Sons of God: Embracing True

Identity, Restoring True Worship

by Frank Hechavarria

For quite some time now, the Lord had The divorce went on, and it
been putting thoughts in my mind eventually became official. Things
regarding this book. It all started in the don't just happen. The failures were
summer of 2020 with an experience that eminent, and several reasons led to
changed my life forever. That particular such outcomes. Being a part of the
encounter with God, along with a few organization's senior leadership
others, is what I desire to narrate to you, along with my wife led to over two
the reader, expecting that they could help decades of witnessing sad but actual
I desire to narrate a
someone facing similar experiences. You events. Although that subject could
few other experiences may need to figure out who to turn to or interest some, that’s not the reason
and what I learned how to go about them. for this book.
from them. I desire to narrate a few other
It was August of 2020 when I heard some experiences and what I learned from
news that devastated me. My spiritual them. Like I said before, some of
leader and pastor at that time had just these could resonate, and perhaps
announced from the stage of our church they can help you process where you
that his wife had filed for a divorce. are in life, make pivotal decisions if
needed, and help you in your
Although we had been made aware of the relationship with the Lord Jesus
situation in several prior meetings, it Christ.
didn’t hit home until that very moment.
Despite the many reasons it was
happening, the reality was that it was
taking place. A home was vanishing, a
church was hurting, and a marriage was in
flames.

Hechavarria Family

SONS OF GOD: EMBRACING TRUE IDENTITY, RESTORING TRUE WORSHIP 1

 Chapter 1:
Beyond the Doing.
IT IS UNDERSTANDING THE ESSENCE OF YOUR IDENTITY.

It was the summer of 2020, during a Sunday morning church service, when the news of the divorce of my spiritual
leader was currently announced. I remembered that morning as if it was today. I stood by the sound booth to listen as
the senior pastor shared how his wife had filed for divorce. They were the most devastating news concerning that
organization that I had heard in over 20 years that I had been a part of it. At that point, I was in the senior leadership of
that organization, running several roles and pastoring with my wife in one of its affiliate churches, where I would
preach every Sunday. As the senior leader finished sharing the news, I got in my car and headed to the affiliate church
where I was supposed to preach that morning. The affiliate church was about an hour away, so this was a drive we
enjoyed with our kids as well on Sunday mornings.
Ten minutes out from the actual building, my body suddenly felt weak, and I collapsed on the steering wheel of my car.
I drive a Tesla, so thank God for technology and how those vehicles drive. The car went from fifty miles per hour to
about 25 miles per hour, and I lay flat on the steering wheel for about sixty seconds.
As this was happening, I looked at my kids in the back and my wife on the passenger side, thinking that it was the last
time I would see them. I was having a panic attack, and my body had shut down on me. I managed to mumble to my
wife: “Pray…,” and I gasped a few words in my prayer language. Suddenly, within sixty seconds, I felt as if they
connected me to the defibrillators, and life returned to me. That very moment, I heard words from God that would
change my life for the better. They would be the words upon which I would pivot and make the most significant
transition in my life, family, marriage, ministry, and others.

What did you hear, Frank? I could almost hear someone saying…they were simple words. Still, yet so powerful and
loving that they would have the ability to describe my whole life in a moment and give me a new perspective and
indeed lead me down a path where I have been the last four years of my life and I would never stop thanking the Lord
for such encounter with Him. Before I share those words with you, I would tell you my life, family, marriage, and
ministry have changed for the good immensely, and gratitude overflows my heart daily for one more opportunity to
live this life the way I deem it to be in complete dependence of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The words I heard from the Lord as I felt life coming back into my body were: “Give up control…”
And I immediately knew what the Lord had meant.
I had spent over twenty years of my life trying to control everything…my wife, my kids, my family, my business, the
people that I pastored, those who pastored me, and the outcome of every situation rather than trusting God as His
child. I had been driving the car for too long, rather than allowing the Lord Jesus to have the wheel. The results were
shown that morning, literally. The amount of stress that I had accumulated over the years trying to live an illusion
because that is what control is, a simple illusion, finally pilled up on me and caused me to panic. The news that
morning regarding our spiritual leaders had brought things to the surface, and I couldn't take it anymore.

