Lost Identity. Found Identity — Part 4 of 4

“And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ” Luke 15:31-32 NKJV.

We’ve looked at the prodigal son and his father, now let’s consider at the other son.

We read (see Luke 15:11-32) the full story of the prodigal son leaving home, he comes to himself, and returns to his father. His father welcomes him and reinstates him into the family, and then throws a big party for this lost some now returned.

The other son reacted to his father putting on a party for his brother, when he’d squandered his inheritance. The older son has all the attributes of an orphan spirit!  (See Luke 15:28, 29, 30).

The attributes (or someone without that sense of Identity and security and place with a father) include things like the following: they have a sense of fear, insecurity, competitiveness, impending doom. They need to get before you because there’s never enough, they have to fight for what they get, they are driven, they gather, retain and keep.

But notice what the father says to the older son.

And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. Luke 15:31 NKJV.

Here we have a wonderful explanation of two things we have received as part of our new Identity in Christ. We have the full rights of sonship.

1. Full access to the Father — Intimacy. Son, you are always with me.

The older son forgot what he had. He forget he always had the right of full access to his father. We do too! Whether we’re dirty or clean, good or bad, happy or sad, rich or poor, educated or not. This is what we always have, through Jesus Christ. Full, unhindered access to the Father.

This is the right of Sonship. Intimacy. Relationship.

Many struggle to have an intimate relationship with the Father. But you need to know this, there’s nothing you can do to change the fact that your access to Father God is already assured. Through the cross and the blood of Jesus.

The story is told about the great evangelist Billy Graham. During his lifetime, Billy Graham met with thirteen U.S. presidents. Commonly known as the “pastor to presidents,” many of the nation’s leaders looked to him for spiritual guidance and prayer, and thought of him as a good friend. But the story goes, that he was in the oval office one day meeting with the President. The phone rings, and it is Billy Graham’s son on the line. (How he got through we don’t know). Billy takes the call, and says to his son, “what is it son?” And his son says, “Dad, I just called because you said you’d always take my call”.

What a beautiful picture of our Heavenly Father. Yes, we have full and unhindered access to our Father and He will always take our call — prayer. He will always take your call, whatever form that takes. When we draw near to Him, He draws near to us. (James 4:8). There’s nothing stopping us from having an intimate relationship with God the Father, that’s His greatest desire for us. We can just hang out with Him, because He sure wants to hang out with us.

2. Full access to inheritance. All that I have is yours.

Not only did the older son have full access to the father, as did the younger son, but he also had full access to his father’s provision.

This is the one we struggle with too. Provision. We have access to all that belongs to the Father. The son’s lack of access to even a goat was not the father’s unwillingness to give it, but the son’s lack of asking for it.

But the big important things is here, that we pray, and come before Him, and hang out in His presence, as a son, and not as a slave or hired servant.

I heard a true story about a boy living in Europe and he loses his parents in a car crash. At nineteen years old he’s living as a prostitute, to get his next meal. He comes to Christ through the street ministry of some local Christians. He is water baptised. He grows in Christ.

The leaders of the ministry take him to the local city council, because years earlier the Communist rules of that country had been overthrown, and new laws were now in place meaning the assets of his parents were now his. He discovered he is now the owner of a multi-million dollar apartment right in the CBD of the city he was living in. But he always was. Ever since his parents died. He just didn’t know it, and lived as if he didn’t know it. But while living as a prostitute, he still had the full right as a son.

O how we need to discover the truth about who we are and what the Father has done for us. Let’s not live in ignorance concerning our true identity and our place in the Father’s house.

Do you know who you are!  Really? Oh the security of Father. Father gives peace, relationship, identity, security, intimacy and provision.

You need to know these things, that you absolutely have and are, as God’s son, God’s daughter.

1. You are God’s son, God’s daughter. As such, you’re an Heir of God.
2. You’re so loved by God; God the Father just loves you. He really does.
3. You have access to God; in Christ.
4. God is not angry with you.
5. There’s nothing you can do to earn your standing before the Father.
6. There’s nothing you can do to lose your standing before the Father.
7. There’s nothing you can do for God to love you more, nothing you can do for God to love you less.

And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17 NKJV.

This is my beloved son, this is my beloved daughter, in who I am well pleased.

Oh I wish I could just hug people sometimes, and declare over them the revelation of how much they are loved, and how much He has restored to them through Christ and His cross.

Identity lost. Identity found.

You are a beloved son. You are a beloved daughter. Think about that. Meditate on it. Dwell on it. Enjoy it. Serve from it. And let heartfelt worship spring from it.