HOW TO RESIST IDENTITY CRISIS

February 27, 2026

But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank. – Daniel 1:8a

1. MAKE UP YOUR MIND. When King Nebuchadnezzar took Daniel and his friends away from Jerusalem, he ordered them to learn the literature and language of the Chaldeans for three years – essentially trying to brainwash them with the Babylonian system. He even gave them new names (Daniel 1:1-7). This was pure identity disruption. But “Daniel made up his mind.” He drew a line and asked permission from the king’s commander to eat a different way (Daniel 1:8).

2. THRIVE WHERE YOU ARE. Though they tried to change everything about Daniel, they couldn’t get to the heart of the matter – he was God’s. Because Daniel took a stand, stayed focused, and kept loving God, he went beyond just survival and began to thrive behind enemy lines (Daniel 1:17).

A culture shift can happen through one person’s obedience.

3. CONTINUE. Daniel continued to serve God in Babylon through several reigns of kings (Daniel 1:21). You can be in the world but not conformed to it (Romans 12:2). If you’ve encountered vicious oppression, keep going. Keep trusting Jesus.

DEFINITION: i·den·ti·ty, noun

The state of remaining the same, as under varying aspects

or conditions.

SAY THIS OUT LOUD:
In all these things I overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loves me (Romans 8:37). I forget what lies behind and reach forward to what lies ahead, pressing on toward the goal for the prize of he upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14).

^{Copyright © 2026 St. Louis Family Church, All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. “Identity, N.” Dictionary.com, Dictionary.com LLC, 2025, https://www.dictionary.com/browse/identity.}