This message was preached by me, Pastor Mike, at Life Springs Christian Church on October 22, 2023. I want to walk you through what God says about your identity, using stories, scripture, and everyday analogies (yes—sometimes from my job at a car dealership). My hope is that by the end you’ll move from a “green pea” — new and unsure — toward the fullness of who God made you to be.
Outline
- From Green Pea to the Fullness of God
- The dealership analogy: new hires and new believers
- The church as a training ground to equip the saints
- The enslaved prince story: remembering your royal identity
- Scriptures that declare who you are in Christ
- How to assimilate into the kingdom and disciple new believers
- Practical next steps: live out your identity as the “bait” God uses
From Green Pea to the Fullness of God
We all start somewhere. In the church we sometimes call a brand-new person a “green pea”—someone fresh to the faith, a new hire in the kingdom. Being new doesn’t mean you stay small. Ephesians 3:19 (NLT) says,
“May you experience the love of Christ — though it is too great to understand fully — and may you be filled with all the fullness of God.”
That’s the goal: not just knowledge, but the full life and power that comes from God.
Whether you’ve been a believer for decades or you just prayed to receive Jesus, God has more for you. Old things have passed away; there’s a path prepared beforehand for you to walk into the good life God designed.
The Dealership Analogy: New Hires and New Believers
I work at a car dealership, and there are two kinds of new hires: those without sales experience and those who have experience but don’t know how a particular dealership runs. The kingdom is similar. There are people who know a lot about religious language and scripture but haven’t taken time to assimilate into the culture and mission of the church.
If we treat the church as a club, we miss our purpose. The church is a training ground. We are called to equip one another so that we can go out and impact our families, workplaces, and our city. Discipleship isn’t optional. If we bring new people into the family and leave them to “sink or swim,” we fail them and the mission.
The Church’s Role: Equipping the Saints
Ephesians 4:10–13 lays out why God gives gifts to the church:
“He gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”
We are not a passive gathering. The church exists to equip and perfect the saints so each person can serve. No part is unimportant. We need the head, the hands, the feet—every member functioning together.
The Enslaved Prince: A Story About Identity
I shared a story about a child born into a glorious kingdom who was kidnapped, enslaved, and raised believing he was nothing. The child cried out, sensing there was more, but everyone around him told him that his cage was his life. Years later his brother, an heir, found him, set him free, and brought him home. The child had royalty in his blood, but he didn’t know how to receive it: he ate off the floor at feasts, slept on the hard floor of a luxurious chamber, and had nightmares of chains.
The father and the kingdom then patiently trained him in sonship—teaching him how to eat at a table, how to wear his robe, how to walk and carry himself as royalty. This story mirrors many of us: freedom came, but the mind and habits formed in captivity still need healing and instruction. We must be taught to walk in our inheritance.
Who God Says You Are
Scripture is relentless in reminding us who we are in Christ. Here are some of the truths I emphasized:
- We are God’s workmanship — his masterwork, created in Christ Jesus, reborn and renewed (Ephesians 2).
- God chose us before the foundation of the world and blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1).
- In Christ we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins, and the sealing of the Holy Spirit—a guarantee of our inheritance.
Too often the world, and even our past, tries to tell us who we are. The Christian life is a daily renewing of the mind—choosing to believe what God’s Word says about us rather than what we feel or what our past whispers. Romans tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. That begins when we get the Word into us and let it change how we think.
Assimilating to the Kingdom of God
Some people can recite scripture or have memorized “scripts” for spiritual conversations, but is the Word changing them? Assimilation into the kingdom means adopting its culture—its ways, values, and mission. Part of that involves:
- Being trained and discipled by mature believers.
- Allowing the church to correct and teach with grace.
- Actively serving so gifts are exercised in unity.
We must be intentional about training new believers, not merely celebrating the numbers. Discipleship is the practical outworking of love for the newcomer.
The Church as the Body of Christ
The church is not the building; the church is the people—imperfect, diverse, and called to reproduce the life of Christ. Our vision is to be a community that restores the world by reproducing Christ’s life through imperfect people, growing in grace and serving by the Spirit. That means every one of us has a role and a responsibility to equip, encourage, and send one another out.
God Is Moving — Men Returning, Kids Growing
There’s a fresh stir of God in our day. I’m seeing kids come alive in ministry and more men stepping into their roles as spiritual leaders in homes and churches. Revival shows up in ordinary places—on social media, in podcasts, and in local gatherings. The important thing is that we keep stoking the fire. The Old Testament priests kept the fire burning continually—so should we. People around you are counting on the flame in your life.
The Kingdom Is for the Brave
The Christian walk is not for the faint of heart. There will be trials, disappointments, and attacks. When you decide to follow Jesus fully, it’s not a part-time trial run. Go all in. Learn the principles of the kingdom. Stand firm. There is reward, influence, and a harvest of lives as you press in.
You Are the Bait for Souls
One final picture: God is the fisherman; we are the bait. Yes — you are the bait. The way you live, speak, and carry the presence of Jesus attracts people. You and I attract different people because God made us distinct. But every believer is strategically placed to draw souls. This isn’t a burden; it’s an invitation to trust God to use your life to catch others for Him.
Practical Steps to Live Your Identity
- Read and memorize scripture that declares your identity (Ephesians, Romans, Hebrews).
- Find a discipling relationship—either as disciple or discipler.
- Serve consistently in your local church; it’s the primary place you’ll be equipped.
- Live as the presence of Jesus in your workplace, home, and neighborhood—be the bait.
- Stay committed. The Christian life is a transformation over time, not a one-off moment.
Conclusion — A Final Encouragement
God doesn’t judge you by your past; He’s concerned with your future in Him. You are a saint, a child of the King, chosen and blessed with every spiritual blessing. If you feel like that enslaved child in the story—confused about how to live in freedom—know this: the Father is patient to teach you, and the church is here to help you learn sonship.
Amen. Let’s be a people who disciple well, who burn with God’s presence, and who go out as the bait God uses to attract the lost. Be encouraged: your identity in Christ is real, durable, and transformative.
Prayer: Father, thank you for the truth of who you’ve made us to be. Help us to receive our identity in Christ, to be trained and to train others, and to carry your presence into the world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
