I Already Belong | Pastor Nelson Bowen

Anyone excited to be in the house of God for real. (congregation applauding) All right, let's play God. I just thank you so much for being so good. I thank you for your mercy. I thank you for your grace. Thank you for your love, Father. I pray that in this moment that I decrease, asking that you'll increase, allow us to hear a word today, Father, that will shake our hearts, that will remind us of how much we are loved, and seen, and known by you. In Jesus' name we pray, everybody said. Come on, everybody said. Lady B already told you, but ladies' night is happening. (congregation applauding) I'm so just excited for Lady B. She don't even realize that she's getting ready to step into a level of calling and dimension. That's gonna take this church's places that I could not do on my own. And I am just excited about her living out, the calling that is on her life. And that lady's night is going to be insane. I'm so glad just me and Dave will get to be the only men that check it out. (congregation laughing) Man, I'm sorry, she out did us on this one.

She, she, she out did us, but it's gonna be great. I wanna teach for my devotion today, because it's the anniversary week, and I just didn't wanna prepare anything too crazy. I just wanted to maybe just share with you all what God has been sharing with me. I wanna teach a message today called, "I Already Belong." Say, "I already belong." Kind of a continuation, just a little bit from last week, as I've told y'all, I've just been on this journey of just discovering what it means to do life as a secure son. Yeah? - Yeah. - For me, I'll be honest with you, it's been an area where I've just kind of struggled through life, I think. I mean, I didn't grow up with my biological father, and so there was some stuff there that had to be worked out, things still being worked out through therapy and all of that, and sometimes maybe you can relate to me. Depending on your natural relationship with your father, it can kind of skew your relationship with your spiritual father, with God himself. You begin to think maybe they're the same, and maybe they kind of, like, if God was this, then why did he allow that? Is this to me? - Yes. - If it's me, that's just fine.

But for me, this year, as I've been on this journey of becoming unrecognizable, it's also been in this, like, my social, emotional life also has to be secure, and that's when God says, "You gonna have to learn me as Abba." And Abba means daddy. I ain't never called nobody daddy, it'd be very clear. Just, you know, like my kids call me daddy, but that just wasn't my life, that wasn't the way I was, and so even when he challenged me to say Abba, I was like, "Mm." Praise him. (congregation laughs) And so, I've been on this journey of looking at it, and I'm told you just reading four chapters, really all year. Isaiah 43, Matthew 7, John 15, the Galatians 5. Today, I wanna kind of bring you in on one of the descriptions I've been studying, and Isaiah chapter number 43, is that okay? I don't know how far we'll get, but we'll get somewhere, because y'all gonna be here five days this week. And so, I'm gonna do my best to just get you. I'm gonna be out of here on time. But here's what I wanna do. You say, "I already belong." Let me give you some context before I read. The first part of Isaiah is about God's covenant identity with his people.

It's almost as if a father is sitting his son down and reminding him of who you are, although life has convinced you otherwise. So, this chapter is not about Israel's performance. As much as it is a reminder of their identity and their belonging, because Israel's been in exile, Jerusalem has been devastated, and everything about their life screams you've failed, God has abandoned you, you are forgotten, and you're finished. Anybody ever felt that way before? If not, keep my father in law and say, "Keep on living, baby boy." Yet before God talks about changing their circumstances, Miss Lorraine, before he talks about changing their circumstance, he spends some time talking about who they are. [BLANK_AUDIO] that he restores identity before he restores destiny. And we see that track record proven, all you can see it with Adam, you see it with Moses, you see it with Gideon, you see it with the prodigal son. It's always identity first, everything else second. It's important because you have to understand it, that's what the enemy is after anyway, your identity. Because if your identity is not secure, if you are questioning your own identity, then we're open and we're susceptible to anything. And so God is like, let's secure some stuff. Let's talk about your identity. And so we get here in Isaiah chapter 43,

verse number one, say this is gonna be good. I'm glad three of you think so. Say this is gonna be good. He says, but now thus says the Lord. He who created you, I really want, I want CSB. Let's do the CSB version of this. Is that too late to change? It's giving, it's not giving, yes. That team is absolutely incredible. And they're going to do it really fast. And if not, you can just give me a phone and I'll pull it up myself. You got it for me? Okay, here you go. It says, now this is what the Lord says. The one who created you, Jacob, the one who formed you, Israel. Look at this, do not fear. I have redeemed you and I've called you by name. You are, you are. Okay, let's say it again. Now this is what the Lord says. The one who created you, Jacob, watch this. And the one who formed you, Israel, do not fear. Why? Because I have redeemed you. Watch this and I have called you. And I, come on, have called you by what? Your name, you are what? You are, said you are. As I was reading this, he said, you, your daddy's boy.

