Purity of Heart: The Key to Revival - Part 2 - David Mitts

Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?

And who may stand in His holy place?

4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,

Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood

And has not sworn deceitfully.

5 He shall receive a blessing from the LORD 

And righteousness from the God of his salvation.

6 This is the generation of those who seek Him,

Who seek Your face—even Jacob. Selah.

 (Psalms 24:3-6 (NASB))

Last week we began looking at and pressing in for a breakthrough in the condition of our hearts that bring us into the Presence of the Lord.

We spoke about “lifting up our soul to falsehoods”.  I want to plunge a little deeper into this topic.  The Hebrew word translated as “lifting up” is “nasah”.  This is an ancient Hebrew word root that has been translated as many things from “to bear”, “To be married”, to carry, etc.  The word picture is of a seed and a thorn.  The idea in the word picture is of a generational thorn or wound, an iniquity.  This gives the impression that we carry falsehoods in our souls that we have inherited from our seed bearers. 

There are many “family secrets” that are falsehoods that we carry in our souls.

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The “sworn deceitfully” is also very revealing.  To swear is to “Sheva” or to “7”.  It is a covenant or oath.  Deceitfully, refers to a high place, or a false authority.  The Hebrew word is “mirmah” which is derived from the root “ram” which means to betray or to shoot with an arrow.  So their is an oath of betrayal, a Judas factor.

These are the opposite of clean hands and a pure heart.  So, we can see a secret, hidden type of being, a whisperer of deception, one who makes secret covenants based on lies and half-truths.  This is the Judas factor that claims intimacy with the Lord, but refuses the honest self-examination that allows us to enter into the Presence of the Lord.  Judas was one of the 12.  He was a chosen vessel for the anointing.  Yet he struggled with a falsehood in his soul which caused him to betray the anointed one.  We may not be in the position to betray Yeshua's Himself but we can betray, those He gave to us to shepherd His anointing.

Ephesians 4:11-13 (NASB)

[11] And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, [12] for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; [13] until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 

We have learned over the years that many falsehoods have come into our being with trauma.  Some of the trauma still contains a lingering pain that is kept in place by falsehoods or lies.  These in turn reinforce themselves with pride.  Pride is the need to protect myself.  “I am responsible for me” is the decision of pride.  It breeds an inner need for perfectionism and to be in control.  It also breeds an independence and an isolation spirit. 

When we get hurt, this whole mechanism clicks into place.  We feel a pull to isolate and take care of business on our own.  The problem is that our “solution” of isolation puts up a wall to others and ultimately to God.

In this place of hurt and withdrawing, we often feel misunderstood and climb into the victim’s seat easily.  The tears flow or worse, the anger takes over and resentment builds.

Why am I spending so much time on this, you ask?!?  The reason is because we are a community committed to healing.  The challenge is healing requires vision for the healed.  We have a cultural bias towards sickness.  We have trained ourselves in sickness management, NOT in healing.  Even if we get prayer for our sickness and God touches us, we just want the miracle to be the removal of the sickness.  BUT what we don't ask is what does God want??

We all know this verse:

(3Jn 2)

[2] Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. 

The question or the qualifier is prosperity of soul.  Well let’s continue with the chapter and see if the scripture will interpret itself.

[3] For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth. [4] I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.(3Jn 3-4)

So now we see a contrast.  Soul prosperity involves walking in the truth and soul falsehoods then must be the opposite of soul prosperity.   In other words our health is affected by what we believe to be true.  So, if we are a healing ministry then we must be vigilant about coming into agreement with lies that arise out of our pain.  Remembering that we cannot amend into God’s Presence if we lift up our soul to falsehoods or make a covenant, vows with deception.  

Now, we can understand how our tendency to protect ourselves by stuffing our hurts and remaining in self-sufficiency, code words for pride, how it literally keeps us from God and from health and well-being of soul.  Let’s look one step further in John’s writing here:

[5] Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren, and especially when they are strangers; [6] and they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. [7] For they went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. [8] Therefore we ought to support such men, so that we may be fellow workers with the truth.(3Jn 5-8).

When we are attacked in our soul, we will see it affecting our desire to give.  Because we are hurt we stop acting faithfully with those God has put in our charge.  Oh we might send money off to a foreign land, but what about the family of God we are connected with.  Well because we are wounded and believe lies we don't want to.  Can you feel the pull of isolation?  How ungodly it is.

