Realising who you are –
‘God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.’ Ephesians 2:6
I wonder has anyone ever told you, ‘Go sit down and be quiet!’ These are words that I remember well from many years ago. Words that were spoken frivolously by a leader who probably thought nothing more of what they had said, but yet words like these have been used countless times over the years to cause people like you and I to think that we had nothing to say, causing us to remain seated when God has called us to stand up and declare the words of wisdom that He has placed within us.
Words like these may have caused you to feel you are not adequate, not good enough, not smart enough. Words like these may have trapped you in insecurity and robbed you of becoming who you truly are called to be.
No more!
Today I believe God would have you see yourself as a joint heir with Jesus, seated in heavenly places with Him. Your inheritance in Christ does not take effect when you get to heaven. It took effect when you accepted Jesus, God’s gift of grace. You are already a joint heir. It is time to see yourself seated in heavenly placed, not shrinking at the back of the room but taking your places among those who God has raised in these days to live and lead like Jesus.
Rather than seeing yourself as inferior, it is time to see yourself as a son or daughter of Almighty God, seated in heavenly places. Now is your time to arise!
Realising why you are who you are –
Our identity has been transformed through Christ for a purpose.
Sadly, many believe that salvation is nothing more than a one-way ticket to heaven, but it is so much more than that! God has transformed our identity for a purpose and when we fully embrace the purpose for our identity being transformed then we can begin to truly live out the potential of our new identity in Christ.
Over the last 20 years I have had opportunity to teach in many Bible Schools and Church-based leadership programmes. Regardless of where I have travelled globally, I have found that the churches and colleges I have taught in have a strong legacy of sound biblical and theological teaching on the grace of God and on righteousness. Students have been well grounded in understanding that in God they live and minister through God’s grace as those who have been made righteous through the imputed righteousness of Jesus. However, in Romans 5:17 we read of the purpose of grace and righteousness:
“Those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!”
We are equipped and empowered by God, in our transformed identity, to rule and reign in life through Jesus Christ. Our life and our leadership, centred on Jesus, means that we can walk in victory even in the midst of trials and tribulation because our victory is not found in circumstances but through the revelation that we rule and reign with Christ.
Now, that’s good news!
Father, today we ask that Your sons and daughters who love the island of Ireland will rise up in their true identity as co-heirs with Christ who have been called and equipped to rule in this life with Christ Jesus. In Jesus’ name, Amen.