Unlock Your Rich and Royal Inheritance in Christ (Part 1)

The rich and royal inheritance in Christ is a free gift of God's grace.

This inheritance is obtained through faith in Jesus Christ.

It is a lifelong effort to mature in the things of God, co-laboring with the Holy Spirit.

Sanctification is the carrying on to perfection the work begun in regeneration, involving the whole man.

I am pleased to be able to speak to you. I want to speak to you today about a wonderful, rich, and royal inheritance that we have in our Lord Jesus Christ. What a wonderful privilege as a Christian we have to be counted among the children of God. What a privilege it is to be the recipient of grace and favor of Almighty God, who is now called our Father. What a rich inheritance awaits us as the children of God. Inheritance, according to Webster's Dictionary, means to take hold a possession or rights by inheritance, to receive something that is or may be inherited as ownership, heritage. You see, this rich inheritance promised to God's own children is reserved for those who finish the race on this earth. And it's a purchased inheritance brought by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. This rich inheritance is eternal life, and it is waiting for every true member and faithful believer of our Lord Jesus Christ. Individuals who shall possess it are those who are sanctified. Now, it is here many people shrink back and say, Ha! Now you're getting religious. Hello? This is God's process. Should our carnal thinking try to reduce God's standards and requirements to our puny human reasonings for our self-gratifications in order to live the way we want to live? Precious one, I don't think so. God of all creation never changes. His high and holy standards for his royal family will always remain the same. Sanctification, according to the Bible dictionary, is described like this. Sanctification involves more than a mere moral reformation of character brought about by the power of the truth. It is the work of the Holy Spirit bringing the whole nature of a true believer in Jesus Christ more and more under the influences of the new gracious principles implanted in the soul in regeneration. In other words, sanctification is the carrying on to perfection. Perfection means maturity. the work begun in regeneration, and it extends to the whole man. It is the special office of the Holy Spirit in the plan of redemption to carry on this work. Faith is instrumental in ensuring sanctification in as much as it ensures union to Christ and brings the believer into a living reality in contact with the truth whereby he is led to yield obedience to the commands, trembling at the threatenings and embracing the promises of God for this life and that which is to come. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. That was the biblical definition of sanctification. And you see, this work of sanctification or maturity in the things of God is a lifelong effort on our behalf where we co-labor with God's Holy Spirit in this process. And because it is a lifelong journey, many people excuse themselves daily from making every effort in conforming to the will and the mind of God in Christ. They put off day after day, and by the lie, well, it's going to take me all of my life to change, and well, God knows my heart, sort of thing. And I say to you who are living this lie of deception right now, yes, indeed, let me say, and we better believe with all of our hearts, soul, and mind, God certainly knows our hearts. And the word tells us that our hearts are deceitful above all things and desperately wicked and who could know it. You'll find that in Jeremiah 17.9. And this is why we need to live the truth honestly and sincerely every day. Jesus said in Mark 7.14. In Mark 7.14. And he called the people to him again and said to them, Listen to me, all of you, and understand what I say. Verse 15, There is not even one thing outside a man which is going into him can pollute and defile him. But the things which come out of a man are what defile him and make him unhallowed and unclean. And if any man has ears to hear, let him be listening and let him perceive and comprehend by hearing. Verse 17. And when he had left the crowd and gone into the house, his disciples began asking him about the parable. And he said to them, Then are you also unintelligent and dull and without understanding? Do you not discern and see that whatever goes into a man from the outside cannot make him unhallowed or unclean? Verse 19, since it does not reach and enter his heart, but only his digestive tract, and so passes on into the place designed to receive waste, thus he was making and declaring all food ceremonially clean, That is abolishing the ceremonial distinctions of the Levitical law. Verse 20. And when he said, what comes out of a man is what makes a man unclean and renders him unhollow. For from within him, that is, out of the hearts of men come base in wicked thoughts, sexual immorality, stealing, murder, adultery, coveting, a greedy desire to have more wealth, Dangerous and envy, slander, evil speaking, malicious misrepresentation, abusiveness, pride, the sin of an uplifted heart against God and man, foolishness, folly, lack of sense, recklessness and thoughtlessness. All these evil purposes and desire come from within and they make the man unclean and render him unhallowed. well you see this is why it is necessary we put to work daily the word of god in our lives as we learn it and not take it lightly we're talking about eternal life precious ones and we're also told here not only to be hearers of the word of god but we are called to be doers of the word This royal inheritance is the free gift of God's grace, and it is obtained through faith in Jesus Christ. This wonderful gift originates in his grace and his love, dear church. According to Apostle Paul, the Christian spiritual inheritance is based strictly on our relationship to Jesus Christ. Galatians 3, 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. You see, this spiritual birthright cannot be inherited by sinners. Our beloved apostle Paul tells us this too in the first chapter of Corinthians. 