God's Blessings Are Yours 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) Jesus bought and secured for every believer, in His victory over Satan, a complete redemption which includes the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, such as, complete forgiveness, healing, protection, provision, to name a few. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Peter tells us, "His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises." (2 Peter 1:3-4) Paul also tells us, "For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory." (2 Corinthians 1:20 NLT) The writer of Hebrews tells us, "But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises." (Hebrews 8:6) PTL

Due to the believers position in Christ, every single spiritual blessing belongs to you now. We do not have to work for them; beg God for them; fight demons to attain them; they are already ours by faith in the God’s Word. All spiritual blessings are ours, not due to what we can do, but simply because we are in Christ. (John 17:20-26) Also, keep in mind "For God shows no partiality [undue favor or unfairness; with Him one man is not different from another]." (Romans 2:11 AMP) God has no favorites. No one is blessed with any more spiritual blessings than anyone else in the Body of Christ.
Every believer is equally blessed. However, if believers do not know these thing, which is solely based on their position in Christ, they will have a difficult time receiving their inheritance in Christ, and find themselves not being able to partake of what is rightfully, or legally theirs. Every one of us in the Body of Christ is blessed with all or every spiritual blessing in Christ, period!

Simply put, if we do not know these things or if we know them but do not see the manifestation of them, then, it is obvious the eyes of our understanding need to be enlightened so we can know our position in Christ and by faith and enjoy the benefits that are ours in Christ. In other words, believers can know what is legally theirs. They can know what the Word says, but unless they act upon what God’s Word says, they can miss out on the rights, privileges and blessings that already belong to every believer in Christ. However, just knowledge of what belongs to you isn't enough. It is knowledge acted upon that brings results. For example, if the gospel is preached to an unsaved person, they are receiving the knowledge as to what Christ did for humanity, moreover, for them. Paul tells us, "that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9)

However, a person must act on the knowledge that was given to them concerning Christ by confessing with their mouth and believing in their heart before God responds and saves them. There is absolutely no difference when it comes to our identification, position and authority in Christ. God’s Word gives us the knowledge of God Himself and all that is legally and vitally our in Christ. We act on God’s Word by confessing and believing. Jesus said, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” (Mark 9:23) "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)

Although all of God’s promises, His spiritual blessings, belong to every believer, without applying a firm faith in God’s Word concerning our identity, position and authority in Christ, these things seem to be only a fantasy. If you have been around Christian circles long enough, you will hear people who are saved and truly love Jesus reason away God’s promises and blessings simply due to what Jesus said, "...and does not doubt in his heart, but believes..." Honestly, it can take some time to build your faith, so do not lose heart. Do not quit or give up. The Apostle Paul tells us, "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." (Galatians 6:9) All to many times when believers do not see results quick, now and in a hurry they lose heart and will buy into faithless doctrines that erode faith and promote doubt. They agree man’s commentary of God’s Word, rather than simply believing God’s Word.

One final thought concerning Jesus and His disciples after His resurrection. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle John reveals to us, "Being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst...Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, we have seen the Lord. So Thomas said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” (John 20:19, 24-25) This is common among most believers today, it’s called mental assent or sense knowledge faith. It only believes what the five senses can understand or make real. However, when Jesus appeared to the disciples again, and confronts Thomas, we see, "Thomas, Reach out your finger here, and see My hands; and put out your hand and place [it] in My side. Do not be faithless and incredulous, but [stop your unbelief and] believe!" ( John 20:27 AMP)

The believers position in Christ far above principalities and powers has already been accomplished. But believers must exercise faith that this is indeed our rightful position in Christ over principalities and powers before it will profit us. Our position as believers is one of joint-seating with Christ in heavenly places. (Ephesians 2:6) If believers are to rise above circumstances, then we must take advantage of our position in Christ. Amen...

Sit Down and Enjoy

The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,  and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:5-11)

After Jesus was raised from the dead, God the Father highly exalted Him to the highest position of honor at His right hand and was given the Name which is above every name. The inference here is that there was a name known in heaven, unknown elsewhere and this name was kept to be awarded to someone who should merit it. It was Jesus who was given the Name above every name. God not only gave Jesus a Name which is above every name, but at the Name of Jesus every being in three worlds, heaven, earth, and hell, must bow and confess the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Due to the mighty name given to Jesus, every believer has the legal right to use the His name, "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name…" (Mark 16:17) "Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name…" (John 16:23)

Paul tells us, "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:4-6) Our seating and reigning with Christ in heavenly places is a position of authority, honor, and triumph, not weakness, failure, and defeat. As a believer, your seating with Christ is part of your inheritance now. The believer is seated with Christ now. God has already raised you up together and made you sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Our position as believers is one of joint-seating with Christ in heavenly places. We may not always stand on this due to our circumstance, nevertheless it is our position. If believers want to rise above their circumstances, we must by faith take advantage of our position in Christ.

Another version of the Bible says it this way, "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the intense love which He bestowed on us, caused us, dead though we were through our offenses, to live with Christ--it is by grace that you have been saved raised us with Him from the dead, and enthroned us with Him in the heavenly realms as being in Christ Jesus, in order that, by His goodness to us in Christ Jesus, He might display in the Ages to come the transcendent riches of His grace." (Ephesians 2:4-7 WEY) Notice, God enthroned us with Jesus in the heavenly realms. Does that sound like a Church that's defeated and is still having to do battle to gain mastery over Satan? Absolutely not. The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ stands triumphant because we are partakers, we share with Christ in His victory over Satan.

Paul also tells us, "For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:3) The Body of Christ, in Christ, is connected to the head. Jesus is the Head of His Body, the Church. If Jesus the Head triumphed over the devil, is the Body of Christ to be any less triumphant since we are in Christ? Of course not! It is our legal right to enjoy our joint-seating with Christ in heavenly places in a position of authority and triumph. "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 8:16-17) The believer's position and seating in Christ is a fact. It has already happened. That position was attained for us through our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, all we have to do is enjoy the rights and
privileges that already belong to us as joint-heirs with Christ.

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm…" (Galatians 5:1) Unless the eyes of our understanding are enlightened to see what we truly possess in this life, then talk of freedom in Christ becomes just that, talk. Believers cannot possess if they do not know what belongs to them. This is why Paul tells us to renew our mind. (Romans 12:2) The un-renewed mind has convinced many believers into thinking that they are helpless against the devil and are always subject to defeat and failure. Even some of the songs that believers sing, new and old, proclaim that we do not have much in this life, but when we all get to heaven, what a glorious time awaits us. Yes, believers have a glorious future to look forward to, but the Holy Spirit wants us to know the glorious present we possess right now because of our position in Christ. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all...