Galatians 4 verse 6 through 7. And because he or sons, God hath sent forth the spirit of his son into your heart. So many glad today your sons and daughters of God. Are you glad today that your sons and daughters of God?
And because the Bible says you are sons, God has sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts crying, Abba Father, wherefore thou art no more servants. Can somebody say amen? But sons, hallelujah, glory God, we are sons now. And if a son, then an heir.
How many are glad your sons and heirs of God through Jesus Christ? We are the very sons and daughters of God through Jesus Christ. And I'm here today to tell you until you find your identity. In Christ, you will never walk in peace or in purpose in this life until you recognize and understand who you are in Christ.
The scripture says, we are sons of God. Ephesians chapter 1 verse 3, if you'll turn there with me. Ephesians chapter 1 verse 3. We're going to go from verse 3 through verse 14.
And I know some of you thought right there, that'll be six months. Ephesians, and it could be. Ephesians chapter 1 beginning verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places, even as he shows us in him before the foundation of the world.
You are chosen, you have been chosen by God before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him. Amen church? In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the beloved. In him we have redemption.
In him we have redemption. Through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses. According to the riches of his grace. All church, that's good.
That's something to get excited about. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which catch this. He has lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight, making known to us the mysteries of his will. Thank you Lord.
Thank you Father. According to his purpose, which he has set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time to unite all things in him. Things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance.
We have obtained, we have obtained, there are some folks waiting to obtain an inheritance. We have already obtained an inheritance. Having been, forgiving, being predestined, according to the purpose of him who works. All things according to the counsel of his will, old church, I don't know if I can take any more.
This is good stuff. You know there's some folks in the family, but they don't act like the family. There's some folks in the family, but they don't act like the family. Anybody know what I'm talking about?
We have been predestined. We have been adopted into the family of God. But sometimes we don't act like the family. Sometimes we don't talk like the family.
Sometimes we don't conduct ourselves like the family, but he did predestinate us before the foundations of the world that we would be the children of the most high God. We have obtained. We're not waiting for this. It's already transpired.
It's already happened. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you have an inheritance. Amen? Oh my.
In him, you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him. How many believers in him do we have today? How many believers do we have today? Come on, put your hand up high.
Be proud today that you are born again. You are spirit field. You are a believer in Jesus Christ. We're sealed with a promise of the Holy Spirit.
That means we have been sealed. We have been sealed with the promise of the Holy Spirit to those that believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. You have been sealed with the promise of the Holy Spirit. Wait, that don't get you excited, nothing will.
You know, there's some folks who have been dry so long. They don't know what it's like to be in the water. There's some folks who have been dry so long. They don't know what it's like to be in the water.
We sang this morning, that song, spring up a well. Some people are like, what does that song mean? It's spring up a well. Whales of living water.
They will come forth out of us through the Holy Spirit. Amen? Oh, the church needs to be refreshed in the wells of living water today. Fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit, anointed for service, anointed in the calling.
This is no season to be grumpy. This is no season to be cantankerous. This is no season to be miserable. You are born again.
You are spirit filled. You are blood bought sons and daughters of the Most High God. You have been predestined before the foundation of the world to be a chosen generation, a holy nation, not to be grumpy and cantankerous. Hallelujah, glory to God.
He has guaranteed us an inheritance. Glory to God until we acquire the possession of it to the praise of his glory. Listen to church, we're living in a time of identity crisis. We are living in a greater identity crisis than we've ever seen probably in the history of this world.
People ask them the questions, who am I? What am I here for? We try to find identity. Listen to me, hear this.
We try to find our identity and things and places and people and relationships and careers and education and sexuality and achievements and possessions and political causes. That is not where we find our purpose. None of these things will provide lasting peace, nor will they provide lasting purpose until we find that identity that we've been given in Christ Jesus. We will never truly walk in the peace of God that surpasses all understanding or the purpose of God, which he has destined and designed for us to walk in.
Identity, confusion leads to inner conflict. I'm not a conflict internally because I know in whom my Redeemer is. I lift up my eyes to the heels from whence my help, come from, amen, he is our rock and our Redeemer, he is our hope and we can trust in him. But when we have this conflict of identity crisis and we're not sure who we are, somebody said to me, I'm just trying to find myself and I grabbed a mirror in my office and I brought it out and I put it right in front of them.
He said, you see that? And they said, yeah, I said, what is it? They said, it's me, I said, glory, you found yourself. It took all this time and it happened right here in my office.
