When we choose to follow Jesus that is when we truly live. We must then learn who we are in Christ i.e. our identity, position and inheritance in Him and who He is in us to be victorious and live the abundant life! It is an important first step that we realize we have been established in the righteousness of Christ once we have received Him as our Savior. Secondly, we must know our position and authority in Him then we can know, understand and walk in our inheritance.
Through the fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden, we lost everything that God had given to mankind (Genesis 1:26-30; 3:1-24). Jesus recovered all through His Atonement. God the Father made a New Covenant with us through Jesus, His Son (Hebrews 8:4-13) . It is a blood covenant between God and Jesus through His death as a substitutionary sacrifice (atonement) for us (Luke 22:20).
He shed His blood as the Passover Lamb just as seen in the Old Testament types of atonement with the sacrifice of animals for sin and healing. He became a curse for us because the law, through disobedience to it, brought a curse upon mankind (see Deuteronomy 28:15-67). Sin, death and disease are part of the curse that Christ redeemed us from through His Atonement on the cross.
Only Jesus could perfectly fulfill the law which was God’s requirement for relationship with Him for God is Holy and Just because there is no one else who is righteous except Jesus (Romans 3:10-12; 21-23). The New Covenant went into effect when Jesus was raised from the dead. What we lost, He has returned to us i.e. forgiveness, healing, provision, peace, etc. Believing in Him is all we need to do to step into our inheritance He purchased for us.
Therefore, anyone who believes and puts their faith in Jesus will have everlasting life and receive His righteousness (John 3:14-16; Romans 3: 24-26). In exchange for our sin, He gave us His righteousness or right standing with God the Father as a gift (2 Corinthians 5:21). In other words, our right standing with God is based on Jesus’ right standing before God!
We have been justified or declared and made righteous in the sight of God by grace through faith in Christ (Romans 4:13), therefore we are completely accepted by God. We can’t do anything to make ourselves more loved or accepted by Him and nothing we do can take that away! We must receive His righteousness as a gift paid for by Jesus’ shed blood on the cross which gives us right standing with God through Him.
It is the key to overcoming sin and reigning in life and will determine how we respond to the voice of accusation from the enemy (Isaiah 54:14, 17). If we don’t believe and receive our righteousness by grace through faith, it can affect our ability to receive the blessings of God we have in Christ i.e. forgiveness, healing, provision, etc.
We should start declaring over ourselves that we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus instead of being conscious of our sin and failures. Satan tries to get us to focus on changing ourselves and our behavior instead on cultivating our spiritual health and wellness in Christ. He tries to deceive us with his lies about ourselves, our destiny, and our identity.
What we believe is powerful. It affects our behavior. By getting into the Word of God, asking the Holy Spirit to bring us revelation of the Word and how to apply its truth to our lives it will produce conduct that is honoring and pleasing to God (Titus 3:5). The Word renews our minds and the Holy Spirit helps us (Romans 12:2). The Holy Spirit who now dwells inside the believer helps us to grow from the inside out. This process is called sanctification (which means to set apart or declare holy; to consecrate). We are to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in this process.
We can expect God’s favor in our lives because of the cross and the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ who gave us His righteousness. Being established in the righteousness of Christ, and depending on God’s unmerited favor, His grace, results in a life of success, peace and practical holiness (Matthew 6:25-34).
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33 (NKJV)
We have been given all spiritual blessings in Him through His death on the cross, His resurrection and ascension where He is seated at the right hand of God with angels, and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him (1 Peter 3:22). This is the position of authority. What is authority? Authority is the legal right to use power. In other words, authority is delegated power. What is power? It is the ability to do something or influence behavior. It is what is needed to get the job done!
Jesus came with God’s authority. Jesus spoke the Word and He worked the works of God. Jesus did nothing of Himself, but only what He saw the Father do. The authority of Jesus is over all the power of the enemy i.e. sickness and disease, death, poverty and lack, famine and drought, disasters, evil, and bondage, etc.
And Jesus came and spoke to them saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” Matthew 28:18 (NKJV)
We have been given authority because we are in Christ. We received this authority when we became born-again. We have God-given authority over the devil and his demonic forces through Jesus Christ because Jesus defeated him for us. We were raised with Christ and seated with Him at the right hand of the Father in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). This is our position in Christ and the source of our authority therefore the enemy is under our feet too!
“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Luke 10:19 (NKJV)
“Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:18 – 20 (NKJV)
Jesus has given us the keys of the Kingdom of heaven (Matthew 16:19). But having been given and knowing we have authority does no good unless we use it! We have been given authority to use power supplied by the Holy Spirit or the anointing. Christ means the Anointed One and His anointing and it is His anointing or power that gives us authority and victory over the enemy. The anointing within comes at salvation. The anointing is in you to transform you, reveal things to you, and teach, direct and correct you. (1 John 2:20, 27).