1 Corinthians 6.9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexual offenders, verse 10, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor slanders, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. Verse 11, and that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. Paul also declared that the Spirit's indwelling power is both the sign, the seal, and that we are heirs of this royal inheritance of promise in Ephesians 1.13. Ephesians 1.13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth and the gospel of your salvation, having believed you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession to the praise of his glory. Those who are redeemed become God's adopted sons and daughters with full inheritance rights. And this ought to deeply touch you and somehow provoke within you in a very deep, deep way some degree or measure of the undying love of your Savior and what he really did for you. Galatians 4.1. In Galatians 4.1, Paul says, What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. Verse 4. But when the time had fully come, God sent his son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law that we might receive the full rights as sons. Because you are sons, God sent the spirit of his son into our hearts and the spirit who calls Abba, Father, so you are no longer a slave, but a son. And since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. This beautiful promise of inheritance comes by nothing we have done to earn it. We've done nothing to earn it or to take credit for anything that Christ has done. Our beloved Savior did all for all whomsoever would choose him as eternal life. Our part is to lay hold of this royal and rich inheritance. And once we lay hold of it, then it is to be built up in knowledge, faith, love, and holiness. And again, as I said in the opening of this message, this rich inheritance is eternal life. and it is waiting for every true and faithful believer in Jesus Christ. In addition to eternal life with our beautiful Redeemer, we will have the privilege of co-reigning with him as kings and priests in his eternal kingdom. The individual who shall possess this wonderful privilege of inheritance are those who are sanctified. Oh yes, I said that word again. And this means those who are seriously pursuing after truth and holiness and are maturing in this process. This means you are daily seeking the Lord of your life and growing in his grace and knowledge. This means you are putting on Christ. This means you are being clothed in Christ, having his mind, his heart, and pure intentions in all that you do and say. This means you are digging deep for the mind of Christ, to know him and grow in him and dwell in his love. This means you are learning that your identity is found in him and not in yourself. And as you learn and grow in this understanding, you also learn with a deep and abiding faith as a child of the King that you are exhorted to lay aside all of your fears. Dear Church, we do not belong to just any family where we are vulnerable to the lions and the wolves which may come up on our path Jesus gives us such encouragement in the living word of God found in Luke 12 28 In Luke 12, 28. But if God so clothes the grass in the fields, which is alive today, and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will he clothe you? Oh, you people of little faith. Verse 29. And you do not seek by meditating and reasoning to inquiring into what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be of anxious, troubled mind, unsettled, excited, worried, and in suspense. For all the pagan world is greedily seeking these things, and your Father knows that you have need of them. Only aim at and strive for and seek his kingdom, and all these things shall be supplied to you. 32, verse 32. Dear little flock, do not be seized with alarm and struck with fear. Little flock, for it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Ah, so beautiful. I pray that word touched you. Can we trust as people of faith and not be overwhelmed with fear, no matter what the circumstances, that our loving King and Father are jealous over us, we who live to please Him? The world has not the tranquility, the order, or stability of knowing this inner peace and comfort, because it comes from one source. And that source is a heavenly fountain. And these are a part of the promised blessings of inheritance. While we have breath on this earth right now, the world will experience every fear that excites their senses and comes their way because Satan is king and ruler of this kind of fear. It is cruel and ravenous because it terrifies and seizes with hopeless alarm its victims who are poisoned with its venom. And the mind goes through terrible gymnastics of imaginations and ungodly fear of what may happen. people who live in this state are sure and certain that because of this cruel and