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Messages of Jose
Anathanam and the Covenant Ministries from |
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Messages of Jose
Anathanam and the Covenant Ministries from |
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In Christ Jesus
Part III
| " To the saints who are also faithful ' IN CHRIST JESUS'; Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has BLESSED US IN CHRIST with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places." (Eph. 1/1,3) In the third part of this message, "IN CHRIST JESUS" we would do well, if we can look prayerfully into the scriptures, to see the tremendous BLESSINGS that are available to us IN CHRIST JESUS. To the sadducees who did not understand the blessings of resurrection, Jesus Himself replied - "Is not this why you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God?" (Mk. 12/24) Jesus had to open the minds of His disciples to understand the scriptures. (Lk. 24/45). Let us also pray and ask Jesus Himself to open our minds to understand the tremendous blessings available IN CHRIST. First and foremost, we should not loose sight of the eternal TRUTH that "even before the world was made GOD chose us IN CHRIST" (Eph. 1/4) The reason of our creation, our existence, our works, our eternal life, are all based on this fundamental Truth - that we have been chosen by God IN CHRIST, we are created in CHRIST, we are created in Christ Jesus for good works (Eph. 2/10), we exist for Jesus Christ alone - "None of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord, so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's." (Rom. 14 / 7-8) "And He died for all, that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for Him, who for their sake died and was raised (2 Cor. 5/15) "in Him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17/28). It is very important to understand that we have been created - not to be just an ordinary believer IN CHRIST - not to be just a good person - devout, pious, and holy - but we are created to be 'IN CHRIST" The very first part of the letter of Paul to the Ephesians says - "To the saints, who are also faithful IN CHRIST" Eph 1/1. To them who are IN CHRIST, tremendous blessings flow from the heavenly places - for they are seated with Him in the heavenly places IN CHRIST JESUS. (Eph 2/6). What are these blessings?? 1) Every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places - ( Eph 1/3 ) These spiritual blessings include :- a) Eternal life IN CHRIST JESUS - Read Colossians 2/ 9-10, 1 John 5/11-12, John 10/10, John 17/3, John 11/25-27, Rom 8/1 b) Since before the foundation of the world, God chose us IN CHRIST (Eph 1/4) and God created us IN CHRIST for good works (Eph 2/10), When He created us, He created us in His Image and likeness (Gen. 1/ 26-28) and gave us His own authority and power to rule over the earth and subdue it and have dominion over it. We see in Colossians 1/15 that - " Jesus is the image of the invisible God ; "For Jesus and in Jesus all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities - all things were created through Him and for Him". Colossians 1/16 - "He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together" (Colossians 1/17). This is a delegated authority and could be exercised only IN CHRIST. The evil one - Satan deceived the first parents and made them lose this authority. But now Jesus has defeated Satan on the cross and has restored to man the image and likeness; and IN CHRIST, they are more than conquerors, (Rom 8/37) - for CHRIST JESUS gives His own authority and power to those who live in Him ( Lk. 10/19). Hence those who live IN CHRIST - will have His authority and power and will do exactly what Jesus came to do. Read John 14/12, Mk 16/16 - 20, 1 John 3/8, Lk. 4/16-19. Why do Jesus call people to Himself ? For this very reason as seen in Mk. 3/13-14. He gives them the POWER!! Power to heal, power to cast out demons, power to speak to the mountains (Problems in life, sickness, calamities) and to see that they obey us. (Mark 11/23-24) c) IN CHRIST JESUS, we are called to become sons and daughters of God. John 1/12-13 d) IN CHRIST JESUS, we are called 'gods' with a small 'g' See Psalm. 82/6 and John 10/35 e) IN CHRIST, we are called AMBASSADORS of Christ (see 2 Cor 5/20) 2) Apart from these spiritual blessings, we have emotional blessings:- What are they? a) Peace of Mind - Jesus is the Prince of Peace as the book of prophet Isaiah tells us. And when we are IN CHRIST - He keeps us in perfect peace. "Thou dost keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee." (Isaiah 26/3) b) That peace of mind brings the next blessing along with it - Good sound sleep!! "He gives to His beloved sleep" Psalm 127/2 c) Peace and harmony in family relationships, in business partnerships, in communities, in churches etc. - are all for those IN CHRIST. When Jesus was born, the good news came first through the angels who sang - "And on earth PEACE among men" (Lk. 2/14). And Col. 1/19-20 tells us - " For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, MAKING PEACE by the blood of His Cross." 