 Good morning everyone. Welcome again to the class of BC 110 Identity, Identity in Christ. So last class, what did we learn? What did we learn in last class? Who we are in Christ is who we really are. Yes, we're going to repeat this several times in each class so that we get a hold of this word and it becomes a reality in us. So as we studied last class on identity, identifying ourself in Christ, identifying ourself in Christ. So today we're going to study on the revelation, on the revelation of being in Christ. When you see yourself, you identify, yes, I'm not alone. I am in Christ and Christ is in me. Now we are getting the revelation of Christ. What is a revelation mean? A realization, something that we didn't understand before. We are getting to know now that we are in Christ. For example, imagine you're wearing a blazer. How do you wear a blazer? How do you wear a blazer? You just insert yourself inside the blazer, isn't it? And now the blazer, the coat has been covering you. You are inside and you see there's a coat that is wrapping you. The same way we are inside Christ. We are inside Him. Imagine that Christ is there and you have just inserted yourself in Him. So what happens in John 14? Can I request one of y'all to please read John chapter 14 verse 19 and 20? Thank you, Sean. So what we read here in John chapter 14 verse 19 and 20, we read that a little while longer and the world will see me no more. But you will see me because I live and you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in my Father, you in me and I in you. So what do we see here? Jesus is foretelling to his disciples saying that that there will come a time when his disciples will receive a revelation about this union of being with Christ. In the New Testament we see that Apostle Paul receives this revelation of being in Christ and he writes one third of the New Testament and reveals to us that in Christ we are in Christ. Our identity is in Christ. So as we read John chapter 15 verse 1 to 5, here we see an illustration about a wine and the branches. So I just read so that our online students also hear us better. I am the true wine and my Father is the wine dresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, it takes away and every branch that bears fruit, it prunes that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Verse 4, very important. It says, abide in me and I in you. You see, abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the wine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. Verse 5 says, I am the wine and you are the branches. You abide in me and I in them bears much fruit and without me you can do nothing. Without me you can do nothing. That means there are certain tasks in our life which seems to be so impossible. But with God all things are possible. So here we are getting an illustration. The Lord uses this illustration for us to understand how important it is for us to abide in Him. Just like how the wine and the branches are abiding together, the relationship of between us and God should be like that. Just like how the branches draws its strength, its nutrition, everything from the wine. That's how we should abide in Christ so that we can draw our strength, draw the grace, draw whatever is needed for us through Christ. When we are connected with Him, it is a spiritual connection. We are spiritually connected with Christ being one with Him so that we can bear much fruit in our life. So what happens now? What is in Christ is in us. What is in Christ becomes us. The life of Christ will start flowing in and through us. That's why the New Testament we read that the old things are passed away. Behold, you have become new. How? We look the same, isn't it? So when we receive Jesus as a Lord and Saviour, did our appearance change? Did our color change from short to tall or tall? Did we expand or change any change? We just look the same. But what changed? Something changed inside. The spirit person inside changed. So we are trying to be more like Christ and as we studied in the last class, it is the decision. It is a process to be more like Christ. Now how can that happen? By the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells in us, makes us do things that pleases God and He works continuously in us. He convicts us since He makes us not to do the things that this pleases God. So we start working within us to be more like Christ. And as we start striving ourselves to lead our life that pleases God, we see ourselves. There's a change that happens inside out, sometimes without our own knowledge. You don't have to say that you are a changed person. But your people who are interacting with you or living with you or seeing you witness those changes in you. They will tell you there's something different in you. That which was not there in you before is in you now. And you see, we start bearing fruit. The Christ life will start being manifested in and through us when we lead our life with Christ conscious within us. The seed that is in the fruit is very important because the seed is the one that will be used for multiplication. Isn't it? If you sow one seed, do we get one fruit, one tree? When you sow one seed, you get one tree. But then look at the fruit in that tree. There's much fruit, 30, 60 and 90. So when