Sheryl Brady - The Fight Against Identity Theft

1 Peter chapter 2:9 simply reads, «But you are not like that.» Like what? Back up and read it at home because you have your time and I have mine. But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are a royal priesthood, a holy nation. Look at your neighbor and say it, even if you have to say it by faith: «Everything about me is holy!» You’re a holy nation; you are God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of your God, for He called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once you had no identity as a people, but now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy, but now you have received God’s mercy. You had no identity, but now you are God’s people. Look at someone on your right and say, «Neighbor! Neighbor! The fight against identity theft—we’ve got to tell somebody—we have to win this fight! The enemy is after our identity.» Oh, I’m getting ready to tell you why he wants your identity. If I were him, I’d be after it too. But when we fight—oh, don’t be afraid to say that—when we fight, we win! Father, bless Your word today. Just give us what we need, not a bit more, not a bit less, and we will give You glory in Jesus' name. Amen and amen. Now, sit on down. I know this is somebody’s favorite part of the service right here. We’re like, at least we’re going to get 10 minutes. I don’t know. I don’t blame you, though. Thank you, B. Thank you, singers. Thank you. Come on, let’s thank God for our music ministry!

One of the most consistent alerts I get, either on my phone or in my email, is something that says there has been a data breach. God, y’all know what I’m talking about! You know, there was a day when I would get them and think, «Oh my Lord, let me see if it’s my company and see if they messed it up.» Now, they come so often that you’re like, «Lord, I don’t know; I just plead the blood of Jesus.» I plead the blood! It’s nothing to let slip by, but it happens quite often. It has been the most frequently reported type of cybercrime for the past five consecutive years. Five years in a row, 26 million Americans fall victim to identity theft annually. It’s a costly crime, and according to one statistic—this was a few years back—it said that every 79 seconds, somebody’s identity is stolen. Wow! So while we’ve been in this church, none of y’all, none of y’all—we plead the blood—but there have been several people who have lost their identity. It’s a crime that is on the rise, and I want to say that it’s not only happening in the natural; it is also happening spiritually. There is a war going on. John 10:10 says, «The thief comes not but to kill, to steal, and to destroy.» But Jesus said, «I have come that you might have life.» Part of the way the enemy steals is he starts by sowing doubt about your identity. He will sow doubt about who you are and can sow it so heavily, thickly, and quickly that if you’re not careful, you will start questioning yourself, saying, «What am I really? Am I this, or what is going on with me?» But what’s important is what you believe. What you believe is very important because what you believe affects what you perceive. What you believe in here affects what you perceive, and what you perceive affects what you are able to achieve. Y’all follow me on that? This is why knowing the truth is vital. Have you ever seen a day like the one we’re in, where people will just get up and lie? They make up stories. Some of them should receive Academy Awards for lying! I mean, do you know anybody who can just lie at the drop of a hat? It’s crazy how people can do that today! But it’s always been a huge tactic of the enemy to try to divert people from truth because what does the Bible say? «For you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.» So it’s important that we know the truth. In the middle of all the lying that’s happening—not just in the nation, on TV, or online—but wherever it is—in your job, in your house, in your family—make sure you stay open to the truth! Okay? Because you can believe a lie and be damned. That’s what the Bible says! And that word «damned» means you can be disillusioned. So a lot of people are disillusioned about stuff that isn’t even true. And that’s a sad thing, but a huge tactic of the enemy—back to our identity—is to always remind us of our past. Hebrews 8:12 says this to us: «For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.» If you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior and the enemy comes to…