We Are Predestined To Be Like Jesus

For those whom He foreknew [of whom He was aware and loved beforehand], He also destined from the beginning [foreordaining them] to be molded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness], that He might become the firstborn among many brethren. Romans 8:29

Before our Father ever said let it all be, He knew and loved us. He knew that He was going to choose us and He knew that He was going to make us to be just like Jesus is. He knew that He was going to use us to serve the world. Now there are a lot of people that believe that we will become better people when Jesus returns to the earth, but not many of us actually have faith and believe that we can be just like Jesus now. But here is the glorious Truth: Jesus came so that we could be just like He is right now on this earth!

In this [union and communion with Him] love is brought to completion and attains perfection with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgment [with assurance and boldness to face Him], because as He is, so are we in this world. 1 John 4:17

That they all may be one, [just] as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe and be convinced that You have sent Me. I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one [even] as We are one: I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one and perfectly united, that the world may know and [definitely] recognize that You sent Me and that You have loved them [even] as You have loved Me. John 17:21-23

You and I were predestined by God to be just like the best that He has, which is Jesus. Our Father has always known that He was going to choose us and make us one with Jesus. We have a destiny and our destiny is to serve our Father by being one with Him through Christ. It is His desire and His will and our Father always gets His way. We cannot help but be who God has called us to be, because His power makes us the way that He wants us. 

And those whom He thus foreordained, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified (acquitted, made righteous, putting them into right standing with Himself). And those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity and condition or state of being]. What then shall we say to [all] this? If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?] Romans 8:30-31

We cannot mess up our Father’s plans for us! We have been predestined to be the Bride of Christ. We have been chosen before the foundation of the world to be a royal priesthood that goes into all of the world and preaches the Gospel to every creature. We have been destined to be used to lay hands on the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons. 

Righteousness Part IV

But to one who, not working [by the Law], trusts (believes fully) in Him Who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited to him as righteousness (the standing acceptable to God). Thus David congratulates the man and pronounces a blessing on him to whom God credits righteousness apart from the works he does: Blessed and happy and to be envied are those whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered up and completely buried. Blessed and happy and to be envied is the person of whose sin the Lord will take no account nor reckon it against him. Romans 4:5-8

King David, and all who were under the Old Covenant, had to perform works and try to earn righteousness. They had to because the Blood of Jesus had not yet been shed for them. They longed for what we have, King David, an extremely blessed man of God, said that we were blessed because of this freedom through Christ. Our Father allowed David to see who we would be in Christ, as He did for the other Prophets of old, and they longed for what we have. They were also willing to be persecuted just for talking about it. 

That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Romans 8:4 

The thing they could never achieve, righteousness fulfilled, has been fulfilled within the least of us by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. Romans 6:18 

This Truth does not get preached nearly enough, we are free form sin, we should consider ourselves dead to it, Romans 6:11. Our peace is that Christ has broken the relationship that we had with sin. Our bodies which could sin have been destroyed by the power of Christ that has been freely given us, Romans 6:6. We are now members of Righteousness body, flesh of His flesh and bone of His bones. We are now the Temples of Righteousness. Righteousness is now our Head. We now have the Spirit of Righteousness, the Mind of Righteousness, and as Righteousness walked so to do we walk. The requirements of righteousness have been fully met within us through Christ, freely and without any works!

This is grace my brothers and sisters!

Righteousness Part III

Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Romans 3:22-23

The Truth is that we are freely justified by our Father's Grace through Jesus our Lord. Freely, we just can’t hear that enough. Sure we all have fallen short of His glory, we can’t help it.

For God has consigned (penned up) all men to disobedience, only that He may have mercy on them all [alike]. Romans 11:32

We all have been made to mess up, which is why Jesus prayed in John 17 that we would have His glory, because ours isn’t enough, it never has been enough and it never will be. 

I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one [even] as We are one: John 17:22

We all need to move on past the principle of Christ that says we have forgiveness of sins, so many of us dwell there. We need to move on to perfection, walking in the victory and love of the righteousness that has been freely bestowed on us! Freely, without any works, we have been made righteous, virtuous, morally upright, free from the guilt and sin. We are now approved and accepted by God, and through Jesus we are now faultless. Jesus has saved us to the uttermost, Hebrews 7:25. We are now one with the One Who is sanctified and Who sanctifies, and He is not ashamed to call us His brethren, Hebrews 2:11. The power of our sanctification solely lies on our Lord and Savior Who He ever lives to intercede for us so that we are absolutely and completely saved to the uttermost. Jesus is greater in us than anything or anyone in this world!

