Harvard psychologist Gordon Allport spoke to the power of a name when he said, “The most important anchor to our self-identity throughout life remains our own name.” You see, names affect how we feel about ourselves and influence our entire lives. I believe this is one of the reasons why God made it a point to rename people several times in Scripture… and why He wants to rename you today!

Before I surrendered my heart to Christ, I had a list of names attached to myself: unclean, unrighteous, purposeless… but God is the God of new beginnings, fresh starts, and reawakened purpose. In Him, we are named clean, righteous, and purposeful!

Maybe you’re thinking to yourself, “That sounds great, Pastor Steve, but how do I really receive those new names and begin to believe them about myself?” Friend, it starts with surrender.

In Genesis, we read of a man named Jacob—one of the patriarchs of the Old Testament—whose name literally means “Heel Grabber” or “Deceiver.” And that’s exactly who Jacob was… until God renamed him. God says in Genesis 32:28, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.”

Wow! Jacob’s new name, “Israel,” is rich with meaning. It means “Prince with God” or “Governed by God.” You see, Jacob surrenderedand God renamed him! He made the decision not to do life his own way any longer, but to do it God’s way.

Friend, God wants to rename you! To discover four steps to a fresh start, dive into this message with me…