3 PHASES IN THE LIFE OF A BELIEVER

1. THE BELIEVERS POSITION IN CHRIST.

There are 3 phases in the life of a believer. God has called every believer to function in dominion. Dominion, victory over satan, ability to subdue every demonic forces has been God’s plan for man. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. You are born into an inheritance. There are circumstances over your birth. Because of the inheritance of your birth, you have by default redemption.

Ephesians 1:3 says: Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly [places] in Christ:(KJV)

To be blessed means to be empowered to have victory, to succeed and to prosper. Even before you get born again, God predestined you for dominion.

Ephesians 1:5 says: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,(KJV)

God adopted us into His family and that was one of His plans for man. As you get born again, you are entitled to divine blessings. It is not what you wear that give you dominion but who you in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 1:1-5 says: Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace [be] to you, and peace, from God our Father, and [from] the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly [places] in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,(KJV)

We are sons of God. Not everyone who uses the name of Jesus end up successful. But we have been given access to God through the name of Jesus. There is a deposit that you have which Jesus has purchased for you. There is provision for you and certain rights accrued to you. You don’t allow satan to harass you. 

 

Ephesians 1:6-11 says: To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; [even] in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:(KJV)

We are supposed to function in victory, abundance, good health and end up in heaven. A person who exercises his faith in the goodness of God, such person has a special place in the heart of God. The disappoint in your heart is not the end of your life, God will use it to turn things around for you. When you channel your faith towards God, you become unsinkable and you can never go down.

Ephesians 1:12-13 says: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,(KJV)

God has sealed you with the spirit of promise. This is another inheritance you have as a Christian. If you don’t have the spirit of Christ in you then you are a candidate of hell.

Ephesians 1:13 says: In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,(NKJV)

A seal is a sign of authenticity, that is originality of a product. A seal is an indication of the owner of the product. You put a seal to your product so as to back it up. When satan enters into somebody’s spirit and begin to operate him, that person cannot have the seal of God. But is possible that a believer begins to read what he is not supposed to read.

Ephesians 1:14 says: Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.(KJV)

When you get born again, your spirit is recreated. When you study your bible your mind gets renewed. The redemption of the purchased possession is not yet complete. The Holy Spirit that you have guarantees your inheritance. If the Holy Spirit is not in you, you cannot lay claim to these inheritance.

Ephesians 2:5-6 says: Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus:(KJV)

Every believer must begin his Christian experience from the position of seat. When you seat you get the energy to work. You don’t work before you rest. A genuine Christian is born into rest. If you are going to function in dominion you need to understand your position that is, you are seated with Christ in the heavenly places. From there you can now begin to make demands and function. You begin with seating, and from there work, and then conduct and finally work (encounter satan and claiming your possession). In as much as God is concerned your healing and deliverance are things of the past. Our redemption is complete as far as God is alive. If your Christianity is not producing good conduct, there is problem. You can’t overcome satan if you don’t have good conduct. Your conduct should reflect your position. For example, you cannot resist satan if you don’t work in love or respect spiritual authorities.

Every believer must begin his Christian experience from the position of rest. 

Ephesians 2:8-9 says: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.(KJV)

Rest comes before work and conduct because it is in resting that you get the energy to work. Work comes after you must have conserved energy or rested. Seating down means you are not carrying yourself. Seating down with God means you are not the one carrying yourself.

Luke 14:15-17 says: Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, "Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!" Then He said to him, "A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, 'Come, for all things are now ready.'(NKJV)

Our Christian experience begins from what God has provided for us. That is what is going to enable you exercise faith.  You are not exercising faith by your righteousness.

1 Corinthians 1:30 says: But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption--(NKJV)

Jesus Christ is your wisdom, Jesus did not just give us righteousness, He became your righteousness. If Jesus cannot drop His righteousness, you can’t drop your righteousness. Jesus offered his blood first before offering for all humanity. The value that God places on you is as a result of the value that God places on Jesus Christ. Before we were sinners but now we are made righteous because of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. When God sees you, He sees Jesus. When He sees you He sees the price that has been paid by Jesus. All the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen.

2 Corinthians 1:20 says: For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.(NKJV)

Hebrews 4:10 says: For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.(NKJV)

3 KINDS OF LOST PEOPLE

1.      The Lost Sheep: this is a person who is crying out for salvation. He does not know where it will come from and how it will come. He is busy crying looking for light. Some people are looking for salvation and they don’t know the way. Some are in the church but nothing is happening in their lives and they know. He knows he is lost but he doesn’t know his way back.

