Programme 12: Our Inheritance

*Imagine someone in your family left you you a big INHERITANCE Then a letter was written to you telling you all about it. If you did not bother to read it you would not know what was yours and you would not be able to enjoy it. But when you read it carefully you will discover and KNOW what belongs to you, and then you will be able to claim your inheritance and possess it and enjoy it. 
 
 Jesus Christ has died, and through His death He has provided for us a wonderful inheritance of abundant and eternal life and blessings.Moreover He wrote us a letter containing His last will and testament (the New Terstament), whereby we could know what belongs to us.The problem is many of us fail to read it and so are ignorant of what is ours in Christ. As a result we cannot enjoy our inheritance.We need to study His Word so that we know the truth of what is ours in Christ, so that we can partake of all that He has provided for us.  
 
 Therefore God’s first priority for us after receiving salvation is that we would come to know the truth of His Word: 
 
 1Timothy 2:4: “God desires 
(1) all men to be saved and 
(2) to come to the knowledge of the truth (of His Word).”
 
 Therefore we are told in 1Peter 2:2: “As newborn babes desire 
the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby.”
 
 When we were born again as SONS of God, we automatically received an INHERITANCE in CHRIST. (We need to study the Word to discover what this inheritance is).
 
 Jesus described to Paul what his ministry would be in Acts 26:18: 
“to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an INHERITANCE among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’
 
Ephesians 1:11: “In Him also we have obtained an inheritance.”
 
 Hebrews 9:15: “He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death... that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance”
 
 Galatians 3:26-29: “For you are all SONS of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and HEIRS according to the promise.”
 
 Galatians 4:4-7: “But when the fullness of the time had come, 
God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are SONS, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a SON, and if a SON, then an HEIR of God through Christ.”
 
1Peter 1:3,4: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an INHERITANCE incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.”
 
 Colossians 1:12,13: “giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the INHERITANCE of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.”
 
 Romans 8:15-17: “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom 
we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if CHILDREN, then HEIRS—HEIRS of God and joint HEIRS with Christ.” 
 
 The automatic result of SONSHIP is INHERITANCE.  The amount you inherit is dependant on the wealth and generosity of your Father.Praise God, our Heavenly Father is both rich and very generous in sharing His riches with all His children.
  
 Let us look at some of the many scriptures that describe our wonderful inheritance, so that we should never doubt God’s generosity. In particular notice the repeated reference to THINGS which God has given us. This is our INHERITANCE in Christ:
 
 1Timothy 6:17: “Trust in the living God, who gives us richly ALL THINGS to enjoy.” 
 
 Ephesians 1:3: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with EVERY spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” 
 
 2Peter 1:3: “His divine power has given to us ALL THINGS that pertain to life and godliness.”
 
 Romans 8:31,32: “ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us ALL THINGS?”
 
 2Corinthians 1:20-22: “ALL the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us (in our spirit, denoting that the promises are now completely fulfilled in our spirit) and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee(of coming into our full inheritance).”
 
 Psalm 103:1-5: “Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul,and forget not ALL His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with GOOD THINGS, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” 
 
 Psalm 84:11: “No GOOD THING will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”
  
 1Corinthians 3:21: “Therefore let no one boast in men. For ALL THINGS are yours: whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or THINGS present or THINGS to come—ALL (THINGS) are yours.” 
 
 Romans 10:12: “The same Lord over all is RICH to ALL who call upon Him.” 
 
 1Corinthians 2:9-12: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the THINGS which Godhas prepared for those who love Him (our inheritance).” But God has revealed them (THINGS) to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches ALL THINGS, yes, the deep THINGS of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the THINGS of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might KNOW THE THINGS that have been freely given to us by God.”

Revelation 21:7: “He who overcomes shall INHERIT ALL THINGS, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.”
 
 2 Corinthians 6:10: “as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.”
 
 Ephesians 5:20: Giving thanks always for ALL THINGS (in our inheritance) to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
We have a wonderful inheritance in Christ, so let us continually give thanks to God for every good thing He has given us.
 