You what is really at stake here is God’s image.  God is community, Father-Son-Spirit.  He is oneness.  He created us in His image as community.

[26] Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” [27] God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. [28] God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Ge 1:26-28)

So we were created for community.  When we isolate, we generate sickness in our soul.  We don't realize that our isolation, our self-protection, is actually self-destruction.  We try to numb our pain by withdrawing, but all that we really have done is cut-off life.

Now, we are going to reply open this up.  What draws man to repentance??  

[4] Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? (Ro 2:4)

It is God’s goodness, or His essential character, His Glory.  So, what would draw us away from repentance and humility?  Well you answer correctly “pride”.  But the Bible is specific about what anti-goodness is for man:

[18] And the LORD God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” (Ge 2:18).

So, we see that isolation is anti-Christ.  This is why offense and self-protection is a strategy of satan.  

[23] But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”(Mt 16:23).

So there is a battle for our mindfulness, where we put our thoughts.  Peter was telling Yeshua that giving His life for the restoration of the world was not OK.  He was proclaiming self-protection!!  What did Yeshua respond after identifying self-protection as satan’s strategy:

[24] Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. [25] “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. [26] “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? [27] “For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. (Mt 16:24-27)

You see, satan’s strategy is offense and self protection because forgives and healing is the way of the cross.  It is the restoration of the image of God.  It is losing the self life for the community life.

One final thought and then we will pray:

When man was created, he was create self aware.  Man, as Adam was instructed to eat or be nourished by life.  He was instructed to avoid the tree of death, which came through judgment, the “knowledge of good and evil”.  Life comes though connection and healing death comes through judgment and self protection.  Let’s repent of our judgments and be healed.

[15] And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. [16] Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.  (Jas 5:15-16)

The word is trespasses.  A trespass is a violation of boundaries.  Judgments violate boundaries and make us the victim and sick. God is the creator of boundaries, territories of responsibility or stewardship.  When we judge we become a god and transgress and trespass on what God has appointed. Peter thought that the cross was not for Yeshua'. Yeshua rebuked Him for evaluating actions through His own idol of self-protection, which we know he had because he denied the Lord to save himself.

Ask the Lord. What idol of self protection is causing me to judge others?  Whose destiny am I resisting because like Peter I may have to give up my pride? Where have I denied the Lord and what He is doing because it doesn't fit my ideas? 

Purity of Heart: The Key to Revival - David Mitts

3 Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?

And who may stand in His holy place?

4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,

Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood

And has not sworn deceitfully.

5 He shall receive a blessing from the LORD

And righteousness from the God of his salvation.

6 This is the generation of those who seek Him,

Who seek Your face—even Jacob. Selah.

 (Psalms 24:3-6 (NASB))

We are moving into a new season in ministry here at One New Man.  Every time seasons change in ministry the transitions cause an unsettling, by design, to the heart.  Abba has always moved people geographically to move them spiritually. 

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Look at Genesis 12:1-3

1 Now the LORD said to Abram,

“Go forth from your country,

And from your relatives

And from your father's house,

To the land which I will show you;

2 And I will make you a great nation,

And I will bless you,

And make your name great;

And so you shall be a blessing;

3 And I will bless those who bless you,

And the one who curses you I will curse.

And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

 (Genesis 12:1-3 (NASB))

I believe that the Lord keeps us moving because we cannot become who we need to be, in Him, in old wineskins.

17 Neither is new wine put in old wineskins; for if it is, the skins burst and are torn in pieces, and the wine is spilled and the skins are ruined. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.(Matthew 9:17 (AMP))

You can’t go to where Abba is leading us if we bring yesterday’s attitudes and perspectives.  We need to become agents of healing and blessing and we need to be willing to leave our patterns to do it.

When Yeshua sent out His talmidim, His disciples, after empowering them with His authority, He sent them to do home meetings.

LOOK at Matthew 10:1-15:

1 Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.

2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him.

5 These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: “Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; 6 but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give. 9 “Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts, 10 or a bag for your journey, or even two coats, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is worthy of his support. 11 “And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and stay at his house until you leave that city. 12 “As you enter the house, give it your greeting. 13 “If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of peace. 14 “Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet. 15 “Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city. (Matthew 10:1-15 (NASB))

Abraham was sent to establish a nation of blessing whose destiny was to be agents of blessing, house to house, home to home.  Part of the next move of Abba’s Spirit is in our home glory invasions.

