Hello and welcome to Pathway to Freedom by the Life by Design. I'm your host, Virireader Harry, also known as Vee, and I'm so glad you're here. This podcast is a space for us to uncover God's original blueprint for life so you can walk in the freedom he intended for you from the very beginning. Each week we'll explore faith, family, finances, health, purpose, and much more. Why? Because you were created in his image on purpose and for purpose. Be sure to follow so you never miss an episode. Hi, my name is Virireader, but feel free to call me Vee. I am so glad you're here. This space is about learning to live free, grounded in truth, anchored in faith, and aligned with who God created you to be. Each episode is a journey toward wholeness, renewal, and deeper understanding in Christ. Welcome to Pathway to Freedom by the Life by Design. I'm truly honored to have you with me today, and I am super excited. We are beginning a powerful four-part series called Your True Identity. And the truth is, many of us have been living under labels that never came from God. Labels handed to us by culture, by our past, by people, and even by our own thoughts. But God's word tells us a different story, one rooted in truth, in purpose, and freedom. Today, in part one, identity in God versus identity in the world, we're going to be exploring how the identity you embrace shapes every part of your life, your health, your finances, your career, your relationships, and even your sense of value. So if you're ready to release the labels that were never meant to define you and step into who God says you are, you're in the right place. Let's walk this journey together. We're gonna begin at the very beginning, Genesis chapter 1, verse 27. So God created mankind in his own image. In the image of God, he created them. Male and female, he created them. Listen to that. See, your identity begins right here in the image of God, not in what you do, not in your relationship status, not in your weight, not in your personality color. I'm a red, I'm green, I'm blue. You know what I'm talking about. That label, not in what you have, not in what you have been through, not in the mistakes you've made, not in the roles you hold. Identity begins in creation, not performance. Being made in his image means you carry his nature, reflect his heart, reveal his character, and walk in his authority. We were designed for relationship, not religion. To live as beloved sons and daughters, to live in intimacy with the Father, our Creator. But here's where many of us get tripped up. We hear the word the world and immediately think of people, culture, or the physical creation around us. Yet that's not what scripture is talking about at all. This part is truly important in understanding identity and how it all comes together. Understanding our identity also means recognizing the influence that tried to shape it. So before we go deeper, let's slow down for a moment and look carefully at what the Bible truly means when it uses the word the world. Because the definition the definition may surprise you, and it matters deeply how you see yourself. When scripture talks about the world, it's referring to a system, a mindset shaped by the fall, a way of thinking rooted in self-reliance and striving, fueled by fear, comparison, and performance, a pattern of living that leaves God out. A system based on self-effort, pride, pressure, people pleasing, proving yourself, earning your worth. The world says do more, be more, earn more, impress more. But God says, You are mine, you are loved, you are chosen, you are enough because of me. It's a mindset shaped by sin, striving, and human effort apart from God. It's a system that measures identity by what you do, what you have, and who approves of you. Scripture reminds us in 1 John chapter 2, verses 15 through 16. Do not love the world or anything in the world, for everything in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life comes not from the Father, but from the world. So when the Bible warns us about the world, it's gently inviting us to let go of a false system and return to the truth of who we already are in Christ. Loved, secured, and defined by our Father, not by culture. What the world says versus what God says. The world hands us identities all the time, and often we repeat them over ourselves without even realizing it. Maybe you said things like, you know, I'm always anxious, that's just who I am. I never follow through. I am a procrastinator. I have to keep going. I'm a workaholic. Sometimes it feels like the pain I've experienced has permanently disqualified me from ever being whole or fully restored. It is what it is. I'm nothing special. I am just average. I feel like who I am is measured by how much I work, how well I perform, or how successful others think I am. I am only as valuable as my work, my performance, and how others see me. It feels like no matter how much I grow or change, my past is the loudest voice trying to tell me who I am. I am defined by my past and I can never rise above it. These become labels that shape how we see ourselves and how we behave. You see that? You get it? You see, if I say I'm a warrior, then I'll live in anxiety. If I say I'm a procrastinator, I'll stay stuck. Remember, I can't never get nothing done. If I say I'm a workaholic, I'll