Spiritual Identity Theft: How to Reclaim Your True Identity in Christ

Have You Suffered Spiritual Identity Theft?

A young person playfully reaches towards the camera, shielding their face with their hand in an outdoor setting.

Why This Topic Matters: A Personal Reflection

I never planned to write about spiritual identity theft. But over the years, I’ve seen the same struggle –both in my own life and in others: the battle to remember and live in our true identity as children of God. I’ve watched people—myself included—wrestle with fear, doubt, and striving, unaware that they are already fully known, loved, and secure. I’ve experienced seasons of exhaustion, trying to earn what was already freely given. And I’ve seen the enemy’s tactics at work, whispering lies like, “You are not a child of God, you're an orphan!”  that leads us to forget our identity who we really are. It leads to thinking it’s all up to me. I am left on my own. I must earn acceptance. I might know this truth in my head but it gets lost on the way to my heart.

Why does this matter so much?

Because how we see ourselves shapes how we live. (Yes. This is VERY important.) It affects how we experience our circumstances (suffering, discouragement, disappointment) and how we act or react to them and to others around us.

If we believe we are orphans, we will hustle for love and approval. If we believe we are children of a good Father, we will live from a place of peace and abundance. 

This journey is about reclaiming the truth of our identity, His beloved child—about waking up to the reality that we are not forgotten, not forsaken, and not left to figure it out on our own. Our Father’s love is great. He has the power to satisfy. He knows what we need. And He is the righteous judge.

What I’ve Learned So Far and Why I’m Writing About This

Through my own experiences and through walking with others, I’ve learned that identity isn’t just a concept—it’s the foundation of everything. 

When we get our identity wrong, everything else is off. We become trapped in cycles of self-doubt, performance, and insecurity.

But when we embrace our identity in Christ, it transforms not just our relationship with God, but also how we navigate struggles, relationships, and purpose.

In this series, we expose the attitudes and actions of someone who has been suffering from identity theft. You may not even realize it, but if you are stuck in fear, striving for love, or living in doubt, you might be suffering from identity amnesia. The enemy works hard to keep you living as if you do not have a loving Father, distorting your perception of yourself and God. But the truth is, you are His child, and living in that reality changes everything.

The Greatest Theft No One Talks About

Many of us are walking around with a distorted identity  because the enemy has deceived us into believing lies about who we are. The evil one’s greatest scheme is to convince us that we are something less than what God says we are.

Maybe you’ve felt it: the weight of striving to prove yourself, the fear of not being enough, the doubt that whispers, “God’s love isn’t really for you.” These are signs of identity amnesia—forgetting that you are a beloved child of God.

Living Like an Orphan When You Have a Father

A person in a bright yellow shirt walks across a wide, empty asphalt surface, casting a long shadow in the afternoon sun.

When we don’t fully embrace our identity in Christ, we live as spiritual orphans. We hustle for love, approval, and security, instead of resting in the abundance already given to us. But the truth is, God is a good Father who has already provided everything we need.

Jesus said in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” The enemy wants to rob you of that full life by keeping you stuck in fear, doubt, and striving. But Jesus came to restore what’s been lost and to remind you of who you really are.

How to Recognize Identity Theft in Your Life

If you’ve ever wrestled with these thoughts, you might be experiencing identity theft. Ask yourself:

• Do I often feel like I need to strive to earn God’s love and approval or acceptance of man?

• Do I need personal achievement to seek to impress God or others?

• Do I reject myself when I compare myself to others?

• Do I seek comfort in addictions, busyness or hyper-religious activity?

• Am I characterized by competition and jealousy toward others’ success?

• Do I need to put others down in order to make myself look good?

• Do I have difficulty receiving corrections or admonition?

• Do I feel like I live in bondage?

• Am I driven by fear—fear of failure, rejection, or not measuring up?

• Do I struggle to believe that God’s promises apply to me personally?

• When life gets hard, do I fall into self-reliance rather than trusting God?

If you answered “yes” to any of these, you may be experiencing identity theft. The good news? Your true identity is still yours. You just need to reclaim it. To believe it. Live in and out of it.

Reclaiming Your True Identity

The first step in reclaiming your identity is recognizing the lies you’ve believed and replacing them with the truth of God’s Word. Your true identity hasn’t been lost—it’s still yours to reclaim.

A moment of reflection and prayer as hands rest on an open book.

My prayer, "Lord, help me walk as you see me: as Your beloved daughter. Secure, and not dependent on the opinions of others. Help me know that I'm welcome and that You have a seat at the table for me. With You, I have everything I need. I am not lacking what it takes. You equip me and strengthen me by the power of Your Spirit in my inner being to reflect the beauty of Jesus to those around me. I am not dependent on their response or thrown off by my dashed expectations. My heart can rest in knowing who You say I am, despite how I feel. I don't have to live out of my feelings. I can speak the truth to my heart and mind. I am loved. My future is secure. I have everything I need for life and godliness. God is able to make all grace abound, at all times, in all things, in all ways so that I will have all that I need in every good work. Amen."

Over the next series of blog posts, we’ll uncover how to replace lies with truth and step into the freedom of knowing who you really are in Christ. Stay tuned!

Reflection & Next Steps

• Take time this week to reflect on the areas where you’ve struggled with identity amnesia.

• Pray and ask God to reveal any lies you’ve believed about yourself.

• Stay tuned for the next post, where we’ll dive deeper into the symptoms of spiritual identity theft and how to overcome them.

You are loved, chosen, and secure in Christ, God’s beloved child.  Let’s walk in that truth together!

Are You Ready to Reclaim Your True Identity?

What’s one lie you’ve believed about yourself that you need to replace with God’s truth?

You don’t have to navigate this journey alone. As a Gospel-centered life coach, I help individuals break free from identity struggles and step confidently into who God created you to be.

📅 Schedule a free discovery call today and start living from a place of peace, purpose, and confidence!

#Spiritualidentity #FaithOverFear #ChildOfGod #ChristianLiving #IdentityInChrist #BiblicalTruth #FaithJourney

Thank you for being a part of this journey! Feel free to share this to a friend.