Embassy in Christ Blog

From Death to Life

For so many years, the whole process of my maturation in Christ has been based on my ability to die to self.  I typically focus on everything that is out of place in my life and often feel “just not good enough” and have to keep trying harder!  I could not read enough of the Word, pray enough, love enough and the list goes on.  As a result of this disposition, I have been taken advantage of by others who quickly latch on and pile on more items on top of my already brimming cup.  It is amazing to see how quickly people judge us as we fall short of their standards.  We tell ourselves that what others think does not matter but subconsciously note the reported shortcomings and try to fix things.  Unfortunately, others notice and take advantage. Have you experienced this as well?

Now, we have to ask ourselves: How is it that we say we have given our lives to the LORD and yet still have so much we keep holding on to?  We believe GOD is in control of our lives and even proclaim that the “deep calls the deep” and yet we conduct ourselves as if it all depends on us.  These words may seem simple but there is a depth yet to be explored in this matter.  Apostle Paul tells the Church in Philippe that believers need to work out their salvation with fear and trembling but yet it is GOD who wills in them to do His pleasure. Philippians 2:12-13.  It sounds like, on one hand it is up to us and on the other hand, it is up to GOD.  Yet, the real meaning of the scripture is that the work GOD was doing in us is what results in our response to allow the work of salvation in our lives. After all, “Salvation belongs to the LORD!”  We can never procure our salvation. Nothing can make us qualify except the grace of GOD at work in us all.

So then, it is definitely not expedient to continue to wallow in the “not good enough” line of reasoning. Do we really believe what Christ has done for us?  Christ has set us free from condemnation!  Even the accuser of the brethren has been cast down! Rev 12:10.  We are free indeed!  And it is the Spirit of Life (not death) that has set us free.  Death is done away with!

1 Corinthians 15:54c-57
“Death is swallowed up in victory.” 
“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

So, I as a believer can no longer make death-to-self my indicator of progress.  Believers are called to become born-again and cross from death to life.  So death-to-self is only a tool that helps us to be positioned into our life-in-Christ location.  In actuality, what I do is I consciously give up my will each day in order to gain Christ afresh.  The objective is not the giving up of my will but my gaining Christ. I keep up this transaction each day until I receive an incorruptible body and I  myself have attained resurrection from the dead.  So, my goal is not the crucifixion of my flesh but the resurrection of my soul.  To me, the cross is an instrument of death, the empty grave a revelation of new life.

As believers, we must realize that our faith is totally in vain if Christ only died and never rose again.  Perhaps it is time we become more determined to celebrate the resurrection of our LORD everyday and not just at Easter.  This is the very heart of the Gospel.  Not only that Christ died for us but that He rose again from the dead so we too can rise again when we die.  The empty tomb becomes our new symbol – no longer the man on the cross.  Let’s face it, maybe this is one of the reasons why the world has failed to latch on to our message of life as they should.

Also consider this: In Him (Christ) is Life and that is the light of men that shines and overwhelms darkness.  John 1:4.  Because of our focus on life, we keep reaching out, shining the light of the LORD through the darkness that is seems quite pervasive in this world.  We continue to illumine the glory of the LORD in this manner as we see so many souls saved and the kingdom of heaven properly established on earth.

Beloved, let us remain in light as we have passed from death to life.

God Bless!

Pastor Yemi

I found myself deeply concerned this week about an incident that occurred between me and certain individuals that I do business with.  I felt that I had let my guard down and afforded the individuals the opportunity to gain an upper hand.  If you are like me, you are typically hard on yourself and your own worst critic.  Here I was, concerned and almost beginning to lose confidence in myself.  Yes, I know, my challenges may differ from yours but the truth is that at some stage, we all feel inadequate and unable to prevail in particular circumstances.

What is noteworthy is the fact that we can always study or even talk about the LORD Jesus, His doctrine and principles without getting to effectively apply the proceeds to our lives.  This is why we have such a sharp contrast between what believers say and do in our society today.  Many implicitly believe participation in worship services equals being good Christians.  This is not so. What we believe must also be worked out in our lives.  Whatever we cannot leverage does not really matter.

I too had to practice what I was preaching.  I was teaching about covenant but realized that I myself was not in covenant position.

So what is “Covenant Position”, you ask?  Well, this is a place where you and I get to remain (Stand) In Him as He also remains in us.   In that place, nothing matters but God.  Anyone seeking to reach us will have to first go through God!  By default, our enemies also become enemies of God.  Well, I was exposed to the subject of “covenant position” in the past but now had to go deeper and rebuild my comprehension and ability to execute from the bottom-up.  So let us gain some understanding:

Covenant

Covenant is an oath-bound promise whereby one party solemnly pledges to bless or serve another party in some specified way.  This oath bound promise involves mutual obligations with a commitment to responsibility and action.

We can safely say that the foundation for our Christian faith is based on covenant. Unfortunately, we have lost the real meaning of covenant in the West.

A covenant can either be established between people or between people and God. You can either have two people that love each other like a husband and wife, Ruth and Naomi or David and Jonathan.  One can also have covenant between two people groups.  The other dimension is covenant between people and God.

Here are some key characteristics of Covenant:

Not bounded by time.
Unlike a contract, a covenant is not bounded by time. A covenant typically lasts from generation to generation.  A covenant is in force as long as all parties are alive.

This is why a marriage between a man and a woman is really a covenant and not a contract.

Sadly, many people today say their marriage vows only to divorce shortly afterwards.  As a matter of fact, the institution of marriage has come under severe enemy attack lately and we all have to rise up and fight to preserve it.

Malachi 2:14 (ESV)
14 But you say, “Why does he not?” Because the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.

