Joint-Heirs With Christ

"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" (Romans 8:16-17). Some who hear about the cross of Jesus become so sorrowful. But one of the most exciting things that took place at the cross and then in Jesus' resurrection and ascension into heaven was the fact that we became joint-heirs with Christ. Even though at the cross Christ suffered, He suffered with a meaning. At the cross was the greatest victory to ever take place in the universe and we have been made partakers of all that it represents.

When I was young, I used to tell God not to make me rich. I believe it's because I didn't enjoy the right teachings and real privileges the Gospel of Christ offers. When you look out to the world today, many are those suffering. Surprisingly, most of these people are Christians. When they see other Christians succeed they become suspicious, thinking they might have passed through certain unlawful means to make the riches. But you see, as one of my favourite quotations put it, "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth" (3 John 1:2). Then Jeremiah 29:11 also puts it beautifully, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Listen, it's a 100 percent of God's desire that you prosper and live in continuous health. Do you know it pains God when you live in ignorance of His Word?

Some people even criticize pastors who teach about the subject of prosperity. You see, just as it is God's will for you to prosper and be in health, it's the same with your pastor. Do you know how much even churches spend holding a single night crusade? Some spend as much as thousands and millions of dollars! Where would such supports come from if members of the body of Christ were poor? God forbid! If believers were to find it difficult to cater for themselves or had what they needed only for themselves, how would they give for the furtherance of the Gospel? Sometimes you might say the rich are so wicked, they're not giving to the poor and needy in society and so and so forth. You saying that means that you'd have given to the poor and needy if you were in the position of having more than enough for yourself. Right? I want to tell you that you can actually live in superabundance! Not only to have enough for yourself but to have more to reach out to others.

The Amplified Bible makes this clearer: "And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation" (2 Corinthians 9:8). This portion of scripture tells you what God is able to do in your life. God is able to make all grace, meaning all favour and earthly blessing (including money and everything you would need) come to you in abundance so that under all circumstances and no matter the need (no matter the economic situation) be self-sufficient. Oh my goodness! Then it explains the self-sufficiency that: you will require no aid or support and furnished (equipped with what is needed) in abundance (fullness to overflowing) for every good work and charitable donation.

So you see now that God is able to make you have so much that your coast will be enlarged so as to reach out to others. He wants you to be a donor! Bible says, "And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested" (1 Chronicles 4:10). You see that Jabez, though he didn't actually have what he wanted, yet he praised God for it. He said, "Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed," meaning, "God, you will surely and certainly bless me." This is faith! No wonder God granted him what he requested. Learn to fully trust in God; it pays! I wish you would read this over and over until you're inundated with it. I tell you, it's too big! Suppose someone came to you and said you had been made an heir of a one-million-dollar estate, but for some silly reason you refused to accept this estate.

You have a fortune but refuse to possess it. To refuse a million dollars when one could have pure luxury, splendor and the comforts of life is plainly ridiculous. In fact, for one to refuse to inherit this estate, he would have to be a little mentally unbalanced. Why would any poor man want to stay poor when Providence wants to make him rich? The Bible tells us that all Christians have been made heirs of God through Christ and yet many Christians refuse to lay hold of this reality by faith. They choose to stay spiritually poor when God wants to make them spiritually rich in their experience. How did Isaac become so blessed? See, the land of Canaan where Isaac lived was so dry that Isaac decided to leave. When Isaac made up his mind of leaving, God told him to stay there for that's where He (God) is going to bless him. We might ask, "This dry and bare land?" Yet, God blessed Isaac there.

Let's see the covenant God made with Abraham. "The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me" (Genesis 22:15-18). Oh, so if God said He'll bless Abraham and his descendants, let's look at what God said to Isaac in the land of Canaan as a result of the covenant God made with his father. "The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, "Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham.

I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because Abraham obeyed me and kept my requirements, my commands, my decrees and my laws"" (Genesis 26:2-5). That's it! So God blessed Isaac as a result of the relationship He had with Abraham, his father. And scripture also says, "And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Galatians 3:29). This is just too big! Why should I stay poor if I know this? I know who I am in Christ! Through Christ we've become heirs according to this blessed promise. Our opening scripture also says we are the children of God and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ. This is just too big! Do you know how wealthy God is? And did you understand when He said you're the heir to all that belongs to Him?

I hope you would accept it if you were told you're the heir to your daddy or mummy's properties. So why then should you find it difficult to believe what God the I Am has said to you? The Christian is a joint heir of the Father with the person of Jesus Christ. Christ is the Father's Son, and to Christ God has bequeathed everything because Christ is the only rightful heir to the Father's estate. But the Christian is in spiritual union with Christ because of the new birth and is therefore a joint-heir to the inheritance. If two brothers inherited an estate as equal heirs, then the estate would be divided into two equal parts and each would be given the same amount. But if the two are made joint-heirs, then both of them have equal rights to the total inheritance. They both look at the total inheritance as theirs. As joint-heirs with Christ, the total inheritance of Christ is the inheritance of every believer.

As sons of God, we are joint-heirs of all that Christ possesses, and his possessions are infinite. Therefore, our possessions are infinite as believers. It is also possible to have an inheritance but not really posses it experientially and that's the problem of many Christians. Many Christians live like spiritual paupers, event though they are joint-heirs with Christ. They are spiritual millionaires by inheritance, but are ignorant of their inheritance and do not possess it by faith. They are spiritual paupers in experience. As children of God we don't have breakthrough, we have walkthroughs because everything is broken! I love the Psalmist. He said, "Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder. Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted" (Psalm 107:15-17).

Read what the Psalmist said again, "The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage. I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved" (Psalm 16:5-8). Our confessions are very important; we have to speak what we want and not what we have. There are two aspects of our spiritual inheritance that are very important for us as believers to understand and we're going to examine them in this teaching. Our spiritual inheritance in God is very important to us as believers, because it defines our position in God and who we are in God. To God, knowing who we are in Christ is so important. Ephesians 1:18-20 says, "the eyes of your understanding being enlightened;

That you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places." The first aspect of our inheritance is the eternal scope and the second is the here and now. God wants the eyes of our understanding to be opened to both of these aspects. "That having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life" (Titus 3:7). I believe it is very important for us to catch a glimpse of what our eternal Inheritance is going to consist of, because it will help us to endure all that comes our way in this life when we see the greater glory that is awaiting us.

Bible declares, "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him" (1 Corinthians 2:9). There's something special that the Lord has prepared for us. No one has thought of it and it's really special! How do you feel if mummy or daddy tells you he or she has a special gift for you? If you trust your earthly parents to provide you with the best, Bible says, "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" (Matthew 7:11). If we trust our earthly parents to give us the best, then think about what God who is perfect can give to us. As we lay wait and look forward to our eternal inheritance which the Lord Himself has prepared for us, there may be temptations as we will face oppositions but "our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" (2 Corinthians 4:17). Hallelujah!

John gives an account of his vision: "And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away" (Revelation 21:3-4). The Psalmist said, "Oh, how great is Your goodness, Which You have laid up for those who fear You, Which You have prepared for those who trust in You In the presence of the sons of men!" (Psalms 31:19). The Bible is not real specific on all of the details that await us, but it does say that it will be beyond our expectations and imaginations. It's gonna be great! And I can't wait to see you there!

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also" (John 14:2-3). Please set some time apart to reflect on the eternal inheritance I've shared with you. Give yourself to it and yearn for it. As I meditate on them I just can't wait than to shout for joy.