3) Physical healing is a blessing that is available IN CHRIST. In the book of Exodus God tells us - "I am the God that heals you." How does this God heal?? Psalm 107/20 - says - "He sent forth His Word and healed them, and delivered them from destruction." "He sent forth His Word" - Remember in the beginning God spoke HIS WORD and created the heavens and the earth. John says - "In the beginning was THE WORD, and the WORD was with God, and the WORD was God. He was in the beginning with God, all things were made through Him and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life and the life was the light of men. And the Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld His Glory, glory as of the only son from the Father, And from His fullness have we all received grace upon grace." (John 1/1-4, 14, 16) Whom does all these speak about?? JESUS !! Jesus is the Word become flesh. Jesus is the WORD that heals. Jesus is called the WORD of God in Rev 19/13. There is Healing IN CHRIST for it is written - "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows............. He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with His stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53/4-5) Peter quotes this scripture when he writes - "By His wounds you have been healed." (1 Peter 2/24). This healing is total and covers spiritual, emotional and physical areas of our life. 4) There is also Blessings available in the financial area of one's life IN CHRIST JESUS; for the word of God tells us in PHILIPPIANS 4/19 - "And my God will supply every need of yours, according to His riches in glory IN CHRIST JESUS." Our God is a God of Blessing - Not curses, He is a loving Father who blesses His children and who desires to bless His children. Listen to 3 John 2 - "Beloved, I pray that ALL MAY GO WELL WITH YOU and that you may be in health." This blessing is made to Gaius who is living in Truth. ( Christ ). So IN CHRIST - ALL WILL GO WELL WITH YOU. This includes material blessings also, which was promised by God to Abraham and to His descendants. Read Deuteronomy 28/1-14 and Deuteronomy 7/12-16. In short the blessings include:- a) He will love you, bless you, multiply you, He will also bless the fruit of your body and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your wine and your oil, the increase of your cattle and the young of your flock. (Deuteronomy 7/13) b) Barrenness shall not be there among you or among your cattle. (Deuteronomy 7/14) c) All sickness shall be taken away from you. (Deuteronomy 7/15) d) Blessings in the city and blessings in the field. (Deuteronomy 28/3) e) Your enemies who rise against you shall be defeated and they will flee before you seven ways. (Deuteronomy 28/7) f) Blessings upon you in your barns and in all that you undertake. (Deuteronomy 28/8) g) All the people of the earth will know that you belong to God and they will be afraid of you. And the Lord will make you abound in prosperity. He will not put you to shame. (Deuteronomy 28/11) h) The Lord will open the heavens to give the rain for your crops. (Deuteronomy 28/12) i) You will have so much - that you will only lend to many, but you will never have the need to borrow. (Deuteronomy 28/12) j) You will always progress upwards only (Deuteronomy 28/13) How to obtain these blessings:- What God has prepared for those IN CHRIST- no eye has seen , nor ear heard , nor the heart of man conceived. ( see 1 Cor 2/9 ) Man stopped receiving these blessings the moment he cut himself away from the Tree of Life which represents Jesus Christ - the life giving spirit mentioned in (1 Cor 15/45 ) and he began to experience the curses. But God so loved us that He sent Jesus to redeem us and bring us back to Him - so that we can receive all these blessings right now. Read this Scripture in Galatians 3/13-14. " Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us - for it is written , 'cursed be everyone who hangs on a tree' - that 'IN CHRIST JESUS' the blessing of Abraham might come upon the gentiles, that we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith ". How to receive these blessings? All that we got to do is to believe in our hearts and proclaim with our lips the finished work of CHRIST JESUS on the cross, Trust IN HIM, LIVE IN HIM by living according to the WORD OF GOD and all these blessings shall be ours. May God our Father bless you IN CHRIST JESUS , May His face shine upon you and may you find prefect peace and Joy and Fulfillment IN CHRIST JESUS in the coming Millennium. goto Part IV |
The Covenant People
P.O. Box: 20, Kanjirapally
Kottayam District, Kerala - India
