Life-Giving Words of Hope & Encouragement

From the moment we’re born, names start to shape our identity. Some are given in love, others stick from painful experiences—“not good enough,” “broken,” “failure,” “unwanted,” “ordinary.” Maybe people spoke those labels over you, or maybe life’s disappointments left you believing them. But today, I want to remind you of a powerful truth found in Isaiah 62:2 (NIV): “You will be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will bestow.”

Let that sink in for a moment. God Himself wants to rename you. He doesn’t just patch up your past or improve the old version of you—He redefines you completely.

The Names the World Gives

If you’ve lived long enough, you’ve likely been given names you didn’t choose. Perhaps someone labeled you based on your failures—“divorced,” “addict,” “damaged,” “unqualified.” Or maybe life’s detours gave you names like “forgotten,” “behind,” or “hopeless.” I’ve been there. I’ve carried names that didn’t come from heaven, and those names tried to shape my future.

But here’s what I’ve learned: just because something has followed you, doesn’t mean it defines you.

The enemy is a master at name-calling. He wants you to walk around agreeing with defeat and shame. Why? Because if he can get you to believe the wrong name, he can get you to live a smaller story than the one God wrote for you.

The Name God Bestows

But Isaiah’s promise is not just poetic—it’s prophetic. “You will be called by a new name.” That means your identity, your reputation, your destiny—are not limited by your past. They are redefined by your Creator.

When God renames you, it’s not based on what you’ve done, but what He sees in you.

• He called Abram “Abraham” (Genesis 17:5), father of many, before he had any children.
• He called Jacob “Israel” (Genesis 32:28), one who wrestled with God, even though Jacob had been known as a deceiver.
• He called Simon “Peter” (John 1:42), the rock, long before he ever acted like one.

God doesn’t wait for you to prove yourself before He gives you your new name. He speaks it over you to call you up, not call you out.

Agreeing with Heaven

We all need to stop answering to names that heaven never gave us. If God calls you redeemed, don’t keep calling yourself damaged. If God says you’re chosen, why settle for feeling rejected? If He names you more than a conqueror, you have no business living like a victim.

You are not your mistakes. You are not your past. You are not what others have called you.

You are:

• Loved (Jeremiah 31:3)
• Chosen (1 Peter 2:9)
• Forgiven (Ephesians 1:7)
• Fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14)
• Seated in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6)
• Called and appointed (John 15:16)

Your new name might be Joy after years of sorrow. It might be Freedom after bondage. It might be Victory after a season of loss. Whatever it is, God speaks it with authority, and all of heaven agrees.

Your Identity Determines Your Destiny

Names carry meaning. When you start calling yourself what God calls you, everything begins to shift. You walk differently. You pray with boldness. You show up to life with expectancy instead of dread.

That’s not pride—that’s alignment.

I had to learn this the hard way. For years, I allowed old names to rule my thoughts—names like “not enough,” “too late,” or “unseen.” But when I began to declare what God said about me, I felt a shift. I wasn’t just speaking words—I was prophesying over my own life. And you can too.

Speak Your New Name

Maybe today is the day you stop identifying with pain and start identifying with purpose. Speak your new name aloud:

“I am forgiven. I am chosen. I am healed. I am blessed. I am a child of the Most High God.”

Say it until it sinks in. Say it until your soul believes it. Say it until the old names lose their power.

A Prayer for Today

“Father, thank You that You alone have the right to name me. Thank You that what You call me overrides the lies, the labels, and the limitations of my past. Today I come into agreement with You. I will not answer to fear, shame, or failure. I will answer to the name You’ve given me—blessed, favored, redeemed, and victorious. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Don’t let the past dictate who you are. Let the voice of your Creator rename you. He calls you by a new name—now it’s your turn to believe it. I hope this speaks to you, and I pray you have a blessed day!

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