IN CHRIST

BE CONSCIOUS OF YOUR POSITION IN CHRIST

John 15:5 - I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

In this verse, Jesus says, “I am the vine, you are the branches.” He did not say, “I am the vine, try to be the branches.” In other words, He wants us to realize that we are already the branches. We do not have to struggle to become the branches.

As His branches, we only have to abide or remain in Christ our vine. How do we do that? We do that by simply being conscious every day of our position in Christ.

Because we have received Christ, we are in Christ and are accepted in the Beloved. (2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 1:6) God accepts us because we are in the Beloved and He is in us. And that is how God sees us today when we come into His presence.

What the devil wants to do then is to get you to focus on your condition instead of your position in Christ. The condition you are facing could be financial lack or deteriorating health. The devil wants you to focus on your condition and forget your position—that you are the righteousness of God in Christ and that you are seated with Him in heavenly places at the Father’s right hand. (2 Corinthians 5:21, Ephesians 2:6) He wants you to forget that you are an heir of God and a joint heir with Christ. (Romans 8:17)

The devil knows that once you focus on your position in Christ, it will give you the power to change your condition and circumstances. John 15:5 says that you will bear “much fruit”. This means that when you pray against any lack, abundant supply will flow. When you pray for healing, sickness will leave.

My friend, none of these things can happen by your own doing, but by His life which flows through you. Just as sap flowing through the branches of a vine will cause them to bring forth fruit, His life flowing through you will bring forth a bountiful harvest of provision, healing and miracles. You only need to remain conscious of who you are in Christ!

Thought For The Day

Remain conscious of who you are in Christ and you will bear much fruit.

THINGS TO REMEMBER

“Keep yourselves in the love of God ” (Jude 1:21).

Remaining grounded in God’s love protects you from Satan. When you walk in love, you are hidden in God’s light, and the devil can’t touch you!

We can never earn the love of God, but we don’t have to. When we believe in Jesus and confess Him as Lord, we are in right standing with God! See Romans 10:9-10.

The blessing…it’s an empowerment from God to prosper you in every arena of life!

God created the world with faith filled words. You are made in His likeness. You can effectively change your world by speaking His Word with faith

Jesus' resurrection is heaven's receipt that all our sins have been paid for by His perfect work on the cross (see Rom 4:25). Today, we are completely forgiven and free to enjoy all of God's blessings.

When God heals and restores, He doesn’t just bring you back to your original condition, He brings you out better than you were before. God’s grace is bigger than any challenge, mistake, or setback. He is a God who makes all things new!

No matter what you have been through or what you’re facing, it’s not too late. God can bring healing and complete restoration to every area of your life. He is our Heavenly Father, and He is faithful to keep His promises.

Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. (Isa 60:1–2)

Don’t let bad reports of instability and chaos in the world put fear in your heart for the year ahead. God promises that when you see increasing uncertainty and chaos all around you—when deep darkness covers the earth—you will also see His glory arising upon you, causing you to shine with the evidence of His goodness and blessings in your life. Give weight to His Word at the start of this year, and experience a manifestation of His greater glory in every area of your life, every day!

GUARD YOUR FOCUS

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. —Hebrews 12:2

“That’s my disciple,” I once heard a woman say about someone she was helping. As followers of Christ we are all tasked with making disciples—sharing the good news of Christ with people and helping them grow spiritually. But it can be easy to focus on ourselves instead of Jesus.

The apostle Paul was concerned that the Corinthian church was losing its focus on Christ. The two best-known preachers in those days were Paul and Apollos. The church was divided: “I follow Paul.” “Well, I follow Apollos!” They had begun focusing on the wrong person, following the teachers rather than the Savior. But Paul corrected them. We are “God’s fellow workers.” It doesn’t matter who plants and who waters, for only God can give the growth. Christians are “God’s field, God’s building” (1 Cor. 3:6-9). The Corinthian believers didn’t belong to Paul nor to Apollos.
Jesus tells us to go and make disciples and to teach them about Him (Matt. 28:20).

And the author of the book of Hebrews reminds us to focus on the Author and Finisher of our faith (12:2). Christ will be honored when we focus on Him; He is superior to any human being and He will meet our needs.

Father, I confess that it is easy to shift my focus from You to less important things. Thank You for putting people in my life that help point me to You.

Help me point others to You in a way that makes You more and me less.

YOU ARE EQUIPPED ...

Every Scripture is God-breathed...so that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work. - 2 Timothy 3:16–17, AMP

God has equipped you with everything you need to fulfill your destiny through His Word! The scripture tells us that as believers in Jesus Christ, we are anointed. The word “anointing” is the power of God which gives you courage, strength and ability. That means you are well able to do what He has called you to do. You can accomplish your goals. You have the ideas, the creativity, and the talent to be successful. You can overcome any obstacle! You’ve been armed with strength for every battle! The forces that are with you are greater than the forces that are against you!

Not only has God equipped you, but He is also working on your behalf. He has already lined up the right people to come across your path. He’s already lined up the right breaks. You have everything you need to live a victorious life. You were created to excel! You have seeds of greatness on the inside of you. Don’t settle where you are. Have the attitude, “I am anointed. I can accomplish my dreams. I can overcome any obstacle. I am equipped and empowered by my Father in heaven, and I am able to live the abundant life He has for me!”

THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ...

Mark 8:12, "And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation."

The Greek word used here for "sighed deeply" means an intense grieving, inaudible prayer, or groan. This is intercession of the Holy Spirit, with groanings that cannot be uttered. Some Spirit-filled Christians believe this means groanings that cannot be uttered in normal speech and that this refers to speaking in tongues. However, this actually refers to a type of intercession different than speaking in tongues.

In John 11:33 and 38, Jesus groaned in the Spirit twice, and in those cases there were no words uttered. It was exactly as the Scripture states, a groaning in the Spirit. Everyone who has the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit has or will have this happen to them. Paul was referring to this in Galatians 4:19 when he spoke of travailing in birth for the Galatians. This groaning of the Holy Spirit is not just a grief but a groan of anger and resistance against Satan's devices in our lives. Many times, Christians don't discern this because they think it is just their own grief over the situation. But, this is the Holy Spirit desiring to intercede with us against our problems.

Jesus drew on this ministry of the Holy Spirit. John 11:33 and 38 says, that Jesus groaned in the Spirit twice when He raised Lazarus from the dead. What infirmity did Jesus have that He needed this ministry of the Holy Spirit? Jesus had no sin, but He did have an infirmity. It was His physical mind.

Even a sinless human mind could not comprehend raising a man from the grave after four days. If Jesus needed the Holy Spirit to help Him when He didn't know how to pray, then this should certainly be an important ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

 ACT OUT OF REST

And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work. ROMANS 11:6

Whether it is partaking of the Holy Communion or confessing God’s Word, do these things out of rest. Don’t feel as if you need to put the demand on yourself to be healed. My friend, you can’t earn your healing. It is something that God gives you by His grace.

Beloved, God wants you to see that Jesus has already paid for your healing. Today, He is so pleased with Jesus’ finished work that He is more than happy to bountifully supply all the healing and provision that you desire.

When you truly have a revelation of this, nothing will stop you from declaring His Word over yourself and running to the Lord’s table with thanksgiving and expectation. And when you act in faith out of rest, it won’t be long before you see your miracle manifest!

BEFORE YOU BUILD :-

'You must build...according to the pattern I will show you.' Exodus 25:9 NLT

Go to God for the plan. God told Moses: 'You must build this tabernacle and its furnishings exactly according to the pattern I will show you.' God knows what you will need in the future, you don't. He prepared Noah a hundred years in advance of the flood. He prepared Joseph to feed Egypt seven years in advance of the famine. Without God's guidance the best you'll ever have are estimates, educated guesswork and projections. 'To the Israelites at the foot of the mountain, the glory of the Lord appeared at the summit like a consuming fire. Then Moses disappeared into the cloud as he climbed higher up the mountain. He remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights.' (Exodus 24:17-18 NLT) Moses spent over a month waiting in God's presence for direction. Why? Because what he was building had to meet the needs of God's people for generations. So go to the place of prayer. Tell those around you, 'I'm not coming back until I hear from God and get His plan!' When God orders it, He pays for it. But when He doesn't give the order, and you decide to do it anyway, you're on your own! Why? Because you won't have confidence to go to Him in your time of need. Unless you start right, you won't finish right. You say, 'But I'm nobody special. Why would God speak to someone like me?' If God has called you, and He has, then you're special. His promise is,

'If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God...and it will be given to him.' - James 1:5 NIV

MOVED BY THE SPIRIT, NOT HUMAN HONEY

Leviticus 2:11 - No grain offering which you bring to the Lord shall be made with leaven, for you shall burn no leaven nor any honey in any offering to the Lord made by fire.

Imagine yourself walking past the prodigal son sitting in the pigpen. (Luke 15:11–24) You look at him and see him salivating for the pigs’ food. Believing that it is good to show kindness, you give him money to buy food for himself.

That is human kindness which says, “I am a Christian. I should be kind, good and forgiving.” Such human sweetness or kindness may be likened to honey. Interestingly, while we elevate it, God tells His people not to bring Him a grain offering with honey in it.

The grain offering speaks of Jesus’ life on earth. Not mixing honey in the grain offering speaks of how the compassion and goodness we see in Jesus during His earthly ministry were all divine. There was no “honey” of human goodness that is tainted with human weakness.

In retrospect, the worst thing one could do for the prodigal son was to give him money when he was in the pigpen. Not only would he not have gone home, but what the Lord was doing in his heart would also have been spoiled. This is what happens when we go by the goodness of our human hearts instead of the goodness of God in our hearts, which is directed by His love, wisdom and perfect timing.

My friend, God does not want you to be moved by what you see but by His Spirit. There were many needy folks surrounding Jesus during His time on earth. But He did not heal every sick person around Him, feed every hungry stomach he passed or raise all who were dead. Isaiah 11:2–3 tells us that the Lord was not moved by what He saw or heard. He was moved only by the Spirit.

You too have the Spirit in you. (1 Corinthians 3:16) Be moved by Him. Follow the peace that He puts within your spirit to do or refrain from doing something. That peace is the peace of God. Acting on that peace will cause God to be exalted, and His divine goodness and kindness to really be a blessing to you and others!

Thought For The Day :

Don’t be moved by the honey of human kindness but by God’s Spirit.

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