We Have An Abundant Holy Spirit

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost: Which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; That being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:5-7

Look at what we are shown here in Titus: our Father has shed His Spirit on us abundantly, praise God, abundantly! We didn’t get just some little smidgen of our Father’s Spirit. No, He has shed Himself on us abundantly!

That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. A-men." Ephesians 3:16-21

Everywhere we turn in the Word of our Father, Old Testament or New Testament, He writes to us that He has given us all of His completeness and fullness through Christ. And He doesn’t say that He has just given us them, but that we are actually one with them, just as Jesus is One with them! We never read that we are limited and we never read that our Father asked us to go it alone. When God talks about us, He uses Words like abundance, completeness, perfection, glory, preservation, pure, justification, and perfection! According to our Father we are all of these things, because Jesus came and He came so that we might have life and have it more abundantly. The Truth for us is that we now have life as Jesus has life and as He has life abundantly!

Christ Gives Us All That Jesus Has

That being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:7

We are saved by our Father’s mercy. His Holy Spirit has renewed and regenerated us. God has Paul write in Romans 6 that our old self has been crucified with Christ. In Galatians Paul writes that we are crucified with Christ, yet nevertheless we live, because it is now Christ living within us. So of course we are justified, how could we be anything but justified? If we are alive and one with Christ, how could we be unjustified? Jesus isn’t unjustified, and we are now alive with Him and united with Him, so neither are we! We are filled with the fullness of God and we are abundantly supplied with and one with His Holy Spirit and that means something! These Truth’s pass all knowledge, they give us strength, ability, and they ground us and settle us. We need to share these glorious Truth’s daily, because it is the Truth that sets us all free!

Now we are not only supplied with the abundance of Christ, we are heirs with Jesus. Our Father looks at you and I and He sees us in the exact same way that He sees Jesus, which is One with Himself! How many times have we studied that our Father loves us exactly as He loves Jesus, John 17:23?

When God sent Jesus to this world, He fully equipped Him to complete the task, and He has done exactly the same thing for us. We lack absolutely nothing needed to be as Jesus is on this earth. We are heirs and that means if Jesus has it, so do we. 

Everything that the Father has is Mine. That is what I meant when I said that He [the Spirit] will take the things that are Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you. John 16:15

I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Galatians 2:20

For [as far as this world is concerned] you have died, and your [new, real] life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3

Our Bodies Have Been Destroyed, So That We Can Be Used

We know that our old (unrenewed) self was nailed to the cross with Him in order that [our] body [which is the instrument] of sin might be made ineffective and inactive for evil, that we might no longer be the slaves of sin. Romans 6:6

Our Father has given us the Mind of Christ and His Mind tells is that we can have no confidence in our flesh, 1 Corinthians 2:16. The Mind of Christ shows us that through Him our flesh has been destroyed! We have been crucified with Christ, nevertheless we live, yet it is not us who lives, it is Christ within us, Galatians 2:20! 

Think of it, if you are in a battle and the soldier beside you is killed, would you put any confidence in His ability to protect you? Absolutely not, and that is how it is with us, we have no confidence in our flesh, because our flesh is as dead as dead can be. Our flesh has no ability to do anything that would earn us right standing with God! Through our Father’s power working in us we now put our trust in the Bright and Shinning Star that is Jesus. He is alive, He is brilliant, and He is with us, He is in us, and He is One with us! This is where our confidence lies, this is the wisdom and knowledge that fills the new mind and heart that our Father has given us! Our minds now look towards the Truth and they do not stumble over it! We have confidence because we have been fully equipped, so that we can be the very vessels of honor that our Father desires to work through!

Our Father now has millions of born again believers, all united and one in Christ, that can be used by Him just like Jesus was used. We are truly an army of one! These mortal bodies of ours have been quickened and made alive together with Christ, because we are born again from the very Incorruptible Seed of God. 

