Near and Far Faith

You know that kid with the reputation for being a bully? Ok, maybe he was a bully (if you didn’t know him… it was you), but bullies reputation were always bigger that real life, often like our fake identities. They ate rocks, beat up teachers, and could grow facial hair in forth grade.

Saul had a reputation, and it was true. He had worked hard to become the one that people feared. But now everything had changed and he had to start off on a new journey, repairing the reputation he had set with his stolen identity.

God calls on us to not just become our true selves, but to help rescue others. It reminds me of the 2nd Matrix movie—The Matrix Reloaded— where Neo has been rescuing others that were plugged into the lie of the Matrix.

Read Acts 9:10-19

What fears do you think Ananias had running through his head?

Obviously it helps calm our fears when God directly speaks to us as he did with Ananias. But he doesn’t do this often even in The Bible. How else can He help us overcome our own fears to reach out to those still “plugged into” the lie?

This is where a shift starts to happen. You have been prepared to discover your true identity, but to continue means getting our hands dirty in the world gone wrong. Decide today before God to devote your energy to him, taking advantage of every opportunity he sets in front of you. Know that you are participating in the greatest rescue mission of all time.

Scar Story: I was playing football once with a bunch of guys. We had been practicing for this game for weeks—it was against the alumni—those that had come before us… the old dudes. They had never lost.

As the quarter back snapped the ball to start one of our plays, I ran down the line mirroring him and waiting for him to throw a little screen pass at the far end of the line. Then, I was on the ground. The next few minutes were out of a bugs bunny cartoon—swirling stars, everyone standing over me as I lay flat on my back. I got hit hard by I guy twice my size… on my own team. Eleven stitches left a scar trailing down my left eye that sill itches when it rains.

Saul got hit hard—horse-to-ground is a good four feet. But he got hit by a light. For some of us we will work to unearth our true identities over time, but for others, the light will knock us off the horse.

Read Acts 9:1-9

In verse 5 Saul asks “Who are you, Lord.” It’s time for us to do the same. Ask god to reveal to you continually who He is. There is a galaxy of knowledge about him and many of us have never even asked to see Him.

Matthew 7:9-11 says “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

God give us please the gift of knowing you so we can know ourselves.

We know little about persecution for our faith in Jesus, and we probably never will in America. But let’s try to imagine for a second that because of who you are, you are tagged as a threat to what’s right and accepted. Not only are things unavailable to you, but who you are is being physically threatened. This is the society that Saul helped to create. What we must realize is that the enemy—the prince of the air—controls many hearts on earth. But… he does not own them. What he means for harm God can use for good to help uncover our true identity.

In connecting with God over our true identity, persecution must become part of our lives—it is by pain and trial that we know “we can” through Jesus. As He says (in Bruce Almighty) “Triumph is born out of struggle, faith is the alchemist”.

Read Acts 8:1-3. See how even though we are surrounded by people lulled to sleep with stolen identities, God still changes the world through us.

Verse 2 talks about the “devout men” that came to burry Stephen. Devout... like him. Able to remain in the midst of persecution. This is a mark of someone living in their true identity.

Ask God for great strength in the middle of trial. Perhaps you’re in the middle of one now. If you see no persecution in your life than take this to heart: the enemy sees nothing in your life worth fighting against. Pray that God would teach you to fight… by having to fight. Embark on the adventure of struggle with God at your side.

There some embarrassing moments in my life that I look  back on that I laugh about. But there are some that just make me want to cringe physically . Those are the ones that weren’t embarrassing at the time, but, as I reflect now, I get this immense sense of regret. One such time was a materialization of extreme pride. Another was when I felt the need for acceptance so bad that I was willing to do anything for it.

Saul’s Identity had been stolen and we first see him in Acts 7:58 saying “Stoning? Here! I’ll hold your coats!”. The again a verse later simply saying “Rock on” after the murder of Stephen. While reflecting later on these times must have brought him great regret, but he must have learned from them as well. So let’s do the same.

Read Acts 7:51-8:1. what about Saul’s small parts in this story stand out to you? What feelings do you think were running through him?

