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Identity Crisis

“God said to me,
‘If an apple tree dies before it has produced apples, what do you call it?
It is still an apple tree.
So if I say you’re powerful—if you’ve never done acts of power, does that mean you’re not powerful?’

That’s what helped me to begin to believe, was to realize, ‘Oh, I need to get my identity from what I was created to be, not from what I’ve become.’

I had four years of being told that I was supposed to write. And I’m like, ‘I can’t write a book. I’ve never done that before.’

But I was making declarations: ‘I write books, I write books,’ and still, a couple years went by, and He said, ‘I want you to change that.’ And I’m like, ‘What do you mean?’ And He goes, ‘I want you to start declaring you’re an author.’

And I argued, ‘I am declaring what I want to do.’ And He said, ‘No, I want you to declare what you are.’ And He said, ‘If you die before you write a book, in heaven, you’ll be known as an author—that didn’t produce what you were created to do.’”
— Wendy Backlund

Most of us don’t have an effort problem. We have an identity problem.

We keep asking outcomes for permission: “Once I do it, then I’ll be it.”
But Scripture flips the order: God names what you are before you have evidence. An apple tree is an apple tree before apples ever show up.

That’s exactly what happened with Abraham. God called him “father of many nations” while his arms were still empty—calling things that were not as though they were (Romans 4:17)[1]. God wasn’t playing pretend. He was establishing an identity that would reshape behavior.

When you believe what God calls you, you start living like it’s true. And living like it’s true changes what you feed, what you starve, what you practice, and what you refuse to tolerate.

If you keep waiting for fruit to prove the tree, you can die with a calling you never fulfill or enjoy.

Let's make it practical:
Write one sentence that starts with “I am…” aligned with God’s Word (not your emotions), then take one small action today that a person with that identity would take.
Not someday. Today.

Now bring it home where the fight actually is:
If you’re in Christ, your struggle is real—but your old identity is not.
Stop thinking, “I’m going to struggle with this.” That’s not humility. That’s unbelief wearing a church hat.

Core declarations (start here):

A Hard Truth

If you don’t believe God’s Word because you don’t feel it yet, you’ve quietly made your feelings lord and asked Jesus to wait outside until your emotions vote Him in.

This is not about "name it and claim it" faith that declares what you want and seeks to manifest your desires in the world. That is presumptuous carnality. Far from it, this is about standing on what God has already declared to be true—even before you accept and believe it to be true. I am calling for us to recognize God's truth about us and to declare to ourselves and the world that we choose to walk in that truth.

Declaration:
“Lord, I agree with Your Word about me—
over my feelings, my history, and my habits.”

Do you dare to believe?

FOOTNOTES:

  1. Romans 4:17 — “(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.” ↩︎

  2. Romans 6:14 — “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” ↩︎

  3. 2 Corinthians 5:17 — “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” ↩︎

  4. Romans 8:1 — “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” ↩︎

  5. Ephesians 1:6 — “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” ↩︎

  6. John 1:12 — “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” ↩︎

  7. 1 John 3:1 — “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.” ↩︎

  8. Colossians 3:12 — “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;” ↩︎

  9. 1 Peter 2:9 — “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;” ↩︎ ↩︎

  10. 2 Corinthians 5:21 — “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” ↩︎

  11. 1 Corinthians 6:11 — “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” ↩︎ ↩︎

  12. Ephesians 2:10 — “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” ↩︎

  13. Ephesians 2:6 — “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:” ↩︎

  14. Philippians 3:20 — “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:” ↩︎

  15. 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 — “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” ↩︎ ↩︎

  16. Romans 8:17 — “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” ↩︎

  17. Colossians 2:10 — “And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” ↩︎

  18. Romans 6:11 — “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” ↩︎

  19. Romans 6:6 — “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” ↩︎

  20. Romans 6:18 — “Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.” ↩︎

  21. Colossians 1:13 — “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:” ↩︎

  22. Ephesians 1:7 — “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” ↩︎

  23. Colossians 2:13 — “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;” ↩︎

  24. 1 John 1:9 — “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” ↩︎

  25. Romans 8:9 — “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” ↩︎

  26. Romans 8:14 — “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” ↩︎

  27. Ephesians 3:16 — “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;” ↩︎

  28. 2 Timothy 1:7 — “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” ↩︎

  29. Romans 12:2 — “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” ↩︎

  30. 1 Corinthians 2:16 — “For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” ↩︎

  31. Philippians 4:7 — “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” ↩︎

  32. 1 Peter 1:5 — “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” ↩︎

  33. Romans 8:37 — “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” ↩︎

  34. Psalm 23:1 — “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” ↩︎

  35. 1 Peter 5:7 — “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” ↩︎

  36. Isaiah 41:10 — “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” ↩︎

  37. Psalm 46:1 — “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” ↩︎

  38. 1 John 4:4 — “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” ↩︎

  39. 1 John 5:4–5 — “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” ↩︎

  40. 2 Corinthians 2:14 — “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.” ↩︎

  41. 2 Corinthians 5:20 — “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.” ↩︎

  42. Matthew 5:14 — “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.” ↩︎

  43. Acts 1:8 — “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” ↩︎