BUT, what we are believing for is not just home meetings but through these intimate times that we would ascend to the mountain of the Lord, or have an open heaven in our gatherings, where signs and wonders and miracles occur.  The key to that is heart purification and clean hands.

Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?

And who may stand in His holy place?

4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,

Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood

And has not sworn deceitfully.

5 He shall receive a blessing from the LORD

And righteousness from the God of his salvation.

6 This is the generation of those who seek Him,

Who seek Your face—even Jacob. Selah.

 (Psalms 24:3-6 (NASB))

We lift up our souls to falsehood when we choose our personal perspective over God’s perspective.  This is what stands between us and His blessing, His Presence.  We see from our partiality and need God’s love to be our guide instead.

9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

 (1 Corinthians 13:9-13 (NASB))

Many of our perspectives are really part of our childhood.  They are from our lack of God’s love perspective and rooted in our preferences informed by falsehoods that we have lifted our souls to.  God is wanting to shine His light into our darkness, our places of self protection and death and bring His Love.  We need His Love perspective to be healed of that which taints our hearts and minds. This is how we ascend the mountain of the Lord, come into His Presence.

Abba does this with revelation.  He sends His Word and heals our diseases.

20 He sent His word and healed them,

And delivered them from their destructions.

 (Psalms 107:20 (NASB))

But it isn’t just scripture.  It is perspective.  His Word is only alive when we see it with the eyes of our understanding in our spirits and souls.  Paul prayed this destiny key: Ephesians 1:8-19

8 which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him 11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, 12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.

15 For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might Ephesians 1:8-19 (NASB))

You see if the eyes of our heart are NOT enlightened then His Word of healing power is of no effect in us.  We need His Light to enlighten us.  Then we in turn can bring His Light to others.  BUT we cannot bring light in an area that we are in darkness in.  In fact being in darkness and acting as children of light is worse than just being in darkness.  This is what a religious spirit is.  It is a believer living in unbelief and relying on their carnal imaginations to run their polluted course.  Instead of seeing through the revelation of God’s love in the light, we see through our own logic and half truths of the dark.  Listen to Paul: 2 Cor 10:3-7

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, 6 and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.

7 You are looking at things as they are outwardly. If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ's, so also are we. (2 Corinthians 10:3-7 (NASB))

You see there is a kind of seeing that blinds us from seeing with God’s eyes.  It is a condemning darkness.  ˘? Yeshua describes it this way:Mat 6:22-23

22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 “But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!(Matthew 6:22-23 (NKJV))

Now we can grasp this statement is we realize that Yeshua is speaking of the light of perspective.  You see,…. when we see through the light of our own imaginations, lofty, lifted up speculations, falsehoods that our soul, our mind, our will and our emotions now believe, we have entered in a darkness that is so pervasive our whole body aligns with it.  Remember that the greater contains the lesser.  That darkness swallows up all of the light in us.  We become what Yeshua called a sepulcher.

27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. 28 “Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. (Matthew 23:27-28 (NKJV))

You see religious spirits are rooted in the defilement that partial knowledge or in the current vernacular, “jumping to conclusions” causes.  All the love we had disappears in the furnace of offense that burns with a dark light, fueled by partial truths but no love.  Let’s expand around Matthew 6:22-23 for a minute and then get the real picture.

Begin at 6:19:

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 “But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

 (Matthew 6:19-24 (NKJV))

What is the treasure?  It is heaven’s love, His light seeing people as God’s children NOT as enemies but as fellow brothers and sisters. Go to Matthew 5:43-45

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 “that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:43-45 (NKJV))

We cannot love an enemy unless they no longer are one.  Love changes how we see people and what they do. The eye is the key.  Ask Him to change your perspective.  Ask Him to enlighten your eyes with His love. Then you will see others through God’s eyes and NOT through the eyes of self protection, and partiality known as Mammon.

If we are going to have revival , it will begin with repentance.  Repentance for partiality.  We cannot help but be partial but we cannot accept it as real.  Our hearts will be pure as we allow His perspective, the truth to set us free from the demonic perspective of offense and separation. Then we will understand Yeshua’s words:

8Blessed are the pure in heart,For they shall see God. Matthew 5:8.

