Joint-Heirs With Christ

Now I'm going to concentrate on our inheritance here and now. As a child of God, you have the access to the infinite wealth of God while you're on earth. Before I start, do you know how wealthy God is? Let's find out what Bible says are the Lord's. "The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it" (Psalm 24:1). "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it" (1 Corinthians 10:26). "To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it" (Deuteronomy 10:14). "The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth; you founded the world and all that is in it." "For every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills" (Psalm 50:10). "If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it" (Psalm 50:12). "The silver is mine and the gold is mine,' declares the LORD Almighty" (Haggai 2:8). "Who has a claim against me that I must pay? Everything under heaven belongs to me" (Job 41:11).

Everything belongs to God. I tell you, God's big! In fact He owns the world and another interesting thing; He says you're the heir to these resources. I want you to just reflect on that for a moment. In fact God boast of those who have discovered their inheritance in Him (Exodus 3:15). You realize in this verse that God identifies certain people to Himself and these people were big time wealthy! Being a join-heir with Christ means that we actually begin to partake of His blessings right now. The good part of it is that He has given to us the Holy Spirit of promise as a down payment. Ephesians 1:13-14 declares, "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, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory."

Sometimes we think we're the ones that give God our resources but if you'll frankly take a look, it's actually the Lord who provides us with everything. "And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else" (Acts 17:25). We just give back to Him what He has already given us! I love how the Psalmist put it, "They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures" (Psalms 36:8). There's this thing I really love about King David, He saw God as his number one supplier. If God doesn't give him, then no one would. He had a different character and God boasted of Him. He said "the Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want" (Psalm 23:1). David said as far as God is with me, I shall lack nothing good in life. Then He goes on to say that "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures..." (Psalm 23:2).

I was meditating on this and it was like: as He makes me lie in green pastures, I eat of the fat (green) and when I am hungry again I eat. Why because He makes me lie down in green pastures! I'm always there! Glory to God! Those things included in our spiritual inheritance we can continually draw from now are so much. Let's get through as I share some with you. We have all things that pertain unto life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). We are partakers (sharers) of the divine nature of Christ (2 Peter 1:4). We have power and anointing in the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8, 1 John 2:27). We have forgiveness of sins and freedom from guilt (1 John 1:9, Romans 8:1). Divine health and healing is normal for us (Matthew 8:17). We have Freedom from poverty - assurance that our needs are met (Matthew 6:31-32). We're prosperous in all things including our soul (3 John 1:2). We have love, joy, peace and righteousness in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).

We're victorious and are freed from the bondage of sin (Romans 8:11). We're more than conquerors in all things (Romans 8:37). We have abundance of grace for every good work (2 Corinthians 9: 8). We have an understanding of the mystery of God's will (Ephesians 1:9) and some are what I'm sharing with you right now. We have divine guidance (Romans 8:14). We're happy in everyway (Matthew 5 = Beatitudes). We have total security (Psalm 91). We are co-laborers with God (1 Corinthians 3:9). We're seated in heavenly places with Christ (Ephesians 2:6). The prophet Isaiah said, "Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation" (Isaiah 12:3). Now to take a hold of your inheritance, you've got to believe that they belong to you. The prophet Isaiah said with joy, you will draw from the wells of salvation. By believing it, you're going to be filled with joy with which you'll claim what belongs to you.

As you can see from the above list, a lot has given to us to enjoy in this life to make us productive and successful in fulfilling God's purpose and destiny for our lives. But we have to meditate on these things so that we get God's word firmly established in our hearts, believing that they actually do belong to us. We have to be like Abraham and not waver at the promises God has for us. To Abraham, Bible says "He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform" (Romans 4:20-21). Bible says Abraham didn't stagger (waver) at the promise of God but he was fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had said. He didn't just sit by with his faith and waited for God to do something but he gave glory to God. This is what the prophet Isaiah told us in the Isaiah 12:3, just as we read. He said with joy let us draw from the wells of salvation.

Abraham did that and he got what he needed. I love what Bible says about papa Abraham in the previous verse. It says, "And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:" (Romans 4:19). I believe you know about the story of Abraham and Sarah. When Abram was 100 and Sarai 90, God promised Abram a son by Sarai. God changed Abram's name to Abraham (father of many), and Sarai's to Sarah (from "my princess" to "princess"). Genesis 17-18. Naturally, we all know that it's impossible for people of such age to bear children. Yet, in spite of their age Bible says Abraham considered not his body dead (old), neither did he consider Sarah's womb dead (barren). You see, sometimes in your life you've got to learn to ignore your problems, difficulties or disabilities. Give no place to them because if you do, you're going to question your faith and even God Himself.

