You Are the Apple of God’s Eye: You Are Not an Orphan

By Rod W. Larkins

It’s time to awaken your true self.
You are the apple of God’s eye.

It has been said that the church is suffering an identity crisis. Perhaps, this is why we have so many Christians sitting in the church not knowing who they are or what their purpose is in life. It’s as if they have become orphaned—unable to discover their godly inheritance.
It is important to know who we are in Christ and what we have a right to, but it is equally important to have a full understanding of our spiritual birthright. The true spiritual life is so much more than just being a good person, going to church, or performing good deeds.
The true spiritual life is royal!

Christ did not come to earth to establish a religion. He came to awaken royalty. There is nothing more exciting than discovering who we are in him. We were created to reign. We are meant to shine. We are destined to be loved and to reflect God’s love to the world. So get ready! You are about to embark on a great journey. As you read the pages of this book, you will discover that you don´t have to wait for heaven to be spiritually alive.
Life is yours now!

“This book is a beautiful revelatory masterpiece of the saints of God being taught and equipped on how to walk in their new-creation identity.”
—Pastor Brandon Cornelius Sr.
Founder and Leader of Glory Revival Center

“You are the Apple of God’s Eye is a powerful and life-impacting book that is scripture-based to open you up as to how you can fit into the kingdom of God. I was truly brought back to understanding the importance of my position within the kingdom of God. This book is necessary for inspirational kingdom daily living.”
—Pastor C. L. Collins Jr.
Kingdom Bound Community Church

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Sep 18, 2018
• ISBN: 9781973638797

Rod W. Larkins

Sr. Pastor Rod W. Larkins and his wife Shari are Church planters located in Houston Texas. Considered a reputable voice for his studies on the “Spiritual Life”, Pastor Rod has spent years exploring the depths and recesses of the Holy Spirit with a commission to teach the Body of CHRIST how to live and walk the Spiritual Life. Pastor Rod has traveled all over the world and ministered in Churches, Conferences and Evangelistic Crusades. He and his wife reside in Houston along with their two children Jessica, and Elijah.

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Copyright © 2018 Rod W. Larkins.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Scripture taken from the Amplified Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used with permission.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-9736-3878-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-3877-3 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-3879-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018910512

WestBow Press rev. date: 11/05/2018

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Thanks to all the amazing Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastor’s and Teachers all over the world who have inspired me, corrected me, covered me and poured into to me selflessly. You know who you are I am honored to call you all friends.

Thanks to my dear Sister in the Lord Irene Botello for helping me with research for chapter 12. Your work was invaluable.

A special thanks to Daniel and Vicki Hunt for speaking life into me in the early morning hours of prayer and desperation. Your faithfulness to see the mandate of the Lord to be fulfilled along with an unwavering passion for Throne-room worship is highly contagious. We stand together pressing heaven to release a last days Pentecost.

Thank you, Victoria Pierce and Serra Rose for combing through the manuscript and giving me timely feedback. Your passion and integrity to pursue God with a pure heart and to live under an open Heaven stirs the gifts within me. Let us all continue to run with our Spiritual inheritance.

A very special thank you, Victoria Pierce for taking the time and grinding away on the editing of the manuscript. You are such a Godsend and an amazing blessing.

ENDORSEMENTS

You are the Apple of God’s Eye is a powerful and life impacting book that is scripture based to open you up as to how you can fit into the Kingdom of God. I was truly brought back to understanding the importance of my position within the Kingdom of God. This book is necessary for inspirational Kingdom daily living.

Pastor C.L. Collins Jr.

Kingdom Bound Community Church

My spirit immediately arose to attention as I began to read this book, just as it did when I read Overflow by Pastor Rod Larkins. The enemy is on a clear mission to immobilize us by stealing our identity so that we won’t be the effective Sons and Daughters God has created us to be. There is nothing more exciting then discovering who you are, by knowing whose you are, and walking in your full identity in Christ to fulfill your destiny as Brother Larkins passionately lives out and encourages his readers to as well. This book is a reservoir of oil for your lamp and will help keep it burning so that you can be the light needed to reflect your Father to the world. We were created to reign, we are meant to shine, we are destined to be loved and to reflect God’s love to others because we are the Apple of His Eye.

