Two of the biggest challenges we face in the world today is finding out who we are and understanding who we are. In other words, when we find out who God called us to be, we must then ask ourselves: what does that comprise of? What does that call look like from God’s perspective? Regardless of whatever call we may have, the first call for a born again Believer (one who follows the ways of Jesus Christ), is to righteousness, through Christ. Not what we as people consider righteous, but what God considers righteous. The Lord’s righteousness is the only way of being right in His eyesight. Furthermore, anything that is God-given, must be used for His glory, in order to be God-approved. Selah! Righteousness and holiness (through Christ) is the original intent of how we are suppose to live as Believers. That’s when our true identity comes into being. But before we get to that point, we must take off our grave clothes. You ask, what are our grave clothes? Our grave clothes are the spiritual and the physical things, experiences, ideologies, cultures, environments, and the like, that we put on and wear before discovering who we really are. Might I add, we don’t come into the knowing of who we are apart from God and being born again. And since God is the Sovereign Creator of mankind, He is also the only one Who is qualified to give us our true identity.
“For You formed my innermost parts; You knit me [together] in my mother’s womb.” PSALMS 139:13 AMP
In the book of John the eleventh chapter, Jesus called for Lazarus to come forth after being dead and decaying for four days. Lazarus came forth from the dead, wrapped and bound in grave-clothes and Jesus said, “ loose him, and let him go.” Lazarus was only dead for four days, but many of us have been spiritually dead for years, still wrapped and bound in grave-clothing. But GOD! He’s calling us all to be loosed from our grave-clothes (which I symbolically us to describe the deception of the enemy) that has overtaken us vicariously through wrong people and the indoctrinating systems of this world. It is vitally important for us to be who God called us to be and not the product of our environments, negative influences, or culture.
Moreover, when we do not live according to the ways of God, sin automatically clothes us in grave-clothes, which prepares us for death spiritually and physically. How do we know this? When sin has fully matured, it brings forth death (see James 1:13-15). In addition, Romans 6:23 says, “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ.” With that being said, when we are fully dressed in grave clothing (sin) we have fulfilled the enemy’s plan for our life and his reward is death spiritually, physically, and then eternally with him—Satan.
In order for us to be all of who God called us to be, we must turn to Him for everything and allow Him to strip us of our grave-clothes, in exchange for His righteous garments. That is how we become the people God created and called us to be. We can never go wrong by returning back to the manufacture (God) Who knows the product (all of humanity) that He created, better than anyone else. I conclude, becoming who we really are, starts with returning back to God so that He can give us His original intent for our existence.
Now that you have been given insight on this subject matter, where in your life are you still wearing grave clothes? Selah! Pause and calmly think about that... Once you’ve figured it out and are now ready to have your grave clothes removed: repent, turn or return back to God, and allow Him to give you a robe of righteousness in exchange for your grave clothes.
- Michael Moorer
Additional scripture references:
Ephesians 4:22-24
Acts 3:19-20
Romans 13:14
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