Are You Struggling

The two greatest struggles for most believers is believing and receiving our inheritance now. Many of the songs in congregations today, whether hymns or contemporary songs, either put off our inheritance until we get to heaven or beg God for them now. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ." (Ephesians 1:3 ) Notice, "has blessed us." This is neither future nor are believers to beg. He "has" blessed us with every spiritual blessing. Romans 8:32 gives us the same now reality, "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" Everything that Christ accomplished in His redemptive work belongs to the believer now. You do not need to beg God for it, simply do as Jesus has instructed, "So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them." (Mark 11:22-24)

Philippians 4:6-7 gives us another angle concerning our inheritance in Christ. "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." When we know what our redemption in Christ truly means, and what it means to the Father, not simply a place in heaven, then we pass out of the realm of worry, fear, doubt, unworthiness and inferiority and into the rest that God has provided in Christ. The Apostle Paul recognized this so much that he tells us, "Not that I speak in respect of want, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therein to be independent of circumstances." (Philippians 4:11 TCT) Why can we be independent of circumstances? Faith! "For we walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7) It is intellectualism, reasoning in the mind, needing to see evidence in order to believe, or as Paul reveals, "...arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God..." (2 Corinthians 10:5), that robs believers of the things that the Father has freely given through Jesus Christ.

You see, redemption in the mind of the Father means a new creation, not a new renovation or a hybrid, but al1the privileges as the children of God, sons and daughters. It means that we have come into God’s family and have all the family rights and privileges now. "For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”  The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ…" (Romans 8:15-17) "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. Beloved, now we are children of God…" (1 John 3:1-2) Scripture like these should be enough to cause us to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4), free from the old nature (Romans 6:6) but, again, it takes faith!

"For if, through the transgression of one individual, death made use of the one individual to seize the sovereignty, all the more shall those who receive God's overflowing grace and gift of righteousness reign as kings in Life through the one individual, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:17 WNT) We are now reigning as kings in the realm of life through Jesus Christ. We have become masters. We are more than conquerors. We are set free, we are no longer held in captivity. We were slaves, defeated, conquered, held in bondage, but we are seated with Him on His throne. (Ephesians 2:6) And in the name of Jesus we become the bondage breakers for the rest of the human race. So, if you are struggling in any area of life, I have a simply suggestion for you, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom..." (Colossians 3:16) Why? "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) The grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be with you all...