Sheri Brown

Professor

San Diego Christian College

This book is an absolute great and necessary reminder of God’s precious love for His children. It truly brought me to a deeper understanding of my value in Christ Jesus and my endless worth fully in Him. We are His treasure, and this book paints a beautiful picture of how beautiful we are in the eyes of our Father, hand-picked by Him, to be His sons and daughters! As I continued to read this book, the truth of whose I am, became more of a reality then anything. … I am a daughter of the King, created for HIS pleasure and He loves me! I pray that everyone who reads this book, will be forever changed, and as you read, page by page, that you will know, your true identity in the Arms of the Father. Fabulously written and a must read!!!

Corrie Bush

Worship Leader

San Diego California

Pastor Rod Larkins has created a great tool (book) that will help the body of Christ get a clearer image on who they are in Christ. I love the examples he uses; they are simple and clear and will make a lasting impact on the reader. I found this book refreshing with a new outlook and teachings that are from the Holy Spirit through Pastor Rod. This is a great book for anyone that is struggling with their identity in God or if you want to go deeper in the wonderful truths that are presented here and in God’s word!

Desiree Lamphier

Love Him More Ministries

This book is a beautiful revelatory masterpiece of the saints of God being taught and equipped on how to walk in their New Creation identity. The author, Pastor Rod Larkins is a friend that I personally know that walks strongly in his identity and he is writing from revelation, encounters and experience. This book will capture the attention of the spirit man within every born-again believer. The Father’s love is the most important possession that we could ever experience and this book helps us to receive a glimpse of the Father’s thoughts toward us. Make sure you grab this book and make it a part of your library. This book is worth your time and worth the read.

Brandon Cornelius Sr

Founder and Leader of Glory Revival Center

DEDICATION

I dedicate this book to my wonderful wife, Shari. She is my best friend, confidant, wife and mother of our two amazing children. It is a heavenly reward to be blessed with such a helpmate that walks with me, labors with me, cries with me and rejoices with me side-by-side in this thing called ministry. Yes, my love, we have endured through the valleys and celebrated on the mountain tops. Shari you have been a great inspiration to me since the moment we met; Your encouragement and support has been monumental in my life. Thank you and I love you.

FOREWORD

As I read through the pages of this book, the Holy Spirit led me back to when I was a little innocent five-year-old boy encountering the horrors of physical and sexual abuse. Even then, I realize that the enemy was attempting to create a false identity for my life. Though that abuse alone could have been enough to destroy me; the enemy took it to the next level by using children in my school to bully me and to call me names. Soon, I was believing the lies of the enemy and living the life as an orphan.

As the Holy Spirit traveled with me through the yesteryears, He began to show me places over and over again where the enemy tried to mold my mind and my personality that God never designed.

When I gave my heart to the Lord, the first words He said to me, were, I forgive you Son. I know He forgave me, but He called me SON". This had a dramatic impact on my life, because, I never had a father when I was that little five-year-old boy. Sadly, the only father I knew, was a monster. You Are the Apple of God’s Eye is so profound for me personally, because I am a living testimony. I was an orphan of this world and through God’s love, grace and power; I am now an Heir of His Kingdom.

God has given Pastor Rod Larkins, my friend and co-laborer in Christ, insight and deep revelation on the very heart of God and the treasures He has placed in each one of us. As you read this book let the Spirit of the Living God embrace the deepest parts of you, let the Holy Spirit in. Let Him show you your heirship, the promises, the treasures buried deep inside you that will be revealed to you through the Glory of His presence. As you walk in this light of God’s presence revealed in the wisdom released on the pages of this book; I believe you will be forever changed. God will reveal to you your true identity, the reflection of the beautiful face of Jesus that is in you.

