Self-Identity in Christ: Your future in Christ

For the first three weeks in August 2021, The Holy Spirit has been taking us through the journey of our self-identity in Christ

Our identity is in Christ’s identity

in the first week, He showed us the personality, principles, power, might, love, expectations and the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ

The second week, He showed us who we are as joint-heirs with Christ, carriers of the anointing of Christ, having access to the mind of Christ, siblings of Christ by faith in Him, sharers of His power and chips of the block called Living stone.

Last week He showed us our rights, entitlements and privileges in Christ, we have access to the fullness of Christ’s storehouse, we share in the redemption package that the Lamb of God received after He sacrificed Himself for our sins and blotted out our stain of sin forever, reconciling us back to God.

Please go to our blog page to r

And today we are looking at our future in Christ.

Part of who we are in Christ is who we are going to be when He appears again

Scriptural text: Romans 8:23

“And it’s not just creation. We who have already experienced the first fruits of the Spirit also inwardly groan as we passionately long to experience our full status as God’s sons and daughters—including our physical bodies being transformed.”

Romans 8:23 TPT

We get our full status when Christ appears, that is we will be like Him in His glorified state

Redemption is a plan made by God before the foundation of the world which has been sealed and made possible by the blood of the Lamb. And to all who receive Him, God has a future for them

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

In order to be a partaker of the future with Christ, you start now by joining the family of God by faith in His only begotten son

“But to as many, as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the authority (power, privilege, right) to become the children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name–[Isa. 56:5.]”

John 1:12 AMPC

Unless you are washed by Jesus through His precious blood, you have no part in the future with Him

“Peter said to Him, You shall never wash my feet! Jesus answered him, Unless I wash you, you have no part with (in) Me [you have no share in companionship with Me].”

John 13:8 AMPC

So having identified with Him here and now, and we continue to abide in Him just as He commanded us in John 15:4, we are expectant of a glorious future which He promised he has gone to prepare for us

“DO NOT let your hearts be troubled (distressed, agitated). You believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely on God; believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely also on Me. In My Father's house, there are many dwelling places (homes). If it were not so, I would have told you; for I am going away to prepare a place for you. And when (if) I go and make ready a place for you, I will come back again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also.”

John 14:1-3 AMPC

Our future with Christ includes the following

1. We are like Christ here now and we shall be like Him when He appears

“When Christ, Who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in [the splendour of His] glory.”

Colossians 3:4 AMPC

2. We will experience the true glory

“[But what of that?] For I consider that the sufferings of this present time (this present life) are not worth being compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us and for us and conferred on us!”

Romans 8:18 AMPC

3. We shall Reign with Him

“The saying is sure and worthy of confidence: If we have died with Him, we shall also live with Him. If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny and disown and reject Him, He will also deny and disown and reject us.”

2 Timothy 2:11-12 AMPC

The promise of our future identity in Christ is if we live the life He wants us to live here on earth and conquer like Him, we shall experience the glory He experienced

4. Access to immortality which eluded Adam

“He who is able to hear, let him listen to and give heed to what the Spirit says to the assemblies (churches). To him who overcomes (is victorious), I will grant to eat [of the fruit] of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. [Gen. 2:9; 3:24.]”

Revelation 2:7 AMPC

5. Exemption from the second death (Exempted from eternal separation from God)

“He who is able to hear, let him listen to and heed what the Spirit says to the assemblies (churches). He who overcomes (is victorious) shall in no way be injured by the second death.”

Revelation 2:11 AMPC

6. Access to the hidden manna, a new name and becoming a permanent living stone for Christ

“He who is able to hear, let him listen to and heed what the Spirit says to the assemblies (churches). To him who overcomes (conquers), I will give to eat of the manna that is hidden, and I will give him a white stone with a new name engraved on the stone, which no one knows or understands except he who receives it. [Ps. 78:24; Isa. 62:2.]”

Revelation 2:17 AMPC

7. Power and authority to Reign over nations

“And he who overcomes (is victorious) and who obeys My commands to the [very] end [doing the works that please Me], I will give him authority and power over the nations; And he shall rule them with a sceptre (rod) of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, and [his power over them shall be] like that which I Myself have received from My Father; [Ps. 2:8, 9.] And I will give him the Morning Star.”