Suppose you wondered what happened right after; it was the beginning of a journey. A healing journey would begin at
that moment and become one of the most amazing experiences I had with the Lord. I kept driving and made it to the
church service, but I already knew that I was not the same man and that God was inviting me into a wild adventure that
would forever set the pace in every area of my life.

SONS OF GOD: EMBRACING TRUE IDENTITY, RESTORING TRUE WORSHIP 2

 What I believe was at the very root of this unhealthy lifestyle and some of the reasons that led me to this breakdown.
This way, if any of these practices or beliefs resonate with you, they may help you process specific changes you may
consider putting into practice, as I did.
For too many years, I was raised in a performance culture. Performance was highly celebrated and applauded by my
spiritual leaders until I began to base my identity on the things that I did rather than on who I was.

As believers, one of the greatest lessons we can learn is that our identity goes beyond what we do and is truly based
on the fact that we are children of God.

Ephesians 2:10
For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—
spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking
paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].

The fact that we’re God’s creation settles everything for us. He’s created us, we are His children and He is our Father.
Before we go on to do any of the wonderful works that He has prepared for us He desires for us to know that we are
His creation, His children and it’s for that very reason we can walk in such works. Our identity goes beyond the doing; it
goes deeper than that.

Growing up in a home where my father was absent, I learned to lean on the Lord for my identity, and early encounters
with Him allowed me to see and understand that He was my Father in heaven and my identity came from Him.
Unfortunately, later on, during my teen years, I joined an organization that was very works-oriented, and I allowed
wrong teachings and wrong theology to lead me down a path where I would become a slave of the work that I was
doing. Although they were good works, such as sharing my faith with others, teaching and preaching, and beginning to
experience God in supernatural ways such as healings, miracles, and prophecy, the wrong ideas began to pollute my
soul…I had to do to be.
In many places nowadays, this teaching is not in place. Although the teachings are different and promote the true
essence of your identity being in Christ, the actions of the senior leaders and others testify to something other than
what is being taught. Even in some places, salvation is no longer regarded as a free gift from God but a works-based
achievement.

As I grew up in my faith, I felt what I had to do in order to be. I had to perform for the kingdom and was in a race to earn
God’s love and acceptance. On so many occasions, I had heard that the love of God couldn’t be earned, and I had even
preached it as a message several times, but my actions were telling that the harder I worked, the more proud God and
my leaders would be of me and the more the Lord will love me.

One of the greatest lessons I learned after twenty years of ministry was that the love of God can not be earned nor
deserved. It doesn't matter what we do…He loves us the same. That is the essence of His marvelous grace. It is not
permission to sin and wreck our lives, but the realization that there's nothing on this earth we could do to make Him
love us more. He loves us unconditionally; it is perfect and eternal, and it goes beyond our flaws to the point in which it
is even hard to comprehend. I think about my sixteen-year-old son. There’s nothing that he could do to change my love
for him. I love him when he gets good grades and when he doesn’t. I love him if he takes that trash out and does the
dishes or even if he completely forgets.
Many people are trapped in a cycle of performance, hoping to be loved and to find their identity in their
accomplishments. This is especially true if their spiritual leaders and environments celebrate every single one without
considering that these individuals are going down a perilous path just like I was.

SONS OF GOD: EMBRACING TRUE IDENTITY, RESTORING TRUE WORSHIP 3

 When you fall into the trap of performance, you will spend a lifetime bound and addicted to it.
You perform to excel, to receive the praise of men, the acceptance and approval of your peers, and even to survive.

At its very root is the need for acceptance, which comes from a lack of identity, from a lack of knowing who you are
and who you belong to.
Look at Jesus's life as an example. He lived a quiet life and worked on his father’s business, Joseph, for plenty of
years. Before He went into ministry, we saw how God the Father puts things into perspective.

