Who We Are In Christ #2
For the past several weeks we’ve been teaching on the victory that belongs to us because we are in Christ. Two weeks ago I ministered on the victory that we have by being in Christ. But part of that victory only becomes a reality in our life when we begin to realize WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST, and that’s where I want to begin today.
I) In (1JOHN 4:17) it says, “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.”
A) The Word of God tells us that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father. That's the place of total victory. Jesus walks in total victory.
1) According to (1st JOHN 4:7), “As Jesus is right now so are we in this world.”
2) This is what is available to us and this is what belongs to us. It’s unfortunate but very few are walking in this kind of victory. (Total victory).
a) When were not walking in God’s best and walking in victory we need to stop and find out why.
b) It’s possible that we’re not doing anything wrong.
(i) According to (Hebrews 6:12) which says through faith and patience we'll inherit the promises of God.
(ii) That reveals to us the reason why the promises of God and the victory over our situations are delayed.
c) It takes time for things to manifest from the Spirit to this natural realm we live in.
(i) Many times people get born again or come into the Word of Faith teachings and they expect their negative and adverse situations to be changed immediately.
(ii) And when they don’t these people get discouraged and many times fall away from the Lord. But the Bible says you will inherit the promises and you will walk in victory through faith and PATIENCE.
3) But even still, there are things that can hinder the victory.
4) In order for us to receive God’s best we have to keep walking with the Lord AND we have to keep growing in the things of God.
a) You could say, we need to “Grow to maturity.”
(i) When someone has the idea that they’re a mature Christian, that thought itself throws up a warning flag. In some cases, not all, but some get the “I know it all” attitude.
(ii) The more you grow in the Lord, the more you realize how much more you need to grow. The more knowledge you get of the Lord and of His Word the more you realize how much more there is to know.
(iii) Jim Kesman who has been in the ministry for some 25 years now, said that he realized he was only a spiritual teenager. That’s 25 years of ministry.
b) My point is that no matter where you are in spiritual growth we need to keep growing and we need to remain teachable.
B) Turn with me to EPH 4:22-24.
1) According to these Vs. there’s three things that happen to us as we begin to grow in the Lord.
a) 1st of all we put off the old man. (V 22).
b) 2nd we’re renewed in the spirit of the mind. (V 23).
(i) This has to do with getting our minds renewed to the things of the Spirit and to the Word of God.
c) And 3rd we put on the New man which follows after righteous and true holiness. (V 24).
C) In (2COR 5:17) it says, “Therefore if any man {be} in Christ, {he is} a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
1) One of the reasons a Christian has failure in their lives is a result of Adam’s 1st sin. That sin was passed down to all men and women.
a) For all have sin and come short of the Glory of God.
2) Not only was the sin passed down to all men but so was a SIN CONSCIOUSNESS.
a) Now you have come to receive Jesus as your Lord and Saviour your sins are forgiven, completely washed away, as if they never existed.
b) Even though your sins are gone, many still hold on to the sin consciousness.
(i) Adam had the problem after he sinned. He hid himself from God.
(ii) All too often, because were not perfect, we miss it and when we do something on the inside of us tells us I’m not worthy to receive what I’ve been believing for. Now I have to start all over again.
(iii) In short what you’re saying to yourself is that you messed up and you’re not going to receive.
c) That is a faith destroyer and a promise stopper.
3) We need to lose the sin consciousness and regain that God consciousness and righteousness consciousness.
a) Without it you’ll never feel worthy to receive God’s best. You’ll be in doubt and unbelief. (Wavering).
4) So we need to regain that God consciousness, but it’s only done by seeing who we are in Christ, and by identifying with Him.
a) “IDENTIFYING WITH HIM” means, “See yourself in unity with Him.” You are one spirit with the Lord.
b) We need to know by faith that we died with Him, were buried with Him, made alive with Him, raised from the dead with Him, ascended with Him, and even seated with Him in heavenly places.
II) GAL 2:20. (AMP) “I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God,”
A) 1st of all we need to see ourselves as dead to this world.
1) Dead to do worldly ways, dead to worlds system, remember Satan is the god of this world system.
2) But most of all we need to see ourselves as dead, dead to the flesh. Crucifying the flesh and the lust thereof.
a) (ROM 13:14) Says, “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to {fulfil} the lusts {thereof}.”
3) Going back to (GAL 2:20).
a) Not only are we crucified with Christ but we are ALIVE IN CHRIST.
b) (Read) Galatians 2:20 again.
(i) We need to see ourselves united with the Lord Jesus Christ.
B) In (2PET 1:4) it tells us that we are partakers of His divine nature.
1) We are in Him; part of Him. The Bible says that we are the body of Christ.
2) He’s the head but we are the body.
C) (COL 2:10) says, “Ye are complete in him.” In Christ.
1) The word “COMPLETE” in that verse means “NOT LACKING ANYTHING, FULL.”
a) Because you are in Christ you are full of the righteousness of God; you’re not lacking anything.
III) We need to see ourselves in Christ; totally identified with Him.
A) Begin to see yourself in total unity with the Lord. You are joined to Him and nothing can separate you from the love of God.
1) When we begin to see ourselves in Christ and in unity with Him, then the doors for God’s best begin to open to us and we start walking in victory.
B) When you begin to see yourself in that light, as the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, good things will begin to happen to you.
1) There’ll be times when good things happen to you and you’ll say, “But God, I wasn’t standing in faith for this. I didn’t even ask you for it. Why did I receive it?”
2) And the Lord will say, “ It’s because my favor is upon you.”
3) Look at Romans 8:37.
a) The Word “THROUGH” in this verse means, “FOR THIS REASON.”
b) We are more than conquerors for this reason HIM.
(i) Or you could say it this way, “We are more than conquerors for this reason we are found in Christ” having on the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.
(ii) (2COR 2:14) says, “Now thanks be unto God, which always causes us to triumph in Christ.”
c) Because of who we are in Christ; we are an Overcomer and the victory is ours.
4) Once you begin to realize that you are worthy to receive God’s best and that you are the righteousness of God in Christ you’re going to see the blessings of God begin to unfold in your life.
a) You’ll be blessed in the city. You’ll be blessed in the field. You’ll be blessed in the country and everything that you put your hand to will be blessed. The blessings of God will begin to come upon you and overtake you. You’ll be a blessing going someplace to happen.
WOLCC SUN AM 9/21/91 and W. O. L. C. C. Sunday, April 19, 1998 & WOLCC Sunday, December 16, 2001