we abide in Christ and Christ abides in us, we will be much fruitful. So that is very important. Multiplication in God's kingdom is very important because one changed person can impact the world. Just like how the disciples were impacted. Disciples were touched and they impacted the nation. They carried the great commission within them. One encounter, Apostle Paul, what happened? He impacted the world. He took many missionary journeys. He planted many churches. He ministered to many, raised great leaders. The work of God continued in and through them. So what the Holy Spirit did in the early church, still the same Holy Spirit can do in and through us. How? When we have this relationship with Christ. So when we abide in Him and He abides in us, we can bear much fruit. So as we read in Ephesians, we're going to study on the first chapter of Ephesians chapter 1 to 14 where Apostle Paul gets this revelation of union with Christ and He reveals it here. So we'll consider this first chapter of Ephesians, Ephesians chapter 1 verse 1 to 14. It says, Paul and Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God to the saints who are in Ephesians and faithful in Christ Jesus. Verse 3 says, Blessed be the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. So you and I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing. We need to believe this. And verse 4 says, Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world. Before the foundation of the world. Very important that we need to know that you and I have been chosen by God before the foundation of the world. That we should be holy without blame before Him in love. When we read through 14, we understand that Apostle Paul reveals this revelation that he has received from God about in Christ. In 4 verses, we see 10 times he talks about we being in Christ in different phrases like in Christ Jesus, in Christ in Him, in the beloved. And several times he says in Him and in home. So when you go through it, I would recommend you all to please mark that. The 10 phrases that Apostle Paul reveals to us, our identity is in Christ. So there are all 150 such references about speaking our identity in Christ in the whole of New Testament that we have been identified in Christ. So Christ in the New Testament and our identity is in Christ. That's what the New Testament reveals that you are in Christ. Who we are is who we are in Christ. So this is the understanding. This is the truth that we need to understand as we study this course. So in Ephesians chapter 1, 1 to 14, we also see that there are 16 descriptors of the believer's identity and his inheritance in the life in Christ. So our life is not alone that we lead our life in Christ. So how? We see in verse 3, we have been identified as we are blessed in Christ. We are chosen in Christ in verse 4. The same verse we also see that we have been made holy. We have been made sanctified and we are set apart for a greater call. And again in verse 4, it says we are covered in His love. We are covered in love, totally loved by the Father. Again and again the scripture says that God loves us. God loves you and me. That's why John 3.16 says that He sent His only begotten Son because He loves us. So Paul says here that just not Christ but God loves us. And in verse 5 and 11, we see that we are predestined according to His purpose. So we are not a surprise, we are not a mistake. Anyone considered yourself as a mistake? No, you are not a mistake. We have been predestined in Christ. We have been adopted as a child of God. And we have all the right to call God as our Father because now we are in Christ. We have been adopted as His children. And in verse 6 and 12, we see that people for His praise, displaying His glory, revealing His grace. And in verse 6, we see that we have been accepted in the beloved. There is an acceptance. If you feel that you are rejected, rejected by your family, rejected by your friends, but rejected by your loved ones, you should have this assurance that in Christ I have been accepted. And verse 7, very important, talks about we are redeemed. There is a prize that has been paid for each of us. We have been redeemed. We have been forgiven. If you feel guilty for certain things in your life, certain incidents, you should have this assurance that you have been forgiven. And because you have been forgiven, we should also be ready to forgive others so that the blessing of God can flow in and through us. Very important to be forgiven and to forgive. And verse 8 talks about the recipients of a bounding, overflowing grace. God's grace will just not help us to be satisfied, but it will be an overflowing grace that you can't hold just for yourself. Verse 10 talks about gathered as one in Christ. We have been made one in Christ. And verse 11 says it has given an inheritance, obtained an inheritance. And verse 13, very important, we have been sealed by the Holy Spirit. You don't have to go with the feelings. When you pray, you need to get this goosebumps, you need to feel the chill, you need to feel that warmth. No, you need to just know, you need to have this knowing that the Holy Spirit abides in me and I have been sealed by the Holy Spirit. You need to have this knowing, you need to have this understanding, you need to have this revelation