 We have a wonderful inheritance in Christ, but we can only enter into it by faith by knowing about it, and we can can only know about our inheritance by knowing His Word, His last Will and Testament. As we read and hear His Word we receive the knowledge and faith we need to lay hold of what is ours in Christ and bring it into our life.
 
 *You can’t see the money in your bank. You have a written document - your bank statement, which tells you what belongs to you. You read it, believe it and act on it, by drawing out the money you need and using it in your life. The spiritual blessings of your inheritance are in Christ but invisible and as you read the Word you know what is yours. By faith you can then draw upon your resources in Christ.
  
 Acts 20:32: “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the WORD OF HIS GRACE, which is able to build you up and give you an INHERITANCE among all those who are sanctified.”
 
*The WORD OF HIS GRACE (PT) = the Word of all that God has freely given us in our inheritance in Christ. This Word is able to build you up in faith so that you are strong in faith to take hold of inheritance and bring it into manifestation in your life. It is the Word of His Grace: “which is able to give you an INHERITANCE” - that is, it is able to bring you into the fulfilment of your inheritance in your life and experience. We need to know the Word of God in order to come into your inheritance, for ignorance will keep us out of the blessings of God.
 
 God told Joshua the key for him to possess his INHERITANCE 
(the Promised Land) in Joshua 1. 
v2: “Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to the children of Israel. 
 
 v3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you. v6 Be strong (in faith) 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.God had already given Israel the Land as their INHERITANCE (their Birthright), but they had to believe it and go in and possess it for themselves. They had to claim it, by putting their foot on it. God said that every place that they put foot on by faith will be theirs, it will come into their possession. Likewise God has given us a Promised Land of blessings, but we must claim it, we must possess it by faith. We must put our foot on every promise and believe we receive it and then and only then will it come into our possession. We will experience it as ours in our life. We won’t be looking at our inheritance from a distance but we be standing in it and living in it.
 
 What will equip and enable us to possess our possession (inheritance) ?
GOD’S WORD: v7 “Only be strong (in faith through the Word) and very courageous (to act on the Word), that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go (you will then surely succeed).” 
 
 v8 “This Book of the Law (the Word) shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” The key to possessing your inheritance is knowing the Word As you meditate on the Word you will become strong in faith and then you will be successful as you take action to possess your Promised Land (Inheritance). If the Word is strong in you, then you will surely possess and enjoy the fulfilment of every promise that you put your foot on. You will surely live in the land that God has given you as an inheritance. 
 
 2Peter 1:3-4: “His divine power has given to us ALL THINGS that pertain to life and godliness (God has already given our inheritance to us), through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be PARTAKERS of the divine nature.” If we are believers then God has given us all things, but that is different from partaking of it. Someone may go and buy you a lot of food, but if through ignorance you don’t know its yours you will not partake of it (eat it) and so you won’t enjoy it.

So this verse says, that in order that we can PARTAKE God has also given us His Word (His great and precious promises) so that through them (by meditating, believing and acting on them) we can partake of all that god has freely given us. Again we see that although we have an Inheritance in Christ, we need to know the Truth of God’s Word that tells us what we have and who we are in Christ, in order to enter into the experience and enjoyment of it.
 
 That’s why Jesus said that after believing on Him the next step we must take is for us to KNOW the Truth of His Word concerning our inheritance in Christ. In John 8:24-30, Jesus had been sharing what we need to believe in order to be saved, that He was the I AM, the Son of God who would die for us on the Cross. Then when they believed in Him, He told them the next step they needed to take in John 8:31,32: “Jesus said to those who believed Him, “If you abide in My Word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the Truth, and the Truth (you know) shall make you free.”The truth we must know is what God has done for us through the New-Birth. “If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (v36).
 
 Jesus said that we would find this Truth in His Word, for it is those who continue in the Word that will discover and know the truth. But although the Truth is in the Word, we can only truly understand the Word of God, and know the Truth for ourselves, if the Holy-Spirit of God reveals it to us.
 
 1John 2:20,27: “But you have an Anointing from the Holy One, and you KNOW ALL THINGS (in your inheritance) ...But the Anointing (the Holy-Spirit) which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning ALL THINGS (in your inheritance) , and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.”
 
