I hope to express something in this teaching today that will both bless and empower your life with what you have wonderfully received from Christ Jesus. The Bible teaches that the kingdom of God comes not with observation, but in fact, it teaches that the kingdom of God is within us. In other words, we are not to base our confidence on anything outside of us but rather what is on the inside. I realize that most that may be reading this article are born again Christians and therefore, I want to point out this very important aspect of our faith; if we have received Jesus Christ in our hearts than we also have what He is in us as well. Jesus is a miracle worker, and He is still the Healer today. Jesus came to set the captives free; therefore, He is the deliverer. No matter how we spin this if Jesus truly resides on the inside of us, than His ever present and supernatural works remain in us too!
You can't have Jesus in you and not have what He is you. We are instructed in the Scriptures to put on the same mind that Jesus had who went about destroying the works of the devil. What works did Jesus do? He was reconciling all things unto the Father, Jesus was healing the sick, casting out devils, and doing all manner of good things that liberated people from the captivity of Satan. This was the epitome of Jesus' ministry in the flesh when He walked this earth, and it is Jesus who dwells in us today that is doing these same works. There is no difference between who you are as a believer and Jesus Christ unless of course you are doubled minded and do not hold to this belief that is soundly taught in Scripture. Jesus taught we are to be one with Him as He is with His Father; and the Scriptures teach this plainly. If you abide in the Word and His Words abide in you then there will be an agreement with the all supplying God that nothing can ever be withheld from your requests made to Him. Why? Because you are like Him and you are His beloved. Therefore, we have undeniably received something that is divine in nature and filled with all power from on high. Look with me over in the Gospel of Matthew.
Matthew 10:7-8 (KJV)
7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
Jesus tells us as we go into this world that we are to preach the kingdom of heaven is at hand. What exactly did He mean by this? I believe Jesus was changing the way man should see himself once he is born of God. In other words, he would become a proof provider of the things that a god man could do because God was with him. I realize this is a tall order for some to grasp mentally speaking, but Scriptures teach that we are to put on Christ and cast off the human identity whereby we once lived. How does someone know that the kingdom of heaven is at hand unless they demonstrate something that proves it? Therefore, Jesus is charging us to go and heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast out devils. I don't believe for a moment that God would ever tell us to do something that was not possible to do. In other words, He would never require us to do something that He had not already placed the power within us to achieve. Therefore, Jesus goes on to say that what you have received, freely give unto others. If I am told to heal someone from what the Word of God is saying, then I have received the divine ability to do so. Otherwise, the Bible is not a reliable source to live my life by. But we that believe know full well that it is trustworthy and cannot fail.
Romans 15:29 (KJV)
29 And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.
I like this passage as it tells me that the apostle Paul was very confident that he had received grace or [ability] from Jesus Christ, and that he would bring it with him with demonstration and thereby administer it to all who may be present. If a believer does not think he has received something than he cannot operate in it.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (KJV)
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
This passage of Scripture teaches some important facts that we would do well to pay attention to the details of. Paul was teaching the Corinthian Church that they had received something divine by which they were also standing firmly in; at least if they remained in its truth that was taught to them and did not believe in it with shallowness of heart. But notice something else that Paul said here. Paul was saying I delivered to you what I have received. What did Paul receive? The truth of how Jesus Christ had died for his sins; but it didn't stop there. Paul goes on to say that Jesus in fact, was buried and then rose from the dead. Jesus was able to take up His life again! Nothing was impossible for Him. Therefore, Paul was presenting his case to the church that he had received the same resurrected power of Jesus Christ that not even death could hold him in its grave. Paul was saying that he had received the same divine nature of Christ where nothing would be impossible for him. In other words, Paul was spiritually loaded and knew he had supernatural ability to bring onto the scene the same kind of works that Christ did when He walked the earth. Until we start influencing our hearts and minds with these truths about what we have received and then act on them; then "grace" will become just another topic in the church instead of the source of power that it truly is.
The Word of God has to be read in the right spirit, or else it will be misconstrued to fit the mean-spirit of those that make it none affect through their unbelief or religious perceptions. I was just recently commenting on a note that a friend of mine posted about grace on Facebook, and discovered how many variations to the grace message there really is out there in the land of Christendom. In fact, some of these opponents to the grace message are down right angry about the prospects of someone ever being free from guilt and shame. It seems as though for them that these traits of shame and guilt are something that we all deserve to be under because of our sin. People with this mindset have never resolved it in their own heart that sin has been dealt with once and for all. They just conclude that we are all sinners and therefore, that is all we will ever be. They can never see themselves in light of who they really are in Christ. They have trouble forgetting the former things and accepting the new nature in Christ. Look with me at Hebrews and hopefully we can explain this clearer.
Hebrews 8:7-13 (KJV)
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
As we can see from this passage above there is a new covenant by which we ought to have entered into because of the work of Christ. It has better promises and it enables us to become all that it says we are supernaturally; not by our works or self-efforts, but by becoming like Him as we take Him at His Word that we are exactly who He says we are. And who are we? We are just like Him! Now, right here I know possibly someone is greatly bothered by that statement which is to imply that we are like Him who knew no sin; to them this is sheer blasphemy! But is it? Paul was found telling folks in Scriptures to be like me, for I'm like Christ. We are commanded in Scripture to be perfect like He is. Again the Word tells us to be holy, for He is holy. How can God expect us to be or do these things if it were not possible for us to do so?
