“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.” — 2 Corinthians 5:17
Lesson
What You Will Learn
- Separate who you are from what you've done
- Replace false labels with what God says about you
- Explain how identity affects leadership
Lesson Notes
Labels
People collect labels: inmate, addict, failure, bad mother, nobody. Some are given by others; some we give ourselves. Labels can become prisons of their own.
What God Says
- You are loved (Jeremiah 31:3).
- You are forgiven (1 John 1:9).
- You are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).
- You are God's workmanship, created for good works (Ephesians 2:10).
- You are chosen (1 Peter 2:9).
Identity and Leadership
Leaders who are secure in their identity can admit mistakes, celebrate others' success, and receive correction. Insecure leaders compete, control, or hide. Knowing who you are in Christ frees you to serve.
Taking Responsibility Without Shame
Guilt says, “I did something wrong.” Shame says, “I am something wrong.” Guilt can lead to repentance and change; shame leads to hiding. Owning the past fully while accepting God's forgiveness is not a contradiction; it is freedom.
Key Terms
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Identity | Who you understand yourself to be |
| Label | A name given to a person that can limit how she is seen |
| Shame | Believing you are bad, not just that you did wrong |
In-Class Activities
Labels and Truth
On the left, write labels you've carried. On the right, write a truth from Scripture that answers each one. (Keep this private if you prefer.)
I Am Statements
Write five “I am” statements based on Scripture and your real strengths, e.g., “I am a dependable worker, created for good works.” Read them aloud to yourself.
Assignment: Identity Card
Create a pocket-sized card with three Scriptures about your identity and two strengths you have.
- Read it every morning this week.
- Write a short note on how it affected your week.
Graded with the Module Assignment Rubric.
Reflection Journal
Which label has been hardest to let go of? What does God say instead? Write a letter to yourself from God's point of view.
Prayer focus: Ask God to heal the labels you've carried and to help you believe what He says about you.
Weekly Reading & Devotions
Who You Are Before What You Do
Inmate. Addict. Failure. Bad mother. Nobody. Many women carry labels like these, some given by others and some given by ourselves. Labels can become prisons of their own, long after the physical doors open.
God speaks a different word over you. You are loved (Jeremiah 31:3). You are forgiven (1 John 1:9). You are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). You are God's workmanship, created for good works (Ephesians 2:10). You are chosen (1 Peter 2:9).
It helps to know the difference between guilt and shame. Guilt says, I did something wrong. It can lead to repentance and change. Shame says, I am something wrong. It leads to hiding and hopelessness. You can take full responsibility for your past and still reject the lie that it defines you.
Identity shapes leadership. A woman secure in who she is can admit mistakes, celebrate others, and receive correction. A woman who is insecure tends to compete, control, or hide. Before Jesus washed feet, John writes, He knew who He was and where He came from (John 13:3). Security made service possible.
This week, notice the labels you carry. Then answer each one with what God says.
Think About It
- What label has been hardest to let go of? ______________________
- What does God say instead? ______________________
- How would your choices change if you fully believed you are loved? ______________________
Daily Devotions for Week 2
A New Creation
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.— 2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)
In Christ, you are not just improved; you are new. The old labels do not have the final word.
Reflect: What old label is passing away?
Pray: Lord, thank You for making me new.
Do: Say aloud: “I am a new creation.”
Everlasting Love
Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love.— Jeremiah 31:3 (KJV)
God's love for you has no expiration date and no conditions. It was there before your worst day and remains after it.
Reflect: Do you believe God loves you? What makes it hard?
Pray: Lord, help me receive Your love.
Do: Write “I am loved with an everlasting love” on your identity card.
His Workmanship
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.— Ephesians 2:10 (KJV)
You are God's handiwork, designed on purpose for good works. Nothing about you is an accident.
Reflect: What good work might God have prepared for you?
Pray: Lord, show me the good works You've prepared.
Do: Do one good work today.
No Condemnation
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.— Romans 8:1 (KJV)
Shame condemns; Christ frees. You can own your past without living under condemnation.
Reflect: Where do you still feel condemned?
Pray: Lord, free me from shame.
Do: Replace one shameful thought with Romans 8:1 today.
Chosen
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people.— 1 Peter 2:9 (KJV)
You were not an afterthought. God chose you and calls you royal. That is your true identity.
Reflect: How does it feel to be chosen?
Pray: Lord, thank You for choosing me.
Do: Read your identity card each morning this week.
Module Quiz
- 1.
What is the difference between guilt and shame?
- 2.
Ephesians 2:10 says we are:
- 3.
A leader secure in her identity is more likely to:
- 4.
Accepting God's forgiveness means you don't take responsibility for your past.
- 5.
Write one “I am” statement based on Scripture.