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) Ephesians 2:5 

We are now the very tools that God works through on this earth! And since we have been empowered by the Holy Spirit to give ourselves up for God, He has raised us up together and we have been seated together with Jesus our Savior. 

And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:6-7 Faith comes from hearing the Word, and the Truth of God’s Word sets us free!

Righteousness is ours, it’s ours because Jesus gave it to us. Our Lord gave us His very own righteousness. Righteousness allows our Father to be with us and righteousness allows God to work through us! The works that our Father does through us do not make us righteous; Jesus makes us righteous! This is the freedom of salvation, and our Father would that we all have it!

Philippians 3:11

11 That if possible I may attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body].

In verse 10 Paul wrote that he wanted to know the power of Jesus’ resurrection. Here we see that it is the power of Jesus’ Spiritual resurrection. Jesus’ Spirit was restored to what it was before He came in the flesh.

And now, Father, glorify Me along with Yourself and restore Me to such majesty and honor in Your presence as I had with You before the world existed. John 17:5

Here is the glorious Truth of our salvation: our spirits are just like Jesus’ Spirit. We are now one with Him, spirit, soul, and body, 1 Thessalonians 5:23. We have been raised up and made to sit together with Jesus, Ephesians 2:6. Our flesh hasn’t been raised up to Heaven, but our spirits sure have been. Right now we are as He is, even while we are on this earth.

In this [union and communion with Him] love is brought to completion and attains perfection with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgment [with assurance and boldness to face Him], because as He is, so are we in this world. 1 John 4:17

Jesus prayed in John 17:1-5 that our Father restore His glory to what it was before the world ever was and our Father did. Then Jesus says that He gave us that glory.

I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one [even] as We are one: John 17:22

This glory of Jesus is a gift. We did not do anything on our own to receive it and we can do nothing on our own to keep it. Think of the freedom and power that this Truth brings to us. We did not have to be perfect to be given perfection. Our Father knew all of our shortcomings and He still gave us His glory. We have freely received perfection and now the Holy Spirit has us intercede for others so that they can receive the same thing. We are just like Jesus is in Heaven and this is what He is doing, Hebrews 7:25.  

We are used to freely forgive other’s their sins. They do not have to ask for it, want it, or even believe that they have received forgiveness. None of that matters. If we forgive them they are forgiven. This is what we received and this is what we freely give. This is the glory that our Father uses us to sow. 

Philippians 2:26-30

26 For he has been [homesick] longing for you all and has been distressed because you had heard that he was ill.

27 He certainly was ill [too], near to death. But God had compassion on him, and not only on him but also on me, lest I should have sorrow [over him] coming upon sorrow.

Epaphroditus labored with Paul and Timothy. He worked with a anointed man of God that was used to miraculously heal the sick, Acts 28:8. Yet we are told here that Epaphroditus was deathly ill? I was raised in a full gospel type of church. It was always preached that we got sick because we lacked the faith not to believe that we could be well. It always came back to our ability to believe and accept the healing that was already given to us. While it was never directly spoken, there was a level of condemnation directed at you for being sick. The question is: is this type of teaching true?

And [yet] although my physical condition was [such] a trial to you, you did not regard it with contempt, or scorn and loathe and reject me; but you received me as an angel of God, [even] as Christ Jesus [Himself]! Galatians 4:14

Drink water no longer exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent illnesses. 1 Timothy 5:23

Timothy, Epaphroditus, and Paul were all sick. The writings of Paul seem to show us that he and Timothy were often sick. Did that mean that they lacked faith? Some people may say that they did, but look at what the Holy Spirit had Paul write about being sick.

So for the sake of Christ, I am well pleased and take pleasure in infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities and distresses; for when I am weak [in human strength], then am I [truly] strong (able, powerful in divine strength). 2 Corinthians 12:10

Other then Jesus, Paul was used by our Father more then anyone else in the New Testament. Paul was sick, so sick, that at first his physical condition offended the Galatians. Yet, he was used more in the New Testament then anyone other then Jesus. To be powerful in the power of our Father, Paul had to be weak in the flesh. So he took pleasure in being sick. That is Holy Ghost inspired and empowered humility.

