Beloved, Christianity is not just another religion, as some wrongly believe. Jesus didn't come from Heaven to die such a painful and horrific death for us, be buried, and rise again on the third day, just to give the world one more empty religion. No, Christianity is THE LIFE OF GOD (or the fullness of God) MADE MANIFEST IN MAN. God lives in and through the believer (or Christian), and reigns through us. This is why Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ; IT IS NO LONGER I WHO LIVE, BUT CHRIST LIVES IN ME; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 NKJV, emphasis mine). It is also the reason John said, “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.” (1 John 4:4 NKJV, emphasis mine). Many Christians today may not understand the reality of the fullness of God in the believer because they cannot relate to it. They have been brought up to just attend “church” and perform some routine empty rituals and prayers, and so they think that is Christianity. Beloved, that is not Christianity. There is power in Christianity, and that power is THE POWER OF THE LIVING GOD. You can live and experience that power right here on earth and right now. In fact, Christianity is THE KINGDOM OF GOD CONFERRED OR BESTOWED ON MEN. Jesus said, “And I BESTOW UPON YOU A KINGDOM, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me” (Luke 22:29 NKJV, emphasis mine). And Paul said of this Kingdom, that “the Kingdom of God is NOT A MATTER OF TALK but OF POWER." (1 Corinthians 4:20 NIV). Indeed if you are already a Christian, you can begin to live this life of power that you were called to live, by following these three (3) simple steps:
1. KNOW and ACKNOWLEDGE every good thing that is in you and is yours in Christ. More importantly, know and acknowledge that Christ is in you (see Colossians 1:27); that God is in you (see 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 1 John 4:4); that the fullness of God is in you (see John 1:16; Ephesians 3:19); and that you are complete in Christ. (see Colossians 2:9-10).
Beloved, you cannot acknowledge what you don't know, so you first have to read (or hear), know and understand the Word of God and what it says about you and your life in Christ. Then once you know who you are and what is in you, according to the Bible, you have to acknowledge (i.e. accept or admit the existence or truth of) every good thing that is in you and is yours in Christ. This was also Paul’s prayer for Philemon when he said, "I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective and powerful because of YOUR ACCURATE KNOWLEDGE (AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT) OF EVERY GOOD THING WHICH IS OURS IN CHRIST." (PHILEMON 1:6 AMP, brackets and emphasis mine). Beloved, the life of God is in you (see 1 John 5:11-13; John 6:47); it is yours. The power of God is in you (Ephesians 1:19-20; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 3:20; Philippians 2:13); it is yours. The righteousness of God is in you (see 2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 3:22; Romans 5:17; 1 Corinthians 1:30; Ephesians 4:24); it is yours. The wisdom of God is in you (see 1 Corinthians 1:30; with 1 Corinthians 1:24); it is yours. Not only are you the son or daughter of God (see John 1:12; Galatians 3:26; 1 John 3:1), God Himself is fully present in you. (see John 1:16; Ephesians 3:19). The Bible says, “I said, “You are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High.” (Psalm 82:6 NKJV). And yet because of your ignorance, “you shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.” (Psalm 82:7 NKJV). Indeed, many Christians today are living in ignorance, and dying like men. They lack knowledge (of the truth of God's Word), and because of that they are living in defeat; they are perishing. (see Hosea 4:6).
Beloved, you are not a mere man, so don't behave like one. (see 1 Corinthians 3:3). You have to lay hold on (eternal) life and live the life of God (or eternal life) that ìs in you. Paul said, “Fight the good fight of faith, LAY HOLD ON ETERNAL LIFE, TO WHICH YOU WERE ALSO CALLED and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:12 NKJV, emphasis mine). Truly, you have to know every good thing that is in you, and make an acknowledgement of that which you know. You must know who you are in Christ and acknowledge it. That is the first step to living and manifesting the life or fullness of God.
