How the Book of Ephesians Rewires the Way We See Ourselves
Why Understanding Our True Identity Starts with God, Not Us
I recently completed a 6-week study through the book of Ephesians, and I don’t think I’ll ever see myself the same way again. Not because I uncovered something new about me—but because I uncovered something eternal about God.
Ephesians is a spiritual blueprint. It doesn’t just tell us how to behave; it tells us who we are. But it doesn’t stop there—it grounds our identity not in our performance, our feelings, or our failures, but in God’s eternal plan and Christ’s finished work.
Let me walk you through how Ephesians rewires the way we see ourselves.
1. You Are Chosen, Not Chasing
“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:” – Ephesians 1:4
We live in a world where we're constantly told to chase validation—chase approval, chase meaning, chase purpose. But Ephesians flips the script.
God chose us before the world was formed.
Before we had a resume.
Before we had a reputation.
Before we had a reason to be loved.
Your worth is not earned. It’s established. You don’t need to live chasing love—you get to live from it.
2. You Are Seated, Not Striving
“And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:” – Ephesians 2:6 (KJV)
This truth hit me like a wave. Most of my life I’ve been trying to prove that I belong. In ministry. In friendships. In faith.
But Ephesians 2 reminds us that we are seated with Christ—present tense. That means rest. That means access. That means identity.
We don’t fight for a place at the table. We were raised to it.
3. You Are God’s Masterpiece, Not a Mistake
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” – Ephesians 2:10 (KJV)
Ever feel like you’re too broken to be used?
Ephesians doesn’t just say God accepts us—it says He designed us. Intentionally. Beautifully. Purposefully.
You’re not a fixer-upper.
You’re His handiwork—His masterpiece.
Yes, you have flaws. But God doesn’t throw away His artwork because it’s in progress. He keeps shaping.
4. You Are Part of a Family, Not Just a Faith
“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;” – Ephesians 2:19
The Gospel didn’t just give us a new standing before God—it gave us a new family. A community. A place to belong.
This is huge for men who feel isolated. For anyone who feels like an outsider.
You’re not on the fringes of God's love—you’re in His house.
5. You Are Empowered, Not Empty
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” – Ephesians 6:10
Ephesians ends with a call to war. But not with empty fists.
We’re not told to “man up”—we’re told to suit up in God’s armor.
His strength.
His righteousness.
His peace.
His Word.
We don’t fight sin, shame, or Satan on our own—we fight as men filled with the Spirit and equipped by the King.
Final Thoughts: Identity Precedes Action
Ephesians isn’t about giving us a checklist of good behavior. It’s about giving us a clear identity so that we can live from that truth.
It rewires how we see ourselves by first rewiring how we see God.
Chapter 1–3 tells us who we are in Christ
Chapter 4–6 tells us how to live it out
You’re not what you’ve done.
You’re not what others have spoken over you.
You are not your past.
You are His.
And when you truly believe that—you’ll live like it.