Okay, I want you to see the order of this. God doesn't say when you get your life together. He doesn't say after you prove yourself. He doesn't say once you become holy enough. Right off the break, here's what he says. I, Lynn, have redeemed you, past tense. Past tense, I have already redeemed you. The reason why this is important, it's because before he gives an instruction, he gives assurance. Before he tells you what I need from you, he says, no, here's who you are. Oh man, I need you to hear me. Before I give you an instruction, I'm here to assure you, what am I assuring you? You my boy, you're my girl, you're my son, you're my daughter. I've redeemed you, I've called you, you are mine. In this verse, he gives us three identity statements. And I love this chapter, Mr. Lorraine, because it's the first verse where I see so clearly where God is answering the identity question that everyone is asking. Who am I, who's am I, and where do I belong? Who am I, who's am I, and where do I belong? The reality is, all of us in this room are asking one, if not all three of these questions. Who am I, who's am I, and where do I belong? God is starting with belonging, not obey me. Not serve me, not perform for me. No, let's get the belonging here first.

And so right off the back in this first verse, God gives us a very strong command. He says do not fear. I gotta go here, Mika, because here's my first point. The cure for fear is not courage, it's belonging. Oh, Sid, I said I'm not gonna sweat today. But the cure of fear, if you want to, like how do I stop being afraid, you gotta know who you belong to, it's not courage. It's not enough courage that's gonna help you overcome fear. It's where you know whose child you are. The chapter starts off with your strong command. Do not fear. Here's the first one, because I have redeemed you. I have redeemed you. Simple as put, your past no longer owns you. I'm gonna say this again. Your past no longer owns you. Redemption means someone purchased you back. Redemption means there's someone paid a price for you. They purchased you. Here's the deal though, back. Meaning that at some point you weren't there and I had to pay a price to get you back. He says, I have redeemed you. Notice he didn't say you found your way back. Oh my gosh. Notice he doesn't say you wandered back here. Notice he doesn't say you accidentally came. But no, he says no.

I paid the price. I took the initiative. I made the payment. I am the one who came pursuing after you. Translation, I pay the price you could never pay. See, as a son, and as a daughter, say I'm ready for this, you don't earn a redemption. You receive it. No, I need you to hear me. As a son and as a daughter, you don't earn redemption. You receive it. You see, an orphan says, how do I pay God back? Sons say no. It's already been paid. But God didn't just purchase you. Here's the second one. He says, I've called you by name. He said, I've been in this chapter all year because I really can't get over the first verse. Not only have I redeemed you, but then I called you by name. This becomes personal. Can you imagine that throughout Scripture, if you have to understand, that your name represents your identity. So this is not God saying you people. This is not God saying, hey, somebody, anybody, answer me. No, this is God and a world with six billion people saying Nelson, Charles, Sophia, Leon, our cell, Lorraine, Lit. No, he calls you by.

No, the one who holds the entire world in his hand is yet so intentional that out of six billion people, he has not forgotten me, he knows me by. Okay, y'all now with me yet, okay. Later be the reason why this is important to me because he didn't call me by my title. He didn't call me by my accomplishments. He didn't call me by my failures. He didn't call me by what I could do. No, he said, I know your name. To be known deeply by the creator of the universe is one of humanity's greatest desires. Who knows me? You know who knows you? The one who made this whole world knows you. Oh my God. But then he says, I've redeemed you, I've called you by name. And here's where I get a little choked up. He says, you are your mind. It's the most intimate verse in all of scripture. I've redeemed you, I've called you by name, and you are my translation, you belong to me. Translation, I'm your daddy. You see, the reality is everyone in this room is looking for belonging. If you step back, it's not hard to realize that most of the pursuit of life is in quest and in search for belonging. It's why you have friend groups

