Nothing is truly confirmed—whether a sale or an ownership—until token money or a down payment is made. In the same way, Scripture says in 2 Corinthians 1:22, “God also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.”
And in Ephesians 1:13–14, we read that after believing the gospel, “you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance… to the redemption of God’s own possession.”
Verse 14 makes it clear: the Holy Spirit is the pledge—the down payment—of our inheritance. He comes into us before our identity is revealed, because He is the One who brings the inheritance of sonship and marks us as God’s possession.
This is why Jesus gave His disciples a very specific instruction:
“Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift He promised.” (Acts 1:4; Luke 24:49)
Even Jesus, who could say at age twelve, “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” said this because He was born of the Holy Spirit. Yet after thirty years on earth, He received another outpouring of the Spirit at His baptism. Only after the Spirit descended on Him did the Father’s voice declare, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:22)
In all these moments, the Holy Spirit comes first—then identity, then inheritance, then the confirmation of belonging to God.
Have you noticed that?
Without the Holy Spirit, simply meditating on “I am a child of God” becomes nothing more than repeating a principle—similar to Mosaic law—without bearing the fruit of righteousness. This is why many motivational speakers and life coaches use declarations like, “I am smart, I am successful, the universe is on my side…” Such affirmations may uplift the mind, but they lack the power of the Spirit.
What separates the life of a believer from all of this is the Holy Spirit Himself.
Romans 8:15 says, “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’”
Notice the order: first we receive the Spirit of adoption, then we cry out “Abba, Father.”
We should never doubt that we are God’s children. But we must also understand that this identity operates primarily in the spiritual realm, where battles, principalities, and unseen forces exist. Jesus often called Himself the “Son of Man” among people—yet in the spiritual realm, He was known as the Son of God, the Lion of Judah.
The primary purpose of our identity as sons of God is not earthly domination, but dominion over darkness—fighting the good fight of faith and overcoming spiritual forces. Material blessings, peace, victory, and favor become by-products of this spiritual reality. If identity in Christ meant earthly rulership, then Paul, Peter, and John would appear as failures—yet in the spiritual realm, they were giants.
All humans share the same basic identity, yet not all live out the same goodness. Why? Not because of identity confusion, but because of hidden influences—the flesh (pride, selfishness, lust) and the ruler of this world, Satan—from whom earthly identity often flows.
The Holy Spirit works against our flesh whereas the Devil tries to influence what is inside our flesh. Failure of Adam and Eve was in a way an identification crisis but more than that was pride, selfishness and lust – hidden natures inside their body made of dust of earth. What is dead can never be influenced but the live.
But when you begin to walk in your true identity—empowered by the Holy Spirit—your marriage is strengthened, your finances come into alignment, your home and workplace experience peace, your health improves, and the fruits of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, gentleness—flow naturally from your life.
Let anyone who has ears hear what the Spirit of God is saying. Amen!