Defined by the Divine
Exodus 3:7-12
INTRODUCTION
Good morning, everyone! It’s great to be with you today. I believe God wants to speak something deeply personal to your heart — something that will help you see yourself the way He sees you.
You may not know what’s ahead, but you can know the One who goes before you — because God is already there. He knows what lies ahead for your life, and His plan is to be with you, to care for you, and to give you strength for the journey.
Romans 8 reminds us that He works all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. You can trust Him — He has a vested interest in your life and your future.
Today’s message is titled “Defined by the Divine.”
Every generation asks it, and every heart wrestles with it: Who am I?
It’s a question that echoes from living rooms and offices, from classrooms to retirement homes. We all long to know who we truly are — and whose we are.
Some try to answer that question through success, relationships, or accomplishments. But none of those things ever fully satisfy. And they don’t really answer the question: Who am I?
CONTEXT
Moses asked that same question once — right in the presence of God. As he stood barefoot before the burning bush, he heard a call that would change his life and alter the course of history:
Exodus 3:7–10 says,
“I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them… So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”
After forty years in the wilderness, God says to Moses, “I’m not finished with you — your life still has purpose.” But Moses, overwhelmed and insecure, responds in verse 11:
“Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
It’s a question we all need to answer. But notice how God replies — not by describing Moses’ skills or strengths, but by pointing to Himself.
Exodus 3:12 — “I will be with you.”
God doesn’t tell Moses who he is; He tells him whose presence will go with him. Because your identity doesn’t begin with who you are — it begins with whose you are. You don’t discover who you are by looking within — you discover it by looking to the One who lives within you.
1. IDENTITY BEGINS WITH GOD’S PRESENCE
When Moses asks, “Who am I?” God answers, “I am with you.” That’s not a vague comfort statement — that’s deep theology. God reveals the connection between identity and His presence. God shows Moses the deep connection between his identity and His presence. Because God knows Moses doesn’t need to rediscover himself—he needs to rediscover his Creator.
Your identity begins not with self-discovery but with God-discovery.
The world tells you to look within to find yourself, but that’s like trying to read a map that you’ve drawn in pencil—it keeps changing. Moses didn’t find his purpose by studying his personality or strengths; he found it by standing in the presence of the great I AM. It’s only when you see God clearly that you begin to see yourself correctly. Identity isn’t uncovered through introspection; it’s revealed through encounter. You were created by God, for God, and until you know Him, every other definition of self will fall short.
Centuries ago, the Westminster Catechism began with a profound question: “What is the chief end of man?”
Their answer still rings true today: “To glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.”
In other words, your highest purpose isn’t to make a name for yourself but to know the Name that is above every name.
That’s where identity begins—not in striving, but in surrender; not in self-achievement, but in divine relationship.
Your identity isn’t something you achieve through effort or performance—it’s something you receive through presence.
It begins the moment you recognize that the One who created you now walks with you. He is not distant. He is not indifferent. The same God who called Moses by name calls you by name. The same God who said, “I will be with you,” says it still—over your life, your calling, your future.
That’s the foundation of your identity: not what you do, not what others think, not even how you feel—but the unshakable reality that God is with you, God is for you, and God has called you His own.
And that truth changes everything. When you truly believe that your life is anchored in God’s presence, it settles the restless search for significance. You stop chasing labels and start living from identity instead of for identity. You no longer have to perform to prove your worth; you begin to rest in the One who gives it.
A.W. Tozer captured it perfectly when he wrote, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”
And I believe he was right—because how you see God will always shape how you see yourself.
If you view Him as distant, you’ll live disconnected. If you imagine Him as harsh or disappointed, you’ll walk in shame and insecurity. But if you know Him as He reveals Himself—faithful, gracious, near, and strong—you’ll begin to live confident, secure, and full of purpose.
That’s what God wanted for Moses, and it’s what He wants for you: to understand that your truest identity flows not from your résumé or reputation, but from the relationship you have with Him.
Let’s contrast how the world defines identity with how God does.
The world builds identity on what constantly changes — success, appearance, feelings, relationships. It says, “You are what you do. You are what you feel. You are what others say about you.” But God builds your identity on what never changes — His Word, His love, His character, His purpose.
When I first began pastoring, an older gentleman once asked what he should call me. After a few ideas, he said, “I think I’ll call you Preacher Hill!” I laughed and said, “I don’t think so, let’s see if we can find another option.” He meant well, but that conversation reminded me how easy it is to confuse what we do with who we are. In the end, he settled on “Pastor Chuck.” And I was okay with that– because, the identity of pastor seemed to express more concern and love and relationship — rather than just what I do buy way of proclamation.
You’re not your job title, your résumé, or your reputation. Your identity isn’t defined by performance but by presence — God’s presence in you.
Isaiah 43:1 — “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine.”
Colossians 3:12 — “You are God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved.”
The world says, “Prove who you are.” But God says, “Receive who you are.” So let your life be defined by His power, not your performance.
2. SEE YOURSELF THE WAY GOD SEES YOU
When Moses stood before the burning bush, his first instinct was to list all the reasons why he wasn’t qualified. His words sound familiar, don’t they?
