Why I Love to Begin with the Identity Message

I’ll start with an inspiration from Ellen White:

In order to strengthen our confidence in God, Christ teaches us to address Him by a new name, a name entwined with the dearest associations of the human heart. He gives us the privilege of calling the infinite God our Father. This name, spoken to Him and of Him, is a sign of our love and trust toward Him, and a pledge of His regard and relationship to us. Spoken when asking His favor or blessing, it is as music in His ears. That we might not think it presumption to call Him by this name, He has repeated it again and again. He desires us to become familiar with the appellation. {COL 141.4} 

The Savior’s words, “Ye are the light of the world,” point to the fact that He has committed to His followers a world-wide mission. (MB 42.2)

It is thus that God’s purpose in calling His people, from Abraham on the plains of Mesopotamia to us in this age, is to reach its fulfillment. He says, “I will bless thee, ... and thou shalt be a blessing.” Genesis 12:2. (MB 43.1)

Although the work has not advanced as it should have advanced, yet that which has been accomplished affords reason for gratitude and ground for encouragement. The results are indeed surprising since our missionary success has been fully proportionate to our self-denying, self-sacrificing effort. God alone can estimate the work accomplished as the gospel message has been proclaimed in clear, straight lines. New fields have been entered, and aggressive work has been done. The seeds of truth have been sown, the light has flashed upon many minds, bringing enlarged views of God and a more correct estimate as to the character to be formed. Thousands have been brought to a knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus. They have been imbued with the faith that works by love and purifies the soul. (6T 28.1)

The work above all work, the business above all others which should draw and engage the energies of the soul, is the work of saving souls for whom Christ has died. This the main important work of our life. I urge you too to make it your special life-work. Cooperate with Christ in this grand and noble work. (YI May 4, 1893)

A great lesson is learned when we understand our relation to God, and His relation to us. This happened to me when the identity message of freedom came through the servant of the Lord, Adrian EBENS. It has made me keep on meditating on the love of God and His Son each day. The message in Rev 3:21 {To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne} became clearer to me.

In Christ through His Spirit, we can overcome sin. Many times before I had said to myself that I cannot and will never overcome a weakness. After understanding clearer about my identity, that I am accepted as I am and there is no need to prove it, no pressure to perform, I reaped the reward by resting in a loving relationship with Christ.

I do not have the capacity to find this beautiful kingdom, but there is One who has shown us the way: Jesus Christ the Son of God. It is He who defines our value from His own assessment of us – that we were worth saving – and His love for us causes us to recognize that we are accepted in the Beloved. What a privilege, that our Father thinks of us more than we can imagine:

Psalms 40:5 Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered. 

There are lots of Gods children out there who would love to hear this message. This message came to me at the appointed time and it has been my aim to share it – especially during this Covid season where things are difficult and people are facing lots of discouragements which has left many wondering if anyone cares. Someone out there is awaiting to hear a message of the Source of complete hope, peace, joy, love and care. It’s as a result of living independently from God that there are lots of struggles in our lives.

I chose to believe the love of Our Father, which made me also believe that I’m called to share the same message of love as a missionary. By believing God I obtained a blessing, just as Abraham believed and obtained blessings too. It began to manifest when I was engaged in God’s work as a colporteur in Maranatha Media and obtained first guidance from Emmah, Danutasn Brown, Adrian, Ben, and later on from Elder Tony Pace, Borislav and Colin. This was to answer the call: “Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”

If there is one work more important than another, it is that of getting our publications before the public, thus leading them to search the Scriptures. Missionary work—introducing our publications into families, conversing, and praying with and for them—is a good work and one which will educate men and women to do pastoral labor. {4T 390.1}

Once a person has fully understood what defines him, he will always meditate on that out of love, not by force. Knowing and believing that we are sons and daughters of God through Christ as our representative, this will always draw us to His love. We are understood and forgiven for our original nature before we ask – it is God’s aim that we realize that. Our Father seeks that we continually improve and not stay in one place, that through and in His beloved begotten son, we day-by-day, moment-by-moment, come to reflect His character….by overcoming temptation and ‘’go sin no more’’.  

This is important since it would open ways by which people would learn of Christ with the right mindset. It relieves stubbornness in us. This has been the way God showed me so that I could then share other subjects, always having in mind that:

Every soul is as fully known to Jesus as if he were the only one for whom the Savior died. The distress of every one touches His heart. The cry for aid reaches His ear. He came to draw all men unto Himself. He bids them, “Follow Me,” and His Spirit moves upon their hearts to draw them to come to Him. Many refuse to be drawn. Jesus knows who they are. He also knows who gladly hear His call, and are ready to come under His pastoral care. He says, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” He cares for each one as if there were not another on the face of the earth. {DA 480.1}

It is not the fear of punishment, or the hope of everlasting reward, that leads the disciples of Christ to follow Him. They behold the Savior’s matchless love, revealed throughout His pilgrimage on earth, from the manger of Bethlehem to Calvary’s cross, and the sight of Him attracts, it softens and subdues the soul. Love awakens in the heart of the beholders. They hear His voice, and they follow Him. {DA 480.3}

When the Spirit of the Lord is leading you to share the message, you will discern people’s reaction towards the message. Since “Christ is the source of every right impulse”: joy, happiness, moment sof calm and peace, loving expressions - there is a positive vibration. (RH April 1, 1890)

What comes out from the mouth of Jesus is significant and Paul terms it as a "sword".

Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

God has provided a guard in His word for our own protection so to avoid any harm. This is inclusive of the words we hear. The Sword has two edges where one edge defends, comforts, encourages and the other edge exposes to us our nature and points us to Jesus for help. This outlines the healing and the exposing cut.