and join political parties and sports teams and fraternities and sororities. I'm going there really, really soon, I promise you. Churches, companies, online groups, games, social clubs, we form or join all of these things So I'll be doing it. I'm not saying you shouldn't do it that way, but that's what we're searching for. We're all in search to find a place that we belong, that will accept us, that will see us. And here's the deal, here's the deal. We become like whatever family we believe we're a part of. Which is why rejection hurts so bad. The reality is that exclusion did not hurt your feelings. It was an attack on your identity. Because I thought that I identified with you. And so when I get rejected, it's not my feelings being hurt. It's my identity being re... Oh my gosh. So while Israel is surrounded by confusion and pain and disappointment, before they can even ask God, where do I fit? God says you fit with me. Before they can wonder who wants them, God says I want you. Before they can ask who will claim us. He says, I do. And this friends changes everything. Because what it communicates, listen to me, is that belonging is not something I achieve.

Oh my gosh. Lady B, help me. Belonging is not something that I achieve. Belonging is something that I receive. And see, you may not understand this, but for me, because of the relationship I had with my biological father, I thought in order for me to belong to God, that this little boy had to perform. What will get my biological father's attention? 'Cause he doesn't even know where I am. Y'all not hearing me? Does he even know where I'm at? And because that was unsettled. Everywhere I showed up, even as pastor, it was performative, hoping that that would get me received. That that was show that I belong, that that would show that I'm a part of something. And God is like, no, let's deal with this. There's nothing that you can do to prove that you belong more. You are my son. You are my son. I know you, by name. What would happen? Okay, okay, calm down. Okay, okay, number two. Sons and daughters don't earn belonging. You don't earn it. Here's the best way to understand this.

Servants work for acceptance. Orphans search for acceptance. You can hear me? Servants, they work for acceptance, for belonging. Orphans are searching for acceptance and belongings. Sons and daughters live from acceptance. They live from belonging. See, your orphan wakes up every day saying, I hope someone chooses me. Maybe that's why you're in a relationship with your aunt. 'Cause you wanna be chosen. You want someone to choose you. Maybe that's why you stay at your job as long as you do. Because you're hoping that someone chooses you. The son wakes up knowing I've already been chosen. The orphan asks, where do I belong? The son and daughter says, I'm already home. See, God is reminding Israel in this chapter. You're not an orphan. You're not a servant. No, you're my daughter. You're my son. You already belong. You don't have to go searching for belonging. You don't have to stay in a relationship that doesn't serve you well. Because you feel like this is where you belong. And when you begin to actually look through the lens of God as a son and a daughter of the most high God, the creator of the universe that knows your name,

it will change how you show up in other places because I don't have to do this to belong. (audience applauding) Belonging produces security. I said belonging produces security. amusement parks, just think about them. They don't know the exit. They don't know what danger exists. They don't understand what's lurking around. They don't-- they really don't-- like, my sons, like, we were walking through-- we were in Orlando. [ Chuckles ] This place got busier by the minute. 10 o'clock, still busy. And my son is walking like... [ Laughter ] And I was like, "Yo, it is so many people, and you ain't never even been here before, and you just walking around. But why? Why is he doing that?" Listen, more times than not, it's because they're holding the father's hand. [ Cheers and applause ] Why? I got to know that. Because security-- Oh, lady, because we're all trying to say, like, security doesn't come from environment. It's the reason why, like, you can be going to an unfamiliar place. And you'll ask, "Hey, can you come with me?" It's the person that you're with

that brings the security, not the environment. Environments don't produce security. It's who you're-- okay. What I'm saying is that, oftentimes, through life, we're looking for environments to make us secure. When it's not an environment that's going to do it, it's who you're with. [ Cheers and applause ] And when you learn to be with the one who says, "Before I formed you in your mother's womb, I knew you when you know how to be with the one who wakes you up at night and puts angels all around you when you know-- no, no, no, listen, listen. This with-- being with this person. Okay, calm down, calm down, calm down, calm down, calm down. This is why the enemy attacks identity so much and belonging so much. Because if he can convince you that you don't belong, you will shift your identity. I need you to hear what I'm saying. Think about right now what is under the biggest microscope. It's because of belonging. So then, who do I identify with that helps me feel like I belong? And if the enemy can distort your identity and shape your belief about where you belong, I'm so grateful for Isaiah 43 because he says, "No, no, no, no, I've redeemed you. I've called you by name and you are mine." Belonging is what brings security, not environments. Not environments.