overwhelming condition they face in their minds that it's certainly their last. People in this state generally face deteriorating health, both in mind and body. They've never learned or cared to know of the wonderful good news of our Lord Jesus Christ. who became the willing and precious sacrifice of the God of all creation and laid himself upon the cross as the innocent Lamb of God and died for all who would choose him to be saved and ransomed from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. The kingdom of darkness, which is Satan's kingdom, brings terrible and horrible remembrances of the past and his free reign in the present moment to throw terrifying images and thoughts into the unregenerated or the unrenewed mind. For the renewed mind for a Christian is having the mind of Christ, who is now king and ruler in our lives and over our lives in body, soul, and spirit. Jesus said, Fear not, little flock, For those who love him and obey him, he gives peace in the midst of every storm that may come into our lives. And if we have uneasiness or apprehensions, he gives us peace and stills the storm in our mind and our hearts. He is our waymaker, Church. We do not have to be ignorant of the road in which we travel. We are people of faith, and we follow the author and king of faith himself, who is Jesus Christ. We belong to the kingdom of light. And Jesus said in John 8, 12, in John 8, 12, Once more Jesus addressed the crowd, and he said, I am the light of the world, and he who follows me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the light which is life. Jesus promises to take care of the sheep of his pasture and the lambs of his fold by giving them his comfort and his peace. Advancing to John 14, the chapter 14 of John. John 14, 23. Jesus answered, If a person really loves me, He will keep my word, obeying my teachings. And my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home, our abode, a special dwelling with him. Verse 24. Anyone who does not really love me does not observe and obey my teaching. And the teaching which you hear and heed is not mine, but comes from the Father who sent me. I have told you these things while I'm still with you. But the comforter, counselor, helper, intercessor, advocate, strengthener, the standby Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, in my place to represent me and act on my behalf. He will teach you all things and he will cause you to recall, will remind you of and bring to your remembrance everything that I have told you. Verse 27 Peace I leave with you My own peace I now give and bequeath to you Not as the world gives do I give to you Do not let your hearts be troubled Neither let them be afraid Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed And do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled Do you see, precious ones, why we should not have fear? Neither fear of circumstances or fear of men. What comfort is given us by the very words of our dear and loving shepherd? We, who belong to the royal family of God, are exhorted to lay aside every fear. We are the children of God, the God of all creation, the God who by his tender affection and mercy was drawing us with loving kindness while we were still and yet dead in our trespasses. And while we were still dead in our sin, God Almighty, full of love and compassion, had in his plans for each one of us a rich and royal inheritance. What love, dear people! What love! We were offensive to him because of our vileness, But yet, he had and has a purpose and plan for each one of us who would choose him as our Heavenly Father through the work of our Lord Jesus Christ upon the cross. What an inheritance! Even though some at this moment in time who are listening to this message may not understand what I'm speaking in its depth, The Spirit of the Lord, nevertheless, is drawing you and touching your inmost being called your spirit man to plant the truth of this word in your heart in order to draw you deeper into his royal family of love. We cannot understand these things with our carnal minds because these are spiritual truths. and this is why in the scripture we have just read jesus says in john 14 25 i told you these things while i'm still with you but the comforter the counselor helper intercessor advocate strengthener the holy spirit whom the father send in my name in my place to represent me and act on my behalf. He will teach you all things and he will cause you to recall and remind you of and bring you to your remembrance everything that I have told you. Peace I leave with you, Jesus says. And my own peace I give, I bequeath to you, not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled and neither let them be afraid. You see, Jesus said in the 23rd verse of this chapter that if we obey him and we live what his word tells us to do, it proves that we love him. In verse 23, please. Jesus answered, if a person really loves me he will keep my word obeying my teachings and my father will love him and we will come to him and make our abode our home a special dwelling with him anyone who does not really love me does not observe and obey my teaching and the teaching which you hear and heed is not mine but comes from the father who sent me When we obey Him in this way, because we love Him, no matter what level we are in our spiritual growth or attainment, we will experience the promised blessings of inner peace and joy right now as a part of our royal inheritance. And also the Holy Spirit will be pleased to dwell within our temples