There is an Identity crisis issue going on in the world today and knowing who one is, is very crucial as 2017 ends and 2018 begins. The Identity crisis issue is quite big, but for this short reflection I will look at it from the angle of comparisons which in itself is a very distracting and destructive thing to engage in.

Comparing oneself to another is a dangerous poison, that should be avoided at all costs. It blinds one to;
who you are, your uniqueness, talents, gifts, blessing, anoiting, achievements and overall your purpose. It arouses envy, jealousy, bitterness, discontentment, greed, and hatred. It disables one's capacity to relate freely in love clogging up one's love system and It steals one's joy and peace. It makes you think you are worthless and all you now strive for is the other person's life which you can actually never have.

This is a weapon satan is using to derail so many believers. You see when you compare yourself to another, you are devaluing your unique self and transferring that value to another. You diminish the beauty of God's blessing in your life . Its good to add value to another but not transfer it to another.

When one compares oneself to another what one sees and covets is the title, position, privileges, anoiting possessions, looks, gifting, ability etc. But what one does not see is the other person's daily struggles, the cost in praying, fasting, working hard, suffering, struggles, tears, joys,  process etc that they have gone through and go through daily.

If I flip it the other side, one does not see all the secret covens this person belongs to, the blood sacrifices they have to keep making, the agony of their soul, the sleepless nights due to demonic torments, the lies they have to tell, their end result if Christ does not intervene. The outside picture does not always tell the full story. In order to have what the one you are comparing yourself to has, you would need to have their whole life experience good and bad and believe me not many people would want that.

The most dangerous outcome of comparing oneself to another is that many have derailed and gone astray from the path God planned for them. In pursuing what another has, destinies have been destroyed and Identities confused and messed up, wrong life decisions have been made and relationships have been destroyed. However it does not have to be that way.
There is an antidote to this poison and all its negative effects and it is the Word of God (2Tim3:16-17).

In His Word you discover who you really are which is your Identity (Gen 1:27), why are you here which is your Purpose (Gen 1:28, Ps 40:7-8, 1Tim1:1) and what you are to do which is your destiny ( Jer 29:11, Hab2:3, Is 55:11, Who 2:10).

No one can tell you these things about yourself but the One who created you. Every human being was created Unique. There is no one else on this planet or elsewhere that is like you, even twins are each unique (Ps 139). Your voice intonations , fingerprints, body, eye, nose shapes, hair, mouth outline, your laugh,etc are all unique to you. Even when two people have the same gift or talent ie singing, the two can never sing exactly the same. They each hold the music notes differently when they sing. So you see you have no competition. You are an authentic master piece that cannot be copied because the One that has the blueprint of your complete make up is God Himself who is not about to float it to the higest bidder. You do not need to be a duplicate. God has never, can never, will never and does not make mistakes. If there is an Identity crisis going on in you, that means the manual which is the Word of God the Holy Bible has been ignored and cast aside. Just like one cannot use an electric kettle on firewood but follow the manual it's inventor put in place in order to enjoy the benefits of the electric kettle, one must follow the Creator's manual- His Word, in order to live an authentic purposeful and fulfilling life meant for the unique you.

"Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don't be impressed with yourself. Dont compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life"( Gal 6:4-5, MSG). The NLT version says it this way;

"Pay careful attention to your own Work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won't need to compare yourself to anyone else".Galatians 6:4-5

Knowing who I'm from the One that created me has been so settling and has shaped my yielding to God's Purpose for my life (Gal 2:20).

The unique you has unique value and a unique purpose, so I pray for you;

Choose to live uniquely following the unique path and doing the unique things that only you can do. This way you will have a unique impact on the world and leave a unique imprint on those that have been placed in your path. At the end of it all you will leave a very unique legacy.

"And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel".

Exodus 25:22 NKJV
There is a meeting place that He provided where He meets with you to speak with you, to fellowship and commune with you, to instruct you in that which you will go tell His people and the world. It's a place of deep intimacy, aloneness with Him, a place of revelation. That is where Moses was instructed about the commandments to give to the Children of Israel.

These meetings between Yahweh and Moses took place at the Mercy seat on the basis of the blood of animals but when Jesus the Christ was crucified, died, was buried and on the third day rose again from the grave. He ascended to heaven, took His Blood and placed it on the Mercy seat in the heavenly terbanacle once and for all, fulfilling His duty as our High Priest. When He did that every demand of justice from ages past was satisfied and the Father sent the Holy Spirit; comforter, helper, teacher, the Spirit of Truth. The beauty of Jesus placing His Blood on the Mercy seat is that it was done once and for all. He does not have to keep shedding His Blood. So now the way into that meeting place is open. You do not have to stay outside in the outer court, you can go into that place and meet with the Creator of the Universe, Your Father and my Father and commune and bring sacrifices and offerings of thanksgiving, praise and worship in His Presence. There is no longer need to sacrifice animals, chickens, pigeons etc to get blood for atoning your sins. No and No. The Blood of Jesus has already done that.

All you have to do is come in humbleness and sincerity before Him, acknowledge your sins and ask Him to forgive and cleanse you. The Bible declares that "the Blood of Jesus speaks a better word for us"; that we are accepted in the beloved, that we have been made His righteousness in Christ Jesus, that we are more than conquerors, that we are blessed in the city and in the country, that we have the right to be called the sons of God etc I don't know what blood you have shed in the past or you are being asked to shed for one reason or another. I don't know what meeting places you have been so hoping to meet Him yet you didn't because there was no change for good that took place. The Creator of heaven and earth invites you to a meeting place at His Mercy seat, which once you have been to, your life can never be the same. It's the Only place- His Mercy seat that you can have a life-changing encounter that is untainted. It's the Only place you will find forgiveness of sin and a breaking off of curses, nowhere else. Not in a babalawo's shrine, or a road junction or a ritualistic bath in a river. It's Only at the Mercy seat where the Blood of Jesus speaks a better Word for you.

What an invite by the Almighty God. I urge you not to ignore or miss it.

Be blessed

Pastor JB.

The year 2007 was quite a pivotal year in my life that brought about a paradigm shift to the understanding of what you are about to read. I am a trained nurse and was working in a good position that was very well paid. I owned my own property and car. I travelled to America, Africa and Europe as and when I wanted. I was considered by many as a pace setter. I was also a Christian and a cell group leader.