Change in Self-Identity

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.” Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God” (Genesis 17:1-8).

For today, let’s focus on Abram’s need to change his self-image. The way we see ourselves determines how we see everything else. God can’t use orphans to fight giants; He needs sons and daughters of the King to engage and destroy giants. People not afraid, who know their heritage in Him. Even though there was nothing wrong with his first name, Abram, it represented only part of his calling. It showed his natural state before God’s promise entered his life. Our natural personality has hints of the Kingdom identity God has for us. Abram meant “exalted father,” but God wanted to scale up the call on Abraham’s life. Abraham means, “father of great multitude,” or “father of nations.”