“Who am I?”
“I’m not good enough.”
“I’m not eloquent.”
“I’ve failed before.”
That’s the soundtrack of insecurity — the same refrain that plays in so many of our minds. We see ourselves through the lens of our limitations. But while Moses focused on what he wasn’t, God focused on what He was.
God doesn’t look through the same lens we do. He sees differently.
Moses saw a murderer; God saw a messenger.
Moses saw weakness; God saw potential.
Moses saw his past; God saw his purpose.
Here’s the truth: you will never see yourself accurately until you start seeing yourself through God’s eyes.
Scripture is full of examples:
- Gideon called himself the least; God called him a mighty warrior.
- David was overlooked; God chose him as king.
- Peter denied Jesus; Jesus restored him and used him to lead the Church.
James 1:23–25 calls God’s Word “a mirror.” Not a mirror that condemns, but one that reflects truth. When you look into the Word, you don’t just see who you’ve been — you begin to see who you’re becoming in Christ.
The enemy wants to use shame to label you by your past. But God uses grace to name you by your future. That’s why Paul could write in Philippians 1:6:
“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.”
When you see yourself the way God sees you, everything changes:
God’s Word declares:
- You are forgiven (Ephesians 1:7).
- You are chosen (1 Peter 2:9).
- You are His masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10).
- You are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).
- You are His child (John 1:12).
Your worth isn’t found in your reflection — it’s found in your Redeemer.
Years ago, an art collector bought what looked like a grimy, worthless painting at a flea market. But when a restorer carefully cleaned away the layers of dust, a signature emerged — Rembrandt. The value changed instantly — not because of the condition it was in, but because of the name of the one who created it.
Your worth is the same. It isn’t determined by your scars or imperfections; it’s determined by the One whose name is written on your life. So lift your head. You are forgiven, chosen, and deeply loved. When God looks at you, He doesn’t see a failure — He sees family.
And lastly, let your life be determined by the One whose image you bear:
3. FIND YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST
When God said to Moses, “I will be with you,” He wasn’t offering comfort for the moment — He was establishing identity for a lifetime.
That promise still stands for you today. Your truest identity isn’t found by looking within — it’s found by looking up. The moment you anchor your life in Christ, you stop drifting in the tides of opinion and emotion. You finally have a foundation that doesn’t move.
Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.”
In other words, when you step into relationship with Jesus, your story gets rewritten.
Your identity is no longer defined by your sin but by your Savior. No longer shaped by your past but by His promises.
Let me say it clearly:
- You are not what you do — you are who He says you are.
- You are not what others label you — you are what He names you.
- You are not defined by what you feel — you are defined by what is forever true.
Ephesians 1:4–5 paints the picture beautifully:
“He chose us in Him before the creation of the world… In love He predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ.”
Before the world began, before you ever breathed your first breath, God chose you. You didn’t earn your place in His family — He invited you into it.
In Christ, you have a new name, a new nature, and a new story. You’ve been redeemed, restored, and redefined.
Romans 8:15 says, “You have received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’”
That means you’re not a stranger or servant — you’re a son, a daughter, an heir of grace.
Imagine standing between two mirrors — one is the mirror of the world, the other the mirror of God’s Word.
The world’s mirror says — “You’re not enough.”
But, God’s mirror (His Word), declares:
“You are fearfully and wonderfully made.” — Psalm 139:14
“You are chosen and dearly loved.” — Colossians 3:12
“You are Mine.” — Isaiah 43:1
The question is — which mirror will you believe? Because whichever reflection you choose to trust will ultimately shape the person you become.
If you keep looking to the world, you’ll always live in comparison and confusion. But if you fix your eyes on Christ, you’ll live with clarity and conviction.
To know who you are, you must first know whose you are. And once that truth settles deep in your soul, no voice of criticism, no label of the past, no whisper of the enemy can shake your confidence in who you are in Him.
You are not defined by your failures. You are defined by your Father. And the same God who was with Moses is with you — still writing your story, still shaping your identity, still calling you by name.
CONCLUSION
As Moses stood on holy ground, God revealed not only who He is — but who Moses was. That’s what God wants to do for you today. He says: “You are Mine. You are chosen. You are loved. And I am with you.”
So let Him peel away the false labels, the insecurities, and the lies you’ve believed. Let Him replace them with His truth. Because you belong to Him.
CLOSING PRAYER
Heavenly Father, thank You that our identity isn’t found in what we’ve done or what others say, but in who You are. Thank You for loving us enough to call us by name, just as You called Moses. Today, we lay down every false label and every lie that says we’re not enough. We receive the truth of who we are in Christ — forgiven, chosen, loved, and Yours. Help us to see ourselves the way You see us. Teach us to live from our identity, not for it. Let our lives reflect Your image, our hearts rest in Your love, and our future be shaped by Your call. And just as You were with Moses, be with us — in every step, every season, every calling ahead. We pray this in the powerful name of Jesus — our Redeemer, our Savior, and our identity. Amen.