— John 10:3

There’s a quote that goes like this:

“The devil knows your name but calls you by your sin; God knows your sin but calls you by your name.”

What this means is this. One voice keeps reminding you of your sin and tries to make that who you are, while the other knows your sin but doesn’t define you by it. God still sees you as someone He knows personally, not just what you’ve done.

And although this isn’t a specific verse in the Bible, there are many verses that back it up.

In Revelation 12:10, Satan is called “the accuser,” which is courtroom language, the idea of someone bringing charges against you, constantly pointing to your guilt and trying to define you by it. But in 1 John 2:1, Jesus is called our “advocate,” the one who speaks on our behalf, so you have one voice accusing and another defending.

In Isaiah 43:1, God says, “I have called you by your name; you are mine,” showing that He knows you personally, but also that there is ownership and relationship there, not just recognition.

In Romans 8:1, it says, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” which doesn’t mean sin doesn’t matter, but that it no longer defines you.

In John 10:3, it says the shepherd “calls his own sheep by name,” showing that God calls His people personally, not by their past.

In Psalm 103:12, it says God removes our sins “as far as the east is from the west,” showing that He separates us from our sin instead of attaching it to us.

The difference is identity. One voice tries to turn what you’ve done into who you are, while the other knows what you’ve done but refuses to let it define you.

So the point of today’s newsletter is this: the enemy tries to define you by your sin, but God knows your sin and still calls you by your name.

When you’re not sure how to pray, A.C.T.S. gives you a simple path to follow: Adore, Confess, Thank, and Ask.

Adoration: Lord, thank You for calling me by name.

Confession: Forgive me for letting sin define me.

Thanksgiving: Thank You for Your grace and forgiveness.

Supplication: Help me find my identity in You, not my past.

In Jesus name, Amen

“Lord, I’m Tired but I’m Still Yours” by Imani Shiloh

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See you tomorrow,

Zach | Start With God