Today we continue our series entitled, “God Loves You”, under the overall theme for the year of, “Supernatural Manifestation.” In yesterday’s message I told you that, “It is critically important for us, as believers, to acknowledge the fact that we are NOTHING in and of ourselves, and that all our sufficiency comes from Christ! Apart from Christ we can do thing, but IN Him, we can do all things!” I also told you that we would be looking at 1 John 4:16 & 17 all week. So let’s get back to it.
(1 John 4:16, 17 KJV)
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
- We could not redeem ourselves. We could never be good enough. But Jesus was good enough for us. Jesus became our redemption. The Father then offered us this redemption freely, by grace, as a free gift. We receive the gift when we receive Christ. When we are IN CHRIST we are redeemed from sin, hell and the grave (Rom 3:24).
- In Christ there is no condemnation. He was completely perfect. When we are Born-Again, we are IN CHRIST. Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are IN Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1).
- The expansive, unending, unyielding, unfailing love of God, which spans the height, depth, width and breadth of God Himself, is IN CHRIST. When we are IN Christ, we get to enjoy this amazing love. Not because we earned it, but because Jesus did (Rom 8:39).
- Although we are many people, all over the world, we are all made to become ONE BODY in Christ Jesus (Rom 12:5). Outside of Christ we struggle to be unified. But IN CHRIST we can operate as ONE!
- Jesus was made wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (1 Cor 1:30). Once we are IN CHRIST we get to receive and enjoy ALL that He is!
- In Adam ALL DIE. In Christ ALL have been MADE ALIVE (1 Cor 15:22). Because of Adam we were born one way, but because of Jesus we are able to be Born-Again!
- The Bible tells us to give thanks unto God, who ALWAYS causes us to triumph IN CHRIST (2 Cor 2:14). Our victory is IN HIM! He already obtained the victory. We are not striving to achieve or obtain. Our role is to simply RECEIVE, by faith, that victory Jesus already obtained for us! In Christ we have the victory! We can enter every day with victory as our starting point, not our destination! This enables us to pray, not FOR the victory, but rather to pray FROM a position OF victory!
- When you study all the Father did IN CHRIST JESUS and how He then placed you IN Jesus (and Jesus IN you), it changes everything. When you received Jesus as Lord, you received ALL that He is. So you can rest from your own works. Your are not striving for sufficiency, your sufficiency is IN HIM! You are not striving to become perfect, your perfection is IN HIM. You are not afraid of the Day of Judgment, you were already judged IN HIM. When you get this revelation, you can boldly declare, “As Jesus is, so am I, in this world!”
I will stop here for today.
Closing Confession: Father, this is a year of Great Victory for me. I say this without reservation, because I know I am IN CHRIST and CHRIST is IN ME! I get to enjoy all that Jesus is, because You freely offer me His best by your unearned grace. You hide me IN JESUS and You reveal Jesus IN ME. You don’t do this because I deserve it. You do this because You love me and because You love the world. So Father, as I enter this day, I do so knowing that Christ will be revealed IN ME and THROUGH ME. With this revelation firmly planted in my heart, I can boldly declare, “As Jesus is, so am I, in this world!” Everything Jesus is, is who I am! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