It was as Abraham thanked God and gave Him the glory about the "promise" that the Holy Spirit began changing Abraham and Sarah's bodies at the molecular level, causing sufficient change that Sarah actually began ovulating again (she was long past menopause) and causing sufficient change in Abraham that he became virile again. But if Abraham had not been obedient to believe and praise God about His promise, he wouldn't have gotten what he needed. No wonder God gave Abraham and Sarah a child by name Isaac, a name derived from the word "laughter." Sometimes you also have to laugh over your circumstances no matter what! Learn to rest in the promises that God has given you; believe in them and speak them aloud to yourself. Praise Him for the promises. Cultivate a lifestyle of faith and obedience in the Word of God. Has God said something to you? Did you believe or questioned it? Did you rest in it? Did you confess it aloud to yourself?

If you didn't, then you neither had faith nor obeyed what the Lord told you. A big part of gaining our inheritance has to do with cultivating an obedient lifestyle before the Lord. We are told in Proverbs that a faithful man or woman will abound with blessings. As we are faithful to cultivate a heart of faithfulness in obedience and faith, we will abound in the inheritance God has for us. Hebrews 11:8 puts it, "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would afterward receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going." No wonder Abraham is described as the father of faith. "If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land" (Isaiah 1:19). "And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight" (1 John 3:22).

I want you to also take note that Jesus obeyed God even unto death and when we received Him into our lives, we fulfilled all that God requires of us as far as obeying His Word is concerned. In receiving Jesus, all He did are credited into our account. That's why the Apostle Paul said, "...Let him who boasts boast in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:31, 2 Corinthians 10:17). Through Jesus' obedience to God, He made these blessings available but not all enjoy it. To do it, we've got to do what is required of us. Just believe and claim them for yourself; that's all! From the scriptures I just shared with you we learn that to enjoy the fullness of God's blessings, we've got to obey His Word. How? When he said you're not barren, poor, sick, broke, alone, failure etc, did you believe it? Did you learn to live as though what God said to you were so?

Did you meditate (talk) the Word of God to yourself instead of those problems? If you didn't, then you didn't obey. Do you see how simple it is to disobey God? Our spiritual inheritance is the land of promise and can only be attained by living a life of faith and obedience of which requires continually going from faith to faith. Remember also that when we are consumed with the carnality of our mind and worldly pleasures, we are forsaking our spiritual inheritance for something that is temporal. If we are to take a hold of our inheritance, we've got to walk in strength and courage. One of the things that God delights in is that of presenting us with challenging circumstances that in the natural seem somewhat difficult or uncomfortable to us. It is during times like this that we must approach whatever it is with courage and strength in God, if we are to gain the inheritance that God has ordained for us to walk in.

Joshua experienced this as he faced the monumental task of leading the children of Israel into the Promised Land after wandering aimlessly for forty years in the wilderness. "Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them" (Joshua 1:6). You must also give your life for the Word of God. Don't spend your time doing other things which are of less importance than the Word of God. Don't waste your time reading and watching things that will not enhance your spiritual growth and faith in God. Whatever we give our lives to, whether it is some carnal pursuit or spiritual pursuit, we will reap what we sow; therefore if we give our lives for the kingdom and the inheritance that comes with it, we will reap the blessings that come with it. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field" (Matthew 13:44).

Sometimes I think about how loaded the Bible is and I wonder; does it qualify the amount at which we buy it? How much is a Bible? Yet, not everyone has it. The one who has one also might be hiding it under his or her pillow only to open at church services. I tell you, if the Bible were sold in comparison to it's worth, no one could buy one. But thanks be to God for making it available to us in diverse formats. Whatever you do, do it heartily. "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ" (Colossians 3:23-24). Remember, this is your inheritance. It belongs to you. Use it for the glory of God and draw from the wells of salvation and you will be filled with the abundance of God's blessings He has given to you. You can read one of our articles to learn how to claim the promises of God.

Please remember that the blessings of God are not only in material possession but also in peace and happiness. There are millions of people in the world who have wealth and fame but are not truly happy in their lives. They choose to sleep in the best homes, have the latest cars and yet they're not satisfied. See, true satisfaction comes only from God and no one else! You've probably heard of tennis champion Boris Becker, but you may not know this. He had everything, talent, money, fame and every other worldly pleasure one could want, yet he still struggled with depression and frequent thoughts of suicide. "I had won Wimbledon twice before," he said, "once as the youngest player. I was rich. I had all the material possessions I needed... It's the old song of movie stars and pop stars who commit suicide. They have everything, and yet they are so unhappy. I had no inner peace. I was a puppet on a string."

When we're not fully submitted to the Lord, we are puppets on a string in the hands of the enemy. We will never be satisfied. We will never have peace. We will never be accomplishing the purposes for which we were divinely created. Choose to be happy! But never forget - we are joint-heirs with Christ.

God bless you!