Open Heavens 14 June 2015: Sunday daily devotion by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Our Position in Christ
Topic: Our Position in Christ [Sunday June 14, 2015]
Memorise: And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. -Ephesians 2:6
Read: Ephesians 2:1-6 (KJV)
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Bible in One Year: 2 Kings 1-2; Luke 7:36-8:3
MESSAGE:
The Bible reveals that Christians who are genuine children of God are joint-heirs with Jesus Christ through divine adoption (Romans 8:16-17). This is an amazing truth. It implies that we have access to the same resources of heaven which backed up the work of Jesus while He was here on earth. Why then is it that lots of Christians are not operating at the level which he operated while He was here on earth? The problem lies in the fact that although they bear the Name of Jesus, such people are not ready to pay the price that being a child of God demands of them. Jesus summarised the price we need to pay to operate as children of God inMatthew 11:29a:
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me;”
His yoke has to do with His passion to please His Father. John 4:34 thus says:
“Jesus saith unto them, my meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.”
Our Lord Jesus Christ, while on earth, was passionate about doing His Father’s will. This is the reason why the Father always heard Him when He prayed. He proudly declared this fact at the tomb of Lazarus in John 11:42:
“And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.”
To establish His claim, He commanded the dead Lazarus, who was already decaying, to come out alive, and Lazarus became a living soul again (John 11:43-44)
The proof of our adoption as children of God is manifested in freedom from the sins which we hitherto lived under before our glorious encounter with Jesus Christ. This is the crux of the message in our Bible reading. As children of God, we must therefore live a life void of sin to the glory of God (1 John 3:9-10). We should also recognise that while we are on earth, we occupy the same position Jesus Christ did while He was on earth; therefore, we can do all that He did and enjoy every privilege He enjoyed (1 John 4:17). Our position in Christ therefore, is to share with Him the same miracle-working experience He had, and give Him the glory. However, we must be children of God indeed. If you have not given your life to Christ, you have no position to share with Jesus Christ. Today is the day of salvation for you.
Prayer Point: Father, grant me grace not to lose my position in Christ to the flesh, sin or this present age.
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