As we see from His perspective our hearts become pure and His love is ours. Then we can step into our destiny as the next verse speaks:

9 Blessed are the peacemakers,

For they shall be called sons of God.(Matthew 5:9 (NKJV))

Shabbat Shalom, Let’s Pray

Community - John Barksdale

A community is a social unit of any size that shares common values. Although embodied or face-to-face communities are usually small, larger or more extended communities such as a national community, international community and virtual community are also studied. A community is broad concept that includes at least two distinct meanings: 1) a social unit that shares common values, and 2) a group of interacting living organisms sharing an environment. ~ Wikipedia*

     Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.  So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. (Gen 12:1-4)

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     We have in these verses the seed (word to Abram) deposited by God himself that would sprout into a spiritual community that has eternal implications…….

In human communities, intent, belief, resources, preferences, needs, risks, and a number of other conditions may be present and common, affecting the identity of the participants and their degree of cohesiveness.

* The word "community" is derived from the Old French comunete which is derived from the Latin communitas (from Latin communis, things held in common), a broad term for fellowship or organized society. One broad definition which incorporates all the different forms of community is "a group or network of persons who are connected (objectively) to each other by relatively durable social relations that extend beyond immediate genealogical ties, and who mutually define that relationship (subjectively) as important to their social identity and social practice."

* INTENT - Intention is a mental state that represents a commitment to carrying out an action or actions in the future. Intention involves mental activities such as planning and forethought.

       And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him. And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD. (Exo 19:3 - 8)

* BELIEF - Generally speaking, a belief is a mental representation of a sentient being's attitude toward the likelihood or truth of something.  Belief is a psychological state in which an individual holds a proposition or premise to be true. Sentience is the ability to feel, perceive, or experience subjectively  

        

       Joh 7:38  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly  shall flow rivers of        living water.

          Natural resources are derived from the environment. Some of them are essential for our survival while most are used for satisfying our needs. Natural resources may be further classified in different ways. Natural resources are materials and components (something that can be used) that can be found within the environment. Every man-made product is composed of natural resources (at its fundamental level). A natural resource may exist as a separate entity such as fresh water, and air, as well as a living organism such as a fish, or it may exist in an alternate form which must be processed to obtain the resource such as metal ores, oil, and most forms of energy. (the ability to be sustained).  

         Therefore I say to you, Do not be anxious for your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Behold the birds of the air; for they sow not, nor do they reap, nor gather into barns. Yet your heavenly Father feeds them; are you not much better than they are?  Which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his stature? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They do not toil, nor do they spin, but I say to you that even Solomon in his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  Therefore if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much rather clothe you, little-faiths?  Therefore do not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, With what shall we be clothed?  For the nations seek after all these things. For your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things.  But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. (Matt 6:25-33)

      NEEDS – Particularly Expressed Needs - Expressed needs are defined by the number of people who have sought help and focuses on circumstances where feelings are translated into action. A major weakness of expressed needs assumes that all people with needs seek help.

      Let love be without hypocrisy, shrinking from evil, cleaving to good; in brotherly love to one another, loving fervently, having led one another in honor.  As to diligence, not slothful, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in affliction, steadfastly continuing in prayer, distributing to the needs of the saints, pursuing hospitality. (Rom 12:9-13)

      RISK  - is the potential of losing something of value. Values (such as physical health, social status, emotional well being or financial wealth) can be gained or lost when taking risk resulting from a given action, activity and/or inaction, foreseen or unforeseen. Risk can also be defined as the intentional interaction with uncertainty. Risk perception is the subjective judgment people make about the severity and/or probability of a risk, and may vary person to person. Any human endeavor carries some risk, but some are much riskier than others. Risk is the possibility of loss or injury. Heb 11:23  By faith Moses, having been born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child. And they were not afraid of the king's commandments.

      Having become great, Moses by faith refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. Through faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest He who destroyed the first-born should touch them. By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, which the Egyptians attempting to do were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been compassed seven days. (Heb 11:24-30)

      One may define identity as the distinctive characteristic belonging to any given individual, or shared by all members of a particular social category or group. Identity may be distinguished from identification; identity is a label, whereas identification refers to the classifying act itself. Identity is thus best construed as being both relational and contextual, while the act of identification is best viewed as inherently processual. However, the formation of one's identity occurs through one's identifications with significant others (primarily with parents and other individuals during one’s biographical experiences, and also with "groups" as they are perceived).

       And God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creepers creeping on the earth.  And God created man in His image; in the image of God He created him. He created them male and female. And God blessed them. And God said to them, Be fruitful, and multiply and fill the earth, and subdue it. And have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the heavens, and all animals that move upon the earth. (Gen 1:26-28)

      Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. (Col 1:12-17)