KINGDOM CULTURE: Part 3 – IDENTITY (Notes)
Jesus walked up the Mount of Olives near the city where he spent the night. 2 Then at dawn Jesus appeared in the temple courts again, and soon all the people gathered around to listen to his words, so he sat down and taught them. 3 Then in the middle of his teaching, the religious scholars and the Pharisees broke through the crowd and brought a woman who had been caught in the act of committing adultery and made her stand in the middle of everyone.4 Then they said to Jesus, “Teacher, we caught this woman in the very act of adultery. 5 Doesn’t Moses’ law command us to stone to death a woman like this? Tell us, what do you say we should do with her?” 6 They were only testing Jesus because they hoped to trap him with his own words and accuse him of breaking the laws of Moses.But Jesus didn’t answer them. Instead he simply bent down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 Angry, they kept insisting that he answer their question, so Jesus stood up and looked at them and said, “Let’s have the man who has never had a sinful desire throw the first stone at her.” 8 And then he bent over again and wrote some more words in the dust. 9 Upon hearing that, her accusers slowly left the crowd one at a time, beginning with the oldest to the youngest, with a convicted conscience. 10 Until finally, Jesus was left alone with the woman still standing there in front of him. So he stood back up and said to her, “Dear woman, where are your accusers? Is there no one here to condemn you?” 11 Looking around, she replied, “I see no one, Lord.”Jesus said, “Then I certainly don’t condemn you either. Go, and from now on, be free from a life of sin.”
John 8:1-11 (TPT)
24 Jesus went with him, and the huge crowd followed, pressing in on him from all sides.25 Now, in the crowd that day was a woman who had suffered horribly from continual bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had endured a great deal under the care of various doctors, yet in spite of spending all she had on their treatments, she was not getting better, but worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus’ healing power, she pushed through the crowd and came up from behind him and touched his prayer shawl. 28 For she kept saying to herself, “If only I could touch his clothes, I know I will be healed.” 29 As soon as her hand touched him, her bleeding immediately stopped! She knew it, for she could feel her body instantly being healed of her disease!30 Jesus knew at once that someone had touched him, for he felt the power that always surged around him had passed through him for someone to be healed. He turned and spoke to the crowd, saying, “Who touched my clothes?”31 His disciples answered, “What do you mean, who touched you? Look at this huge crowd—they’re all pressing up against you.” 32 But Jesus’ eyes swept across the crowd, looking for the one who had touched him for healing.33 When the woman who experienced this miracle realized what had happened to her, she came before him, trembling with fear, and threw herself down at his feet, saying, “I was the one who touched you.” And she told him her story of what had just happened.34 Then Jesus said to her, “Daughter, because you dared to believe, your faith has healed you. Go with peace in your heart, and be free from your suffering!”
Mark 5:24-34 (TPT)
Woman at the well – race
Woman in adultery – sin
Woman with issue of blood – sickness
- Shame
- Division
- Fear
Jesus’ response was –
- Intentional
- Compassionate
- Powerful
Identity declarations
- Jesus won absolute victory for me! I am forgiven and free from the enemy’s power. I no longer live under shame and condemnation.
- I have been adopted as royalty into God’s family! I have authority and access to all of God’s resources for the sake of the world.
- I am a new creation! I am not merely a sinner saved by grace. I am a saint!
- I am a joyful servant, trusted friend and beloved child of God!
- Today I will live in freedom, blessings and abundant life!
But the one whose heart is open let him listen carefully to what the Spirit is presently saying to all the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will let him feast on the hidden manna and give him a shining white stone. And written upon the white stone is inscribed his new name, known only to the one who receives it.
Rev. 2:17 (TPT)