and teach us and lead us and guide us into all truth. it is only by this way and this process that we will receive the royal and rich inheritance which awaits us we are promised as well a crown a crown and a kingdom it's only this way this is the only way that we will inherit this beautiful rich royal inheritance and the promised crown We are promised that we will co-reign and rule with our Lord and God, who is the ruler of all fairness and equity, and who is the God of all power, love, and peace. We are these who were purchased and ransomed out of the kingdom of darkness by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Dear Church, these are not idle words that I speak to you. never take lightly or for granted what your Lord and King Jesus Christ did for you. It is out of this precious sacrifice of his undying love for you personally that you learn and grow and fall deeply in love with him. Neither you nor me, or anyone for that matter, could truly, honestly, or sincerely love anyone except we know and experience personally the love of this sacrifice. Even to know and experience this precious love is a gift from God. The reason why so many Christians do not know or experience this deep and wonderful love of our Heavenly Father the way that they should is told us in the Scripture we have been reading. John 14, 23. Jesus answered, If a person really loves me, he will keep my word, obeying my teachings, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him. We'll make our home with him. You see, when we obey him, he gives us his peace. He gives us his Holy Spirit to do his good work within us. God, our Abba Father, delights to give us every good thing now while we have breath. And to some people while I speak this, they think, oh boy, when I say God delights to give us every good thing now while we have breath some people think ah i've always wanted a million dollars and while others in their mind race to the thought or of a new home or a bigger car and others yet ponder unfortunate or fame and this is why these kinds of people these christians never grow in their deep and abiding love for the one who died for them. Because they are tethered to this side of heaven, they are earthbound, chained to the carnal appetites and pleasures. Instead of their thoughts being heavenward and God they love the things of the world and not the things of God In 1 John 2 Do not cherish or love the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. Verse 16, For all that is in the world, the lusts of the flesh, craving for sensual gratifications and the lusts of the eyes, greedy longings of the mind and pride of life, assurance in one's own resources and or stabilities of the earthly things. These do not come from the Father, but are from the world itself. Verse 17, And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings, the passionate desires, the lusts of it. But he who does the will of God and carries out his purposes in his life remains forever. Let me provoke you at this moment. If you presently have continual battering of the mind, have not peace or joy. May I cause you to ponder your present state. Thank you for giving me permission. Are you or do you have your thoughts and your heart set on worldly desires and pleasures? this could be the cause for you not enjoying the peace of God and your possible future and rich inheritance as the scripture says those who love the things of the world which are those things that cause our flesh to tingle with delight either greedy longings for more stuff or and also for fame and fortune have their minds set on things below that these things can also include the sensual or the sexual pleasures and these as well rule the senses and belong to the world verse 15 of the chapter that we have been reading here do not cherish the world or the things that are in the world if anyone loves the world love for the father is not in him for all that is in the world the lust of the flesh, craving for sensual gratifications, the lust of the eyes, greedy longings of the mind, and pride of life, which is assurance of one's own resources, or in the stability of earthly things, these do not come from the Father, but are from the world itself. Can I tell you, dear church, that our Father, our Heavenly Father, has more in store for those who love Him than the worldly pleasures that give us a moment of satisfaction while it appeases our senses or better said, our carnal appetites in any given moment. You who truly belong to Christ must know that it is your Father's good pleasure to give all good things to you now that he has in store for you while you dwell in this earthly temple. He's prepared and is providing for those who love him, as the scripture says in 1 Corinthians 2.8. None of the rulers of this age or world perceive and recognize and understood this, for if they had, they never would have crucified the Lord of glory. But on the contrary, as the scripture says, what eye has not seen or ear heard. He has in store for them who love him that God has prepared, he's made ready for those who love him and hold him in affectionate reverence, promptly obeying him and gratefully recognizing the benefits that he has bestowed. You see, God, I just want to pause here in this moment here, and I want to reiterate that we who truly belong to Jesus Christ must know that it is our Father's goodwill and pleasure to give all good things to us now that he has in store for us while we dwell in these earthly temples. He is prepared and he's providing for those who love him. And as the scripture says, no eye has seen, no ear has heard what he has in store for them who love him. In 1 Corinthians 2, 8, none of the rulers of this age or world perceived and recognized and understood this. For if they had, they never would have crucified the Lord of glory. Verse 9. But on the contrary, as the scripture says, what eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the hearts of man, all that God has prepared and made and keeps ready for those who love him, who hold him in affectionate reverence, promptly obeying him and gratefully recognizing the benefits that he has bestowed. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! He is bestowing and lavishing upon those who love him eternal rewards and a rich inheritance right now. And with the most watchful eye and the tenderness of love, the tenderest love, he watches over you with the most jealous care and desire and more for you to have true happiness than any earthly mother or father could ever have for their child. What he desires for us is more than what our parents could ever desire for us, for they cannot comprehend. We could not comprehend the very depths, magnitude of the love of God. But what we do know as a Christian, we do the very best that we can and as we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord, we just desire more and more for our children to have the rich and royal inheritance that awaits them forever and ever. You see, he promises never to leave us or forsake us. And we can't fathom, precious church, what our Heavenly Father has in store for those who truly love him and his Son, Jesus Christ. But we can know that it is more than we could ever imagine in our mind's eye. He has promised to make you inconceivably blessed with himself forever and ever. What a rich and a royal inheritance. Nothing on earth is more lasting or richer than this. we should be ashamed of ourselves for any doubt which may ever enter into our minds regarding this inheritance we should be ashamed of any fears which come and set itself in a vain imagination in our mind we should quickly be learning through the helper called Holy Spirit given us to pull down every stronghold or vain imagination which sets itself up to steal this inheritance and if we truly love god our father and understand this and are exercising the truth as we learn it we will not be left to wander in the wilderness of our minds in all of our fears without the protection and the the guidance and provision and providential care and love of God. Because of Jesus' perfect sacrifice for us, God our Heavenly Father declares in Romans 4 and other verses, All things are yours. Hallelujah! God Almighty, God of all creation, declares it to his own. All things are yours. As I said, Jesus made this possible for us. Because when he ascended into heaven with his own blood, he had obtained eternal redemption for us upon the basis of his death and resurrection on our behalf. In Hebrews 9, wow. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves, but he entered the most holy place once and for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. Verse 13. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean, sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. Verse 14. How much more then will the blood of Christ, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God? You see, when Jesus sat down at the Father's right hand, man had been perfectly redeemed because he'd been legally identified with Christ in his redemptive work. I would like you to understand here that your identity with Christ as a child of God means that you've been legally redeemed from spiritual death. You need to see yourself now in your new identity in the family of God. Our beloved Apostle Paul makes it clear for us in his epistle in Romans 6.6 that we were crucified with Christ in Romans 6.6. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Jesus was delivered up on the account of our trespasses and sins on the cross. God made Jesus to become sin for us. It was our spiritual death and our trespasses and sicknesses that he bore upon himself and in himself when he went willingly upon the cross to be nailed to it. Jesus became identified with us on the cross. He was our substitute. And Paul tells us in the book of Romans that we died with Christ in Romans 6, verse 5, right where you are. For we have been united together in the likeness of his death, and certainly we shall also be in the likeness of his resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, and the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. Verse 7, for he who has died has been freed from sin. Now, if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. As Christ died, we died with him. Christ would not have died physically if he'd not first had our spiritual death laid upon his spirit. So there followed, as a result of our identification with him in crucifixion, the death of his body, which had then become mortal, subject to death, as had Adam's when he died spiritually. We died with him. And his spirit left his physical body and went into hell, and we were identified with him there. What love! What love, dear church? You could say to yourself, what love my Savior has for me? What love? And the more you say that and the more you hold fast to that, the more real that love becomes. Paul also goes on in this chapter of Romans to declare that we were buried with Christ. Romans 6, 4. Therefore, we were buried with him through baptism unto