THE ENEMIES TO FAITH (2a) (FAILURE TO REALIZE THE PACKAGE YOU HAVE IN CHRIST)

In Genesis 1:26-27 the bible says that we are made in the image of God. The image we carry on the inside of us has a lot to do with what we reflect. Our image is our source of strength and confidence. 

That is really the key to living the abundant life (Jn. 10:10) that Jesus came to give us. Our image was distorted in the Garden of Eden by the devil. It was therefore, separated from God. 

But because of His unequalled love for us, God the Father decided to rebirth this distorted image in you. So He sent His only begotten Son Jesus to come and pay the prize in full for us. Therefore, anyone that identifies with the finished work of Jesus on the Cross is reborn. From the moment you got Born Again, God the Father expects you to identify with who you are because of what Christ has done for humanity. If you don’t know who you are in Christ, you won’t even know what to identify with. The question is: do you know the image you are made of because of what Christ has done for humanity?

Failure to realize and understand the package you have in Christ is a major enemy to faith. This is because you can’t effectively exercise your faith so as to enjoy to the full the blessings of God unless you have a proper understanding of the package you have in Christ. 

Just as the child of the president of your country, you have certain rights and privileges, as a child of God Almighty you have some rights and privileges. This is because you have been born of God. These rights and privileges are called “the package you have in Christ.”

To discover this package, you must go to the Word of God. Go to the New Testament, primarily the epistles written to the Church, and underline every Scripture that has the expression, “in Him,” “in Christ,” “in Whom,” “through Whom” etc. 

These Scriptures tell us:

1. Who you are in Christ (Your Standing in Christ, your Identity)

2. Where you are in Christ (Your Position in Christ) 

3. What you possess in Christ (Your Inheritance in Christ), and

4. What you can do in Christ (Your Empowering and Ability in Christ). 

Today, we are going to look at who God the Father says you are in Christ. This is called “your standing” in Christ. God says:

• You are a believer (Mk. 16:16; Jn. 20:30-31). Mark 16:16 says, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” 

In John 20:30-31 the Bible says, “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” 

In the Epistles, the Church is called Christ! We are His Body sent forth to work in the earth on His behalf. 

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath RIGHTEOUSNESS with unrighteousness? And what concord (agreement) hath CHRIST with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the TEMPLE OF GOD with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will be their God, and they shall be My people” (2 Cor. 6:14-16). 

Here the believer is told not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers. Then the believer is called righteousness, and the unbeliever unrighteousness. 

The believer is called light; the unbeliever is called darkness (v. 14). Now, notice the next statement, "And what concord hath CHRIST with Belial?” (v.15). 

The unbeliever is called Belial (the devil), and the believer is called Christ! We are identified with Him! The Church is called believers. The Church is called righteousness. 

The Church is called light. The Church is called Christ! That’s who we are! We are His representatives on the earth. Christ, with His resurrected flesh-and-bone body, is at the right hand of the Father. We are here as His representatives, not only collectively, but individually. Therefore, you are light (you are the light of the world); you are righteousness; you are Christ (you’re the representative of Christ). The Scriptures say that “….as He is, so are we in this world” (1 Jn. 4:17). 

As who is? As Jesus is now in heaven! So are we, where? When we get to heaven? No! In this world! Hallelujah! As Jesus is so are you now in this world! And Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8). Jesus is the same right now as He was when He walked the shores of Galilee. As He is, so are we in this world! Let that soak through to your inner consciousness. It is an absolute Bible fact.

• A New Creation (2 Cor. 5: 17).  2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

• A covenant child of God (Jn. 1:12; 1 Jn. 3:2). John 1:12-13 says, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right [power] to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” 

1 John 3:2 says, “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” 

• Chosen in Christ before the world came into existence. Ephesians 1:4 says, “Just as He [God the Father] chose us in Him [Christ] before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” 

• An adopted child of God. Ephesians 1:5 says, “Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.” 

NASU puts it this way, “He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will.” 

To predestine means to set boundaries so that you can remain on course. He chose us and adopted us so that we can have the same rights and privileges that Christ has. We have equal rights and privileges with Christ. 

Romans 8:17 says, “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together.”