You found yourself. Listen, when you come to your true identity in Christ and understand that you are born against Spirit-filled blood, blood, because of the cross of Calvary and his blood shed, you understand that there is no weapon regardless of what it is that will prosper against you, because God is for you and he isn't against you. And yes, in his life, it's hard and yes, in his life, it's difficult, but God promised to never leave us nor ever forsake us, amen? He is great and greatly to be praised.
He's great and greatly to be praised. We've got to learn to walk in our identity as who we are, as children of the most high God. Romans chapter eight and verse six says this, to be carnally minded is death. To be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
We find life and peace when we are spiritually minded. The search for significance, people go through great lanes wanting to feel valuable. Boy, it's so predominant because of it. I'm not anti, I don't want you to feel that way.
I'm not anti-social media. Those things can be used for great things. They can be tools for great things, but they can be tools for destruction as well. Listen to me, you are not finding your identity in social media.
You're not going to find it there. Moms, dads, young people, social media is not your validation. It's not, they're not mad at me, don't worry. It's not in material success.
It's not in status, symbols or symbolism. But these things will never feel the void that we have in our life because they can't. They're temporary. All these things that we try to feel our identity with, they're temporary and they're temporary identities.
And they shift with time and culture. You don't believe me? How many remember Bell Bottom jeans? How many remember the chia pet?
Things shift with time and culture, styles, designs, trends, things shift through time and through culture. I heard somebody say one time long ago, if you keep it long enough, it'll come back into style. If you keep it long enough. Identity without Christ will breed restlessness.
And that's what I said to my grands on the other day in the second part of what I was telling him. When you expect, and if you don't receive, but yet you're expecting, then you become disappointed. And when you become disappointed, then you'll become upset. And when you become upset, then you'll become angry.
And when you become angry, you will become bitter. And when you're bitter, you will be restless. Identity without Christ breeds restlessness. That's why there's so much restlessness in our society today because there's not a lot of Christ.
See being born again, the very essence of being born again, I was sharing this just the other day with someone on the phone, it's transformation. And you've heard me say, if you've been around here anytime at all, I do not believe there is salvation without transformation. You cannot be saved without change happening in your life. If you just prayed a prayer, and then went back to it, and everything you did prior to the prayer, I've got news for you, you need to rededicate your life to Christ because when you come to Him, things change.
Amen, there should be radical transformation because we've stepped into our identity. Identity without Christ breeds restlessness. When we define ourselves by the wrong labels, we end up chasing, you ready? Some of you need to hear affirmation.
We chase affirmation, fearing rejection, and constantly comparing ourselves to others. Why? Because we don't know who we are. And when you don't know who you are, you constantly gotta try to impress other people to try to convince them that you are some buddy.
But in Christ, you walk with a quiet confidence, and interknowing that you are a child of a king. You are a daughter of the king, young ladies, young men hear me now, treat each other with honor and respect, because you are children of the king. You know, guys, you take a young lady out, she's a king's daughter. You don't treat a king's daughter.
Now, come on, you treat a king's daughter with honor, and respect. You young ladies, you treat a king's son with honor, and respect each other. You honor each other, amen? And that's good for you older folks too.
And these things will all lead to what we see in our society today. It will all lead to what we see, the fear of rejection, comparing ourselves to others. Here's what leads to, you ready? Anxiety, depression, and lack of direction.
Anxiety, depression, and lack of direction. Do you know that probably half of our medical profession would go out of business if depression went away? Half of the pharmaceutical, half of the farm, then lose half their money, maybe even more than half their money. If depression went away, if anxiety went away, how many know what I'm talking about?
Proverbs 14, verse 12 says this, there is a way, say there's a way. There is a way that seemeth right unto a man. How many have ever thought you were right? There's a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death, away from Christ.
Church, our true identity is found only in Christ. Second Corinthians 5, 17 says therefore, therefore, if anyone be in Christ, pretty much every single person in his building today raise their hand, they believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, if any man be in Christ, they are a new creature, new creation, some translations will say, old things, pass away, all things become what? New, we have been chosen and adopted by the king.
Back in Ephesians 1, verse 4 through 5, even before he made the world, the new living translation says, I'll put it in because I really like how it said it, even before he made the world, God loved us, and he chose us in Christ. When did he do that? After you got saved? No, even before he made the world, even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ.
God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. Isn't that good? Isn't that good? How many glad for that this morning?
That he adopted us into the family through his son, Jesus Christ. Your identity is not in what you do, but it is in what Christ has done. You hear me? Your identity will never be within what you do.
Your identity will be in what Christ has already done. Do I need to remind you that you are redeemed? You are forgiven. Ephesians 1, 7 says it like this, in him, in him, in him Christ we have redemption through his blood.
The forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace. We've been redeemed, we've been forgiven. Are you ready for this? You're not your past.
You're not the sin that you once lived in. You're not your failures in your faults. In Christ you have been forgiven, set free, and made new. Who are you?
Who are you? Look at somebody today and say, who are you? You knew they are? They are sons and daughters of the Most High God.
That's who they are. That's it. Next somebody's time somebody says to you, who do you think you are? Well, thanks for asking.
Who do you think you are? I'm joining heirs of Jesus Christ. I'm the apple of my father's eye. I'm an ambassador for the Most High God.
I'm joined heirs with Jesus Christ. I've been born again. I've been spirit free. I've been set free by his spirit because I'm spirit filled.
I'm free and I'm new in Christ Jesus. I've been marked with a seal. And that what your Bible said, if you, as one thirteen said, when you believe, how many believe? All right, when you believed, you were marked in him with a seal.
The promise, the Holy Spirit, you're not abandoned, you're sealed, you're not forgotten, you're filled. The Holy Spirit reminds us daily of who we are in Christ. And when we understand who we are in Christ, we will walk in true peace and lasting purpose and peace in our lives. We talked a couple of Wednesday nights in a study about peace and how he is the God of peace.
And Isaiah says it like this, in Isaiah 26 verse three, you will keep him in perfect peace, complete peace, complete peace, whose minds are fixed or steadfast or abide or remain in you because they trust you. Why do we stay fixed on God because we trust him? Why do we remain in God because we trust him? Why do we believe God because we trust him?
Why do we put our faith in God because we trust him? Why do we walk in peace because we trust him? It's not because of the absence of a situation, it's not the absence of a storm, that's not why we trust him, we trust him because of who he is and who we are in him, that's why we trust him. That's why we have peace in the midst of devastating tragedies and situations in life because we trust him, we are in him, even when we don't understand and even when we can't figure it out, we have confidence that we are in him and because we are in him, we can have peace.
Peace comes from knowing who you are. When your identity is rooted in Christ, your worth no longer fluctuates with situations or circumstance, your worth no longer fluctuates. Peace comes from, ready from stability being grounded in the unchanging love of God. That's good, your identity is rooted in him, your worth is no longer up and down with every whim or twist or turn of society or culture because that peace that fills your heart comes from stability, a place of grounding in Christ and in God's love.
Romans 5, 1 says it like this, therefore since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ and because of this we're no longer striving to be enough. We don't have to strive to be enough. When Christ is your identity, you're not working for love, you're living from love. When he is your identity, you're not working toward it, you're working from it.
You're no longer striving and working so hard to be accepted by friends and colleagues and people around you and people over the internet. Some people are so worried about somebody liking them that they'll never meet in person in their entire existence on this planet. They've just a friend over the internet. Come on, we search for acceptance, but you no longer have to do that.
You no longer have to strive for that. You have been accepted. Ephesians 1 says to the praise of a glory of his grace wherein he had made us accepted, accepted in the beloved. When you find your identity in Christ, are you ready for this?
When you find your identity in Christ, it unlocks purpose. And when you have your identity in Christ and you know who he is and you know your purpose in life, you no longer are walking in frustration, in anxiety, in fear, in bitterness, in anger, depressed, and worrying about everything that comes your way. Romans 8, 14 through 17 for all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God. Romans 8, 14 through 17.
For you did not receive the Spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption, sons and daughters in which why we cry, the Father, the Spirit Himself bears witness with our Spirit that we are the children of God. Amen. Praise the Lord. Hallelujah.
And if we are children, he said, then we are heirs. Amen. Praise the Lord. Hallelujah.
And if we are heirs of God and fellow heirs of Jesus Christ, he has provided, even though we may suffer in this life, even though we may go through difficulties in this life, we will be glorified with him. Isn't that good? We were created for a calling. You weren't created to just exist, to just go through life.
You were created for purpose, for a mission. God just doesn't save you from something. He saves you for something. He just doesn't take you away from something.
He takes you to something. If he's just 210 says, for we are his workmanship. I'm being thankful for that. We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus.
Ready? For good works. Now we know we're not saved by our works. We're saved by faith.
We're saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Amen. But we were created unto good works. Why?
Because he's a good good father. Which Christ prepared beforehand that we should walk in, then what? Walk in good works, our purpose, purpose, purpose. Say purpose.
Purpose comes from position. Purpose comes from position. We're almost done. We're almost there.