 Therefore we need to pray ask as the Spirit to reveal our Inheritance to us. He will open our eyes to see our inheritance in God’s Word:
 
 Ephesians 1:16-1:8: “I do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 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.” 

Paul also prays this kind of prayer for them in Ephesians 3: 
 In verse 4-6 he describes the ministry of the Spirit in revealing the truth to the original writers of the Bible, for He is the Divine Author of the Word, and men of God wrote it down as they were moved by the Holy-Spirit. Therefore all scripture is inspired by the Spirit, breathed out of God’s mouth and is full of God’s Spirit: “when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the Gospel.” As the Author, He is the only One who fully knows what it means, and so we need to ask Him to also illuminate the truth to our hearts. The One Who originally revealed the truth to the authors of the Bible is also the One who will reveal (illuminate) the Word to our hearts.Therefore he goes on to pray for us that God’s Spirit will do exactly that. This is a model prayer given to us as an example of what to pray.
 
*PRAYER 2. Ephesians 3:14-19: “I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height (of the KNOWLEDGE of God’s Grace) and to know the love of Christ (which undergirds and motivates that grace)which passes KNOWLEDGE; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God (knowing the Grace of God (PT), with the help of the Spirit, is the key for it to be manifested in our lives and thus to be filled with the fullness of God). 
 v20,21: “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
 
 In Ephesians 1-3, Paul has been describing in detail God’s GRACE to us, all that He has freely given us in Christ (our PT). Now he prays for them that through the help of the Spirit, they would be able to comprehend the width, length, depth and height of this Grace, that they would have a full knowledge of this Grace, as well as knowing the love of God that caused Him to shower us with all these blessingsAs a result of having this knowledge their lives would be filled with the manifestation of God’s life, love, grace and favour for them.
 
 *Pray the Ephesians prayer for them: “I pray that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend what is the width and length and depth and height (of God’s GRACE to you) and to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge.”
 
v20,21: “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

*Notes 1: Put on the Belt of truth, holds everything together
loins 1Peter1:13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind = tuck your thoughts into the belt of truth (prepare your minds for action). Josh 1:8 Mind will be wrapped around with the truth then ready for action.
 
 Eph 6:13,14: Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth 
 Isaiah 11:5 Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, and faithfulness the belt of His waist. 
 
 *The Mirror scriptures
1Cor13:12 For now we see in a MIRROR, dimly, but then face to face. Now I KNOW in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
 
 1. We are now sons of God by faith (adopted and regenerated). (1John 1:12, 3:2, Gal 3:26) We are in God's Family.
*Sealed by Spirit Ephesians 1:14 = perfect work
 THE THREE BIBLE BAPTISMS foundational to Christian life.
*First, there is the Baptism into Christ. This happens when you were born again. The Baptizer is the Holy Spirit. He puts you into Christ. You become 'one' with him. You become a New Creation!
 
 Galatians 3:26-29: “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
 
 Colossians 2:12,13: buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 
 
 Romans 6:3,4 do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
 
 1Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
 
 You were put into Christ by the Holy Spirit, resulting in a permanent change. You are now identified with Him and share His life and inheritance. There are many scriptures that include the phrase 'In Christ', 'In Him', 'In Whom' which describe the result of this baptism. You now belong to Him. In particular you were identified with His death, burial and resurrection. You have died with Him, you were buried with Him and you were raised with Him into new life. In Christ now you share His victorious life.
 
 Secondly, there is the Baptism by Christ into Holy-Spirit.
 
 Thirdly, there is the Baptism into Water. This takes place after the Baptism into Christ. It is an outward demonstration, confession, testimony and sign of what has already taken place within - that you have died with Christ, were buried with Christ and have risen with Christ to a new life. Through this baptism you publically confess and witness to the fact that you are in Christ, that you belong to Him. This bold confession of your faith releases God's blessing in your life. As Romans 10:10 says: Confession is made unto salvation. Although forgiveness is received through faith alone, the obedience of baptism is necessary to enjoy full salvation (enjoyment of God's life). 
 