• Righteousness (2 Cor. 6:14). 2 Corinthians 6:14-16 says, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness?” 

• Light. 2 Corinthians 6:14 says, “And what communion has light with darkness?”

• The light of the world. You are the ones to light up the earth. In Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” 

In John 8:12 Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." 

• Christ (you are the representative of Christ) (2 Cor. 6:15). 2 Corinthians 6:15 says, “And what accord has Christ with Belial?”

• The salt of the earth (Mt. 5:13). You are the ones that preserve the earth and give it its taste. 

In Matthew 5:13 Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavour, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.”

• A god (Ex. 7:1-2; Acts 14:11; Ps. 82:6). You are a god. God told Moses, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh. 

In Exodus 7:1-2 the LORD said unto Moses, “See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.” 

If God has made you a god to Pharaoh, then you a god to the whole world. Everyone called of God is sent to the world for a definite purpose. That one is made a god to the world and the world is expected to listen to him and obey him. 

It was said of Paul and Barnabas in Acts 14:11 that the gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. God says all His children, the saints, are gods. 

In Psalm 82:6 God said, “I have said, ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.”

• A person (people) of God (2 Chron. 7:14; 1 Pet 2:9). In 2 Chronicles 7:14 the Bible says, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 

1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, HIS OWN SPECIAL PEOPLE, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.”

• Called by His Name (2 Chron. 7:14). If you are Born Again, you are called by His name. Your surname is JESUS.

• The righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21). 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 

• An over-comer (1 Jn. 4:4; Rev. 12:11). 1 John 4:4 says, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” 

In Revelations 12:11 the Bible says, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” 

1 John 5:4-5 says, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” 

• Always triumphant (2 Cor. 2:14; Col. 2:15). 2 Corinthians 2:14 says, “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.” 

Colossians 2:15 says, “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”

• More than a conqueror (Rom. 8:37). In Romans 8:37 the Bible says, “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.”

• A success (Jer. 29:11; Ps.1: 3). In Jeremiah 29:11 God said, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

• The image of God (Gen. 1:26-27). In Genesis 1:26-27 God said, “Let Us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” 

Another translation puts it this way, “Now let Us make man. We will make man as a copy of ourselves. People will be like us…….27 So God made man in His own image…..God made man as a copy of Himself.” 

That I am the image of God means that I am a copy of God.

• A king (1 Tim. 6:15; Rev.17: 14, 19:16; Eccl. 8:4).  1 Timothy 6:15 says, “Which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords.” 

Revelation 17:14 says, “These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful."

Revelation 19:16 says, “And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF kings AND LORD OF lords.” 

Ecclesiastes 8:4 says that where the word of a king is, there is power.

• A lord (1 Tim. 6:15; Rev.17: 14, 19:16).

• A chosen generation (1 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 17:14). 1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own SPECIAL PEOPLE [peculiar], that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.” 

Revelation 17:14 says, “These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, CHOSEN, and faithful."

• A royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2:9).

• A peculiar person (1 Pet. 2:9; Tit. 2:14). In Titus 2:14 the Bible says, “Who gave himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a PECULIAR [special] people, zealous of good works.”

• • A holy person (1 Pet. 2:9).

• His elect (Col. 3:12). In Colossians 3:12 the Bible says, “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved...”

• A good soldier of the LORD Jesus Christ (2 Tim. 2:3). 2 Timothy 2:3 says, “You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”

• An ambassador of heaven. An ambassador for Christ (2 Cor. 5:20). In 2 Corinthians 5:20 the Bible says, “Now then, we are AMBASSADORS for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.”

• His workmanship created unto good works (Eph. 2:10; Ps. 139:14). Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” 

• Of great value to God (Mt. 6:8; 10:30). In Matthew 6:8 the Bible says, “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.” In Matthew 10:30 the Bible says, “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”

• Beloved of God (Jn. 3:16; Eph. 3:19; 1 Jn.  3:1-3; Rom. 8:38-39). You are loved of God. In John 3:16 the Bible says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” 

In Ephesians 3:19 the Bible says, “To know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” 

1 John 3:1-3 says, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore, the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” 

Romans 8:38-39 says, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

• You have been accepted in the Beloved. You and I who have been chosen and adopted have been accepted in the Beloved [in Christ]. 