I want to personally thank you Pastor Rod for letting God flow through you in preaching the Gospel and authoring books in awesome power and grace with the Holy Spirit. This book has helped guide me on this awesome journey; showing me through the power of the Holy Spirit, that I am not an orphan but an heir of Christ

I pray that all who reads this book will be changed by the power of the Holy Spirit and will have a wonderful intimate relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Daniel Hunt

By His Voice Ministries

Houston, Texas

CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter 1       Our Authentic Self

Chapter 2       Awaken Your Spiritual Birthright

Chapter 3       You Are Royal

Chapter 4       Estranged Love

Chapter 5       Let My People Go!

Chapter 6       What Is Your Name?

Chapter 7       Breaking The Orphan Spirit

Chapter 8       JESUS Wasn’t a CROSS-DRESSER

Chapter 9       Judas, The Orphan In The Potter’s Field

Chapter 10     The Lion’s Den

Chapter 11     Faith Over Fury

Chapter 12     The Devil’s Crime Syndicate

INTRODUCTION

The Christian church in the United States is suffering an identity crisis. There was a time when the Church knew exactly who she was because there was absolute certainty of her faith and Bible foundation. A time where right and wrong were understood because the pulpits of the land clearly preached the difference between the holy and the unholy; the sacred and the carnal; the godly and the ungodly. The Ten Commandments were still posted in the Sunday school classrooms, and everyone knew what they stood for. They were, indeed, God’s commandments! They were not debated, manipulated or rewritten. There were clear boundaries that distinguished the difference between those churches who were Christian and those churches who had departed from the faith. There were no quasi members of the Christian faith. You were either a born-again child of God or you were lost.

The mounting pressure for political correctness and tolerance demands she compromise her purpose and her faith. The great desire for popular acceptance has dressed the church for success but left her biblically illiterate, weak in Spirit and completely uncertain as to what it means to be Christian. Our identity has been stolen and the result has been disastrous.

One of our greatest fears today is identity theft. When our identity is stolen our entire world collapses. When the wrong person gets access to our name our account numbers and passwords; it can take years to recover. Yet, as careful as we are to guard our identity protecting our finances and personal possessions, as believers we are often far less careful when it comes to guarding our spiritual identity.

In this world, our identity is measured by a personal performance scale. We are measured by our successes and failures, our upbringing, our education, our associations, and our accomplishments. We tend to dress up our persona like it’s a role in a play; enduring the pressure to perform in order to put on a good show. But our identity is not determined by our community standing, our reputation or what goals we have achieved in life; it’s defined in terms of what God does to us and within us, the relationship He creates with us and the destiny He appoints for us. God made us who we are so we could make known who He is. Our identity is for the sake of making known His identity. Truth is, the heart of what it really means to be a Christian is to receive a new identity. In Jesus, we do not lose our true selves, but we become our true selves.

Let me say it from another perspective, in Christ, we are fundamentally new, and belong to God and God alone. The landscape of our life should dramatically change our language, our values, our customs and even our expectations. Christ Jesus is our life — not only the guarantee of it in heaven, but the down payment of it by the Holy Spirit now, as he lives in us. His joy becomes our joy; His love, our love; His peace, our peace; His strength, our strength. Salvation is the face of our identity. When we believe that Good News, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit and set apart as God’s beloved children. And that becomes our new reality.

The challenge has always been to connect this knowledge in our daily lives. In His letter to the Philippians; the apostle Paul acknowledged the tension between who God says we are in Christ, and the reality we often experience day by day when he said, Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own. (NIV)

But while Paul acknowledged his imperfections; he was confident that his perfection in Christ would one day be complete. This should be a great encouragement to us all. That though we are confronted and sometimes discouraged with our shortcomings and failures, we too can be confident that, in Christ, we are counted righteous before God. We are becoming like Him more every day.

So, as you read the pages of this book, here are some wonderful treasures for you to ponder and enjoy. First, we don´t have to wait for Heaven to be spiritually alive. The righteousness is ours now, and Christ is ours now, and therefore life is ours now. Secondly, the more you agree with God about your identity in Christ, the more your behavior will begin to reflect your true identity from God’s perspective. God’s opinion is the one that counts. Accept what God says about you, agree with Him that it is true of you and become the spiritual person you are. Understanding who you are in Christ will give you a strong foundation to build your life on. Knowing who you are in Jesus is the key to live life with a divine purpose.

