The Thriving Christian Artist

5 Biblical Declarations To Break Shame And Build Unshakable Identity In Christ

• Matt Tommey: Artist, Best-Selling Author, Speaker, Entrepreneur and Artist Mentor

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What if your creative breakthrough isn’t about striving harder, but about believing what’s already true about you? We explore five bold declarations from Scripture that dismantle shame, silence the inner critic, and help you create from a place of freedom, not fear. From the prodigal’s robe to the authority of being seated with Christ, you’ll hear a clear path to rebuild identity and align your art with God’s heart.

We start with restoration—full, generous, immediate—not a probationary return. Then we dig into adoption and delight, the difference between being barely forgiven and being joyfully welcomed into a family. You’ll hear how new creation identity and the Spirit’s equipping end the cycle of waiting for permission or perfect conditions. Resistance still comes, but we reframe the battle: not fighting for victory, but creating from victory, with stamina and peace. Finally, we talk about carrying light—how your presence and practice shift atmospheres, open hearts, and invite hope without forcing a message.

You’ll get a powerful daily affirmation to speak over your life and a free 31-day guide to renew your mind with Scripture-driven declarations: https://thrive.matttommeymentoring.com/31-biblical-affirmations 

If you’re a Christian artist longing for clarity, courage, and creative flow, this conversation will help you stand firm in who you are and why you’re here—so your work can reflect heaven with honesty and excellence. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs encouragement, and leave a comment with the declaration you’ll start practicing today.

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SPEAKER_00:

