By Chijioke Nwauche

(Sunday 18th May, 2008)

[For a printable version click here.]

Philippians 4 vs 9, “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.” 

The prophetic burden of our time is that we should experience the reality that is found in serving and knowing God. Judgment is upon humanity brethren. Look at the things that are happening all around us. Not only are their disasters everywhere but the hearts of men are getting more wicked. God is sounding the last trumpet; man has to overcome sin and walk in righteousness, man has to come into the reality of Christ and manifest Christ. The scriptures say that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself (2 Corinthians 5 vs 19a). Christ is the reality of our time.

What does this mean? What are we being reconciled to? What do we mean by the term “in Christ?” What am I expected to be doing at this time that wickedness is all around us? What am I expecting to happen? It is very important that you answer these questions for yourself. I will attempt to address some of these questions by talking about Christ.

CHRIST

The glory of God was in Jesus when he was upon the earth. He walked as a carpenter, He interacted with men. He did all the things every human being does, yet the glory in Him was not removed. He was without sin. Jesus showed us the Father (so now no man can claim that he is waiting to see God or get a special revelation from God before he can serve Him). Jesus has revealed God to us.

Christ was given to us as a pattern son. A pattern is an example; a pattern is usually made so others can copy or reproduce the same. If Christ was a pattern then it implies that others are supposed to follow. Christ walked in a particular manner as an example for us. These are not stories (fables); the bible is historically very accurate. Jesus said I always do the things that please the Father, so therefore we must follow the pattern and do the things that please the Father.

Christ is a people, a body of people (a body of Christ-like people) made up of individual members, each of them Christ like. 1st Corinthians 12 vs 12 “For as the body is one, and hast many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ” (Also read verse 13, 14). Those in Christ are the remnant (ref: vol. 6). The whole creation is waiting for the manifestation of these sons of God. These Christ like people who bear the image of God. Men walking upon this earth going through the normal motions as every other human being, yet are completely lead by the Spirit of God, under complete subjection to the head, Jesus Christ. Let us position ourselves to be part of this coming kingdom of Christ.

HOW CAN I BECOME A SON? HOW CAN I BE IN CHRIST?

To be in Christ you must equally overcome just like Christ overcame sin. You must overcome just like Christ, all the temptations that come your way. You must come out standing on the right side. The challenges you face daily are a stepping stone to your overcoming. You overcome the wickedness, by resisting the temptations, rejecting the sin and you come out victorious.

The kingdom of God is not in meat and drink but in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. This is the principle of the kingdom of heaven. The aim of God is to establish the kingdom of heaven upon this earth. The Christians who are only concerned with worldly goods and blessings, those who are taken up with “solve my problem” syndrome no matter the contrary means being used; may not be able to stand the test of time.

Men will say how will one live one’s life without falling into sin. God says where iniquity (sin, wickedness etc.) abound, grace doth much more abound. The grace (ability, help) is available to the men that will say “oh God, I am willing, come oh Lord Jesus come”. Do not give yourself the excuse that you cannot overcome that besetting sin.

Remember the Lord has promised he will make an end of sin. Dan. 9 vs 24 “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy”.

This implies that you can live every day of this life without committing sin (oh what a glorious condition). Let us cry out to God to be men whom the devil will come to, and find nothing in them. Just as it was with Jesus. This is being in Christ.

The glory is available now; the issue is are you ready? Are you ready to make the sacrifices? Are you ready to make the right choices, difficult as it may be? Are you ready to take the narrow road? The time has come for the many – membered body of Christ to be manifested.

Let us like Moses reject the benefits we have gained in the flesh (the pleasures of sin we have enjoyed for a moment) and desire the Excellency of Christ. Heb. 11 vs 24 “By faith Moses when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of the Pharoah’s daughter”, vs 25 “Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season”. May we be propelled to begin to walk by the Spirit that we may be sons of God indeed; completely Christ-like in nature.

Will you go with Christ? Are you ready to give up all for Christ? Are you able to give up that comfort, that need, that desire for Christ?

This is the important thing for us now. God is looking for those who are ready to sacrifice all now for Christ. The essence or the issue is not God bringing blessing to you; the crux of the matter is, are you ready to sacrifice or give up your all to Christ? What will your choice be, when presented with an issue, will you give up all for Christ or will you deter to pressure and succumb in order to avoid the problem.

There is nothing preventing us from manifesting Christ now, there is no veil (covering) now. The veil has been rent (2 Corinthians 3 vs 16). The only thing preventing us is “the flesh”/the preferences/the contrary desires/the motives/the prejudices/the sin etc.

To be in Christ, you must be a Christian that has left the outer court (the outer court is the level of Christianity that is mostly carnal; it is a place of mixture (spirituality and carnality). It is not that the outer court Christian does not belong to the kingdom of God. It is just that, because of their carnality they are prone to deception and destruction Rev. 11 vs 2 “But the court which is without the temple (outer court) leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the gentiles and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months”. Nevertheless as the scriptures say, some shall be saved, but by fire. You must move out of the carnal realm of Christianity and move on to the holiest of all, i.e. the realm where carnal things no longer control you. This is the level of Christianity where what controls you is the “WORD OF THE LORD”. (i.e. being in Christ). Jesus Christ must truly become your Lord and Master in all things (not only your Saviour, protector, provider) but your LORD and MASTER.

We need to be dwellers in heaven; (i.e. walking on this earth but our thoughts, desires, emotions willful dispositions are completely caught up with God in heaven). Just like Jesus, we will then be doing on the earth only that which we see the Father doing in heaven (John 5 vs 19)

Brethren we need to move into Christ. We must overcome the beast from the sea (the unsaved peoples of the world) and the beast from the earth (the realm of carnal Christianity). We need to cry to God, to deal with us sufficiently to get out of the realm of mixture. It is not by power or might but by my Spirit, saith the Lord. Draw close to God and He will draw close to you brethren. (Jeremiah 4:4)

THE BEAUTY OF BEING IN CHRIST

Those that are in Christ have the privilege of ruling and reigning with him. They are those that can fully claim the promises of God. They are those that will partake of His divine nature.

May the counsel of God stand in our land, may righteousness abound in our nation. May we have a fresh vision of Christ. May we know Christ by the Spirit. Let the devil no longer tell us “you cannot make it”. Brethren the Spirit of God is in you and will quicken your mortal body. For a season we have been distracted by sin, but let us rise up and follow Christ brethren. You have an overcoming Spirit in you. According to Rom. 8 vs 1 – 14, the Spirit of God quickens our mortal flesh while at the same time mortifying (killing, deadening) the flesh. Thus, we are energized and strengthened to resist evil and do the will of God. The scriptures in Rev. 12 says that they overcame by the blood, (which is Christ according to Lev. 17 vs 11) which brings the life of God to us. You have the blood, even if you fall, arise and try again. Be encouraged to press on to the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

IT PAYS TO REMEMBER…