Ephesians 1:6 says, “To the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He [God the Father] has made us accepted in the Beloved.” 

God the Father accepts me the same way He accepts Jesus Christ His only begotten Son.

• The apple of God’s eye (Deut. 32:10). Deuteronomy 32:10 says, “He found him in a desert land, and in the wasteland, a howling wilderness; He encircled him, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye.” 

Another translation puts it this way, ““God guards [protects] you as the apple [pupil] of His eye.” 

Still to establish your great value to God, God declares in Zechariah 2:8 says, “For thus saith the LORD of hosts; after the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of His eye.” Wahoo! 

God sees you as the apple of His eye. Another translation puts it this way, “…Hurting you is like hurting the pupil of God’s eyeball.”

• A special treasure (Ex. 19:5). You are not a biological accident. You are a treasure. The main thing about treasures is the value attached to them. This is what makes them special. God rates you as a special treasure to Himself. 

In Exodus 19:5 God said, “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.” You are peculiar. Why? Because you are carrying the kingdom of God on the inside of you. 

In Luke 17:21 the Bible says, “For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you." 

You are also peculiar because the abilities of God are available to you here on earth.

• Fearfully, wonderfully and skilfully made (Ps. 139:14-15). Psalm 139:14-15 says, “I will praise You, for I am FEARFULLY and WONDERFULLY made; marvellous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and SKILFULLY wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.” 

• A partaker of divine nature. In 1 Peter 1:3-4 the Bible says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.”

• Carved into His palms (Isa. 49:16), and one He thinks about always (Isa. 49:16; Jer. 29:11). 

Isaiah 49:16 says, “Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands; thy walls are continually before Me.” 

In Jeremiah 29:11 God said, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

• A stranger and a pilgrim in this world (1 Pet. 2:11; Col. 3:1). 1 Peter 2:11says, “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.” 

Colossians 3:1says, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.”

• Not natural but supernatural. Not normal but abnormal. You don’t belong to this realm.

• You are complete in Him (Col. 2:10), and in Him you live, in Him you move, and in Him you have your being (Acts 17:28). 

In Colossians 2:10 the Bible says, “And ye are complete in Him, Who is the head of all principality and power.” 

Acts 17:28 says, “For in Him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, FOR WE ARE ALSO HIS OFFSPRING.”

• You are a fellow citizen with the saints. You are a member of His household/family (Eph. 2:19). 

Ephesians 2:19 says, “Now therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.”

• You are God’s property (Eph. 1:13). Ephesians 1:13 says, “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the Word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in Whom also after that ye believed, YE WERE SEALED WITH THAT HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE.”

• You are sealed. Ephesians 1:13-14 says, “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the Word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” 

What does it mean to be sealed? The Holy Spirit is the guarantee that you will receive all the things that God the Father has promised you in His Word. That the Holy Spirit is in you is the seal that you are a Christian. 

Romans 8:9 says, “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.” He is the seal that you belong to Christ. The Holy Spirit is a down payment that I will receive all that God the Father has promised me in His Word.

• You are one with the Master. The Born Again believer and Christ are one. That’s an established fact.

God’s Word declares, “But he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him” (1 Cor. 6:17). 

Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches” (Jn. 15:5). Now here is the point: as you look at a tree, you don’t think of the branches as being separate from the rest of the tree. When you look at the tree, you see it as one. You see the whole tree as a unit. In the same vein, we are the same with Christ. We are one with Christ. Our spirits are one with Him. Jesus is the Head. We are the body. Hallelujah!

Conclusion: The realization of the package you have in Christ makes you more than a conqueror. It helps you to have a very sound opinion of yourself – a positive self-image. It helps you to effectively exercise your faith.

Therefore, talk about who you are in Christ. Think it! Believe it! Confess it! As you do this, your faith will abound and you will effectively exercise dominion over the devil walking in total victory everyday of your life. 

Watch out for the next edition of Good News from the Pulpit!

• Your friend: I. I. Madubunyi (Senior Pastor)  19.01.2020