He Purchased Us

A good father helps his son or daughter find security and identity in who they are and whose they are, not in what they do. Our heavenly Father modeled this in His relationship with Jesus when He said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).

God proclaimed His approval of Jesus before He performed one miracle or fulfilled any aspect of His ministry assignment. The Father’s pleasure in Him was not performance based, but relationship based.

Matthew 4:3 reveals the first temptations by satan to Jesus were in the area of His identity. The first words he spoke to Jesus were “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

The Father had just spoken over Jesus He was His beloved Son and now the devil was challenging that. He was tempting Jesus to perform and do something to prove He was the Son of God. Jesus refused to be drawn into that trap because He was secure in His identity and the Father’s love for Him. He had a confident relationship with the Father that was not based on performance or approval from men. As a result, He also had a prosperous soul that did not waver through the worst of times. Likewise, you and I must know our identity very well and get into agreement with God’s Word about who we are to Him.

The prosperous soul knows and agrees with God about who you are. He says you are fearfully and wonderfully made, a marvelous creation made with His skillful hands and care. He did not make a mistake in His creation: you. God does not desire you to compare yourself with others or wish you were someone else. He has a purpose for you, and He wants you to know your value to Him! Your soul cannot and will not prosper until it knows this well.

Unfortunately, many Christians do not know or agree with who they are and as a result, their souls are not prospering. Some are even living with self-hatred. Instead of looking in the mirror of the Word and seeing the truth of what God says, they focus on their natural mirror and notice every physical flaw. If you want to make changes and lose weight for health reasons that is great. But learn to like yourself on the journey because God likes you. If you despise yourself at the weight you are now God does not agree with you. He loves you and likes you as you are. He will not love you any more when you reach your weight goal and He will not love you any less if you never achieve that goal. You will not be able to get off home plate spiritually, relationally, or in your career or ministry until you develop security in the truth of who you are and begin to like yourself and place value on yourself.

Those who are struggling with an identity crisis as I was will attempt to bolster their identity in a multitude of ways. It may be an obsession over appearance and feeling the need to always wear name brand clothing, have a lifetime tanning bed membership, or “over the top” makeup. It may be by possessing some status symbol like an expensive car or house in a ritzy neighborhood. Or it may be the habit of “name dropping” of some rich or famous person you know.

These are just some of the ways people frequently use to “fill in gaps” where they feel insecure about their identity. All of these things are performance-based attempts to add value to ourselves born out of insecurity. This is indicative of an individual playing the part of an orphan when in reality he is a son with the Father’s genes and inheritance. Sadly, he has become a “do-to-be” instead of a “be-to-do.” His identity and value has become wrapped up in what he does instead of who he is. He has failed to realize who he is and is relating to God as an orphan instead of the true son he is.

Jesus told us He would not leave us orphans ( John 14:18), and we are sons and heirs of God with Him (Galatians 4:7). If you have struggled to see yourself like this, it is time to begin to accept your God-given identity as a son and joint heir with Christ. Correcting your mindset about this will change your life forever.

One of the scriptures passages the Lord used in my life to teach me my identity and free me from the rejection that had taken root in my soul is found in Matthew’s gospel:

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it (Matthew 13:44-46).

There is a message in this familiar parable that has oftentimes been overlooked. A man found a valuable treasure in a certain field and hid it. For joy over it, he went and sold all he had to buy the field. He considered the purchase worth the sacrifice. Compare this purchase to procuring mineral rights for a property. Maybe above ground it does not look valuable or appraise well, but underground the mineral rights far outweigh what can be seen at first glance on the surface.

In this same parable, a pearl merchant was seeking beautiful pearls. He found one pearl of great value and took action by selling all he had to purchase it. Both the man and the merchant determined the value of the treasure was worth whatever it may cost them to liquidate. Both of them approached the exchange as “trading up.” They both believed it to be a valuable trade.

Jesus is both the man and the merchant in this parable. You and I are both the treasure in the field and the beautiful pearl. When Jesus looks at us He sees both value and beauty. Jesus sees something others may not see, including us. He was willing to buy the whole field—our flesh and body, our dirt—to receive the treasure of our new man. Too often, we do not see the beauty and value Jesus sees in us. But if our souls are going to prosper we need to take the time to meditate on and discover our value to Him and in Him. We need to agree with Jesus.

It was for the joy over us He sold all to purchase us. This was not a reluctant purchase. It was a joyful one! He willingly and excitedly purchased us as His bride. Yet, most of us view ourselves through the glasses of success or failure, strength or weakness, or some physical attribute and we value ourselves accordingly. This is faulty performance-based identity.

Jesus redefines us by the price He is willing to pay for us. Regardless of the appraised value of an item, it is really only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Jesus saw the value and beauty of you and me. He placed value on us by giving His life for us at the cross. Now, who are we to appraise ourselves down? You and I are worth the price He paid for us!

You need to tear up the appraisal you have created for yourself. God paid the ultimate price for you. He placed value on you, and that value was His Son! You are beautiful to Him. Your soul must know this very well in order to prosper. Stop believing the lies about yourself that have kept you bound. You may have seen your value to Him in your spirit, but exempted yourself because of some natural facet of your body or ability. Begin to value your entire being as someone of great worth. You are beautiful, valuable, fearfully and wonderfully made. May your soul know that truth very well!

No one spends time searching for something with no value. Jesus, the merchant, was searching for beautiful pearls. He sought you and me and purchased us with His own blood because He valued us and saw us as beautiful treasures. That is how He sees you and me. You are skillfully wrought and beautiful to Him. Ask God to fill you with this revelation of His appraisal of you. Determine to stay in His Word and meditate on His truth until you have a new perspective on who you are and your value to Him. Just as He delivered me from the lie I was not worthy because my dad did not have time for me, He will free you from lies about your worth to Him when you accept the truth that you are valuable and beautiful.

Regardless of who may have devalued you in the past, your true worth is found in the price Jesus paid for you. Choose today to divorce the lie of rejection and marry the truth. You are a dearly beloved son or daughter of your heavenly Father! May your soul know that very well.

Adapted from Greg Mohr’s book, A Prosperous Soul.