2. Be always CONSCIOUS (or aware) of who you are in Christ, and what good things are in you. Paul said to Timothy, "MEDITATE on these things; GIVE YOURSELF ENTIRELY to them, THAT YOUR PROGRESS MAY BE EVIDENT TO ALL." (1 Timothy 4:15 NKJV, emphasis mine). Beloved, MEDITATION brings CONSCIOUSNESS, and thus PROGRESS. Staying conscious of who you are in Christ, what you have in Christ, and what you can do in Christ (which was also Paul’s prayer for the Church of Ephesus -- see Ephesians 3:14-19), can be achieved through constant meditation on the Word of God. (see Joshua 1:8-9; Psalm 1:1-6; Proverbs 4:20-22; Acts 20:32). Give yourself entirely to the Word of God. When you meditate on the Word of God and know the truth, you will not focus on the lies of this world that are told through the philosophies of men, and through your own adverse circumstances or afflictions. When you know and are constantly conscious of the truth of God’s Word, you will come to understand like Paul, that every affliction is light and momentary (see 2 Corinthians 4:17); that every affliction comes not to stay, but to pass, and to work for your good. And so you will not look at these temporary afflictions. You will not look at what is seen. You will not walk by sight, but by faith (or by the Word of God). And so we all as Christians should heed to James’ admonition when he says, “My brethren, COUNT IT ALL JOY WHEN YOU FALL INTO VARIOUS TRIALS, knowing that THE TESTING OF YOUR FAITH PRODUCES PATIENCE.” (James 1:2-3 NKJV, emphasis mine). Indeed, no trial can overcome the child of God. All trials work to perfect us or bring us to maturity in the faith, to the stature of the fullness of Christ. And so we have to look at all trials through the right lenses. Face all trials with the right attitude. The Bible says, “And WE KNOW that ALL THINGS work together FOR GOOD TO THOSE WHO LOVE GOD, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28 NKJV). “And we (believers) KNOW... “ Beloved, what do you KNOW? We know that ALL THINGS work together for OUR GOOD. What you know can build you up or break you down.
As believers, the Bible says that even though our outward man (or body) is perishing, our inward man (or spirit) is renewed day by day. (see 2 Corinthians 4:16). Whenever you look at that pain or sickness in your body, you are looking at the wrong thing. Whenever you look at the negative balance in your bank account, you are looking at the wrong thing. Stop looking or focusing on your outward man and start focusing on your inward man. Be conscious of the inward man, and see (or focus on) how he is faring, because the inward man is the real you, and he is doing REALLY WELL; he is healthy and prosperous (see 3 John 1:2; 1 Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 8:9), and he is blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ. (see Ephesians 1:3). When you are constantly conscious of who you are on the inside, you will live the life that your inward man lives -- a life of victory, a life of prosperity, a life of abundance, a life of joy, a life of peace, a life of good success. Indeed the life of your spirit (which is the life of God) will manifest in your body as you walk in the consciousness of who you are in the spirit.
Beloved, this is so important that I will repeat it: Don't look or focus on your body and your outer circumstances; don’t focus on the negative report (or those things which your adverse circumstances tell you), because those things are temporary. You need to focus instead on who you permanently are (in the spirit). Focus on the things which are not seen. Paul said, "While we LOOK NOT AT THE THINGS WHICH ARE SEEN, but AT THE THINGS WHICH ARE NOT SEEN: for THE THINGS WHICH ARE SEEN are TEMPORAL; but the things which are NOT SEEN are ETERNAL." (2 Corinthians 4:18). Look at the things which are not seen. Look at who you are in your spirit. Your spirit is prosperous and always flourishing. It is renewed day by day. When you are conscious of this, of the good things God has blessed you with in the spirit, of how your spirit is being renewed day by day, (then in your body also) your youth will be renewed like the eagle's. (see Psalm 103:5). The Psalmist says, "The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance." (Psalm 16:6 NKJV). You need to have the same attitude, and say the same thing, because you have a good inheritance. The Bible says that in Christ, "WE HAVE OBTAINED AN INHERITANCE." (see Ephesians 1:11). It is a good inheritance. It includes every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ. (see Ephesians 1:3). It includes all things that pertain to life and godliness. (see 2 Peter 1:3). Indeed it is a good inheritance that must be unpacked and possessed. As Paul puts it, this inheritance, this package of salvation must be worked out. (see Philippians 2:12). It must be unpacked and possessed. Just as God gave the children of Israel the (promised) land and told them to go in and possess it (see Deuteronomy 1:8), we are being asked to do the same thing -- to possess or lay hold on our inheritance in Christ. This is where we separate the real or practicing Christians from the lipservice ones (or those who just profess to be Christians, but are not Christians in deed or are not doers of the Word). Beloved, you have to be a doer of the Word. James said that only the doers of the Word will be blessed in what they do. (see James 1:25). Now let's move on to the third and final step to living and manifesting the life or fullness of God.