Not a relationship. [ Inaudible Remark ] Now, the job, it's not money, it's not a house, it's not a car, it's not ambition. The only thing that will really make you feel secure is when you know you belong to the Father. [ Applause ] Does this make any sense? Okay, okay, okay, okay. I got a chart for you just in case. It doesn't. Here's the progression. You've been redeemed. God's declaration, I've redeemed you. From what? My past. So what happened to me and what I've done, no longer gets to find a word because God has brought me back. Some of you, the reason why you have not been able to move forward is because you've been living in the past that has already been purchased. And if it's already been purchased, it means it doesn't belong to you. So any time you go revisit something or try to go get something that doesn't belong to you, you're actually a thief. And so some of you are robbing yourselves from your own future, trying to be an Indian giver and snatch back what God already purchased. And if you'll learn to leave that there and put your eyes on God, the one who has redeemed you, the one who's called you, I said, you've been called by name.

That settles your identity. I'm not anonymous to God. He knows me personally and calls me according to who he says I am. Then you've got belonging. He says, your mind. That settles your place. I don't have to spend my life searching for somewhere to belong. I already belong to him. I'm going to tell you, when you really know who you belong to, it'll tell you what to divorce yourself of. See, because some of you have joined certain things because you had identity and belonging issues and you did it out of ignorance. And if you'll ever really get to a place where you really begin to identify and belong to the right one, he'll begin to tell you. I don't even want you over there because my people who have my last name, they don't go over there. See, I'm going to talk about this in a little bit, but when you have to understand that he says a little bit later in this chapter in Isaiah 43, he says, you bear my name. See, bow and boys know where to go and where not to go. There are certain places that a bow and boy will not go simply because his last name dictates that he can't go there. Belonging will show you where to go, who to go, who to be with, who not to be with. And if you'll ever get to a place where you'll see God as Abba, as daddy, as father, as the one who has redeemed me, the one who has restored me, the one who has sent me free, the one who puts air in my body, the one who calls me by name. It shifts your entire perspective, it calls you by name, that's secure. Wait, what's this, what's this new thing you're walking with, PB, security, security. It's not arrogance, it's not pride, it's security, I know who my daddy is, I know who he is. See, fear can't dominate someone who knows their past is redeemed. It can't dominate someone who knows that their identity is spoken for.

It can't dominate someone who knows that my belonging is secure because the world will tell you to go build enough and achieve enough and earn enough and then you'll belong. My father in heaven says you already belong, it's not what you build. Oh man, okay, I heard that, I heard that, I heard that. What happened if you dated from belonging? What happened if you operated with your spouse from belonging? What if you went on job interviews from belonging? What would happen if you actually started doing life not to belong, but from belonging? That when I walk in the atmospheres, it's not even what the atmosphere can do for me. It's the assignment that I carry and what I'm supposed to do for the atmosphere. I got to shift this, when you come into my life, I'm glad that you can bring some value, what you bring into the table, what you bring to, I want you to bring some stuff to the table. But even if you didn't, what I need you to know is that my table has already been set where before my enemies, you don't know this, I'm telling you that you operate from belonging. We got to make this shift because the world will keep you striving, the world will keep you going after the world, you will never be enough in the world's eyes. You got to know Jesus Christ for yourself, and he's the one that will tell you you're already good. You're already belong, you're mine, you're mine. You crying no people who don't want you, but the one created the world wants you. I want you, I don't have time, baby, I'm going to get to this whenever I can. Secure children don't wake up trying to earn the last name of their father. 20-something years of my life, and still had his last name? I don't know, Caleb, wasn't even present, but his name was. And Isaiah 43 says, "No, you bear my name." Meaning that even if I don't feel your presence, you know with me, say even if I don't feel your presence, his name is with me. You don't see, but if you don't belong,