death. Baptism is a type of our burial with Christ. And his body lay in the tomb, but his spirit suffered in hell as he paid the penalty that was due man, that is, you and me. Jesus could adequately pay man's penalty and meet the demands of justice for our sins because he had been identified with man in this place. Dear Church, the penalty Jesus paid was not his own, but man's with whom he had been made one with and identified with. In the mind of God, it was you and me who were there in the place of torment, bearing the judgment that was due us On the basis of this identification, the man who receives the redemptive work of Christ need not go to hell now, but goes free. He's set free, while the man who refuses Christ's redemption on his behalf must go there. When the penalty of man's high treason was paid, we were freed from bondage to Satan. Hallelujah. Romans 6.1. please. Romans 6.1 Dead to sin, alive to God. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not. How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Verse 3. Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we were with him through the baptism of his death that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in the newness of life. Verse 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of his death certainly we shall also be in the likeness of his resurrection Verse 6, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of it. For he who has died has been freed from his sins. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Sin no longer has dominion over him for the death that he died. He died to sin once for all, but the life that he lives, he lives to God. Likewise, you also reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Did you see here? The body of sin or the body of spiritual death was destroyed. Hallelujah! You were released. We were released from spiritual death because we died in Christ and He adequately paid our penalty for us. And when the penalty had been paid, man, that is you and I, stood before God, justified or declared righteous. Righteousness means that we have the ability to stand in God's presence as being free from sin and condemnation as though there had never been any spiritual death within our spirit. when God could declare man's righteousness and legally freed from spiritual death, he had the right to impart life, his own nature, to the spirit of man. So after Jesus had been declared righteous in his spirit because our penalty was paid, he was made alive. Hallelujah! And the identification of man in Christ that had been completed upon the cross still continues. And Paul goes on to say here in Colossians 2.13 in Colossians 2.13 that we were made alive with Christ and you being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh he has made you alive together with him having forgiven you of all your sins having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us, and he's taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross, having disarmed principalities and powers. He made a spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. Hallelujah! He did this for me. He did this for you. He did this for all who choose him. When God raised Christ from the dead, he said, You are my sons. You are my daughters. This day I have begotten you. Jesus was the firstborn from the dead, precious ones. And he was the first man to be born out of spiritual death into eternal life. He was the first man over whom the dominion of death was broken. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah. Jesus was the first man over whom the dominion of death was broken, saints. In Romans 6, 9, death no longer had dominion over him. For the death that he died, he died to sin once. Hallelujah. And when Jesus was identified with us on the cross, death had dominion over him. But when he paid our penalty, the dominion was broken. Hallelujah. Jesus was released and Satan hates this. Jesus was released and he died unto sin and he was begotten of God in the realm of life. Romans 8, 29. For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. And the many brethren were legally identified with him in his birth out of death into life. But he was the first one to virtually experience being the firstborn. These terms which say we were legally being made alive with Christ means that we were conformed to his image. And the word conform means to make exactly like. and it means to be made according to a certain pattern. In his crucifixion, Jesus had been conformed to our image of spiritual death. And when he was made alive, we were made alive with him, hallelujah. And with him we are conformed to the image of this firstborn. all that Jesus is now we become and that is why we are joint heirs with him we were legally born out of death into life with him Romans 6, 611 we are told that we're able to reckon ourselves dead unto sin and alive unto God in as much reality as Christ is dead unto sin and alive to God. And the reason for it lies in the fact that we were together born again, made alive legally. A man virtually receiving this life of God is actually born out of death into life when he personally accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We're ransomed out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. So our identification with Christ and his death and resurrection in reality means this. It is as though Adam had gone to hell, suffered the judgment that was due him, and had been released, freed from all the bondage of spiritual death, legally acquitted from his crime of high treason and given the right to receive eternal life and walk in fellowship with God once again. If Adam could have done this, the human race which had been identified with him in his spiritual death would never have been under the dominion of death. But Adam could not do this. God, in his great love for his creation, that is you and me, sent his precious son to do it on our behalf. In Adam, all humanity died spiritually. and as a basis of identification with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection, all humanity legally has been made alive. 