CHAPTER

1

Our Authentic Self

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

—Ephesians 1:18–19 (NIV)

If we want to be fit for the kingdom of God, we must stop listening to the devil’s lies. When we discover our identity in Christ, the lies of the enemy are exposed and our true identity is revealed. We all have a sense of deep longing to discover our true purpose—to know who we are and what we’ve been created to do. But today, Christians seem to be experiencing an identity crisis. They know they’re saved, but they have yet to truly discover who they really are. In fact, if asked about themselves, most believers would agree that they are sinners saved by grace or they are saints who occasionally sin. Both statements are true, but depending on whom you ask, chances are the opinions would vary. But if you really consider the statement, the first one dwells on your identity of the past, whereas the second focuses on God’s current perception of you.

Some time ago, the Lord gave me a dream in which He showed me a very large auditorium filled with Christians with no names. Even on the church door it read, The Nameless Church. As I began to pray for understanding, the Lord said, This is the orphaned church whose identity has been stolen. The word orphan comes from the Greek word orphanos, which means one who has been deprived of parental care. This means to be reared without love, affirmation, or sense of identity.

Shortly thereafter, I attended a conference at a church, and while passing by the visitors center, I noticed a display stand with a variety of colorful brochures. One that stood out was a brochure adorned with big, bold letters that read, WHO AM I? Having just recently dreamed about this subject, I stopped and picked up the brochure, and then my heart broke.

Sadly, it is commonly believed that prescribing megadoses of self-affirmation is the only cure. But I believe that the cure requires more than just prescribing books and CDs on personal development. After all, do we really believe that we will find our true identity by attending all the popular conferences with our fashionable self-help preachers and Christian talk show gurus? I mean, just how many free tickets can we win from our local Christian radio stations anyway? But nevertheless, it is a strange paradox if you think about it. Even Nicodemus asked the Lord, Can a man enter his mother’s womb a second time? Interesting, isn’t it? This was a man who was a highly esteemed and highly regarded religious leader in the Sanhedrin, and he was pondering what it means to be born again. I dare to state the obvious: one of the greatest tragedies in history has been the emerging of an orphaned church. Just as heartrending as it is to think about children being abandoned by their natural parents or newborns being dropped at an orphanage doorstep in the cold of night, it is equally tragic to think about Christians wandering through life not knowing who they are or who their Father is.

Over the years, I have talked to Christians who roam this Christian life on a past salvation experience but somehow have not been able to embrace their true identity that entitles them to a father-son or a father-daughter relationship. The Lord desires a close, intimate relationship with His people. However, God can become an idol when we reduce Him to an image on a cross or when we allow Him to be some lofty God who can never be approached. We must accept the fact that the Father doesn’t like long-distance relationships. But oftentimes, our relationship with Him is hindered because we have some false imagination of Him being a brutal dictator or some deranged tyrant who drools at the opportunity of destroying His creation. As a result, some Christians are living under the heaviness of condemnation. They feel the Lord is always angry with them, or—worse—they feel that they don’t measure up. They might even feel they are unworthy to live in the blessings and affections of God. You see, an orphan spirit will mar and twist your Christian personality and turn you into a spiritual introvert. This is why we have believers sitting in the church and not knowing what their purpose is, what their reason for existence is, or what to do or where to go in life. They have become orphaned—unable to draw from their godly inheritance. The orphan spirit is a stealer of destinies and an abuser of dreams and promises.

The solution to this identity crisis is to change the way we think about ourselves. If we don’t, we’ll live life that is predicated by what we hear, what we see, and how we feel. As long as Satan is able, he will bombard us with reminders of our failures and sins. He wants to keep us focused on being sinners because he knows that the recognition of our righteous standing will indeed allow and lead us to live like saints. Only when we are motivated and empowered to obey God will the devil lose his foothold on our lives.

God didn’t send His Son just to save us from hell; He wants to live His life through us. In Christ, we have a new identity that has replaced our old one. If we aim to discover who we are now, our actions will follow and we will begin experiencing the enjoyment of the authentic Christian life.

Authenticity Points to Our Origin

God spoke: "Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature so they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air,