Curated Reading for May 17 – 23
Sermon Series: Real War Week 5Sermon Title: The Battle for Your Identity delivered on May 17, 2026
View Sermon Notes →
Day 1 READ: Genesis 2
What unique aspects of mankind’s creation stand out to you? What does the phrase Image of God mean? How does Satan attempt to distort or redefine the truth of that statement? How does it also shape how we view others?
Day 1 PRAY: Pause and thank God for His sovereign hand over your life from conception until today. Invite Him to show you any area of your life where you are being deceived or challenged in the eternal truth of God’s Word. Write down that area and commit to pray specifically for wisdom, strength, courage, and perseverance to pursue and trust the truth of God’s Word in greater measure today and this week.
Day 2 READ: Mark 2:13-17 and Matthew 9:9-13 What were the cultural forces and labels that were attached to Levi/Matthew? How did Jesus change the false narrative and invite Matthew into a new identity? How does Matthew’s story connect with your story?
Day 2 PRAY: Pause and thank Jesus for calling you and changing your identity and future. Thank Him for the eternal security you embrace as a son of the Living God. Ask Jesus to show you any strongholds that you might still hold onto, such as past mistakes, labels others have attached to you, or false beliefs about yourself that you might be clinging to. As an act of consecration, write these down and shred, burn, or tear them up, offering them to Jesus to take from you and to remind you of who you are to Him.
Day 3 READ: 2 Corinthians 5 As you read this chapter, what are some of the key phrases that stand out to you? If you have believed in Jesus, you have been given a new identity with a new purpose. How does this redefine who the world says you are and what is most important?
Day 3 PRAY: Thank Jesus for His victory over sin, death, and the enemy. Thank Him for giving you a new name, a new purpose, and new life in Him. Ask Him to show you one person whom you can share the Good news of Jesus with this week.
Day 4 READ: Luke 19:1-10 How does this passage highlight how Jesus tears down cultural labels and barriers to God? How did the woman experience a new identity and life in Jesus? How does Jesus redefine your personal experiences and present situation?
Day 4 PRAY: Thank God for His grace and kindness in calling you and offering you the gift of forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus. Invite Him to show you a person in your life who could use words of encouragement and blessing. As He shows you, respond in faith by connecting and praying with that person.
Day 5 READ: Ephesians 2. What are some of the blessings of being “in Christ”? How does this reframe what we used to do and crave? How does this reshape how we view ourselves and others who are in Christ?
Day 5 PRAY: Pause and thank Jesus for His great love and mercy for you. Invite Him to show you areas where you can grow in gratitude for Him and His gifts for you. Share with Him any area of your life, you might be vulnerable to the lies of the enemy and the enticements of the world to lure you away from your true identity in Jesus.
Memorize and Reflect
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
Real War Weekly Challenge
Real War Weekly Training Regimen
- Begin and end your day on your knees (Prayer)
- Strengthen your mind and heart (God’s Word)
- Take back the terrain of your heart and life (Confession, Repentance)
- Reconnect with a teammate (Accountability, Community)