Therefore, keeping step with our topic entirely, note that you cannot deliver what you believe you have not received. This is what the devil wants God's people to stumble over. He wants you to think you do not have something, knowing full well that you will never act on what you believe to be absent from your life. Can you see the problem with what you have freely received: freely give, in light of this? In other words how can I give what I don't believe I have? Identify with what you have received in Christ; and you will then have something divine to give away. Remember what Peter said, silver and gold have I none, but what I have, give I to you. Rise up and be healed! Now look at something further with me: after Cephas, 500 brothers of the faith, and James had witnessed Jesus alive after His death; Paul also testifies to the resurrection of Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:8-10 (KJV)
8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
Notice that the apostle Paul alluded to the fact that no one is out-of-bounds to what God can do in them if they believed on Him. Paul also referred to himself as being born at the wrong time of life. In other words, Paul did not feel that he deserved to receive Christ, much less be one of His apostles due to the fact that he persecuted the church. Paul had blood on his hands and in his eyes he was not worthy to bear that name which he had persecuted with all hatred even to the point of throwing Christ's followers in jail and consenting to the death of others. I draw comfort from this story as it gives every indicator to me that no one is worthless in God's eyes no matter what they have done. Here we find Paul continuing on with his thoughts and they are thoughts we should meditate on respectfully.
Paul concluded that by the grace of God he was what he was, and therefore, surrendered all efforts to argue against what grace said he was. Paul further added that the grace that was bestowed on him was not fruitless, for he labored more abundantly in the calling of God on his life. However, this labor was not in the strength of Paul, but rather the strength of Christ that was in him. Paul had something divine that he had received and because of this gift, he was able to give that gift to others. Let's close with one last passage of Scripture in hopes that you might put on this beautiful garment of righteousness that will transfigure the person that you thought you were into who He says you are!
John 13:1-17 (KJV)
1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;
3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;
4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
This story tells us that Jesus had finished supper with His disciples, which according to Scripture was just before His crucifixion would take place. At this very moment of time several things are taking place one of which was Judas becoming filled with the spirit of the devil causing him to betray Christ over to the religious leaders. Then in verse 3 there is something noted here that I wish to point out that I believe is very important. This passage tells us that Jesus knew or identified with something that He had received. First of all, Jesus identified that the Father had given Him all things and placed them into His hands. Secondly, Jesus knew He had come from the Father and that He would return to Him. Jesus identified Himself fully in obedience to what the Father told Him or showed Him, and these things He did faithfully. I believe this is significant for each of us, because we know from Scripture that Jesus was born a man with all our limitations as far as the physical goes. Yet, He would later be filled with the Holy Spirit; and through the Spirit He would break out of all human limitations as He relied on His supernatural Helper, the Holy Ghost. Jesus did not do miracles because He happened to be the Son of God; He did miracles through obedience to the Holy Spirit that filled Him and demonstrated these miracles through Him as He followed the purposes and plans of the Father.
Jesus also could not have been a candidate for the ultimate sacrifice for man's sins, if He had wore His deity as He arrived on this earth by way of the womb of Mary His mother. The Law of God had to be fulfilled by a "man" in order for every man afterwards to be freed from the wrath of a just and holy God who must punish the sin. The first Adam had an inseparable relationship with God until he disobeyed the direct command of God, thereby viloation being the cause for his removal from the Garden of God. Later on the Law was instituted that it might show man the depravity of his true fallen nature. Unfortunately, man thought that he could keep the Law through his good works, but he always fell short, thus becoming guilty of the whole Law. The standard was one that man could not achieve. At least until Jesus was born into this world. Jesus born of the flesh trusted the Father and communed with Him continually maintaining the course that God purposed for Him. It required obedience and intimacy on Jesus' part with the Father if He were to fulfill what no other man before Him had. Therefore, Jesus Christ showed us that if we are born again and filled with the Holy Ghost, and if we will maintain an intimate relationship with God by continuing in His Word; then we will receive a divine nature infused with the "grace" of God that affords us the ability to release the activities of God's kingdom on this earth.
After supper Jesus took a basin of water and began to wash the feet of His disciples. Afterwards, He asked them, do you know what I have done here? He told them, if you call me Master and Lord, you have said well. If I therefore, be your Master and Lord and I do these things unto you, then so ought you to follow my example and do it unto your brethren. Then Jesus goes on to challenge their thoughts even further. Is the servant above his Lord? Neither is he that is sent greater than he that sent him. When the grace of God works, it will be through obedience to follow Him that has called you. And if He has called you, He has equipped you as well. Therefore, what you have freely received: freely give. When you go, tell them that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Then heal the sick, raise the dead and prove that you have received of what's mine. That this world will not stand in the wisdom of men, but rather they shall witness that the kingdom has come! If you know these things, happy are you if you do them. Amen!
