11. Pillars of Rest – Identity

In a previous post, Pillars of faith – Presence, we discovered the word for presence in Hebrew “paniym” which also means “face,” or, more accurately, “faces” as it is plural.

It is mentioned over 2100 times, and it is translated as the face, but also as presence, surface, front, before, and countenance.

As for me, I will behold Your face (paniym) in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, in Your likeness. (Psalms 17:15 NKJV)

According to David, he would only find satisfaction when he wakes up to the likeness of God. He knew that he would truly be himself when he discovers His face. Looking into the Face of God he would recognize himself.

Why is identity connected to rest?

IMAGO DEI is translated as the image of God – we are created into the likeness and image of God. Throughout the years we might find that we don’t know who we are because we don’t know Him and who He created us to be.

David was established as a great man of God, not as a King or on the battlefield. He committed adultery as a King and killed a man. That was not the greatest of things. Yet David was known as a man after God’s own heart. David’s identity, his greatness was established as a young boy in the presence of the Lord. Seeing the greatness of God manifest around him as a shepherd boy and reflecting it back to God. He was essentially giving God’s creation back to Him.

Learning to give ourselves back to God, so He can establish His greatness in us. We are the creation handed back to Him.

If you don’t know who you are in Christ, then you won’t be established in your fullness. A yielded heart allows it to be unveiled or revealed. We don’t discover who we are we return to our original likeness and image when our hearts are unveiled.

Purpose, job, family, success does not create identity. Lift the veil from your face so that you can be fully in His presence before His face (paniym)  – the place where you are changed into His image from glory to glory.

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians. 3:18 

Some of you may know that the above scripture is the scripture my ministry is based upon if you want to read more about that click here. It points back to my journey of healing and discovering my authentic self. My prayer is that you will find your unveiled face as you stare into the mirror of who He is.

Name Change and Identity

Throughout scripture, we see how God changes the names of certain people. Both Abram and Sarai’s names received an H changing it to Abraham and Sarah.

Some Jewish interpreters say that Yahweh added the h from His Name to Abram’s so that he could share in His creative power. God gave them a new name from being barren to many children. Their names carried the new purpose they were to live and manifest.

The Hebrew letter Hey is part of God’s name YHVH. God connected them to His name.

The letter Hey is the 5th letter of the Hebrew alphabet and means to behold or to look upon. It also represents breathing out.

• Y = breathing in
• H = breathing out
• V = breathing in
• H = breathing out.

Adding the H to their names allowed them to become the expression of YHVH out-breath on the earth. Therefore, they shared in His creative power.

When I discovered this truth about the breath of the Lord and changing names, I realized I could add an H at the end of my name as well. Tanya means Daughter of the King; I changed my name to Tan-Yah my viewpoint changed to being IN Him. I am one with YHVH. Did it change my identity immediately? No, but it allowed me to recognize the fact that I’m His breath, He is my very life, my existence. What does that look like, how do I live in that? How do I grow from my past into who He created me to be? What am I becoming?

I’m not saying everyone should change their names. What do you need to do to find a different viewpoint of your expression? What does your oneness with Father look like for you? We must view both our past and our now, light and darkness. You must have both to get the full picture.

Identity is all about your understanding of how God sees you. Not see you in your past mistakes, or failures, not your success either. Not how much you’ve done for Him or not done. Your identity is about your position in Him.

Start by asking yourself the question: Where do I find myself positioned in Christ?

• How valuable am I?
• How loved am I?
• How victorious am I?
• How complete am I?
• How chosen am I?
• How forgiven am I?

I am, is the most powerful statement you can make. Listen to your language next time you say I AM? Because I Am lives inside of you.

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