Please click on link to read part-1 of this article (In Him (1) – Feast of light)
- In Him, you have a sure destiny
Eph 1:11; (see bible translations below)
“In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,” (NKJV)
“In Him also we have received an inheritance [a destiny—we were claimed by God as His own], having been predestined (chosen, appointed beforehand) according to the purpose of Him who works everything in agreement with the counsel and design of His will,” (AMP)
-In Him we have obtained an inheritance, meaning by our union with Christ Jesus, God has chosen us to be His own. The AMP version would say God has given us a destiny. First and foremost to be His people. Also, “In Him” you have a God given a destiny. A specific destiny that is unique to you, that is why you cannot live a destiny careless life! No matter your story, there is a sure destiny that God has given you because you are in Him. Joseph was a man in God, he had a destiny that was unique to him and despite the untold hardships he faced, he conquered then all because God was with Him.
-God makes all things work to fulfil His plans and purposes. If you are truly and sincerely in Him, God will cause all things to work for your good. So everything you are facing now is still part of God’s divine plans to get you where He wants you to be.
- In Him we have courage and also a blessed hope for eternity
1 John 2:28, And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. (NKJV)
-One of the benefits of abiding in Him, is the guarantee of our eternity in Christ. If we keep in fellowship with Christ, if we continue to remain in union with Him, we can be sure that at His appearing we will be caught up into the air to join Him. Our bodies will now take a form like His own
-Also when we abide in Him (are in union with Him) we have confidence (or courage). When we abide in Him, we will not be ashamed. In Him we get courage to get up daily and face life challenges with strength and faith, knowing that we will have victory. In Him, we will not be put to shame, no matter the weight of the opposition against us because we can always draw on the riches of His mercy and grace.
- The Holy-Spirit is our guarantee of the eternal union we have in Christ
1 John 4:13; By this we know [with confident assurance] that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given to us His [Holy] Spirit. (AMP)
“The Gift” (1 John 3:24; AMP) which is the Holy Spirit in us is the guarantee that we are in Him and that He is in us. The Holy Spirit is the guarantee that we are in union with Christ Jesus and that Christ Jesus is in union with us. Just like a guarantee is a written promise that the product will work as intended for a certain period of time. If the product fails to work as intended during that period, the manufacturer will repair or replace the product at no additional cost to you. And so if a new product in the market like a Samsung tablet for instance does not come with a guarantee, you have the right to distrust the quality of this new product and expect the product to fail! So, the Holy-Spirit affirms the eternal union we have with Christ and assures us that this relationship in Him will never fail and it will produce all the benefits that we have in the Sprit realm through Christ Jesus as ours as being a real reality. A man-made guarantee is time-limited, but the Holy-Spirit as a guarantee to our union with Christ is timeless (eternal). A man-made guarantee does not prevent failure of a product, because the product itself is man-made which because of its flawed nature will always be prone to failure. But the Holy-Spirit as a guarantee to our union with Christ cannot fail, as failure cannot be found in the Trinity. So when I say am in Him, am confident of the personality that is making this guarantee is God the Holy-Spirit who is the Power of God (2 Tim 1:7, Acts1:8). The Holy-Spirit is the eternal guarantee of your salvation in Christ Jesus.
- In Him means we are dependent on Him spiritually, mentally, physically and in all domains of life.
Acts 17:28; or in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring. (NKJV)
In Him we live; “In Jesus we live” is a phrase that is often used to describe the fact that believers are united with Christ and that their lives are sustained by Him. The scripture teaches that Jesus is the source of all life and that apart from Him, we can do nothing. In John 15:5, Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” This means that our spiritual life and growth are dependent on our connection to Jesus. And hence the phrase “In Him (Jesus) we live”
The apostle Paul also speaks of this point in Galatians 2:20, where he says, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” This verse emphasizes the truth that believers are united with Christ and that their lives are sustained by Him.
Overall, the phrase “In Jesus we live” is a reminder that our lives are not our own, but belong to Christ. It is a call to live in dependence on Him and to seek to honour Him in all that we do. Therefore, when you seek to live a life that is independent of Him as a believer, you cannot be truly in Him.
“In Him we move and have our being”. It speaks to our complete dependence on Him, acknowledging that everything about our lives is intricately intertwined with God’s Spirit. The phrase highlights a deep spiritual connection with God through Christ Jesus, who fills our lives with meaning, purpose, and direction, guiding and sustaining us not only physically but also spiritually and emotionally. Remembering that “in Him we live and move and have our being” will drive us to seek deeper intimacy and dependency on God. Furthermore, “In Him we move and have our being” reveals to us that our lives are intertwined with His plans and purposes, and seeking His will becomes of vital importance.
- In Him we have hope
Romans 15:12; Again Isaiah says, “There shall be a root of Jesse, He who arises to rule [as King] over the Gentiles, In Him shall the Gentiles hope.” (AMP)
In Him we have hope. This theme is also seen in Isaiah 8:17 “And I will wait on the Lord, Who hides His face from the house of Jacob; And I will hope in Him.” (NKJV)
In Jesus not only do we have hope of eternal life but we have hope in Him that every promise that God has mandated to be ours on earth will manifest, in Jesus Mighty Name
So our hope in Him is first of the promise of eternity with Him in heaven and also the hope in Him that the blessings of Abraham will be our portion here on earth. That healing, favour, elevation, open-doors, breakthroughs that are part of the blessings of Abraham because we have our hope in Him, we will be partakers of these benefits and even much more.
