Daniel 1:6-7, Psalm 139:14, 1 John 3:1

Carl Belcher encourages us to find our identity in God

Carl Belcher

Today we are coming in to land with part four of our series on Daniel - Going Above And Beyond.

We've already seen three attempts from the enemy to strategically subvert his destiny:

1. Isolate
2. Indoctrinate
3. Incite to indulge

The fourth attempt is the most blatant of them all, to impose an incorrect identity.

Daniel 1:6-7 says, 'Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.'

If he couldn't get Daniel and his mates to turn away from God by plucking them out of their families, teaching them evil practices and stirring up unhelpful desires, then the enemy would simply change their names to mirror what he wanted their lives focused on.

You see, names are important and even more so if you are Hebrew. Each name given to a Hebrew baby is not done lightly. Much time is spent praying and listening to hear what God wants to write into their identity and destiny. They indicate what sort of a person they are and will become, but also point to the one who created them.

When they were renamed, the Babylonians gave Daniel and his friends names that reflected the pagan gods that the Babylonians worshiped.

Daniel means 'God is my Judge', or 'acts in the name of God'; his name is changed to Belteshazzar, 'keeper of the hidden treasures of Bel'.
Hananiah means 'The grace of the Lord'; becomes Shadrach, the inspiration of the sun god.
Mishael means 'He that is the strong God'; becomes Meshach, of the goddess Shach.
Azariah means 'The Lord who helps me'; becomes Abed-nego, the servant of the shining fire god.

Subtle eh?! I guess the Babylonians hoped that if they called these young men by these new labels enough times, then Daniel and his friends would soon start to act like the labels they had been given. So how did Daniel overcome this?

Daniel refused to let the labels given by others effect his identity, but instead chose to let his identity be formed and revealed by God.

The Babylonians had changed his name, but they could not change his nature. Whatever they pleased to call him, he still retained the spirit of a child of the one true God. You see Daniel knew, really knew deep down in his soul who he was in relation to the one who had made him. When you know who you are in God, it doesn't matter what labels others try to stick on you. What God has to say about you is far more important than anything that anyone could ever possibly say about you. What God has to say about you is the truth and is eternal.

Maybe you've let others negative or hurtful remarks or opinions stick to you like labels and you've started to believe some of them. Maybe you've been living up 'til now for the acceptance or praise of others rather than let God speak over you your true identity.

Psalm 139:14 says, 'For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made'.

1 John 3:1 says, 'See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!'

I encourage you today to be still for a couple of minutes and to ask God to show you if you've allowed any labels to stick that He doesn't agree with. Then imagine yourself peeling them off and handing them over to God as you choose to forgive those who might have labelled you.

My prayer for you today is, 'may you let God's word reveal your true identity day by day. May you hunger for His affirming words and may you be able to help others find their true identity in Him'.