There is now no condemnation in Christ, Romans 8:1. Everything works for our Father’s power, even sickness. Our Father had a sick guy lay hands on the sick and they recovered. He had a sick guy spread the Gospel of the Kingdom all across the Mediterranean. Sickness only strengthened Paul. It made him love more and care more. The glorious Truth is that the Holy Spirit will cause us to take pleasure in all things as He uses us to take no thought for our own lives.  

28 So I have sent him the more willingly and eagerly, that you may be gladdened at seeing him again, and that I may be the less disquieted.

29 Welcome him [home] then in the Lord with all joy, and honor and highly appreciate men like him,

30 For it was through working for Christ that he came so near death, risking his [very] life to complete the deficiencies in your service to me [which distance prevented you yourselves from rendering].

Galatians 1:5

5 To Him [be ascribed all] the glory through all the ages of the ages and the eternities of the eternities! Amen (so be it).

We ascribe glory to Jesus not only because He is God, we ascribe glory and praise to Jesus because He ever lives to intercede for us so that we are saved to the uttermost, Hebrews 7:25. We praise Jesus because He has sanctified us completely and we praise Him because He has now perfectly unified us with our Father, just as He is perfectly unified with Him, John 17:21-23. We praise and give Jesus glory because He is an awesome husband to us. He meets every one of our needs, Philippians 4:19. He holds nothing back from us and He will never leave us or forsake us, Hebrews 13:5.

May blessing (praise, laudation, and eulogy) be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual (given by the Holy Spirit) blessing in the heavenly realm! Ephesians 1:3

Is faith a spiritual blessing or is a physical blessing? Is love? Hope? We give to Jesus all of the glory, so that means that we cannot give any of the glory to ourselves. If we believe it is because Jesus has authored and finished our faith, Hebrews 12:2. If we love it is because Jesus has poured His love into our hearts, John 17:26. If we have hope it is because Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit and causes us to have hope, Romans 15:13. If we have any knowledge it is because Jesus allowed us to see the Truth, John 14:26.

There is not one thing that we have ever done on our own, even first believing in Jesus as Lord.

Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking under the power and influence of the [Holy] Spirit of God can [ever] say, Jesus be cursed! And no one can [really] say, Jesus is [my] Lord, except by and under the power and influence of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:3

The peace in this Truth passes all understanding as it takes away all condemnation, Romans 8:1. All of the glory goes to Jesus, so that also means all of the responsibility goes to Jesus! He alone is responsible for making us who our Father has called us to be. That is just so great. If there was anything that we had to do on our own we would screw it up. The Truth is that our righteousness is even as filthy rags, so how could we ever do anything right? We can’t, only Jesus can, and it is a joy for Him to ever live to intercede for us so that we are saved to the uttermost, Hebrews 7:25. 

Galatians 1:4 Part II

4 Who gave (yielded) Himself up [to atone] for our sins [and to save and sanctify us], in order to rescue and deliver us from this present wicked age and world order, in accordance with the will and purpose and plan of our God and Father--

Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me. I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. John 15:4-5

For God has done what the Law could not do, [its power] being weakened by the flesh [the entire nature of man without the Holy Spirit]. Sending His own Son in the guise of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, [God] condemned sin in the flesh [subdued, overcame, deprived it of its power over all who accept that sacrifice], So that the righteous and just requirement of the Law might be fully met in us who live and move not in the ways of the flesh but in the ways of the Spirit [our lives governed not by the standards and according to the dictates of the flesh, but controlled by the Holy Spirit]. Romans 8:3-4

In Christ we are sanctified and every requirement of God’s Law, which is now only Love, is now fully met within us, because of the power of the Holy Spirit that now dwells within us.

I have made Your Name known to them and revealed Your character and Your very Self, and I will continue to make [You] known, that the love which You have bestowed upon Me may be in them [felt in their hearts] and that I [Myself] may be in them. John 17:26

The next great Truth of verse 4 is that Jesus has rescued us and He has delivered us from this present evil world. We are one with Jesus right now and we are every bit as free from this world as He is free from it. How could the body of Jesus not be as free as Jesus is free? If we were still bound, Jesus would be bound. If our hands are handcuffed, our body is handcuffed, right? Far too many think that we are still caught in the wickedness of this world and that daily we have to choose, on our own and with our own strength, to do right or wrong. I know that sounds religious and all, but think about it, does the clay choose or does the potter choose? Does the hand choose or does the head? Does the branch choose, or does the vine? Do the sheep choose, or does the shepherd? The Word of God clearly tells us that Jesus has rescued us and because He has, we are now one with Him and the Word clearly tells us that only Jesus sanctifies us! 