And until you accept your position as a son or a daughter of God, you will always chase purpose through works. You've got to hear me. Until you accept your position as a son and daughter of God, you will always chase purpose through works. But once you know you are loved, chosen, and sent, you walk boldly in a divine confidence of the calling that Christ has placed in your life.
Galatians 2.20 says it like this. I have been crucified with Christ. Have you been able to say this? I have been crucified with Christ.
It is no longer I who liveeth, but Christ who lives in me. Come on, will you say that with me today? It's up there. You can read it.
I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live. Yet not I, but Christ liveeth in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Isn't that good? But do you believe that today? How do we walk in that identity then? Well, it comes by renewing our minds.
Romans 12, 2 says this. Do not be conformed any longer to the world, but be ye transformed by the renewal of your mind. Not to what the world says about you. Not what your past says about you.
Not what your fears say about you. Declare your identity by faith. Speak God's truth over your life. John 1 12, don't go real fast.
Don't even go there. Write it down if you can. John 1 12 says I'm a child of God. First John 1 9 says I'm forgiven.
First Peter 2 9 says I am chosen. And Romans 838 or 837 says I am more than a conqueror. Ephesians 2 6 says I am seated with Christ. Start speaking those things over your life.
Learn to walk in faith. Learn to walk in community of faith. Surround yourself with other like-minded believers who will remind you of your identity, not of your past, not of your failures, not of your mistakes, but see people that will see kingdom value in you, people that will recognize you as a child of the Most High, God, one who has been called before the foundations of the world were even laid. Before you made the mess in your life, he already called you.
He already set the plan in motion for you to be delivered and healed and walk in salvation and to be a blood, blood, born again, spirit-built. Child of the Most High, God, oh, that's so good. Surround yourself with people who will encourage you in your identity and Christ, not in your failures and not in your mistakes, but will encourage you to walk in your purpose and encourage the peace of God in your life. Hebrews chapter 10 verse 24 and 25 says this, worshiping, you can start to make your way back to the platform.
Hebrews 10, 24 and 25 says, and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works. When was the last time you stirred somebody up to love and good works? Not neglecting to meet together. This is important.
This is important, say that. This is important. As some get in the habit of neglecting this, but this is important. This what we're doing right here today.
This is important. This is not to be taken lightly because we can stir one another on to love and we can stir one another on to good works and moments like this. And we can stir one another on to our identities in Christ, amen? We can stir one another on that we're not who we used to be, amen?
When somebody says to you, who are you? Say, no, who I used to be, I can tell you that. I'm not who I used to be. We're not in a black meeting together, a summer in the habit, but encouraging one another all the more, even as we see the day of Christ's return coming closer.
You will never have peace until you know who you are. You'll never walk in purpose until you know who you are. You're not good. You'll never walk in purpose until you know who you are.
The world offers labels and most of those are temporary. Christ offers eternal identity. The world will give you a label, but he'll give you an identity. He'll give you not, let me say it again, until you find your identity in Christ, you'll never find your peace or your purpose.
But when you do, you will live in a peace that surpasses all understanding. You will walk in a purpose that changes life and you will never, ever, ever be the same again. Maybe you've been defined your whole life by your past and it happens. Maybe you've been defined by your pain.
Maybe you've been defined by your performance, but today's the day to let it all go and embrace your identity in Christ. Let that pass go. Let the mistakes go. Let the failures go.
Why? Because he calls you child of God, holy love, redeemed, righteous, healed, separate, set apart and chosen. God will not fail you. God will provide for you.
God will give you rest. God will strengthen you. God will be with you. Why?
Why? Why? Amen? Amen.
Where are people of purpose? Where are people of purpose? Where are people that are to walk in the peace of God, in the midst of chaos? We walk in peace and we obtain that through purpose and we obtain that purpose through position.
Sons, daughters of God. I remember a number of years ago, Allison, the boys were with me for some reason. I don't remember what that reason was now, but in Parker and Christian, it was just shortly after you guys took over the pit stop, actually, it was just shortly after that. And Rob, we walked in the store and I'll never forget, we walked by the candy aisle and Christian just nabbed himself a candy bar.
And only the way Christian can do it. Oh, I'll pass her strong. I'll never, when he was a little boy, he said, oh, I'll pass her strong. He'd say, just like I'll pass her strong.
And sometimes I'll hear from a distance. Hey, pass her strong. Hey, pass her strong. I'll walk in pit stop, Carter will haul her the whole way across the building.
Hey, pass her strong. But Carter, or Christian said to me, is he nabbed the candy bar off the shelf? He said, go ahead and grab one or two. He goes, it's okay.
