I need you to dip into your childhood imagination for a moment. Pretend you’ve been captured by a wicked king. You’re being held hostage and forced to participate in the king’s evil plan. Part of his scheme requires that you, a Christian, be trained in witchcraft. Oh, and the king’s wicked kingdom gives you a new name, an evil name. Let’s say they decided to call you Satan and your best bud, who’s in the fight with you, Lucifer.
This sounds totally absurd doesn’t it?
Thankfully this isn’t your reality, but it was the reality of four Hebrew teens. It’s hard to fathom all they faced. They actually were taken captive by a wicked king, Nebuchadnezzar, trained in black magic and fortunetelling, and then given new names. (See Daniel 1:1-7 MSG)
Have you ever heard a Sunday School lesson on Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah? Probably not. But if you’ve ever been to Sunday School, you have heard of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These are the names given to these Hebrew hostages by the the new rule. And we can’t forget Daniel who they renamed Belteshazzar. All of these names had evil meanings. They were in essence telling these guys to forget who they were and where they came from. They were attempting to give them a new identity.
Though it is not as blatantly obvious, our society is trying to do the exact same thing. They are trying to strip you of your royal identity as a child of God. Yet, there is hope! The truth that sustained Daniel and his friends is the truth that will sustain you and I.
Maintaining Your Identity
If you’re going to maintain your true identity, while immersed in a godless culture, there are three things you must remember:
1. Where you are does not define who you are.
Life happens. Bad things happen to good people sometimes. Just because you are in a broken situation, does not mean you are a broken person. You may be in Babylon, but you belong to God.
2. What you do does not define who you are.
Have you noticed the way most people respond when asked, “Who are you”? Try it sometime. Most people will give you their name and then go on to tell you what they do for a living. Your life will always fill empty as long as you believe that the pinnacle of your identity is what you do. Your identify is not rooted in what you do but in Who’s you are.
3. Who others say I am does not determine who I actually am.
John the baptist was accused of being possessed. Jesus was accused of being a glutton and a drunk. Let me say it in modern lingo we all understand — haters gonna hate. However, haters don’t have the power to determine who you are. Don’t let the way people label you limit you.
Know Who You Are
If you don’t know who you are while you’re in Babylon, Babylon will get in you. One of the primary keys to thriving in a corrupt culture is being confident in the identity God has given you. You may one day find yourself in a situation that is similar to Daniel’s. If so, trust in what God has said about you, regardless of the wickedness that may surround you. You are who He says you are!
Caleb and Ali live in East Tennessee where they serve at The Lift Church. With boldness and conviction, their deepest desire is to see the church revived and the world awakened. Learn more about The Lift by visiting theliftchurch.tv.