Ask yourself, did Jesus rescue us or not? To believe the Word you have to believe that He did. Faith comes from hearing the Truth and the Truth sets us free! 

Galatians 1:4

4 Who gave (yielded) Himself up [to atone] for our sins [and to save and sanctify us], in order to rescue and deliver us from this present wicked age and world order, in accordance with the will and purpose and plan of our God and Father--

Man, there are several great things that we can study with this verse. The first is that Jesus not only saves us, but He sanctifies us. I believe that this is one of the greatest Truth’s that is not preached or taught nearly enough. Amen, we do not sanctify ourselves, we are sanctified by Jesus.

And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [separate you from profane things, make you pure and wholly consecrated to God]; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved sound and complete [and found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah). 1 Thessalonians 5:23

For both He Who sanctifies [making men holy] and those who are sanctified all have one [Father]. For this reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren; Hebrews 2:11

Jesus alone separates us from all profane things. The peace for us in this Truth is this: it is Jesus’ responsibility alone to stop us from doing wrong things! It is the vine’s responsibility to cause the branches to produce fruit. It is the head’s responsibility to cause the arm to move. It is the gardeners responsibility to keep insects and disease from the plants. It is the potters responsibility to form the clay and it is the shepherds responsibility to heard the sheep. Our peace and freedom is Jesus is our Head, our Shepherd, our Vine, and our Father is our Potter and He is our Gardener. This is why there is absolutely no condemnation for us who are now in Christ Jesus.

THEREFORE, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live [and] walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit. Romans 8:1

If we were responsible for even the littlest aspect of our own sanctification, then there would  always be room for condemnation, but we aren’t responsible to sanctify ourselves, and we never will be. We have a part to play, but our part is never played by being separate from Christ. We are His body and we are always perfectly united with Him. Our part is played as a branches part is played, the branch is the part of the plant that the fruit appears on, but the branch is not the force that caused the fruit to come to be. You can take a branch from a merlot vine and graft it into a cabernet vine and the branch will produce cabernet grapes. We were of the devil, now we are of Jesus and now we produce righteous fruit because of Him, not because of us.

This Truth will give you so much peace! And not only will it give you peace it will set you free from actually doing the things that you don’t want to do. As long as we believe that we have to keep ourselves, we will do what we do not want to. However, when the Truth sets us free, Jesus will sanctify us and we will no longer do wrong, we will do righteousness. Jesus will cause us to be righteous as He is righteous, 1 John 3:7. 

End of Times Matthew 32-36

32 From the fig tree learn this lesson: as soon as its young shoots become soft and tender and it puts out its leaves, you know of a surety that summer is near.

33 So also when you see these signs, all taken together, coming to pass, you may know of a surety that He is near, at the very doors.

We are not permitted to know the exact time that Jesus will physically return to the earth, Matthew 24:36. But we are empowered with the Holy Spirit to know the season of our Lord’s return. Far too many of us look at wars, famines, economics, and natural disasters as the signs of Jesus’ return. These things are only the beginnings of the sign. The sign of Jesus’ return will be the power of the Kingdom of Heaven being shown throughout the entire world at one time.

That He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such things [that she might be holy and faultless]. Ephesians 5:27

I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father. John 14:12
 

When we see our Father using us to do the works that Jesus did and even greater works, look for Jesus to return. When we see people stop worrying about what denomination you belong to, look for Jesus’ return. When we see the power of our Father working through us causing the guests to say peace and safety, look for Jesus’ return, 1 Thessalonians 5:3. These glorious things are not happening now everywhere and all at once, but they will. Our Father’s power working through us will be heralded in with a loud trumpet cal and the world will clearly hear and see the Truth. 

34 Truly I tell you, this generation (the whole multitude of people living at the same time, in a definite, given period) will not pass away till all these things taken together take place.