You know, when you discover who you really are in Christ, it changes everything about your life, your art, the way you walk, and your creative calling as an artist. But unfortunately, most Christian artists live in this sort of never-ending cycle of struggle and defeat because of the conversation that's happening inside their mind. But today, I'm giving you five powerful declarations straight out of God's word that are going to shatter that cycle once and for all and help you build unshakable faith in your true identity as a child of God. So if that sounds like something you need in your life, let's jump in. So this morning I was spending some time with the Lord right over there in that chair. And I was asking him, Lord, what do you want me to communicate to artists who are watching this channel all over the world? And I heard him say so clearly, Matt, remind them of who they are in me. Because listen, artists get hit with lies constantly, these things that are like, you know, you're not enough, or you're too old, or you're not talented enough, or nobody cares about your art, or it's not spiritual enough, or you missed your moment, or you're too broken, or just all this stuff that the enemy's constantly throwing at us. But here's the thing: you'll always create and think and live from whatever identity you believe you have on the inside. And so today I'm going to show you how to remove the lies and replace them with the truth right out of God's word. See, I've learned over the years, if you're going to confidently walk in your calling as an artist, you have to know deep down in your heart, in your spirit, that God has completely forgiven you and fully restored you, not partially, not begrudgingly, but fully and generously. And so here's declaration number one. It says, I am saved, redeemed, reconciled, and fully restored. I love it in Ephesians 1 7. It says, He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his son and forgave our sins. And I also love it in 2 Corinthians 5.18, it says, and all of this, all of this restoration and redemption is a gift from God who brought us back to himself through Christ. And listen, if you want the biggest and the best, and I think the most beautiful picture of what this restoration looks like, look at the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15. It says, Jesus says, you know, while the son was still a far great way off, the father saw him and had compassion on him and ran to him and kissed him. He wasn't giving him lectures or conditions or like a probationary period, or you better get it together. No, the father immediately in that moment fully restored him. And it says in there, it says, the father said to his servants, Bring out the best robe and put it on him and put a ring on him and a robe on him and sandals on his feet. For this is my son who was once dead and he's now alive. He used to be lost and now he's found. Listen, he wasn't saying that he was a servant or some kind of second-class member of the family. He was fully restored. And listen, this is your story and my story that even when we were in rebellion and addiction and confusion and fear and doing our own thing, the Father was running toward us and he embraced us and fully restored everything that the enemy tried to steal in your life. And so in Christ, you don't create from shame and condemnation anymore. You create from restoration. So you can confidently say, I'm redeemed and reconciled and restored fully as a child of God in my Father's house. So now that you know that you've been fully restored, the next question is, well, how does God feel about me today? Because that was then, but like what about now? Well, listen, let's settle this forever because God didn't change his mind about you. So declaration number two says, I am a fully loved child of God. In fact, in Ephesians 1:5, it says, God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family, bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. I love that. And in Romans 8:15, it says, You receive the spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, Abba Father. So listen, God's not just tolerating you. You're not just barely forgiven, just some old sinner saved by grace. No, you are wanted, adopted, and God delights in you right now so that you can boldly say, I am a loved, fully loved child of God. And listen, once you know that you're loved, you can finally embrace this next truth, which is this God didn't just save you from sin and from death and hell in the grave. He equipped you with everything you need. And so declaration number three says, I'm a new creation, fully equipped by the Spirit. In fact, in 2 Corinthians 5 17, it says, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, and that includes you, he's a new creation. Old things have passed away, and behold, all things have become new. And one of my favorite scriptures, 2 Peter 1.3, it says it's his divine power that's given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. So again, you're not lacking, you're not behind, you're not waiting on God to give you something that he forgot. Trust me, he didn't forget. He's already given you everything in Christ. You have everything that you need in the spirit to walk out everything in your creative calling so that you can confidently say every day, I am a spirit-equipped new creation in Christ. And listen, if you're gonna step into your creative calling, trust me, you're gonna face resistance. That's just part of it. In fact, I love to say that resistance is proof that you're on the right journey. But listen, in resistance, you got to remember your spiritual position in Christ. And that brings us to declaration number four, which is I am seated with Christ in heavenly places and an overcomer in every battle. I love it in Ephesians 2.6, it says about God that he raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. And in Romans 8 37, it says, Yet in all these things, in all the struggles, right, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Listen, you're not struggling and fighting on your own for a victory. You're fighting from the victory that Christ already gave you. So you can say it out loud, confidently. I am seated with Christ. I'm more than a conqueror. I'm an overcomer in him who has already overcome all things. And finally, listen, your identity isn't just about who you are, it's also about what you carry into the world as a child of God. And that brings us to declaration number five, which is I am a light bearer, an ambassador, and an atmosphere shifter. I love that. In fact, in Matthew 5.14, Jesus spelled it out. He said, You are the light of the world. You and me, we're the light of the world, like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. And 2 Corinthians 5.20 says, Now then we are ambassadors for Christ as though God were pleading through us. So listen, your creativity, it carries God's light and life, and and your presence shifts atmospheres, your art opens hearts. It's God moving through you so that every day you can walk confidently and declare that I'm a light bearer, I'm a life-bearer, I'm a I'm reflecting the nature of God, I'm an atmosphere shifter. That's who you are in Christ. So even though all these things are the truth about who you are in Christ, it's really easy to ask, well, man, if that's true, why don't I always feel it? Why do things like lies and fear and insecurity and old patterns keep coming back up in my life all the time? Well, listen, it's because your thoughts, what's going on inside on the inside, that's what's shaping your reality. And so in the next video, I'm going to show you really the shocking truth about how your inner world determines everything that you create, how you show up in life, how you respond to life, how you see life, and how you can change it through the power of the Holy Spirit and His Word working inside of you. Now, listen, before I pray today, I want to give you something that's really powerful that you can begin to pray over yourself every day. And I also want to give you something you can download right now. It's called the 31 Days of Identity in Christ for Christian Artists. It's daily scriptures, daily declarations, and daily mind renewal opportunities for you. It's absolutely free. You can grab it right here at the link in the description. So as we end today, I want to speak this daily affirmation over you. Really, really powerful. And I hope it'll be something that you will incorporate into your own life to remind yourself who you are in Christ and everything that He's given you as a redeemed and reconciled and restored child of God. In Jesus' name, I declare that I'm saved and redeemed, reconciled and fully restored to God in Christ. Just like the prodigal son, the father ran toward me, embraced me, welcomed me home, not as a servant, but as a fully restored child of God. I declare today I am deeply loved, completely accepted and chosen before the foundation of the world. In Christ, I am a new creation. Old things have passed away, and everything in me has been made new. I am filled and being filled, equipped and being equipped, empowered and being empowered by the Holy Spirit for everything that I need for life and godliness in my creative calling. I'm seated with Christ in heavenly places. I overcome every challenge by his victory and by his strength. I carry his light, his presence, and his peace everywhere I go. I'm an ambassador of the kingdom of God, a bringer of beauty and truth and goodness and an atmosphere shifter in every environment that I enter. My identity is secure. My purpose is clear. My creativity flows from heaven. And today I choose to walk fully in who I am in Christ. Listen, my friend, if you'll if you'll start praying that over yourself every day, you'll start declaring those truths. I promise you the Holy Spirit's going to start moving and transforming your life from the inside out, which is how all transformation happens in the kingdom. So, Jesus, I thank you for my friend right now, Lord. I thank you for this divine appointment that they're watching on the other side of this video, wherever they are in the world, and you know exactly who they are. You know exactly their design and their assignment. You know exactly every struggle that they've walked through, and you know exactly every good purpose and plan that you have for them. And God, I thank you that in this very moment of their life, you're still working all things together for their good because you love them and you've called them according to your purpose. And so, God, today I pray that by the Holy Spirit you would so resonate inside of them. God, I pray that your living water, your rivers, oh God, your rivers of living water would so well up inside of them that, God, they would be overwhelmed by your goodness and your grace and your favor and your great love for them. That you, by your spirit, God, will begin to participate with their agreement, begin to renew their mind and strengthen their inner man. Encourage them by your word and by your spirit that they are your beloved child. I thank you for that, God. I bless them on this journey. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. Amen. Listen, friends, so glad that you're with me here today. Make sure to leave me a comment. Let me know how much that this teaching meant to you, maybe which affirmation really resonated with you. Also, make sure you're subscribed here to the channel so you never miss any of the great content that I'm creating every week for Christian artists just like you. I love you, my friend. It's an honor to be on the journey with you. And remember, till next time, you were created to thrive. Bye. Hey, my friend, before you go, make sure that you're signed up for the Thriving Christian Artist Weekly. It's my free newsletter full of spiritual encouragement, creative inspiration, and practical tips to help you thrive in everything that God's called you to do as an artist in his kingdom. Every issue is absolutely free, and it includes the latest podcast episode, featured artist spotlights, a worship song of the week, and again, tons of tips and encouragement and inspiration for you to keep you inspired and encouraged in everything that God's got for you as an artist in the kingdom. You can click the link right here in the show notes to join us, and it's a great way to stay connected. All right, love you. Bye.