporting us as Grace members. And we're not out of word, but this is part 1 of a series about messages that we're going to teach here at 514 Grace Church. Follow us online, go to our webpage, www.514gracechurch.org, and we'd love to fellowship with you. Come visit us in Villa Rica, Georgia. I'd love to meet you in person and shake your hand and get to know you.