There are many types of trials that God allows Christians to go through to purify their

lives.  James says to count it all joy.  Peter says that at times they are necessary.  Church history

records that the Church is the strongest when it is in difficulties.

One of the hardest trials is when you seem to be losing your support system - others who

are Christians, who have been close to you, but now seem to have either turned on you or are sure

you are an awful person.

Most of the following article is written to help you understand who you really are in

Christ.  But first it seems good to lay a little more groundwork so that you may come through this

season of trial with God’s purposes realized in your life.

First of all, know that Heaven rules.  God reigns in all, even the things that seem out of

the will of God.  The book of Daniel is all about knowing that heaven reigns.  God has allowed

this trial in your life for some positive reasons, even though you seem sure that it is other people

who are just being difficult.

Secondly, understand the picture that Peter paints of being in the refiner’s fire.  Gold

remains gold no matter how hot it is heated.  When it is heated, the impurities come to the

surface.  When you AND others seem to be at odds, it would be well to understand that in the

providence of God you are both going through a refining process.

When impurities come to the surface they are seen by all.  Everyone can either choose to

judge one another for their obvious impurities.  Or you can recognize it for what it really is. 

God’s Bunsen Burner was turned up on everyone and the impurities are surfacing.  It is a

cleansing process.  It is not a, “I’m better than they are.  I’m right and they’re wrong.”  Even if

you have been terribly sinned against, you are in need of becoming like Christ and bearing the

wrong, taking the blame, and loving them with prayers of blessing.  If you can’t do that, you too

need some refining.

When you are in the refining process it is important to remember not to let your spirit get

beat down into the ground with accusations.  If people reject you, they reject you.  But God

hasn’t, and your identity comes from Him, not others, and not even your own performance.  He is

refining you, not hating you, disappointed in you, surprised at you (or others), or rejecting and

refusing you.  You will not be destroyed.

You need to take control of your mind and think “God thoughts.”  You have the right to

rule your mind and let it ascend to heaven.  He will keep you in perfect peace with your mind

stayed on Him.  A big part of the refining process is to teach you how to do this under fire.  There

is no sermon, no seminar, and no human being’s counsel that can replace the work of the

Refiner’s Fire.  One of it’s main purposes is to teach you to embrace God with full faith by

accepting what He has done in your life.

So let’s get on with it.  Start focusing your thoughts on what the truth about who you are

really is.  Once the Spirit of God has made these things real on the inside of you, then you will be

able to respond properly to the fire storm that is going on around you, and the storm will cease! 

The truth will release the power of God in you.  The image of Christ’s reflection will be more

clearly seen as the impurities are washed away by faith in the fire.  If you will do this, get ready,

for the Holy Spirit will come on you in a mighty way.

Now, here is the confession of who you are.  

1 Cor 3:21-21 Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: 22 whether Paul or Apollos or

Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come — all are yours. 23 And

you are Christ's, and Christ is God's. 

1 Cor 3:16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in

you? 

1 Cor 2:16 For "who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?" But we have

1 Cor 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God,

that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 

1 Cor 1:30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God — and

righteousness and sanctification and redemption —  

Gen 1:27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male

and female He created them.

2 Cor 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away;

behold, all things have become new. 

2 Cor 5:20-21 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through

us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew

no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 

Eph. 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every

spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 

Eph 1:5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the

good pleasure of His will, 

Eph 1:6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. 

Eph 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the

riches of His grace 

Eph 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of

redemption. 

Eph 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of

light 

Col 2:9-10 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in

Him, who is the head of all principality and power. 

Heb 10:10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ

once for all. 

2 Peter 1:2-4 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our

Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,

through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to

us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the

divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 

1 John 1:2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that

eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us —  1 John 5:12 He who has the

Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 

1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that

we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is

the true God and eternal life. 

1 Peter 1:23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word

of God which lives and abides forever, 

Isa 55:12 "For you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace; The mountains and the

hills

Shall break forth into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 

Isa 61:1 "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach

good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the

captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

Rom 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit

of adoption by whom we cry out,"Abba, Father." 

Rom 8:17 and if children, then heirs — heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we

suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. 

Rom 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we

should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings

which cannot be uttered. 

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those

who are the called according to His purpose. 

Rom 8:29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His

Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 

Rom 8:30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also

justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. 

Rom 8:34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is

even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 

Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or

persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 

Rom 8:37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 

Ps 59:9 I will wait for You, O You his Strength;  For God is my defense. 

Ps 62:8 Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge

for us.

Ps 73:26 My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion

forever. 

Ps 75:7 But God is the Judge: He puts down one, And exalts another. 

Rom 14:4 Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed,

he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand. 

Heb 11:16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not

ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. 

Here are some others identity makers that you can look up.

God is your protector, provider, healer, guide, sacrifice, Lord, savior, Father, lover, Maker

These absolute realities are not here so that we may deny the truth in our flesh about our need for refining and correction through God's chastening.   To the contrary, knowing who we are in Christ gives us the ability to be refined.  It makes us more teachable as we rely more on Him and less on self.  As you understand the truth about refining you also will not feel condemned or an object of God's displeasure.  You will have faith that He is working with you in a powerful way.  

When called upon to act like Him in our suffering we can know that we will not be "doormats."  The above truths about our identity are far from a doormat, slaves mentality.  In fact, as faith in these things grow to the place of our surrender to the Refiner's Fire, you will experience a powerful anointing of the Holy Spirit.  It won't come exactly when you think, for He is the one in charge.  But He himself has guaranteed that as we obey Him He will give us His Holy Spirit to comfort and strengthen us.