 2 and 3 express and release what was done in 1. Acts 2:38 38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
 
 The New Birth is described as a resurrection. We are begotten (born) of God through the resurrection of Christ (1Peter 1:3,23, 1John 2:29,3:9,4:7,5:1,4,18). How? - IN CHRIST - by identification with Jesus in his resurrection. Faith in Christ's resurrection is necessary for salvation (new birth) (1Cor1 5:1-4,17; Col 2:12, Rom 4:24,10:9). Believing in His resurrection allows His Spirit to release resurrection for your spirit by identification.
 
 Jesus bore our death in his full humanity- spirit, soul, and body-and so his human spirit was resurrected by God's Life, as well as his body. His spirit was made alive and filled with life. The amazing thing is that the same power that raised up Jesus raised our spirit from death. (Ephes 1:19-2:1-7). This is the origin of our salvation, our new-creation. (v8-10) We were made alive and raised together with Christ! (Col 2:11-13; 3:1). Our new life is the resurrection life of Jesus that has already overcome sin, satan, and death (it is not like having Adam's perfection before he sinned) 

11 “In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Himthrough faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it (Col2:11-15) 
 
 Now the resurrected life of Christ, the spirit of Christ is in us (Rom 8:9). This life has passed through death never to die again. This is the real you -you've already overcome satan, you've been made alive, you've risen far above all the power of the enemy. (Rom 6:3-11). We can say: '(the resurrected life of) Christ lives in me.' (Gal 2:20 on) 'Christ in you the hope of glory.' (Col 1:27) This life is the glory of God in your spirit and our certain hope is that ultimately it will fill our entire being with glory! 

The OLD MAN is removed (Col 2:11,12a; Rom 6:4-6) Gal 2:20and replaced with the New MAN (Col 2:12b,13; Rom 6:4,5,8,11)which has the nature of Christ (Eph 2:10, 4:24, Col 3:10; Gal 6:15, 2Peter 1:3,4) When we are put IN CHRIST- then the CHRIST-LIFE is also put in us.
 
 Proverbs says: “as a man thinks in his heart, so he is.” KNOWING PT will change our SELF-IMAGE (in our soul), so that we see ourselves as we really are in Christ, which in turn will change the whole way we live. Thus ourTRANSFORMATION is through REVELATION, presently through the mirror of God’s Word (James 1:21-25, 2Corinthians 3:16-18, Romans 12:3, 1Cor 13), but later we shall see perfectly, and thus be fully transformed to be like Christ: 
 
 “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a MIRROR (the Word); then (at the rapture) we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three abide (eternally in our spirit):faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love (seeing this love in the mirror of 1Corinthians 13 we should walk in it)” (1Corinthians 13:12,13). 
 
 “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1John 3:2). This shows that we are revealed outwardly, according to the revelation we have of who we really are. This is the manifestation of the sons of God(Romans 8:19). You will be amazed at how dynamic the real you is! 
Much of what think is your personality is from Adam, most of the real you has yet to be seen! It is a continual discovery.
  
 Confessing the Word is a great way to renew the mind, for it helps keep the mirror up in front of us. Say again and again: “God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2Timothy 1:7). 
 
 HS is now working in our soul the desire and power to do His good pleasure, so we must ‘work out our own SALVATION’(which God has worked within us) (Philippians 2:12,13).
 
 Philippians 2:12,13: “WORK OUT your own SALVATION (within your spirit) with fear and trembling (in obedience to God’s Word); for it is God (the Holy-Spirit) who works in you, both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” The PT is: God has worked salvation within our spirit. His Spirit is now in us, working to help us work it out in our life.  Now, we are to work out what God has worked within us, by the power of His Spirit. The Christian life is expressing what God has already done in our spirit.
 
 James 1:21-25 describes this process of transformation: 
“Receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls (Firstly, we must know the truth of who we are in Christ. So, we must receive God’s word, which has the power to renew our minds, removing the blindness and opening our eyes). But (also) be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the WORD and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a MIRROR (the Word is a spiritual mirror that reveals who we are in Christ); for he observes himself, goes away, and forgets immediately what kind of man he was. But he who looks (intently) into the perfect LAW OF LIBERTY (seeing himself in the mirror, that his spirit has been set free and that it is full of love, joy, peace etc) and continues (to meditate) in it (the Word) and is not a forgetful hearer, 
but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”