2.      The Lost Son (The Prodigal Son): He asked his father to divide his property and give him his portion which his father did. The bible said that he went about enjoying himself and after that hunger strike him and he eventually returned home crying, hunger dealt with him to the extent that he began eating pig’s food. He later realized himself and went back to his father. Some sheep are crying for salvation, they try Islam, Judaism and the rest yet they are not satisfied. The difference here is that the lost sheep knows how to go back. Some people backslides in the faith, some after getting money and they riches of this world, the riches begin to control them. Money does not change who you are rather, it optimizes who you are. If you don’t have the capacity to sustain wealth, you will definitely waste the wealth. Money can actually deceive you if you don’t an idea about its sustainability. When God blesses you what will you do with it?  Sometimes people are not ready for God’s blessings. You don’t just need God just to service your needs. 

3.      The Lost Coin:

Luke 15:8-10 says: Or what woman, having ten [silver] drachmas [each one equal to a day's wages], if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and look carefully and diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she summons her [women] friends and neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the silver coin which I had lost. Even so, I tell you, there is joy among and in the presence of the angels of God over one [especially] wicked person who repents (changes his mind for the better, heartily amending his ways, with abhorrence of his past sins).(AMP)

This tells us that the lost coin is in the house. There are people in the church who are lost but they don’t know they are lost. The lost sheep is outside and he does not know his way back.

The lost coin is the person lost in the house. Some are in the church but they are lost, there are those genuinely crying to God, giving petitions and supplications and God is revealing himself to them. The sheep knows his conditions but the sheep does not know he is lost. There are those who are lost even in the church.

HOW TO FIND OUT WHETHER YOU ARE LOST

7 ways to assess your salvation. There should be self examination.

1 Corinthians 10:12 says: Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.(KJV)

1. THE INWARD WITNESS

Romans 8:14 says: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.(KJV)

1 Corinthians 13:5 says: Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;(KJV)

1 John 3:24 says: And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.(KJV)

We can only confident that God is with us if we have the Holy Spirit living in us. The bible said if any man does not have the Holy Ghost is not of him.

Romans 8:8-9 says: So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.(KJV)

You need to test if the Holy Spirit is in you. Inward check will help you find this. When the Holy Spirit is in you, you will know because he will be directing you. If you have given your life to Christ and there is no difference in what is going on inside you, then check yourself very well.

1 John 5:9-10 says: If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.(NKJV)

Romans 8:10-11 says: And if Christ [be] in you, the body [is] dead because of sin; but the Spirit [is] life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.(KJV)

Romans 8:14 says: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.(KJV)

You can only be of God if you are led by the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:16-17 says: The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also glorified together.(KJV)

Inward witness is the key to this.

1 John 3:19-21 says: And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.(NKJV)

2. YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS SIN

1 John 3:4-9 says; Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.(NKJV)Romans 6:14 says: For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.(KJV)

You test your salvation by your attitude towards sin. If you are genuinely born again, it will affect your attitude towards sin. When you do something wrong even when nobody tells you, you will know that you are wrong. There are those who do not know when they sin that they have sinned. When you give your life to Christ, you will begin to see some things you use to do before as wrong doings. This is because the more you work with God, the more you come to know the nature of God. What is your attitude to sin? There are believers whose conscience has been damaged. When you get to that level, is possible you lose your salvation. Don’t spend time in sin, whenever you sin, repent of it immediately. This is the only way you can keep your salvation intact. Sin destroys like fire. As you are living in it and nothing is going on in your heart, it is possible you lose your salvation. 

3. YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS YOUR BRETHREN

1 John 3:10-15 says: In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, [who] was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not [his] brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.(KJV)

There is nobody that will have hatred for someone else and be saved. When you have God inside you, you will begin to love the things that God love. God loves his people. If you are born again, your attitude towards the brethren will change. 

1 John 3:17 says: But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels [of compassion] from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?(KJV)

Sin creates a sense of unworthiness. There are people who even after asking for forgiveness still belief that God has not heard them. There are those also who does not want o associate with the brethren. If you are among them, then you are not saved.

4^.  THE DESIRE TO PLEASE GOD

Matthew 16:21-23 says: From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.(KJV)

God just finished speaking to Peter. Most times satan wants to use the vessels that God had just used. Jesus commanded satan to get behind him because He knew it was satan that was speaking through Peter. When God speaks to you, he challenges you. When God is talking to you, He does not promote the flesh. If what you think that God is speaking to you is all about the flesh then is not God. Genuine salvation changes your will or desires. 

