FASTING REASONS FOR FASTING (2019) DAY SIXTEEN

THE BENEFIT OF BEING IN CHRIST

“By this, we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us His Spirit.” 1 John 4:13

The greatest blessing or benefit of knowing Jesus as Lord and Saviour is to know I will never be separated from His love. As a child of God, I am eternally secure in Him. On this earth, if I never receive another blessing from God, I still have more than I deserve. However, being in Christ and choosing daily to live with my Lord in the Holy of Holies comes with several benefits. When Jesus redeemed you, He gave you His Holy Spirit to confirm for you His benefits. Since they are too many to name, let me share just a few.

One of the benefits of being in Christ is you have a conscious awareness that God is with you at all times. Jesus said He would never leave you nor forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5) There is nowhere you will ever go that God is not there with you. You will never be alone. The high priest would come and go from the presence of the Lord in the Holy of Holies but when Christ finished His work on Calvary, we, God’s new priests, can come and stay forever. Knowing Jesus is with me helps me to know He sees and knows everything I think, say, and do. Because He is with me, I do not want to disobey. His continual presence changes the way I think and act.

A second benefit of being in Christ is knowing who is in charge. To be found in the Holy of Holies requires the believer’s full submission to Christ. Jesus is in total control. It is in the Holy of Holies where the believer becomes a follower of Christ. He dies daily to self so he can follow God’s will.(1 Corinthians 15:3) A follower of Christ is not only in the center of God’s will, but he is also submissive to God’s will.

A third benefit of being in Christ is the ability to serve God with the anointing of the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 1:21) The anointing of the Spirit is only granted to those who are submissive to God’s will in the Holy of Holies. The anointing is the power of God that fills and allows the follower to accomplish God’s will for God’s glory. The anointing is never given to a believer who refuses to submit to God’s will. To live the Christian life without God’s anointing is exhausting, discouraging, and defeating. It is like pushing your vehicle everywhere you go rather than driving it. A Christian cannot operate without God’s anointed power. The most miserable person on the face of the earth is not a lost person but a believer who lives life without God’s anointing!

A fourth benefit of being in Christ is to walk in God’s authority. When Jesus completed salvation’s plan, He passed along to His followers the authority that was given to Him by the Father. (Matthew 28:18) The only way a believer can rise above this world and live victoriously over the devil’s schemes is to be found in Christ. A believer will never overcome the devil’s accusations, temptations, and deceptions unless he operates in the authority of God. The authority of God always trumps the devil’s power. The key to exercising the authority of God is to understand what it means to be in Christ. Jesus has authorized you to be victorious. You, child of God, can and will only live victoriously within God’s authority when you acknowledge your place with Christ in the Holy of Holies.

• Are you enjoying the benefits of living with Christ in the Holy of Holies?
• Are you aware of His presence at all times?
• Is Christ in total control of your life?
• Are you submissive to His will? Are you walking daily in the anointing of God?
• Are you exercising your authority over the enemy?

If not, why not? If you are a child of God, these benefits are available to you. Would you acknowledge your place in the Holy of Holies and begin to enjoy the benefits our Lord has graciously provided?