you don't understand the power and the authority of that name. Because at that name, every knee will bow. At that name, every tongue will confess. At that name, sickness will leave your body. At that name, no, no, cancer cannot stand up to that name. Divorce cannot stand up to that name. Neglect cannot stand up to that name. Rejection cannot stand up to that name. I belong to the one who has defeated death, sin, hell, and the grave. And he says, "You are." All right. Say I already belong. So I just need you processing. When you start doing stuff, and you start asking yourself, why are you doing this? Is this to feel like I belong somewhere? Because I already belong. Is this cause someone can know my name? My name's already known. Why am I doing this? Amen. Did y'all enjoy this? God, we just thank you so much for your faithfulness. We thank you for your goodness. Thank you for your mercy. You're so good, Lord. You're so good, Lord. Thank you for being ours. You are our father, and we belong to you.

Forgive us for times that we forgot that. Forgive us for times we walked away from an idea. Let us rest in that reality, God, that we belong to you. In Jesus' name you pray. Hey, no one looking all our eyes closed heads about. I want to pray for one more person. I want to pray for the person in this room who said, "Man, I don't know that father the way you said you know him." I want to give you that opportunity today to say, "Man, I want to belong to God the way you just preached about." And that's simple, man. It's not anything spooky. It's not anything scary. It's really just an invitation. It's an invitation just to say, "God, I want you in my life, man. I want you to show up for me in a way that I didn't even know was possible." See, there's so many debates and myths right now about what is going on between heaven and hell. Are they real or are they not? Let me help you out, both are real. Heaven and hell are both real. The myth is that you actually get to decide-- I'm sorry, the myth is that God doesn't send you anywhere. You get to decide where you go. And you decide to go to heaven. When you say, "Jesus, I need you to come into my life." So I'm not going to do anything spooky.

I'm not going to do anything scary. I'm just going to ask you to raise your hand on the count of three and say, "That's me, man. I'm going to give my life to Jesus." I had that relationship with him. I just kind of walked away. Or maybe you're like, "I've never had it, but today I want to experience it." Because the reality is this, at some point, you are going to take your last breath. And when you do my job, just to make sure that you spend eternity with Jesus. And maybe right now, your heart's racing. And you're like, "What is that?" And simply, Jesus knocking you on the door of your heart. See, these are perfect gentlemen. So he doesn't come by intrusion. He doesn't come by invasion. He only comes by an invitation. And the invitation is simply this, "Jesus, I'm a sinner and need of a savior. Would you save my life?" And if that's you today, man, listen, we're not going to ask you to stand. We're not going to ask you to come to the front. But I am going to ask you to say this after me because here's what the subscription says. He says, "When you confess me before men, I'll confess you before my father." And so if that's you today, here's your moment.

No one else is looking. It's just me and you on the count of three. Just raise your hands with gladness, with boldness. Just say that's me. I'm giving my life to Jesus today. One, God loves you. Two, your life will never be the same. Three, if that's you, would you raise your hand? Come on, we got one there. Hey, sit here today, folks, yes. Come on, let's celebrate. So awesome, so awesome. Come on, I say, God, today, I give you my life. I believe in my heart and confess to my mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord. Come on, let's celebrate. Hey, y'all, lady, question, question. Is there anything that you need from me? What's happening? You need it from him, what did you need? Peace. Oh, yeah, we can do that. I'm afraid that you get a spirit of peace on you, like never before. And I'm going to believe that in this moment that whatever it is that you're dealing with, some family stuff, yeah, I feel like there's some family stuff that-- and it's been keeping you up at night, and it's been robbing you of sleep. And so you're going to sleep like you've never slept before.

You're going to cast all this down, and God is going to release something in you right now. In the name of Jesus. Peace, amen. Shit, hey, they both sit. There it goes, right there. Amen. I love you guys, we'll see you guys next week. [MUSIC PLAYING] Yeah, Dad, that's right. How does I want to know what I'm doing? [MUSIC PLAYING] (upbeat music) (upbeat music)