RCCG YAYA SUNDAY SCHOOL STUDENT’S MANUAL 1 JUNE 2025

LESSON FOURTY (40)

TOPIC: CRISIS OF IDENTITY

BIBLE PASSAGE: Judges 6:11-16.

[11]Now the Angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites.

[12]And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!”

[13]Gideon said to Him, “O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.”

[14]Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?”

[15]So he said to Him, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”

[16]And the Lord said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man.”

MEMORY VERSE: “And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.” Genesis 32:28 (NKJV).

INTRODUCTION: There are three fundamental questions every human asks about their existence in life:  Who am I – a question of identity; Why am I here – a question of purpose; Where do I go from here – a question of eternity. Apart from the name some people bear, they find it difficult to answer the question of identity when confronted by some circumstances. This challenge creates a crisis of identity. An identity crisis is defined as a period of uncertainty in a person’s life. This crisis occurs when a person’s sense of identity becomes insecure and unstable and this can happen at any time.

OUTLINES:

1. Indicators With Biblical Instances

2. Overcoming Identity Crisis

1. INDICATORS WITH BIBLICAL INSTANCES

Since man is a created being (Isaiah 64:8), only the Creator – God, can adequately describe what He has created (Isaiah 45:11-13). Therefore, a drift away from a personal relationship with God is a major indicator of identity crisis. Adam and Eve fell for the trick of the devil on their being like God (Genesis 3:1-5). Identity crisis makes us question the purpose and meaning of life (Isaiah 45:9). Gideon raised questions about his worth even when God wanted to use him to deliver Israel (Judges 6:11-15).

Other indicators of identity crisis include:

1. Low self-esteem – Saul felt lost and aimless when Samuel told him he would be king over Israel (1 Samuel 9:19-21, 10:21-22).

2. A feeling of insecurity – Jacob felt insecure and struggled to get the blessings of the firstborn despite the prophecy of dominion over Esau (Genesis 25:23, 30-34, 27:15-19, 32:4).

3. Lack of fulfilment – At some point, Peter felt unfulfilled after he forsook his fishing business to follow Jesus (Luke 5:9-11; Matthew 19:27-29).

4. Anxiety and fear – Peter also denied his identity in Christ because he was nervous and afraid (Matthew 26:69-74).

5. Emotional instability – Naomi fell into the web of emotional instability after the loss of her husband and sons (Ruth 1:20-21).

CLASS ACTIVITY 1: Students should share their experience of identity crisis.

2. OVERCOMING IDENTITY CRISIS

A divine revelation of who we are is the ultimate remedy for the crisis of identity. God changed Abram’s name to Abraham (Genesis 17:4-5), Sarai’s to Sarah (Genesis 17:15-16), Jacob’s to Israel (Genesis 32:27-28) and Simon’s to Peter (Matthew 16:17-18). Through those names, God gave new beginnings, new hopes, and new blessings. A divine encounter is equally important. Saul of Tarsus was identified as a persecutor of the Church and an ardent enemy of believers in Christ (Acts 8:1-3), but his identity changed when he encountered Christ and he was later identified as Paul the Apostle (Acts 9:3-6; Galatians 1:1). It is only in Christ that our true identity can be unveiled (2 Corinthians 5:17). Just as demons asked for the identity of the sons of Sceva, we can only be bold to declare who we are if we are on the Lord’s side (Acts 19:13-16). We must know who God says we are and stand our ground when challenged by circumstances and/or the devil (1 Peter 2:9, Acts 22:25-29, Revelation 1:6).

CLASS ACTIVITY 2: Who are you? Class should discuss.

CONCLUSION: Having a sense of identity gives us a sense of belonging. Who are you?

QUESTIONS:

* Mention at least three indicators of identity crisis.

* How can one overcome an identity crisis?

FURTHER READING: SUN: Luke 15:17; MON: Matt.16:18; TUE: Gen.38:15; WED: Psalm 82:6; THUR: 1Cor.15:19; FRI: Eph.2:6; SAT: Matt.5:45

ASSIGNMENT:  State five (5) likely experiences of someone struggling with an identity crisis (2X5=10 Marks