It's my dad's. I was like, what are you here tonight, four pastors Sean? Well, I'm here to pick up a pizza. Oh, it's on me.
I got in the car and said they gave me another pizza for free on their dad. I grabbed Rob and dad said, hey, is gas included in that? He said not on your life, but here's a car wash card. You fill it up, I'll clean it.
Are you guys going to be there today? I could go for a mellow cup. Maybe I'll come up and you can hit me up. But I'll never forget, he just nabbed it right off the shelf.
I said, don't you have to pay for that? He goes, ah, now that's my dad's. You know, every time I go in there, now I'm tempted to just grab a candy bar. I'm afraid to get arrested.
He goes, he ain't my dad. But they can grab off the shelf. How many know what I'm talking about? You know a name?
They call him dad. I call him father. I had a dad here on this life too. But this one I call father, purpose, identity.
It's far greater than the one I've been given here on earth. Because one on earth don't open a lot of doors for me, but that one does. That one does. Amen, come on, stand with me.
How many ready for a great dinner tonight? Are you ready for it? How many are really, how many are really, really, really glad you and go tonight just because you don't have to pay? I know, I know why most of your coming.
I'm sorry. It's going to be a great, it's going to be a fun time. We're going to have a fun time. There's a few things that the lures lay on my heart.
I want to share with you tonight. And it's just going to be so good as we celebrate the 50th. And then we're just moving forward, right? We're just moving forward.
We've been here for 50 years. Well, anybody been here. Barbara, you're the closest, I think. Anybody been here 50 years?
How many years have you been here, Barbara? 48, she came with a brick. She came with a brick. When they delivered, the brick barber came on the truck.
I've been here every 48 years. Barbara's been here. Come on, give her a great big hand tonight. 48 years, Barbara has been here.
And finally got the best pastor. And oh, yeah. It took a long time, right? But what a great thing that we can celebrate.
50 years of service, the kingdom, the community, and looking forward to the future. The Lord Terry's, what he's going to do. Amen. I'm so glad you're here today.
I'm so glad you're here today. I pray all the time that you will find your purpose, that you will find your peace, that you will know your identity in Christ. Because Church, I'm here today to tell you that when we step into that arena, there will be nothing that can hold us back, nothing that can stop us from fulfilling the Great Commission and beyond for the glory of God, amen? Father, bless your word to the hearts of your children today.
Father, I pray that you fill them from the top of their heads to the souls of their feet. I pray, Lord, even in my insufficiency today, Lord, you have been sufficient. I pray, Lord, even in my wrecked up failed speech and all that goes along with this frail shell of a man, Lord, that you were glorified today through me. I pray, Lord, that your word has been high and lifted up.
I pray, God, that you have touched hearts and lives through this simple vessel today. That's just been willing to bend to you and say, God, whatever it is that you want from me, God, whatever it is that you desire from me. I'll do it. Lord, I made that commitment at the age of 12.
And here I stand at 62 years of age. Lord, I've never wavered. I've never went back. There have been moments of imperfection.
And there have been moments that I've blown it. But God, my heart's desire is always to have been to live for you, to serve you, to lead others to you. That others would find their peace and their purpose in you, find their salvation and their healing in you. And I pray today, Father, throughout all that we do here at Harvest Church, through the past 25 years that I've been here and on to the future, Lord, that we will never be seen here, but that you would be seen.
God, we desire that our names will not be high and lifted up, that the gifts, talents, and abilities that you give us will never be lifted, they'll only be used to lift you, to honor you, to glorify you. Because Father, we know, and I acknowledge in this place, these people do not need me, they need you. But as I yield myself to you, God, you speak mighty things through me to your people. And I thank you for that.
And I humbly say that. God, I love you with everything that is within me. I thank you for the past 50 years of this place. Thank you, Lord, for all those who have come before us, those who have laid seed before us.
God, that we build on all of that that has already been laid. Father, if you teary, the things that lay ahead will be far greater than the things behind us. We bless you, we honor you. I pray now you're blessing over this house, over your children.
Father, I pray in their rising and their sitting and their coming and their going. I pray wherever their feet may trot and whatever their hands may touch, may be blessed of you. I pray they would find favor with men because they have found favor with you. I pray, Lord, there would be no lack over this house, nor those who attend this house, that there would be no lack but only provision.
Because Lord, you have promised that when we seek first the kingdom of God and your righteousness, everything we have need of will be added on to us. We believe that today. We believe that today because we are children of yours. We love you, we honor you, we bless you, we bless you.
We love you, Lord, in Jesus name, we love you, Lord.