Allan teaching Rev 14 - Who is judging who?

In as much as God desires us to know the truth as it is in Jesus, He will never force anyone against their conscience. This has been an experience I encountered from some people who stick much more to the traditions of religion than the Gospel of relief. It saddens that many do not love the light, which will always result in the withdrawal of God's spirit when we divorce ourselves from it. This has left many people trying to earn salvation by works, always feeling the burden of salvation whereas freedom is available but they don't want to accept it in heart.

We feel totally forsaken and alone when we carry our own burden of sins. Those that have been open have felt relief and have responded to the call in Mathew 11:28-30 "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavily burdened, take my yoke upon you {do the work I give you}, and learn of me {to learn of him is the work}; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. 

After sharing identity message, many people seemed refreshed, happy and have a jovial face. They would contribute and ask more positive questions, which resulted to issuing a book to read further for themselves. This reaction was as a result of showing them we are all loved equally and there is no condemnation from God. It is the Word of the Father that determines reality, and that’s why Jesus said we must live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Later on, when I shared the Divine Pattern aspect to those whom I have already shared the identity message with, it’s so amazing that the room is so conducive for a study: some making notes, others raising hands for repetition of references from the study. This has been quite the opposite from what I had experienced before when I shared about God’s identity. They were a bit repulsed before, but this time it was a wonderful blessing indeed from our Father.

The same positive results are experienced wherever I share this message in this recommended way; online or offline, even to our Sunday friends. I would really encourage fellow missionaries to first help people answer these two vital questions confidently:

1. Are they children of God simply because God has revealed it to them?  or
2. Are they a child of God through their skills and ability to impress God so to win His favor?

I would urge you to draw on the identity message to give you the confidence to share this message. Even when rejection comes, you won't take it personally. You'll be encouraged to see the need of more prayers to the beloved. And the fascinating thing is that Our Father is always ready to hear from His children each and every time. Go to Him by Faith and expect His Word to do what it has promised to do. Amen

Patience is one of the virtues I have embraced as one of the fruits of the Spirit. We need to give time to our brethren as we share this message with them to contemplate.

As a Sower of Gospel seed, you and I are not responsible for the kind of soil our seed falls into. We cannot even judge the condition of the soil because we cannot see into the heart of it. This was a huge lesson from the Parable of the Sower and the seed (Matthew 13:1-23).

The entire passage found in 1 John 4:7-21 speaks of God's loving nature.  God is not merely loving; He is love.  He is the source of love. There is nothing - physical or emotional - that can separate us from the love of our Lord.  {Romans 8:35, 38-39}.

 The ultimate expression of His love is found in the New Testament – God sending His Son into the world: "God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believed in Him should not perish but have eternal life" John 3:16.

This I believe is the foundation we need to lay first since it’s “only by love that love is awakened’’. This has created many opportunities for me to share on other different subjects because it will be spoken out of love since ‘’by beholding the character of God, we become changed by it.’’  The message - ‘’as the will of man cooperates with the will of God, it becomes omnipotent’’ - made me to understand that when man decides in heart to cooperate with God, he is given power to overcome the sin which has affected us, including overcoming our negative thinking.

This woman is a Sunday church Pastor, and she is sharing with her pastor friends

I recognize any church as a potential place to share this message, and meet God’s children wherever I am able. When sharing a message to people, at times we may feel angry, develop hatred, frustrations, wondering how could they not "get it" and not agree with you.... Tough indeed, and this is where we need character development first: with patience, long-suffering, understanding, appreciation, respect and love, humbleness and humility and prayers in greater measure to do this work.

Imagine God –  how He must sigh at our blindness/ignorance and still offer tenderest pity, saying "children" I will not forsake you; not one do I desire to perish. He will fight to gather the last lost sheep. And Paul says:

Phil 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus

Jesus came and lived a life that we should learn from. His character should be our character; loving, forgiving, caring, obedient, as He was, and is.

We must give our personal testimony, our personal relationship, our victories gained through Him alone. High knowledge is no match for wisdom that affirms Scripture, and that wisdom is developed in cultivating a very special relationship with Our Father, through the Beloved Begotten Son whom, along with Holy Angels, sing joyful praises and thanks extolling His character of love. All good things for all His Children.

Once people experience this freedom for themselves, they begin to long to share this message through witnessing or giving a book.

We are not to convince anyone of any one thing. We are all created as free moral agents. We recognize that force – through inflammatory debate, contested argument, compulsion, my way or no way – develops into coercion, intimidation, then into threats ... it's not Christ’s way.

The solemn appeal would be:

“Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Am I in any way disregarding the divine precepts? Am I in any way placing my influence on the enemy’s side? Am I showing a careless disregard of God’s commandments? Am I willing to yoke up with Christ, to lift the burdens, and to be a co-laborer with You? Am I studying out possible excuses for neglecting obedience to a Thus saith the Lord? Am I risking the consequences of neglect to obey the clearly revealed precepts of Jehovah because I am not willing to come out from the world and be separate?” (OFC 158.4)

The message revealed to us is to have the mind of Christ, surrendering ourselves to God, saying, “‘Here, Lord, I give myself away; ‘tis all that I can do.’  The Gospel message revealed in the life of Jesus: manna from heaven which is the sustaining word, is truly good news.

I believe that the world needs entirely this message of God’s true identity and position of His Son, His loving character and the appointed times He meets and blesses His children in great measure. But I love to begin with the identity message, so these other truths can be received in the right spirit – without pride, rancor, and mistrust.

Prayer has been my daily essential need, for the seeds sown all over in different ways. Let’s keep praying for souls and missionaries.

Blessings. Allan

https://maranathamedia.com/book/view/identity-wars