Who God Says You Are – You Have a New Name

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We live in a world that loves to tell us all about ourselves. It labels us, it defines us, it can crush our hopes and dreams in an instant by telling us things about who we are that we believe. It could be parents who told us we weren’t smart enough, a friend who tells us our dreams are ridiculous, co-workers who say we will never get that promotion. But who God says you are is far more important (and truthful) than what the world tells you!

God will not only give you your identity if you put your faith and trust in Him, but He will write on you a new name!

Let’s look at how God defines us and who does God say you are!

Who God Says You Are – He Gives You a New Name

We are often given our names based on certain traits our parents want us to have or traits we may even have before we are born! I know some of my kids certainly showed their personalities even before birth!

In Judaism, children were often given their names days after they were born. In fact, they were given their names after 8 days when a boy would be circumcised (known as a bris). To be as egalitarian as possible, girls are also often named after 8 days.

So parents have time to see their child’s traits and give them the names they feel either suit them or want to define them as children of God. A name is extremely important because it is not only what they are called but it is descriptive of them.

Who God Says You Are: Biblical Examples of Receiving a New Name

We have several examples in scripture of the Lord giving people new names; names He Himself determined.

Abram which means ‘Father’ was changed by God to Abraham which means “Father of many nations”.

Genesis 17:4-6:

“For My part, because My covenant is with you, you will be the father of a multitude of nations. No longer will your name be Abram, but your name will be Abraham, because I make you the father of a multitude of nations. 

Yes, I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings will come forth from you.”

TLV

Sarai which means “Princess or Lady” was changed to Sarah, which comes from the Hebrew root שרר which means ruler or minister. So in her case, it would be a female leader, a minister. This is fitting seeing she was to be the matriarch of the Jewish people.

Genesis 17:15-16

“God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her by the name Sarai. Rather, Sarah is her name. And I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son from her. I will bless her and she will give rise to nations. Kings of the peoples will come from her.””

TLV

Jacob, which means “Supplanter” (to read more about why he was called by that name, visit my post on Jacob and his brother Esau) was changed to Israel which means “Contends with God or Wrestles with God”. We know this to be the case with Jacob when he wrestled with the Angel of the Lord and won. As well, according to the verse, Israel has had to contend with men as well but has always prevailed, Baruch HaShem!

Genesis 32:24-28

“Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob’s thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him. 

Then he said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” But he said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” He said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.””

NASB

We also know “supplanter” was fitting for Jacob since he tried to hold his brother Esau back in the womb so he could be born first! When that failed, he then went on to trade a bowl of stew for his brother’s birthright as the firstborn.

Genesis 25:23-26

When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. Now the first came forth red, all over like a hairy garment; and they named him Esau. Afterward his brother came forth with his hand holding on to Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob; and Isaac was sixty years old when she gave birth to them.

NASB

We know Abraham did in fact go on to be the father of many nations, being the patriarch of the three major world religions.

Jacob did wrestle with God and won, as Israel (which he would then be called) has wrestled with God throughout history and yet remains God’s people and the apple of His eye, remaining in covenant with Him throughout the ages and giving the world the Messiah.

And, as I said, Sarah is the matriarch of the Jewish people and even today the line of the mother is what determines Jewish descent (although many sects are also accepting the line of the father now).

What Are You Called?

You were given a name at birth. This may be a name that may have been given based on its meaning or, in secular society may just be a name your parents liked! Maybe you were named for a relative or someone meaningful to your parents.

But aside from your actual given name, what are you called?

You see, your name is a defining word or characteristic you take on. Your parents named you, but the world can name you as well.

These might be good ‘names’ such as:

Beautiful
Intelligent
Faithful
Popular
Successful
Driven
Talented
Gifted
Loved
Perfect

Or they can be the opposite:

Failure
Useless
Ignorant
Stupid
Fat
Ugly
Quitter
Lazy
Untalented
Broken
Flawed
Unlovable

Which names have you called yourself?

I know I have called myself FAR more from the second list than the first! I have BEEN called more from the second than the first, to the point that I used to quit everything I started just so I wouldn’t fail. If I quit on my own terms then I wouldn’t prove people right who said when I was younger that I would always be a failure!

So many kids in today’s society commit suicide because of names. The cruelty of others can heap names on a child to the point that they feel they are flawed, no good, will never amount to anything, and that they are not nor will ever be loved.

But what if you could look past the labels of the world and look at what the Lord calls you and who God says you are? How much more valuable would those precious lives feel if they knew that the cruel words of people cannot compare to how God sees them?

Bible Verses About Who God Says You Are

The World Does Not Define You – You Are Who God Says You Are

Jacob was not defined BY his name, HE defined his name!

Abraham was not just A father, he was THE father of many nations! His descendants are too numerous to count, as God promised.

Sarai the barren became Sarah the matriarch.

No matter what the world says about you, God has a plan and purpose for your life and for His glory!

You are never too broken or flawed for God to use!

God knows what you’ve been through. He knows the names you’ve been called (or called yourself) and He is there to tell you that it is HE who names you, not the world!

CJB – Taken from the Complete Jewish Bible by David H. Stern. Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Messianic Jewish Publishers, 6120 Day Long Lane, Clarksville, MD 21029. www.messianicjewish.net.

Tree of Life (TLV) – Scripture taken from the Holy Scriptures, Tree of Life Version*. Copyright © 2014,2016 by the Tree of Life Bible Society.  Used by permission of the Tree of Life Bible Society.