justify burnout instead of rest. But here's the truth those are not your God-given identities. They are false labels. Romans chapter 8, verses 15 through 16 tells us, you received God's spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him Abba Father, for his spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children. God never calls you a warrior, he calls you his child. God never calls you a procrastinator. He says you are equipped for every good work. God never calls you a workaholic, he invites you to rest in him. You are not defined by what you do or by the labels you've worn. You are defined by who he says you are. Let's go over a few areas of life and just kind of, you know, look at the different examples. Let's look at health. The world says your body image defines your worth, but God says your body is his temple. That means we don't punish ourselves with food or let cravings control us. We choose health as an act of honor. Man shall not live by bread alone, reminds us that food doesn't own us. Our life is sustained by God. Let's look at wealth. The world says money equals status, but your identity in Christ says you are a steward. You don't have to compare yourself to anyone else's lifestyle. Instead, you walk in wisdom, knowing God supplies all of your needs and equips you to manage wealth with kingdom purpose. Let's look at career. The world tells you that your title, your resume, or your achievements define you. But in Christ, you are more than your job description. You are called, gifted, and equipped. Work becomes worship, not a treadmill of proving yourself. Let's look at relationships. The world says your worth depends on how many people like you or if you're accepted. But God says you are already chosen, already loved, already enough. Identity gives you the freedom to stop people pleasing and start building real healthy connections. Let's look at value, the heart of it all. At the end of the day, the world will always try to attach your value to performance, possessions, or popularity. But God says your value was settled at the cross. Nothing you add can make him love you more, and nothing you lose can make him love you less. As we step back from everything we've explored today, I want to give you a moment to look inward with God. So as you listen to these reflection questions, let them help you search your heart, realign with truth, and recognize where the world has been influencing you and where God is calling you higher. Please take your time and don't rush through these reflection questions. Number one, where have I been letting the world define me in health, wealth, career, or relationships or any other part of your life? Here's some food for thought. Am I allowing culture, comparison, or other people's expectations to tell me who I should be? Instead of letting God's word anchor my identity? Have I mistaken spiritual activity for intimacy, filling my schedule with things for God while missing the invitation to actually walk with Him? Number two, what false label do I need to let go of today? Food for thought. Am I clinging to labels that were formed in hurt, pressure, or past experiences? Names like disappointing to God, I'm barely saved, always messing up, I'm the strong one who can't fall apart, the one who has to hold everything together, or even life is harder for me because my father abandoned me and I never had a father figure. And in holding on to these labels, have I been trying to prove myself, push through alone, or caring more than God ever intended? Instead of resting in the truth of who I truly am in Christ and the identity He freely gives me. Number three, what does it mean for me to live as someone created in God's image? Food for thought. If I truly am created in God's image, does my faith shape the hidden parts of my life as much as the visible ones? Or only the moments people see? Let me say that again. Does my faith shape the hidden parts of my life as much as the visible ones? Or only the moments that people can see? Are my choices flowing from love, gratitude, and a desire to honor God? Or from fear, guilt, or the pressure to appear put together? What would shift in my daily life if I lived with the awareness that His presence goes with me everywhere, not just into the church building? In closing, identity is not something you earn or achieve, it's something you receive. And when you live from that truth, every area of your life begins to shift. This week I challenge you. Write down one area of your life where you've been believing the world's definition and replace it with what God says about you. And if this message spoke to you, don't keep it to yourself. Share this episode with someone who needs a reminder of who they are in Christ. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss part two of this series, breaking free from false labels and lies. Thank you for tuning in to the Pathway to Freedom by the Life by Design, where we rediscover God's original blueprint for our lives because you were created in his image on purpose and for purpose. Until next time, walk boldly in his design. If today's episode encouraged you, be sure to like, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs this message. Until next time, walk boldly in his design and embrace the freedom he intended for you.