Philippians 2:12-13 says: Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of [his] good pleasure.(KJV)

Even the desire to please God is created by God. You cannot even work out your salvation on your own; it is the Holy Spirit that helps you.  If you are saved there will be a will to please God. If you are born again and there is no desire to please God then check yourself. If God has changed you, even your will and emotions will be transformed; you will become a product of grace. 

1 Peter 4:1-2 says: Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.(NKJV)

5. THE DESIRE TO GIVE TO GOD

2 Corinthians 8:1-8 says; Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God. So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well. But as you abound in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us--see that you abound in this grace also. I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others.(NKJV)

A person who is genuinely saved will have the desire to give to God. If you don’t have the desire to give check your salvation. This is one of the joy of salvation.  The cross produces a superior level of God’s consciousness. Benevolence will increase. 

6. HOPE OF SALVATION

If you don’t have confident for the life that is coming after now then there is a problem. There is a reward after now. If you think about God honoring you, there are things you will not do.

The redemption of our body is this hope. The glory of God is going to deal with corruption which is the old man. 

Matthew 24:42-48 says: Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed [is] that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;(KJV)

Leviticus 17:11 says: For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.'(NKJV)

The human body is sustained by blood but this body is not sustained by blood but the life of God which is called Zoe. 

7. MANIFESTATION OF FRUITS

A person who is born again will manifest the fruits of the spirit. These are the fruits of the recreated human spirit. If you are born again your spirit will produce the above fruits. 

Galatians 5:16-22 says: [This] I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are [these]; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told [you] in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,(KJV)

John 15:2 says: Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every [branch] that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.(KJV)

If you don’t manifest the fruits of the spirit then you are not saved.

And they did not love their lives to the death.

Once you take care of the accusation ministry of satan, what comes next is salvation and deliverance. SOZO is the original Greek word in the New Testament for salvation. Whenever satan comes in, call your own witness master which is the BLOOD OF JESUS. The bible said the blood of Jesus speaks better things than the blood of Abel. The blood protects you, your family and your property. Salvation is deliverance from poverty, sickness, starvation. You activate it with your mouth. Faith cannot manifest in the accusation of satan. The next thing that manifests after salvation is Dominion. When you take care of accusations of satan, dominion show us, God created man to function like him. 

Revelation 12:11 says: And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.(NKJV)

The bible said “And they did not love their lives to the death” What does this mean?
1 John 2:15 says: Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.(NKJV)

When you love the things in the world, you are passionate about worldly pleasures and treasures; you may not have something to offer God. When you give your life to God, the things you use to desire will begin to change, certain things you use to do will begin to disappear. God will touch your intellect, your emotions and will. If you are genuinely born again, you will not delight in the goods and the pleasures of the world anymore.

1 John 2:16-17 says: For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.(NKJV)

Lust of the flesh. This is appetite for food and other desires of the flesh.
Lust of the eyes is greed, covetousness; looking for other peoples belongings. If you are always interested in converting what belongs to other people to yourself, then know it that you are lusting after the eyes.
Pride of life is all about: Pride of life (proving that you are superior to other people), Pride of place (believing that your background is better than that of others), Pride of pace (boasting in your strength and achievement in life), and Pride of grace (boasting in you spiritual accomplishment).

BENEFITS OF THE NEW WILL (New Testament)

The Bible is divided into two, the Old Testament and the New Testament or you could also call it the Old Will and the New Will. God Almighty was the one behind the Old Testament. A testament is not implemented until the death of the testator. 

We are the beneficiary and Jesus is benefactor and the enforcer of the New Will. There was no angel that could enforce it. Jesus was the one behind the New Testament. When he died, he supplied us everything that the will covered. Jesus is the one that enforces the New Testament. When you declare anything in the name of Jesus, He goes in handle your issues. 

Mark 16:17-18 says: And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.(KJV)

BENEFITS OF THE WILL

•  Eternal Life
•  Divine Health. Inside the life of God is the health of God.

• Victory over death. Is not your portion to die before your time. The bible said with long life will thou satisfy me. You have authority over death and that is one of your heritages as a believer.

•  Increase 

 

THINGS GOD GAVE MAN BEFORE HE GAVE HIM A WOMAN

What does it require before you begin to talk about marriage?
Genesis 1:24 says: Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind"; and it was so.(NKJV)