Many years ago, back in the early '90's, I was reading John chapter one, and the Lord showed me something. Since then, I've come to learn that my revelation was by no means unique, but it was life-changing for me.

I was reading this passage:

"And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias."

I asked the question 'Who is speaking?': John and the Pharisees
I asked the question 'What were they saying?': There was some confusion over who John was
I asked the question 'How was this question settled?': John appealed to the Scriptures

John could have said any number of things about himself. He could have referred to his parents, "I'm the son of Zacharias." But he didn't. He could have referred to his situation, "I'm a nomadic, wandering preacher." But he didn't. He even could have defined himself by his diet, "I'm a locust-eater." But he didn't do that either.

He defined himself by agreeing with what God had said about him! He quoted the scriptures.

But, wasn't it extremely egotistical to call himself 'THE voice"? I mean, to say it out loud was pretty 'out there' wasn't it? No, not really, to agree with God is to be humble. If God has declared you to be a king, then it is FALSE humility to say that you are not; it is 'sneaky self' rebelling against God's word.

What was the lesson in this for me?

I saw that I should define myself by the Scriptures, not by my situation, my job, my failures, or anything else on this earth. I researched the New Testament and wrote out all the things that God says I am. How wonderful were these words!!

Recently, I shook hands with a real life multi-millionaire (billionaire?). A man who was thinking about buying himself a commercial helicopter for his birthday, a man who drove a convertible Rolls Royce. It was a very neat experience! I shook hands with a billionaire, he shook hands with a king.

I mentioned this to a friend of mine who has not yet been shown this truth; he laughed at me. "Oh my!," he said, as if to say that I had gone too far, as if I were chasing castles in the sky.

But the truth is, I am a king. And I'm not chasing castles, I have one, bought and paid for!!

The Bible tells me so.