CRUSHING IT

“The Truest Thing About You”
Pastor Dan Levy – January 28, 2024

Romans 12:2-3 – Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Matthew 3:13-17 – Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. But John tried to talk him out of it. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?” But Jesus said, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires. So John agreed to baptize him. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”


1. Your identity as God’s Beloved isn’t based on anything YOU COULD DO FOR GOD — it’s based on RECEIVING everything He’s done for you in Jesus.


1 John 3:1 – “See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!”

Romans 8:15 – So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”

Romans 8:38-39 – And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2. THE ENEMY’S AGENDA is to tempt you into believing that your sense of identity and worth is found in something other than God’s Word about you.

“Do not let your happiness depend on something you may lose.” - C.S. Lewis

Matthew 4:1-2 – Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

A. The enemy will tempt you into believing that your identity and worth is grounded in your PERFORMANCE.

Matthew 4:3-4 – The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

B. The enemy will tempt you into believing that your  identity and worth is grounded in the THOUGHTS and WORDS of OTHERS.

Matthew 4:5-7 – Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

C. The enemy will tempt you into believing that your identity and worth is grounded in what YOU HAVE.

Matthew 4:8-11 – Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.  “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

3. God is CALLING and EMPOWERING you to live in alignment with who you already are in Jesus.

• You live free because God has made you free (Gal 5:1).

• You live holy because you are holy (1 Cor 1:2).

• You live as a citizen of heaven, carrying the culture of heaven to earth because you are a citizen of heaven (Phil 3:20).

• You live as Christ’s ambassador because God made you Christ’s ambassador (2 Cor 5:20).

• You live as Christ’s witness because God made you Christ’s witness (Acts 1:8).

• You live with a renewed mind because you have the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16).

• You live like a new creation because God made you a new creation (2 Cor 5:17-21).

• You live like a child of God because God has made you His child (1 John 3:1).