Write down your top three most embarrassing moments.

What were the feelings that you acted on during these times and what was your reaction to them long term—now looking back?

We cannot be distracted by the enemy’s ploy to get us to run backwards—following what we’ve done in the past. Keep the past close. Ask God to not let you forget it. Ask him for the opportunity to relive some of these events so you can choose differently. Then… get ready. He is a God of rescue and redemption. One that loves to give you what you need for success.

Anger is not bad—after all, God got angry. But how do you tell the difference between bad, selfish anger and Godly loving anger?

Read Acts 7:51-60

How can you tell that Stephen’s anger was the Godly, loving kind?

What characterizes the anger of the church leaders?

Phase 3: Angered

After being threatened and persuaded, we inevitably become angered. This selfish anger at the rendering and exposure of our true selves often comes out in very immature ways, which makes it easy to distinguish (see vs. 57—what are they? 7 years old?).  Notice though that as selfish anger flares up, the true identity of Stephen calms down, leaving him crying out in vs. 60 “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!”

When was the last time you got angry? What was it about?

Notice that it’s  hard to remember the selfish reasons for anger specifically, but much easier to recall the loving anger.

Ask God to reveal to you the strength of loving people because he made them. Ask him to anger you only over the things that anger him.

I was once at  a Hibachi restaurant with some fiends and, while I don’t like seafood at all, I’ll try anything once. This is why I decided to share a sashimi plate (assorted raw fish) with a friend. It came with wasabi, a very spicy, green play dough-looking blob, to season the bland fish. I wanted to try it but had to have an accomplice. I pressed everyone at the table to try it with me and finally said I’d eat a large chunk if someone else would eat a small piece. After that, my meal was over for the evening as I fought nausea.

I’m a pusher. I press people into doing things a lot. I know the right buttons to push to validate myself… my false self, that is. The funny thing is, I was always on the other end growing up—the persuaded rather than the persuad-ee. I’ve recoiled because of that adolescent trial and perhaps you’re in the midst of that too.

Phase 2: Persuaded

After being threatened the enemy both persuades me and pushes me to persuade others to join me in me stolen identity. After all, if my fake identity is surrounded by others, temporarily, I’m comfortable. And that's what it wants us to believe—that that’s the goal.

The good thing is that at any point along this process we can resist it.  He does not have power over you. But this is one of the hardest things to resist and here’s why: God built us with a strong desire for our true identity to be accepted. It goes wrong when we seek that acceptance in humans and not Him. If I can run to him at this point and cry “Do you accept me?” then the resounding embrace of “Yes!” will bring peace like nothing else.

Where do you feel pushed or persuaded?

Who have you persuaded people lately to make yourself feel accepted? Do those people deserve an apology?

Read Psalm 139 and be assured that you are accepted—the real true you—by the only one that matters

Bruce almighty is my favorite movie. Go watch it. Ok, now I can tell you one of my favorite lines. Bruce meets God and God is pressing him—making him uncomfortable. Bruce says “Wait, really. I'm warning you. When I'm backed into a corner, I'm like a wild animal!” to which God retorts “You haven't won a fight since the fifth grade and that was against a girl.”

When we are living with a false identity, which many of us are still in denial about, we will feel threatened when God attempts to reclaim our true identity for us. This begins the process of Identity theft. Discovering your identity is not a once and done kind of thing. As you are already discovering it, the enemy will continue to try to take it away. If we can recognize it’s tactics though we can prevent it.

Phase 1: Threatened

In Acts 6:8-10 we saw the religious leaders threatened by Stephen’s wisdom. It says “none of them could stand” against it.

Ever had that feeling that you were falling and unless you took the reigns there’d be catastrophic results? This is the enemy and his false you. God is asking you to let go. No matter who you are there is something that really excites you—sky diving, music, love stories. Notice that all of these (especially sky diving) have this sense of free falling.

Pray that God would challenge you in specific areas to let go of the reigns to your heart and future. Now… get ready to do it.

Read Acts 6:8-15 again and see the freedom that Stephen had through Christ—his true identity.