Matthew 3:17
and behold, a [a]voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased and delighted!”

We see here how, before the Lord Jesus had done a single work in His ministry, the heavenly Father spoke regarding
His son and set the tone for His entire ministry. Jesus would go to heal the sick, raise the dead, deliver those who were
oppressed by demonic forces, feed multitudes, and have the most incredible ministry anyone could have ever
imagined. He would go on to change the world not to gain His father’s approval, but on the other hand, He would go on
to do all those great works because He already knew who He was and who He was.

Your identity goes beyond what you’re doing…it begins and ends with the fact that you are God’s child; he loves you,
and no one can change that.

Look at Romans 8:15-18

15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading again to fear [of God’s judgment], but you have received the
Spirit of adoption as sons [the Spirit producing sonship] by which we [joyfully] cry, “[a]Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit
Himself testifies and confirms together with our spirit [assuring us] that we [believers] are children of God. 17 And if
[we are His] children, [then we are His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His spiritual
blessing and inheritance], if indeed we share in His suffering so that we may also share in His glory.
18 For I consider [from the standpoint of faith] that the sufferings of the present life are not worthy to be compared
with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us!

We are His children, and nothing can change that. That’s where my identity rests. It took me two decades in ministry to
understand that. After all the crusades, messages were preached, and great works were done, I had to know that
those things don’t make me a better son, a son He can love and be proud of. His love was complete for me before the
foundation of the world when He sent His Son to die for me. That was the Father’s ultimate proof.

At the end of my sabbatical year, another life-changing encounter with the Lord regarding this subject occurred to me.
After my wife and I renounced our pastoral positions in the organization that we were a part of, we decided to take a
year off to be with each other, with our kids, and to enjoy the Lord and allow Him to minister to us and bring healing in
many different areas. In case you’re wondering why we resigned, I will encourage you to listen to my podcast, “True
Riches,” in which I share several episodes regarding some of these events in detail. For context, here I will share that
the Lord led us to resign after we witnessed and experienced firsthand a series of events coming from our senior
leader at the time that went against our morals, integrity, and biblical beliefs. It was a tough decision, but we chose to
obey the Lord at any cost.

SONS OF GOD: EMBRACING TRUE IDENTITY, RESTORING TRUE WORSHIP 4

 Melina and I went on our sabbatical in November 2022 and had a marvelous time. We delighted in each other, our kids,
and our Lord extraordinarily. I could write a book about that entire year and how life changed. So after our sabbatical
ended, I was praying and resting in the Lord one morning when I felt His tender words asking me a question. This time,
it was different from what occurred in 2020. He was asking me a question so that I could reflect on something. The
question was simple: “Have you realized that after a whole year of you not preaching, healing the sick, sharing your
faith with multitudes, I still love you the same?
That question shook me to my core, and it brought me to tears as I began to reflect that not a single work I do could
change my Father’s love for me. One day, we will give accounts for our works before the Lord and see how many came
from a heart that was for Him and how many did not. Even if 100 % of our work came from the right place in our
hearts, they could still not have made Him change His mind about us. His love is set, His mind is made, and we have a
lifetime to experience it. It was so wonderful that morning when I realized that after a whole year of being off from
ministry, His love towards me hadn’t changed much.
This book today is a result of Him giving me one more chance to do ministry healthily along with my family with the
proper perspective. Works don’t define me. He does.

We will examine Jesus's life for one more moment as we refer to the Father’s words at His baptism.

Matthew 4:3
3 And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

At this very moment, Jesus is being tempted in the area of His identity. The enemy is fighting Him to get Him to
perform rather than to rest in God's love for Him and the words that His Father had already spoken at the moment of
His baptism.

If you are the Son of God…the Father had already spoken and settled Christ's identity even before His ministry began.
That was not going to be something that had to be earned or pursued through Jesus’s works.

