Sons or Slaves? 

You know Him as Savior, as Lord, but do you know Him as Brother?

There are many precious titles given to Jesus - Master, Teacher, Healer, and Immanuel.  Throughout the earth and in every nation, the Spirit of God is slowly lifting the veil, unfolding the treasures of the word of God, giving new insights to the Church as to who Jesus Christ is to us.   You know Him as Savior and Lord, but do you know Jesus as brother?

This is such an important revelation to grasp because it affects our whole approach to God.  A slave would not eat at his master’s table.  A slave would not go before his master but to beg and plead for what he needs with no certainty that his requests would be granted.  Yet this is how multitudes of Christians go before their heavenly Father – begging and pleading, cowering in fear before the Lord, crying with a false humility that never moves the hand of God on their behalf.  This approach of begging and crying does not impress God in any way and never moves His hand or opens heaven.

Jesus is not ashamed to call you brother.  Now, if Jesus is your brother, then God is your Father and you are sons.  It is not slaves or servants that God is raising up in the earth.  We read in Hebrews 2:10 that God is “bringing many sons to glory”.  Oh that the slave mentality would be laid aside and that we would begin to live according to the position that God has raised us up to in Christ as sons!  If Jesus is my brother, than I am a joint heir with Him.  “My God shall supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:19.  Because Jesus is my brother, I share in His glorious riches.  Paul the apostle said it like this, “I pray also 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 the saints” Ephesians 1:18.  My needs are met today because of the relationship I have with my heavenly Father through Jesus Christ.  There is an abundant provision that you can draw on today by faith because you are a son! 

Let us consider the prodigal son in Luke 15.  In Father’s house, there is provision, there is protection, and there is purpose.  The younger son may have wasted his inheritance, but at least he knew what was rightfully his.  He wasn’t mature enough to handle prosperity and abundance and then made the mistake of leaving the house of his father.

His older brother was a son and rightful heir of all that his father possessed; yet we find him out in the field with the other slaves, working as a slave, talking like a slave, and with the mindset of a slave.  He lost sight of his destiny.  He should have been in the house learning from his Father, preparing himself to take over Father’s business.  He got angry with his father when his younger brother returned from his folly and was given a great celebration.  He complained that his father never gave him a party.  Listen carefully to what answer his father gave him.  “All that I have has always been here for you to use and enjoy.”

It is difficult for many Christians to advance today because they are still living under an “old covenant” mentality.

            -“What is man?” (Psalm 8)

            -Condemnation (Romans 8:1)

            -Sinner mentality (new creation/saint mentality- 2 Cor. 5:17)

Guilt/Punishment – the Prodigal’s brother wanted him punished and thrown out.

            -Living by Fate rather than Faith

                        Hopeless perspective

                                    “I was born this way, so I will always be this way.”

                                    “I was meant to be this way.  There is nothing I can do.”

                                    “God made some people rich and some poor.”

You can only live to the level of your knowledge of the covenant and of knowing the nature of the One who makes the covenant with you.

2 Cor. 5:21      Jesus became sin so that we could become the righteousness of God.

2 Cor. 8:9        Jesus became poor so that we can become rich.

Isa. 53:4-5       He took our infirmities; by his stripes we were healed.

I hope you are beginning to see what I am seeing.  Hear this in your spirit this morning.  Could it be all this time you have been settling for the crumbs that fall from Father’s table when you could have been seated with Him, partaking of all that is His.  Could it be that all this time you have been suffering from lack when you could have been abounding and overflowing? All that God has has been there all the time for you.  It is time to start operating from a renewed mentality, no longer as a begging slave, but as a son.  God has given you dignity.  Don’t waste another moment.  Start now to act upon the revelation of who Jesus is to you and who you are to Him!