35 Sky and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

Our Father hears our prayers and they are sweet to Him. There is coming a time when He will answer the prayers that the Holy Spirit is empowering us to pray about Jesus’ return. When that time comes our Father will send His angel into the Holy of Holies to take the full power of the Holy Spirit and He will pour it out on us, Revelation 8:5. When that times comes the Truth will be proclaimed from us and it will be loud as thunder, our Father will show miraculous things through us to light up the world like lightening, and the earth will shake from the power of our Father being shown through us. When we see these things, then we will know that the season of our Groom’s return is near. It will absolutely happen and it will be glorious.

36 But of that [exact] day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

Ephesians 6:17

17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God.

   

Salvation is a gift, our helmet is a gift. Salvation is placed upon us, we do not place it on ourselves. 

For it is by free grace (God's unmerited favor) that you are saved ( delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God; Ephesians 2:8

And this is the will of Him Who sent Me, that I should not lose any of all that He has given Me, but that I should give new life and raise [them all] up at the last day. John 6:39

Finally, we are told to wield the Word of God as a sword. Jesus is the Word, He is our Head, He is our Vine, He is our Shepherd, and we are one with Him. Jesus is greater within us than anything that is in this world. Jesus causes us to walk in the paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake. We wield the Sword of the Word because we have been grafted into It, we are one with It, we cannot help but be who we have become.

So relax, our Father is the One Who dresses us for battle and He is the One Who always causes us to triumph in every battle. This is why we have confidence in our eternal salvation, because we can never lose it. 

For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable. [He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.] Romans 11:29

The Armor of God is placed on us by God. He sanctifies us completely in the power of His Truth. He will use us to wrestle evil and He will cause us to be victorious. He will show the world that they are loved, just as Jesus is loved, through us.  

Ephesians 6:13-14

13 Therefore put on God's complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place].

If you just read this verse alone you will think that we are being told that we have to put on our Father’s armor on our own, as if it is hanging in a closet and all we have to do is go and get it. The Truth however, is our Head, Who is Jesus, empowers us and makes our decisions for us as He leads us into the paths of righteousness. Without Jesus we can do nothing, John 15:5, but because we are now one with Him, we will do everything in the power of our Father’s might. So if we are born again and one with Jesus, we will put on the whole armor of our Father. Our Shepherd will cause us to do it. Our Potter will mold us so that we will wear it. Our Father’s Spirit that is within us will cause us to get dressed. There is nothing that is required of us that our Father will not do for us. We are told to put on God’s armor, so our Father will put His armor on us.  

14 Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God,

The first thing that we are told to put on is Truth. The only way that we are able to know the Truth, or put on the Truth, is because our Father has empowered us to know the Truth.

And He replied to them, To you it has been given to know the secrets and mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. Matthew 13:11

The Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot receive (welcome, take to its heart), because it does not see Him or know and recognize Him. But you know and recognize Him, for He lives with you [constantly] and will be in you. John 14:17

But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you. John 14:26

Next, we are told that we are to put on righteousness. Man is incapable of putting on righteousness on his own, it has to be placed on us by our Father, because our righteousness is as filthy rags, Isaiah 64:6. 

I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one [even] as We are one: I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one and perfectly united, that the world may know and [definitely] recognize that You sent Me and that You have loved them [even] as You have loved Me. John 17:22-23

For if because of one man's trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God's] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). Romans 5:17

And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [separate you from profane things, make you pure and wholly consecrated to God]; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved sound and complete [and found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah). Faithful is He Who is calling you [to Himself] and utterly trustworthy, and He will also do it [fulfill His call by hallowing and keeping you]. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Our righteousness is Jesus’ righteousness, we are now one with it. We are one with His glory and our Father has sanctified us, not by our works, but by His grace. Our Father has given us the gift of righteousness and His gift is without revoke. 

Ephesians 2:3-5

3 Among these we as well as you once lived and conducted ourselves in the passions of our flesh [our behavior governed by our corrupt and sensual nature], obeying the impulses of the flesh and the thoughts of the mind [our cravings dictated by our senses and our dark imaginings]. We were then by nature children of [God's] wrath and heirs of [His] indignation, like the rest of mankind.