3. Confess, and hold fast your confession (of who you are in Christ, what you have in Christ, and what you can do in Christ). These are also called faith proclamations. And mind you, you don't confess to make the things you're confessing a reality; you confess because they are already the reality, and you believe them. And so you confess out of conviction.
Thus, the three steps we are discussing here all work together harmoniously and systematically. First, you read the Word of God to KNOW and ACKNOWLEDGE who you are, what you have, and what you can do in Christ. Second, you meditate and become conscious of every good thing which is in you and is yours in Christ. Third, you speak/confess those things as true and belonging to you in reality. You confess because you believe it in your heart. (2 Corinthians 4:13). You don't confess in order for you to believe it or to have it; you confess because the Bible says you already have it, and you believe from deep within your heart that it is true. Thus when you confess, you say things like: eternal life is mine, prosperity is mine, good success is mine, righteousness is mine, victory is mine, divine health is mine, power is mine, all blessings are mine, the whole world is mine. Hallelujah! Jesus said that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45; Matthew 12:34). He said, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For OUT OF THE ABUNDANCE OF THE HEART HIS MOUTH SPEAKS.” (Luke 6:45 NKJV, emphasis mine). If you're a true believer (or Christian), you're a good man; you're the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. (see 2 Corinthians 5:21). And so your words (which are spoken out of the abundance of your heart) will tell us if you are indeed a true believer or not. You have to choose to sanctify yourself (or set yourself apart to God) by speaking the truth, which is the Word of God (see John 17:17; Romans 12:1-2), rather than defile yourself with the words of this world. (see Matthew 15:11; Mark 7:15).
Beloved, you have to understand the power of your words and always speak or confess faith-filled words or words that agree with the Word of God. (see Amos 3:3). The Bible says, "By faith we understand that THE WORLDS WERE FRAMED BY THE WORD of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible." (Hebrews 11:3 NKJV, emphasis mine). Indeed, words are the most powerful things in the universe. The whole universe was created with words; God called things that did not exist as though they did. (see Romans 4:17). And they came into existence. In fact, without words, the entire creation wouldn't exist. The Bible says that Jesus holds everything in place by the Word of His power. (see Hebrews 1:3). And so all of creation responds to words. Therefore, the words that proceed from your mouth are important in framing your world or charting the course of your life. Negative or fear-filled words will bring you defeat, and positive or faith-filled words will put you over the top. Many people have habitually spoken Satan’s words (or the words of this world which are contrary to the Word of God), and by so doing, they have put themselves in bondage. But God's Word (or promises) when habitually spoken out in faith from the heart will produce liberty, success and victory in your life. Indeed faith-filled words on your lips will give substance to all of God's promises for you; they will cause God's promises to manifest or materialize in your life. Begin speaking faith-filled words over your life from this moment onwards, and you will see yourself rising higher in life each day.
Moreover, the Bible says that we are to hold fast our confession (see Hebrews 4:14). In other words, we are to continually confess what the Bible says about us, and what we want to see happen in our lives (in the light of the Word of God). We are to confess with our mouth unto salvation (see Romans 10:10) -- salvation from diseases, poverty, and every power of darkness or negative circumstance. Begin to use your mouth today to chart the course of your life. The Bible says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit." (Proverbs 18:21 NKJV). Determine today never to walk or judge by what you see or hear. Don't speak what you see; speak what the Word of God says; speak what you want to see, because the Bible says that you will have whatever you say. (see Mark 11:23). Speak life. Speak God's blessings or promises. Imitate your Father God by calling those things which do not exist as though they did. (see Romans 4:17). Begin to call health where there is sickness or disease, call life where there is death, and call the abundance of provision where there is need.
Beloved, if you follow these three steps that have been discussed here, you will never be unfruitful in your knowledge of Christ. Indeed, if every so-called Christian were to follow these steps and become practicing Christians (or Christians in both word and deed), the sharing of our faith (or the preaching of the gospel) would be very effective and powerful, because our normal lives would be supernatural (or spiritual), and all men and women, seeing our works that result from the power we have, would crave to be like us and to be witnesses to Christ with us, to the praise and glory of God the Father.
"I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective and powerful because of your accurate knowledge (and acknowledgment) of every good thing which is ours in Christ." (PHILEMON 1:6 AMP, brackets mine). And I also pray that you will hold fast your confession. (see Hebrews 4:14). Amen. Remain blessed.
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