Rediscovering Your Spiritual DNA

This excerpt invites believers to reflect on their identity in Christ by rediscovering your spiritual DNA—the divine lineage you’ve inherited as a child of God. It explores how knowing your true spiritual heritage can set you free from limitations, shift your mindset, and empower you to live a bold, Spirit-filled life. If you’ve been settling for less, it’s time to leave the pigeons behind and start soaring like the eagle you were born to be.

In recent years, it has become very popular to have your DNA analyzed in order to explore your genetic heritage. Numerous new websites have popped up, offering to tell you what your DNA says about your ancestry.

While I can certainly understand people’s fascination with their physical ancestry, I’m bewildered that many Christians have spent little effort exploring their spiritual ancestry as sons and daughters of God. For example, they’ll probably tell you that their DNA is 60% German and 40% Irish, but they don’t seem excited at all that they are spiritual descendants of Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, the Old Testament prophets, Jesus’ original apostles, and the early church.

I’ve met people who boast in being a descendant of George Washington or Thomas Jefferson, forefathers of America, while they never give any thought to their spiritual ancestry as “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people” (1 Peter 2:9).

My friend, regardless of your earthly parentage, you should be shouting hallelujah today that you’ve been born into God’s own family! Peter wrote that through the precious blood of Christ you’ve been “ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers” (1 Peter 1:18-19 ESV). No matter what kind of heritage your earthly mother or father may have imparted to you, your Heavenly Father has now brought you into a wonderful new family:

You are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit (Ephesians 2:19-22).

This fact is more important than you might think, for your understanding of your heritage will inevitably affect your view of your own identity. When you gave your life to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you were “born of God” (John 1:12-13 NIV), and you now have His spiritual DNA. Although that should settle the question of your identity once and for all, other factors come into play.

Every day, you have choices to make as to whether you will allow God’s character and DNA to be manifested in your life. Will you allow His Spirit to have free reign in your life, or will you choose to follow the cravings of your flesh instead? Paul was very graphic in describing the difference in these two outcomes (Galatians 5:16-25, Romans 8:5-11).

But thankfully the verdict is already in regarding your ultimate destiny: “Whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29). God’s DNA will win out in the end! He will be relentless until you’ve been restored to His likeness (Genesis 1:26-28, Philippians 1:6).

However, because of ignorance of what the Bible says about their DNA as God’s children, many Christians base their view of themselves on their past setbacks or their current circumstances. No wonder they’re not able to break free! They’ve forgotten their true identity.

Eagle or Pigeon?

God’s DNA is not designed for failure and frustration, but rather for greatness … love … holiness … and victory. But in order to experience the full blessings of your spiritual heritage, there’s a good chance you’ll need to have your mind renewed (Romans 12:2), recognizing who God has destined you to be as His beloved child.

Picture what might happen if a baby eagle fell off his family’s high mountain ledge and landed among a flock of pigeons. Maybe the pigeons would kindly take the baby eagle into their community and teach him how to live as one of them. But that would be far from his true, God-ordained identity, wouldn’t it?

If the young eagle flew among the pigeons, it would never get very high off the ground. Life would be incredibly boring, with no sense of adventure at all. In the same way, many Christians have become virtually earthbound, surrounded by unbelieving friends. Instead of soaring, they’re just flapping their wings.

Friend, God has called you to so much more than that! Instead of having you live the shallow, purposeless life of a pigeon, He wants you to break out of your comfort zone and soar to new heights. And if you’ve been weighted down by sins or addictions that have hindered you from gaining altitude, this can be the day God’s supernatural power sets you free.

What does it look like when you activate your spiritual DNA and reclaim your destiny as an “eagle” Christian? It’s an exciting, supernatural life, completely different from life as a pigeon:

Those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faith (Isaiah 40:31).

So be honest. If you find yourself flapping like a pigeon instead of soaring like an eagle, allow God’s power to enable you to escape your frustrating circumstances. Don’t delay, my friend. Now’s the time to take the limits off your faith and learn to FLY!

…

Excerpt taken from SuperNatural: God’s Power for Your Breakthrough by David Cerullo

You’re not alone. Let us walk with you into a deeper relationship with God.