4 But God--so rich is He in His mercy! Because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved us,

5 Even when we were dead (slain) by [our own] shortcomings and trespasses, He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ; [He gave us the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life with which He quickened Him, for] it is by grace (His favor and mercy which you did not deserve) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's salvation).

Amen, our Father has given us the same new life that He has given Jesus. We have been given the same eternal life that Jesus has. Our Father has given us the same new glorious life that Jesus has, John 17:22. We have been given all that Jesus has and is, by being made one with Him.

Now here is the real Truth of what this means, it applies even to our flesh. Look at what the Holy Spirit tells us here in verse 5, we have the same new life that quickened Jesus. Jesus’ Spirit wasn’t quickened, it was and is always God, it was His flesh that was quickened, or made alive. Jesus’ body was destroyed and laid in a grave. His body laid there dead for 3 days. Jesus’ brain received no oxygen for 3 days. His blood drained from His body when the Roman soldier pierced His side on the cross. Jesus’ flesh was dead and yet it was given back life, but the power of His new life was not in blood and oxygen, it was the Holy Spirit.

Then He said to Thomas, Reach out your finger here, and see My hands; and put out your hand and place [it] in My side. Do not be faithless and incredulous, but [stop your unbelief and] believe! John 20:27

Eleven days after Jesus was crucified, He told Thomas to place his hand in His open wounds. Could you imagine how that would hurt if Jesus was living by the power of blood and oxygen? His wounds had not sealed up with scabs, or been bandaged, they were open and Thomas could place his fingers in them. This is the new life that we have been given. Faith comes from hearing the Truth and the Truth sets us free.

The power of this Truth means that it absolutely does not matter what a doctor may say about us, because we now live by the power of the Holy Spirit, just as Jesus lives by it. Our age does not matter, because we now live by the power of the Holy Spirit, just as Jesus only lives by His power. Our Father has given us the same life force that our Head has, we are now Jesus’ body, the two of us are now one. It does not matter if every tissue in our bodies are destroyed, the power of the Holy Spirit is what keeps us alive. Our flesh is not ending its service to the Kingdom in this earth age until Jesus, Who Alone holds the keys of death, Revelation 1:18, ends it. Far too often we ignore the power of salvation for our flesh, but the Truth is that we have the same life force keeping us: spirit, soul, and body that keeps Jesus’ Spirit, Soul, and Body! The Holy Spirit is our power, just as it is Jesus’ power, because we are now one with Jesus. We are now Jesus’ body, flesh of His flesh and bone of His bone. This is good teaching and it will author and finish our faith!

Revelation 5:11-12

11 Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels on every side of the throne and of the living creatures and the elders [of the heavenly Sanhedrin], and they numbered ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands, 

12 Saying in a loud voice, Deserving is the Lamb, Who was sacrificed, to receive all the power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and majesty (glory, splendor) and blessing! 

Jesus is worthy; millions upon millions testify of this Truth, all of the inhabitants of Heaven are in full agreement. And here is the really powerful Truth for us: Jesus gave all of His power and glory to us as well! 

And the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are One; I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in One; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me. John 17:22-23

It is Jesus’ glory to be a King and a Priest, and He gave all of His glory to us. And He did it as only God can, He did it by actually making us one with Himself. We do not share these things as partners, we share them as one body. We share them just as a Head shares everything with its body: the arms, legs, hands, eyes, ears, whatever part, they are all one. There is no separation at all between us and Christ and there is nothing that is not shared completely. 

The author of that bumper sticker that says that “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven,” has no revelation or understanding of the Truth of our salvation! Jesus said that He gave us His glory, which means that He gave us His perfection. He did this by causing us to be one with Him. To say that we aren’t perfect is saying that Jesus isn’t perfect. Our perfection is a gift, it is not earned, we are just born again that way and our Father never takes back His gifts once He gives them Romans 11:29. 

Remember that all of this Truth is being shown to us before we are ever shown anything about the end times and the Great Tribulation. Our Groom, Who is Jesus, is letting us know beyond any shadow of a doubt that even though a thousand may fall at our left side and ten thousand at our right, we are never left or forsaken by Him. We are victorious this day, for today is the day of salvation. We are more than conquerors through Christ Who loves us. There is no weapon that our Father has formed that is against us and we are not appointed to His wrath.