Identity is the most valuable part of us, and God wants to heal our perspective on who we are and what we are capable of. He's reminding us that "we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10 NKJV).
God's Invitation to Rise Into Our Identity
Identity answers the question "Who has God created me to be?" While destiny answers the question "What has God called me to do?"
Sometimes, we sense the pull of God's call toward our destiny, yet we feel conflicted. This is especially true in times of transition. If you relate to this, be encouraged: You don't have to strive to become someone else to fulfill your destiny. It's about rising into who God already says you are and who the Father has created you to be. Often, this healing journey unfolds over time. But sometimes He meets us in a single moment of grace and power.
The Staff I Leaned Upon
That's what happened to me recently, and I believe it contains a word in season for many. During a recent Sunday morning church service, the presence of God came upon me powerfully. He set me free from the identity of chronic illness. This was despite having received healing breakthroughs—the most recent was in May, when a fourteen-year condition was finally resolved! Yet it had become the "staff I leaned upon," the story of why I couldn't do things, a line of reasoning, and my comfort zone.
The week before, Dr. Clayton Coombs spoke about Moses' staff. He said, "A staff has been his security because it's been a weapon for protection... And I want to challenge you, what are the things that you find security in? What is it that you've been leaning on? Throw it to the ground."[1]
The Staff, the Serpent, and the Savior
The Holy Spirit used that image and the story of Moses to speak straight to my heart. As I closed my eyes during worship, I had an impression. It was I who had cast down my staff, and it turned into a serpent in front of me!
I thought uncomfortably, "I should pick this up, like the Lord told Moses."
Immediately, Jesus stepped towards me, with the serpent momentarily between us. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)
"Beloved, let Me take care of this," He said.
Jesus reached down and grasped the serpent, and I knew He had taken the sting.
Every Face Turned Toward the Cross
Suddenly, the vision changed. I was looking up at the bronze serpent on the pole, the one God told Moses to make (Numbers 21:5–9). I realized it represented the Cross and the judgment upon the serpent.
In this encounter, I stood in a crowd that was lit with gold. It was our church! Every eye was turned up, and every face was turned toward that pole—the Cross—for healing. One face stood out; it was that of a woman ahead of me. She was looking up in rapt attention.
It dawned on me: Jesus has taken care of the serpent and the sin! My authority is in His finished work, in His name. I heard Him say, "Presenting all that I Am," a statement from John 16:23 in the AMPC version that the Holy Spirit brought to my mind in that moment.
"And when that time comes, you will ask nothing of Me [you will need to ask Me no questions]. I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that My Father will grant you whatever you ask in My name [as presenting all that I Am]." (John 16:23 AMPC)
Linger in the Healing
As we transitioned out of worship, one of our pastors sensed we should linger. He said, "God is healing people of long-term illnesses." Suddenly, the power of everything I had just seen, and that word, all came together. I physically felt a rush of heat come upon me. Instantly, I knew I was healed! God set me free from the identity I'd been carrying.
It wasn't until a few days later that I realized the "woman in the crowd" was me.
3 Signs You Are in a Season of Identity Renewal
I believe many are in a similar place right now. God is inviting you to see yourselves through His eyes, to know who you are in His presence.
Here are three signs this is happening:
1. You're in Transition and It's Uncomfortable
During a transition, we're no longer at home in the old, but the new hasn't fully arrived. Like Gideon in Judges 6, we may feel unqualified. Perhaps you find yourself saying, "But Lord..." as you rehearse your history. But God is calling you to agree with His version of your story: "Go in the strength you have... Am I not sending you?" (Judges 6:14). (Photo via Unsplash)
2. Old Identity Labels No Longer Fit
During these times, even good labels or roles from the past begin to feel limiting. They served you once, but now they no longer fit who you're becoming. They may have defined you; others may have placed labels upon you, but you are chosen and loved, and God is calling you into freedom.
3. Your Limitations Feel More Real Than Your Calling
Sometimes, like Moses, we say, "But Lord, I can't..." And He responds with a promise of His presence: "I will be with you... always" (Exodus 3:12; Matthew 28:20). If your story has become your "staff"—your comfort zone or excuse—Jesus invites you to lay it down and to see with new eyes.
See Your Identity Through the Cross
The master key to understanding our identity is this: seeing ourselves through the Cross. Otherwise, we focus on our flaws, weaknesses, and failures instead of seeing His glory.
One day, God spoke to me: "Stop looking at the earthen vessel, and start seeing the golden vessel."
Healing comes as we view ourselves through the lens of Christ's finished work (Galatians 2:20).
Honor Jesus by Receiving His Work
What value do we place on His great sacrifice? We honor Jesus when we embrace not only who He is but what He has done for us personally. Your humanity and His redemption aren't a contradiction but a testimony to His grace and a source of great power (2 Corinthians 12:9). Jesus says, "It is finished! It is done." And so it is. You are known and called.
Today, know that you are loved unconditionally. You are a chosen vessel of His glory. And with His Spirit, you have all the ability you need.
Notes:
[1] "The Crown and the Sceptre" Sermon spoken by Dr. Clayton Coombs, Planetshakers Church, July 6, 2025.
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Helen Calder
Enliven Ministries
Email:Â helen@enlivenpublishing.com
Website:Â www.enlivenpublishing.com
Helen Calder is a prophetic minister and writer, and founder of Enliven Ministries, in the David McCracken Ministries family. Helen has a unique gift of equipping in the areas of prophetic ministry, discernment and prayer. She is known for Enliven Blog, an online prophetic training and mentoring resource that reaches thousands of people globally. Helen and her husband Malcolm are at home in Planetshakers Church, Melbourne, Australia.
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