It is fascinating how the enemy would want to fight you over the words that God has already spoken over your life. It
would not be His works that would sustain His identity, but it would be the Father’s words…He is my beloved Son in
whom I'm well pleased. It is the same about you and I. God’s words towards us and that we are His children sustain us
and define our identity in a world of identity crises. We’re not in a fight to become the children of God… we already are
His children. He has already spoken, and for those who have believed in Him, He has given us the right to be the sons
of God.

John 1:12
But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the right [the authority, the privilege] to become children of
God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name—

So, to conclude this chapter, I pray that you will understand today that your identity is not based on your works, even if
they are for Christ, but on the mere fact that you’re a child of God. That sets you apart and equips you to do wonderful
works for Him and His kingdom here on earth. I pray you can go beyond the doing and experience God’s unmeasurable
love.

Ephesians 3:19
and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses
[mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so
that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God
Himself].

SONS OF GOD: EMBRACING TRUE IDENTITY, RESTORING TRUE WORSHIP 5

 Chapter 2:
Unveiling Idolatry
IDENTIFYING FALSE GODS AND RESTORING TRUE WORSHIP.

From the creation of man, Satan has been on a constant pursuit to redirect worship to anything else but God. It was
his desire to be worshipped, and this exposed what was on his heart. Since then, I believe he has made it his primary
task to lead God’s creation to worship anything other than its Creator.

Jesus, in His infinite wisdom, knew that man would encounter this great challenge and that many idols would rise up
along the way of the believer, so He made this compelling statement in the book of Matthew.

Matthew 6:24
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and
despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more
than the Lord].

Although the context of this particular passage concerns the idol called Mammon, it is very much applicable to any
other idol. A man can not serve two masters…

In this passage, the Lord gives us a simple but profound definition of idolatry: to value anything or anyone more than
the Lord.

As we journey through our Christian life, numerous false gods try to rise to take the place of our Lord Jesus.
The statement that the Lord makes in Matthew is no different than the one found in

Exodus 20:3
“You shall have no other gods before Me.

When we think about false gods, we might just have an image of a god made out of clay or wood or perhaps something
else, but when we think about Jesus’s words, a better understanding arises: Anything that has more value than the
Lord is indeed an idol. It could be a person, a status, a ministry, a thing…the list goes on and on.

Allow me to share another life-changing encounter with the Lord in 2022. We were still living in Miami then, and it was
August 15th, 2022, during my forty-second birthday, at 3:16 am. I remember it as if it was today. I went to sleep the
night before, like any other day. When I woke up at 3:16 am, I woke up as I had just slept a whole night. I felt the Lord
leading me to pray in my office and spend time with Him, so I did. As I got to a couch in my office and sat there to
delight in Him, I felt a tender conviction coming from the Lord, and suddenly, I was very sad till I began to cry. I didn’t
know what was happening until I heard His voice…not His audible voice, but in my spirit saying these words: “You’ve
traded me for someone else, you have allowed someone else to take the place that only belongs to me in your heart…”
and as I heard these words, I couldn't help it but to continue to cry. His voice was so tender and loving…it was still,
small, yet powerful. I immediately knew what I had to do without Him asking me; I had to allow Him to take again the
God spot in my heart, which would bring about innumerable changes and restore me to the place where He desired me
to be as His child.

SONS OF GOD: EMBRACING TRUE IDENTITY, RESTORING TRUE WORSHIP 6

 I repented sincerely after realizing what I had done. His loving yet firm voice had brought conviction to my heart at
that very instant. Nothing could have more value in my life than Him. I knew instantly when He was speaking whom the
Lord was referring to. I had allowed my senior spiritual leader and pastor at that time to become a false god and an
idol for me.

At the very core of my being, the fear of man gripped me, and I allowed it to trap me until, time after time, a man’s
voice became more influential than God’s in my life. Even though, on continuous occasions, I knew what God wanted
me to do, I was afraid I was not going to have man’s approval, and that had led me to worship at the feet of a man
rather than at the feet of my Jesus.