Revelation 2:26-28 AMPC

8. Permanent inclusion of your name in the book of life and acknowledgement before the father

“Thus shall he who conquers (is victorious) be clad in white garments, and I will not erase or blot out his name from the Book of Life; I will acknowledge him [as Mine] and I will confess his name openly before My Father and before His angels. [Ps. 69:28; Dan. 12:1.]”

Revelation 3:5 AMPC

9. To be made a pillar (permanent security and ownership by Christ)

“He who overcomes (is victorious), I will make him a pillar in the sanctuary of My God; he shall never be put out of it or go out of it, and I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which descends from My God out of heaven, and My own new name. [Isa. 62:2; Ezek. 48:35.]”

Revelation 3:12 AMPC

In Rev 2:17 Jesus promised that our future with him include a new name, and in this verse, we just read, He said He also received a new name which will be revealed to us when we reign with Him.

Isn’t it marvellous, wonderful, a hope to look forward to, an exciting suspenseful adventure to know the new name of Jesus when we reign with him

10. Exalted throne like that of our Lord Jesus Christ

“He who overcomes (is victorious), I will grant him to sit beside Me on My throne, as I Myself overcame (was victorious) and sat down beside My Father on His throne.”

Revelation 3:21 AMPC

Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you, in the new age [the Messianic rebirth of the world] when the Son of Man shall sit down on the throne of His glory, you who have [become My disciples, sided with My party and] followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel.”

Matthew 19:28 AMPC

How ready are you for the future with Christ?

How are you living your life now?

There’s a glorious future that God has designed for you

Let’s have a glimpse of the environment of this future glory

“There shall no longer exist there anything that is accursed (detestable, foul, offensive, impure, hateful, or horrible). But the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall worship Him [pay divine honours to Him and do Him holy service]. [Zech. 14:21.] They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. [Ps. 17:15.] And there shall be no more night; they have no need for lamplight or sunlight, for the Lord God will illuminate them and be their light, and they shall reign [as kings] forever and ever (through the eternities of the eternities).”

Revelation 22:3-5 AMPC

Are your garments spotless and white as snow?

Are you washed in the blood of the lamb?

Are you walking daily by the saviour’s side?

The book of Colossians 3:1-17 shows you how to comport yourself as his ambassador before Christ returns

“Blessed (happy and to be envied) are those who cleanse their garments, that they may have the authority and right to [approach] the tree of life and to enter through the gates into the city. [Gen. 2:9; 3:22, 24.]

But without are the dogs and those who practise sorceries (magic arts) and impurity [the lewd, adulterers] and the murderers and idolaters and everyone who loves and deals in falsehood (untruth, error, deception, cheating).”

Revelation 22:14-15 AMPC

Hold on tightly to your faith in the finished work of Christ. Preserve your identity in Him, do not deface your passport or allow anyone to steal it

“But I come swiftly, so cling tightly to what you have, so that no one may seize your crown of victory.”

Revelation 3:11 TPT

Prayer of repentance

Lord Jesus, I acknowledge my sins and my sorry state as a sinner.

I repent of my sins and come to you for cleansing.

Please forgive me of all my sins and set me free.

I accept your free offer of mercy

Please wash me in your precious blood and write my name in the book of life

I commit to following you from today and put on the new identity which you give to me.

I am yours forever and my future is with you

Thank you for saving me

In Jesus name, I pray

Prayer of rededication

Lord, I repent of my sins and lackadaisical attitude towards the things of the Kingdom.

I return to you my Lord and saviour

I recommit and submit myself totally to you.

Please baptise me afresh with Holy Ghost and power so I can be who you want me to be.

I thank you for the glorious future you have prepared for me

Uphold me to the end

In Jesus mighty name I pray

Daily as I live, often as I breathe, let my whole life be an expression of your grace.

Confessions of my future glory with Christ

• Since I am like Christ now, I shall be like Him when He appears in His glory

• God has determined to stand with me, therefore no one could ever stand against me

• Yet even in the midst of all life’s troubles, I triumph over them all, for God has made me be more than a conqueror, and his demonstrated love is my glorious victory over everything!

• There is no power above me or beneath me—no power that could ever be found in the universe that can distance me from God’s passionate love, which is lavished upon me through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One!

• For my life is hidden in Christ. therefore I am no longer subject to the law of sin, sickness and the world,

• I will stay true to what I have already attained in Him and will yet attain by His grace in Jesus name. Amen

For the full teaching on this series, please follow the youtube link below