The anointing also comes upon us with the baptism of the Holy Spirit and is the power of God for ministry, i.e. to share the gospel, for healing, deliverance, provision, etc. (Acts 1:8). The anointing destroys the yoke of bondage and removes burdens (Isaiah 10:27). We must follow the Holy Spirit’s leading just as Jesus did the Father’s works by the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:18, 19; Acts 10:38).
We have been equipped (2 Corinthians 10:4, 5) to face the power of the enemy with greater power (1 John 4:4; 1 Corinthians 15:57) to defeat him by submitting to God (James 4:7), using the Name and authority of Jesus (Philippians 2:9-11; Luke 10:19), by Jesus’ blood (Revelation 12:11), by the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17), the anointing and power of the Holy Spirit (Zechariah 4:6; Isaiah 10:27), putting on the Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18), binding and loosing and the power of agreement (Matthew 18:18-20). We also have His angels that are ministering spirits to assist us and carry out God’s Word. (Psalm 103:20; 104:4; Hebrews 1:14).
We have been given everything that pertains to life and godliness through the knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 1:3). Look up the following Scriptures and meditate on them and speak them over your life so when the enemy or adverse circumstances come into your life, you will know who you are and what you have in Christ. You are seated with Christ in a place of victory, you are His child and the kingdom belongs to you. The devil doesn’t have any authority over you unless you give it to him. You are the righteousness of God in Christ!
I am a child of God – John 1:12
I have peace with God and I am justified – Romans 5:1
I am reconciled to God – Romans 5:11
I am the sweet fragrance of Christ to God – 2 Corinthians 2:15
I am completely forgiven – Colossians 1:14, Ephesians 1:7
I have Christ’s righteousness – 2 Corinthians 5:21
I am sanctified – Hebrews 2:11
I am blameless and beyond reproach – Colossians 1:22
I am not condemned by God – Romans 8:1
I have been bought with a price, and I belong to God – 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20
I have been crucified with Christ – Galatians 2:20
I am dead to sin but alive to God – Romans 6:11
I have been rescued from Satan’s domain and transferred into the kingdom of Christ – Colossians 1:13
I am redeemed from the curse of the law and have the blessing of Abraham because Christ became a curse for me – Galatians 3:13, 14
I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realm – Ephesians 2:6
I am born of God, and the evil one cannot touch me – 1 John 5:18
I am a overcomer – 1 John 4:4
I am chosen by God, holy and dearly loved – Ephesians 1:4; Colossians 3:12
I have been adopted as God’s child – Ephesians 1:5
I am a temple in which God dwells; the Holy Spirit lives in me – 1 Corinthians 3:16, Ephesians 1:13
I have been established, anointed, and sealed by God – 2 Corinthians 1:21, 22
I have direct access to God through the Holy Spirit – Ephesians 2:18
I am united to the Lord, one spirit with Him– 1 Corinthians 6:17
I am a member of Christ’s body – 1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 2:15, 16; 3:6
I am a joint heir with Christ, sharing His inheritance with Him – Romans 8:17
I am Abraham’s seed and heir according to the promise in Christ – Galatians 3:29
I am healed – 1 Peter 2:24
I am rich in Christ – 2 Corinthians 8:9
All my needs are met by God – Philippians 4:19
I have every spiritual blessing in Christ – Ephesians 1:3
I have been given great and precious promises by God – 2 Peter 1: 4
I am one of God’s living stones; being built up in Christ as a spiritual house – 1 Peter 2:5
I am a member of a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession and created to sing his praises – 1 Peter 2:9, 10
I am God’s workmanship – Ephesians 2:10
I am helped by God. – Hebrews 4:16
I cannot be separated from the love of God – Romans 8:35
I may approach God with boldness, freedom, and confidence – Ephesians 3:12
I have access to God – Ephesians 2:13
I have access to God’s wisdom – James 1:5
I have been made complete in Christ – Colossians 2:10
I am firmly rooted and built up in Christ – Colossians 2:7
I am hidden with Christ in God – Colossians 3:3
I am holy, and I share in God’s heavenly calling – Hebrews 3:1
I am a saint – Ephesians 1:1
I am a citizen of heaven – Philippians 3:20
I am Christ’s ambassador – 2 Corinthians 5:20
I am the salt of the earth – Matthew 5:13
I am a child of the light and the light of the world – 1 Thessalonians 5:5; Matthew 5:14
I am a branch of the true vine, Jesus Christ – John 15:1, 5
I am chosen by Christ to bear fruit – John 15:6
I am a personal witness of Christ – Acts 1:8
I have the mind of Christ – 1 Corinthians 2:16
I have been given a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind –
2 Timothy 1:7
I am assured that all things are working together for my good – Romans 8:28
I am confident that the good work that God has begun in me will be completed – Philippians 1:6
I can do all things through Christ, who gives me the strength I need – Philippians 4:13
Living the Abundant Life 