Proverbs 29:25
The fear of man brings a snare,
But whoever trusts in and puts his confidence in the Lord will be exalted and safe.

The fear of man is indeed a snare…I had fallen for it, leading me to a constant state of compromising God’s words over
the words of a man.
There's a conflict when a man asks you one thing, and God asks another. Unless God is at the very center of your life, in
the God spot in you, there will be a risk of compromising.

Jeremiah 10:4
“They adorn the idol with silver and with gold;
They fasten it with hammers and nails
So that it will not fall apart.

Often, we adorn our idols with silver and gold…we deem their words, decisions, and desires, ultimately leading us to
compromise in our families, values, integrity, and ultimately our relationship with the Lord. We've valued something or
someone else more than the Lord. The fear of man grips us in such a manner that we’re even afraid to say no, to set a
boundary, and to obey the Lord and His voice. We live our lives in constant states of fear because of what this idol that
we've created could do. We are manipulated, controlled, and emotionally blackmailed by a person or even a thing just
because we have yielded to it and given away our power and become its slave by way of our worship to it or them. We
become powerless individuals who have chosen a thing over God or another person over the person of Jesus Christ.
This perhaps is not your case, but it was mine at that particular time in my life. After 2020’s encounter with the Lord,
so much had changed in my life that the Lord knew it was time to reveal this to me and allow His Holy Spirit to continue
to do marvelous work in my life.

Let’s look at the person of Jesus for a moment. He was also tempted in this area while He was in the wilderness.

Matthew 4:8-11
8 Again, the devil took Him up on a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory
[splendor, magnificence, and excellence] of them; 9 and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down
and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written and forever remains written, ‘You shall
worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” 11 Then the devil left Him; and angels came and ministered to Him
[bringing Him food and serving Him].

Jesus was offered the world in exchange for His worship. These counterfeit gods will always have something to offer
in exchange for what belongs to your heavenly father.
These idols could offer fame, position, love, acceptance, money, security, and so on. Jesus was offered so much in
exchange for His worship, but He didn’t hesitate for a moment to render the devil powerless again and do what you do
with every idol. You trash it!

SONS OF GOD: EMBRACING TRUE IDENTITY, RESTORING TRUE WORSHIP 7

 The people of Israel had built a golden calf, and they had chosen to worship it instead of worshipping the Lord. Time
after time, the Lord calls us to worship Him and Him alone. In response to His beauty and unconditional love, worship
is all left for us to do. The challenge arises when we have other false gods who desire our worship at the expense of
what they have to offer us. Some will provide more, others less, but none have the right to take what belongs to
Almighty God.

Psalms 29:2
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name;
Worship the Lord in the beauty and majesty of His holiness [as the creator and source of holiness].

In conclusion, in this chapter, I remember the three Hebrew boys and how they were being forced to worship the
golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had built. This king, governed by his egotistical, narcissistic, self-absorbed,
and controlling ways, thought that he could make these young guys change their minds about whom they were going
to worship.

Daniel 3:13-18
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in a furious rage gave a command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; and these
men were brought before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego,
that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image which I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready, when you
hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image
which I have made, very good. But if you do not worship, you shall be thrown at once into the midst of a furnace of
blazing fire; and what god is there who can rescue you out of my hands?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to answer you on this
point. 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He will rescue us
from your hand, O king. 18 But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your
gods or worship the golden image that you have set up!”

These young men will forever remind us what happens when you choose to worship your Father in heaven over a false
god. They will forever remind us who should receive our worship regardless of our circumstances. Their minds were
made up, and their spirits and hearts were firm. What a great example of devotion and determination.

In conclusion to this final chapter, I pray that you will decide to trash every idol in your life and restore true worship as
a result. Do away with the counterfeits and allow the Lord to take God's spot in your heart or to remain there if that’s
your case, as there is no better place to be as a child of God than in continuous worship to our Father in heaven.

SONS OF GOD: EMBRACING TRUE IDENTITY, RESTORING TRUE WORSHIP 8