1 Corinthians 15, 22, For as in Adam all died, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. All who come to Christ declare him as Lord and Savior. Any man or woman who has accepted Jesus Christ, as their savior's lord may now walk in fellowship with the father and free from satan's dominion as though adam had never sinned or been spiritually dead at the new birth a man passes from the authority of saint and into the lordship of jesus christ colossians 1 13. colossians 1 13. he has has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of his love. And this is because when Jesus was released from his death into life, man was really released with him. All that Christ did was not for himself, but for man, that is you and me, and all others who would choose him as their Lord and Savior of their lives. After Jesus had been released from Satan's authority, the next step was to put off from himself the forces of Satan. The Word tells us in Ephesians 1.20 that when God raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in heavenly places, far above all principalities, all other government, in power and might and dominion, every name that is named not only in this age but also in that to come Christ now has all authority Christ was raised up that means that we were with him too and we find that in the book of Ephesians also this is an important foundational truth and principle in the life of every believer none of us should ever miss this point in fact of what our blessed Savior did for us God raised us up with Christ. We were identified with Christ in this victory. Ephesians 2.6, and God raised us up with Christ. We were identified with him in this victory over Satan. And it's only because of our identification with him that he was therefore triumphing over Satan. Jesus was always greater than Satan, dear church. And it was because of his identification with us that as a man he must meet Satan in his own dominion and conquer him. And he went there as our substitute representative. His victory was our victory. And when he stripped Satan of his own authority, it was though we had done it. After Jesus' justification, Satan no longer had dominion over him. Our identification with Christ makes us as free as Jesus is. The word says we are now seated with Christ. After Christ's spirit had been freed from hell, he entered his body, raising it through the power of the Holy Spirit to immortality. Acts 2.31 In Acts 2.31, he, seeing this before, spoke of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither did his flesh see corruption. Jesus now holds all power and authority and Jesus spoke this in the book of Matthew 28 when he said to the apostles he said all power is given unto me all authority is given unto me in heaven and on earth and as a man he possessed authority over the world rulers of the spiritual darkness and with that authority he sat down at the father's right hand and it was for us. In the book of Ephesians, Ephesians 1 declared that the work that God worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in heavenly places far above all principalities and powers and might and dominion and in every name that is named and not only in this age but the one to come. Verse 22, he put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. You see, Jesus legally put all things under his feet, that is, under his body, the church in his resurrection. And he is waiting now for you and me to take our rightful inheritance, which is his power, his word, and his legal rights in his name, and subdue the enemy in his name and put Satan under our feet. We are seated with him. Let us arise to that place and sit with him. Jesus is now waiting for us in his name to virtually to rise up, to pick up and take what is legally ours, and in his name put every enemy of ours under our feet that we might reign as kings and priests with him. As I said at the beginning of this word today, what a privilege it is to be counted among the children of God. A royal family with a royal inheritance. It was purchased by the one and only innocent Lamb of God who spilled his blood for all who would choose him. This rich and royal inheritance is awaiting every true believer of Jesus Christ who are being sanctified and purified by their tests and trials in overcoming this world and its enemies. Lay hold, precious church, of your eternal and legal rights in Christ and possess your rich inheritance through knowledge, faith, love, and holiness. This is called maturity in your walk in reaching for the high prize and the high call in Jesus Christ. Take your rightful place and be seated next to your king as his royal subjects and co-heirs and reign with him as a king and priest in his royal kingdom forever and ever. God said to you and to me, all things are yours now. Believe it, dear church. Believe it and take your rightful place and be seated next to your king. Hallelujah. .

Playlist coming soon.