Hebrews 2:13; Again, I will trust in him. And again, Here I am with the children God gave me. (CSB)
Being in Him means we put our hope and trust in Him. How can say we are in Him and our hope and trust is in man, or things! Many times the Israelites in the Old Testament who were supposed to be in God but they put their trust and hope in worthless idols, or making allegiances with foreign kings for protection rather than trust in God Almighty. This brought upon them God’s displeasure and adverse consequences!
If you say you are in Him, put your trust in God. This is not to say for example you don’t see your doctor if you are sick but the first person you should seek for help and deliverance is God and not seeking Him as a last resort after exhausting all human means or other sources of help.
- That being in Him, means we will suffer for His sake
Philippians 1:29, For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, (NKJV)
Being in Him does not immune you from facing challenges and troubles. Anyone who teaches you that being in Him is a life of just milk and honey is not teaching you the complete truth. While it is true in Him, we have victory and abundance. However, because you are in Him, trials and adversity will still come. But for those who are in Him, God does not allow the adversity to kill us but rather if you are submitted to Him, He will use those trials to prune us and make us become the best versions of ourselves He wants us to become. He still promises to deliver us from all the affliction we face, that is why the psalmist says, many are the affliction of the righteous but the Lord delivers us from them all.
And so as a child of God since we know it is “granted ” (or permitted) to us to suffer for His sake. So when we go through adversity, we must see it differently from the way the world sees it. To us God is using it to prepare us for greater works and glory in Him. And that God is with us through the fire of affliction. This fire will not consume us, no matter how hot it is! But in the end, it will lead to our elevation as we submit to God throughout the whole process of spiritual and physical pruning
- Being in Him means we undergo “spiritual circumcision”
Colossians 2:11, When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature. (NLT)
In Him we are Circumcised. Circumcision is a religious practice that plays a significant role in the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament. The physical act of circumcision involves the removal of the foreskin (physical transformation), which represents the removal of impurity. It serves as a visible sign of the covenant between God and the people of Israel (the physical circumcision was a physical reminder to the Israelites of their covenant relationship with God). The biblical meaning of circumcision in the Old testament is centred around the covenant between God and the people of Israel. Through the act of circumcision, the children of Israel demonstrate their commitment to upholding God’s laws and living a life of holiness (in keeping with all of His laws which were about 613 commandments to obey on a daily basis according to the Torah).
In the New Testament, circumcision takes on a spiritual meaning, emphasizing a transformation of the heart through faith in Jesus Christ. Unlike physical circumcision, which is an outward sign, the circumcision of the heart involves a spiritual transformation. It is a symbolic cutting away of sin (or the sinful nature in us) and surrendering one’s heart and life to Jesus Christ. This spiritual circumcision signifies a change of heart and a personal relationship with God.
“the cutting away of your sinful nature” in Colossians 2:11 would denote an on-going process of Spiritual Circumcision for every believer-in-Christ
For those who may not know, “Cut” in the present participle is “Cutting”. E.g.; I am cutting the carrots for the salad. Meaning that I am still in the process of cutting the carrots, I am not done cutting it!
Therefore being in Him requires an ongoing Spiritual Circumcision that Christ does, where through power of the Holy-Spirit, He strips from us the body of flesh (body of sin) and keeps stripping us of that body of sin. He does it to make us like Him. And as we remain in Him, on a daily basis, we are daily being circumcised by the Holy Spirit if we yield to Him, in order we look more and more like Him.
- In Him we have confidence (including confidence that He will hear us when we pray)
1 John 5:14; Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. (NKJV)
1. In Him we have confidence, in Him we have courage, in Him we can have no doubts. In union with Him, we have courage. In His Presence there are no doubts, fear but rather peace, courage, strength, confidence, faith
2. In Him we have faith and confidence that if we ask anything that lines up to His will and purposes, He will hear us. That if you ask Him anything and it agrees with what He has in mind for you, He will hear. No matter how difficult it might be, as long as it lines up with His divine agenda, He will hear
3. Here is a key to God answering your prayers. Whatever you ask God, make sure it lines up to God’s agenda. This is when you can be certain, He will hear and answer. But if what you are asking for us linked to feeding your lust and carnality, He will not hear. So make sure your motive for what you want is right and connected to God’s divine agenda
- You start by first being weak in Him and then you will become empowered in Him
2nd Corinthians 13:4, For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you. (NKJV)
He was “crucified in weakness” means; He was yielded completely to God’s will and plan.
The next sentence following that says He lives by the power of God.
Notice the sequence of events, Jesus was first completely yielded or submitted to God’s will and then the power to rule and reign throughout eternity was given to Him by God.
I have often wondered why many pastors who quest for power so much, and absolutely, we need God’s power to do His work, as this Kingdom is not in words but in power (1st Corinthians 4:20). However when they can’t get it God’s way, they run to the occult world to empower them. When you study great men of God like Pastor Benny Hinn, Daddy Enoch Adeboye, Apostle Selman, Dr Olukoya and so on, you will clearly observe that God cannot empower someone who is not completely yielded and submitted to Him in the first place. And this submission must first start in the heart.
So for anyone looking to be empowered by God for exploits in life, career, ministry, finances the first step in the equation is submission to God. These are the kinds of men and women God is looking for or wants to partner with according to Isaiah 66:2
God bless you
Altar call: For anyone reading this article who is not saved and wants to be part of the family of God or you want to re-dedicate your life back to Jesus, please repeat this out loud. “Lord Jesus, I acknowledge that I have sinned against you. Lord Jesus forgive me of my sins. I repent of my sins. Lord Jesus come into my life and be my Lord now and forever in Jesus Name“
Prayer: As I learn to be weak In You, As I learn to be submitted to You, please Lord empower me spiritually, mentally, physically, economically, financially, materially and ministerially in Jesus Mighty Name
Feast of Light Word Ministry
