No longer will you be called Abram ; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. Genesis 17:5
Transitions are the in-between, it’s the period of changing from one state or one condition to another. It sometimes feels like being at the border of the promised land. You’re not in the wilderness but you’re not yet in possession of the promised land. It could also be the period where certain realities have been birthed in the spirit, but you’re awaiting their manifestation on the earth.
Transitions are sensitive times and your actions in this period can determine if you move forward into your promised land or turn back to the wilderness. Looking at stories of people who went through transitions in the bible, I have observed that their identity played an important role in stepping into or receiving their promised land. There has to be letting go of how you once saw yourself and embracing the identity that matches the new place to come into that new place.
When God was about to give Abraham a child, He first worked with Abraham to change his identity. Abraham had to move from seeing himself as childless to seeing himself as a father of many nations. God used the image of stars in the sky and a change of name to help enforce this new identity. With this new identity, Abraham could step into that reality.
When Israel got to the border of the promised land, they saw the land was good. They however could not go in because of an identity issue. They saw themselves as grasshoppers. The giants in the land were not the issue because if they saw themselves as warriors, conquerors, or people backed by God, they would have gone in. But they could not get into their promised land because they had not yet changed their identity
The woman with the issue of blood had spent all she had and yet was not healed. I’m so certain her identity had been one of a sick person because it had been 12 long years. However, when she heard about Jesus, something changed. The Bible says – she kept saying to herself, if I may but touch the hem of His garment, I will be made whole. With her words she began to change her identity, she started to change the image she had of herself. As she kept speaking to herself, I believe she started seeing herself touch Jesus and become whole. She was no longer the woman with the issue of blood but the woman who touched Jesus and was made whole. Once she took on a new identity, it was only a matter of time, before she finally stepped into that reality.
Gideon could not go up against the Midianites until he finally changed his identity, he moved from the weak Gideon who is the least in his family to the mighty man of Valor God called him. Until that happened he could not defeat the enemy and take the victory. He stayed in transition until that switch happened.
I believe for many reading this post, God is calling you to let go of your old identity and embrace the new. The old image of yourself was great and consistent with your old season, but God has brought you into a new season. Therefore, your new identity must be consistent with the New place. Some need to go from identifying as weak to identifying as strong. Some people need to start identifying as debt-free and financially independent regardless of their bank account. Some others need to start seeing themselves as healing evangelist, not just regular believer. For those in transition, the reason you may not have fully stepped in may be because like Gideon you have not fully let go of the old you and embraced the new you that God has made.
For every promise God has given you, you must receive and step into it internally before you can do so externally. Receiving God’s promise first alters your identity before your circumstances. You’re no longer in the wilderness, see yourself in the promised land. You are no longer a slave, you are now an owner, see yourself like one. Embrace the identity of the new and step fully into it.