Covenant involves life
A covenant is in force until one or both of the parties involved become unable to fulfill their part of the covenant.  This is typically because of death.  The initiation of covenant involves some form of life to indicate: “till death do us part”.

Covenant is complete trust!
When Jonathan made a covenant with David, he gave David his weapons, shields and belt and joined his soul to David’s in complete trust!  1 Sam 18.  Ruth clung to her mother in law, Naomi in absolute trust and abandon saying: “Where you go I go; where you stay I stay only death will separate us” Ruth 1:16

Covenant is complete sharing
Covenant produces common union where all the parties involved become one!   A married couple become one!  Gen 2:24. The early church shared all things together: food, clothing, and other possessions.  Those who lacked had their needs met.  They had complete unity – Koinonia.  Acts 2:42-46.  Parties in covenant have common friends and common enemies.  Everything is shared!  This is why God forbids us to yoke with those of darkness.  Friendship with the world is enmity with God.  Israel was warned not to covenant with other nations.  That included inter-marriage.  Marriage is covenant and sex is the consummation – the act of covenant.

A vow or oath initiates the covenant.  The corresponding act is what brings implementation or fulfillment. This is why illicit sex (outside marriage) is so sinful.  Sex is an act of covenant.

Covenant is the basis for moving forward in the early church!

The stronger the covenant the greater the negotiations – with families binding through generations

The Exchange
Jonathan and David exchanged and gained common strength, favor, and authority.

When God covenants with us, He gives us His name, authority and might in exchange for our very souls.

He gave Abram a new name – Abraham and He became the God of Abraham!  When we give Him our old lives (condemned to death), He gives us His life which is eternal!

Christ came to cut covenant on our behalf!  He paid the penalties for separating from the Old Covenant and initiated a new covenant through His same death.  He became the propitiator (mercy  seat), then broker (mediator) through which the Father God now sees us:  redeemed and righteous!

When we position ourselves in Christ, we also gain Covenant Position.  This is a worry free place in the presence of God, where righteousness, peace and joy prevails.  So why should I worry? Why should I be afraid?  If God is for me, who can be against me?

It is God’s covenant with us that allows Him to fight for us. Just as He fought for Judah against Ammon, Mt. Seir and Moab in the valley of Jehoshaphat 2 Chr. 20.  So whatever you are facing today, please see that the battle is not yours but the LORD’s!

God will ALWAYS fight for you as long as you remain in covenant in Him.  Time to stop willful sinning!  Why be like a senseless mule that has to be forced everywhere? Psalm 32:9

Get into covenant position!

Really give Him your life and stop trying to manage on our own and then blaming others for the consequences.

You cannot keep trying to claim the benefits of the covenant with God if you fail to fulfill your obligations.  You know God WILL ALWAYS fulfill His side.  What about you?

Give up your weapons – lose the weapon
Give up your anger, self defense mechanisms, woundedness,

Give up your Identity
Give up your mission for His mission

Remember all the people that walked uprightly in God were in Covenant Position.

Say a prayer right now!

We will discuss mechanisms around the cutting of covenant next time and also more techniques for maintaining Covenant Position.

God Bless!

with your work of faith, labor of love and enduring hope

It is so refreshing to see that the Word of God is truly alive and active (Heb. 6:12) and always relevant to whatever context we experience as we journey through life! Many times, I find the call and thrust to reach the world for Christ so over whelming and hard. Yes, we are supposed to keep speaking the language of faith – In God. But in all honesty it sometimes feels as if there is way too much missing for us to obtain proper traction especially in this part of the world – the US.

Just recently, I was looking through the first letter of Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians and my face lit up as hope began to flood my heart again! The very young church in Thessalonica, Macedonia was greatly commended for their work of faith, labor of love and steadfastness of hope! They took the word of God to heart so much that they became imitators of the missionaries (Paul, Silas and Timothy) and began to spread the gospel through all of Macedonia (Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea..) , Achaia and all over! 1 Thess. 1:2-8

I then began to wonder what made this church of relatively new believers so effective so quickly. The missionaries were no longer needed for spreading the gospel. All the church needed was to be undergirded and encouraged as they went forth!

Well, here are really important things I found. I truly now believe that if we all adhered to these things that we too will begin to see the saving gospel of Christ effectively propagate through our live, our families, communities, cities and nations. Here they are:

1. The Word of the gospel of Christ was preached – Not fables, or doctrines of man but the living word of God!
2. The gospel was proclaimed with power! 1 Cor. 4:20, Rom 1:16, 1 Cor. 2:1-4
3. The gospel was proclaimed in the presence of the Holy Spirit. Darkness can only be dispelled in the presence of God! Gen. 1:2-3, 2 Cor.3:17
4. The gospel was proclaimed with conviction! Truth faith was released as the word came forth. Rom 10:17
5. The gospel was received with Joy despite the afflictions and difficulties. They dealt with sorrow from the death of loved ones, Greek opposition and false teachings and also saw the challenges the missionaries faced. James 1:2-4
6. The gospel was manifested in the lives of those proclaiming the gospel. There was proof of the gospel in the lives of the people. 1 Thess 1:5
7. The gospel was contagious and there was replication as people became imitators of those manifesting the effects of the gospel. They were examples to believers everywhere. 1 Thess 1:6-8

How much of an example am I? How much of an example are you?

We do need to first personally align ourselves to what we have seen in the young Macedonia church and quit the things that hinder the propagation of the gospel of Christ.

There is no other way mankind can be saved without really coming to the saving liberation of the knowledge of truth – that Christ (Son of God) died for our sin(s) so that we can join with Him in his death – through faith and also live with Him eternally through His resurrection from the dead.

Spread the Word!

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