and don't go just by your feelings. I'm not saying that is wrong, but that's just an expression of the presence of God over you. But the knowing is something, whether you feel or you don't feel, but you should know, you should have that assurance that God is in you and you are in. And verse 14, purchased possession, you are much valued. If you feel that you're not worth, if you feel anyway less towards anything, but you need to know that in Christ you are valued. You are purchased possession Christ has paid a price for you and me. Our identity discovers us that who we are in Christ. We have the inheritance in him. We have a life in him. We are in him and there's a union between us and Christ. Let's take this time now to pause for a moment and start declaring these things over ourselves. Online students, I request you just take time, declare this phrase. Whatever I say right now about the 16 descriptives over ourselves. It is very important for us to declare. Why? Because our words have power. Isaiah 55.11 says, every word that comes out of your mouth shall not return void. It shall bear fruit for what it was sent forth. So the importance is we need to declare. Don't tell it within you, but we need to speak out very important. So let's take this moment and declare it over ourselves. Who I am in Christ is who I really am. I'm blessed with every blessing from God. I'm chosen. I'm holy and set apart and to God. I'm blameless without fault and righteous in a sight. I'm covered in love, totally loved by the Father. I'm predestined according to his purpose. I'm adopted as his child into his family. I'm a people for his praise, displaying his glory, revealing his grace. I'm accepted in the beloved. I'm redeemed by his blood. I'm forgiven in Jesus. I'm a recipient of his rebounding. Sorry, I'm recipient of his abounding, overflowing grace. I'm part of those gathered together as one in Christ Jesus. I have been given a rich spiritual inheritance in Jesus. I have been sealed with the Holy Spirit and have God's mark of ownership on my life. I'm purchased position. I belong to him. I am his property. Very important, isn't it? We should know that we have inheritance in Christ and we belong to him and we are his property. We are God's property. So, Paul states this in verse 4, Ephesians 4 says, Before the foundation of the world, that God chose us. So, even before he created the first man and women, God already determined that we are his people. We are his children. We are in Christ and we have been set apart. We have our identity in Christ. We have the inheritance of God. That's why he has called us. I'm sure each of us here, when I ask to share your testimony, you will have your background to share how we went astray. But where are you now? No matter how far we can go, but because the call of God is on our life, he draws us to him. He has set us apart. We are in him and he with us. Notice in the same passage, Ephesians chapter 1 verse 13 to 14, we see the past tense used in the scripture. What is the past tense that we can see here? In verse 3, we see that who has blessed us? We need to have the assurance that God has blessed us. We don't have to say, God bless me, bless me. No, you need to just believe that God has blessed us. Verse 4 says, he chose us in him. You're already chosen. You have already been set apart. He predestined us to be adopted. Verse 5 says that you are my child. You're the child of God. And in verse 6, we see that he has accepted us, has his beloved. So here we see our identity is that we are beloved in Christ. We have been redeemed. Verse 7 verse 11 says we have obtained an inheritance. We have a very rich inheritance in Christ. So what's in them is ours. And verse 13, we see that we are sealed by the power of the Holy Spirit. So God is not planning to do something with you in your future now because you have set yourself aside. You're trying to discipline yourself. You're trying to please God with all your hard work. No, it is the grace of God which has predestined and we are there in him as per his plan. So don't worry about your future because God will lead you in the right path. All we have to do is just abide in him. Just have this revelation of being union with him, being connected with him. So when we are connected, what happens when we are connected with Christ? We have become one with God so that you can hear what God senses. Even whatever he says, you can start sensing the heart of God. Just imagine the relationship that Abraham would have had with God that when he was about to sacrifice Isaac, he could sense God. That is the relationship which you and I should have. We should tune ourselves to that. So how do we get ourselves tuned into that kind of relationship that we can get, we can hear God, we can sense God? When we pray, we get into the presence of God by reading his word, by knowing him more. That's what the scripture says, Romans 10, 17. Faith comes by hearing and hearing. Why did they say two times the same word has been repeated? Something to do repeatedly. So the relationship that you build with God does not happen just one day but it is a process. So every day you start talking to him. You start praying, you start seeking. There's an urge, there's a passion within you to know God. You're just not satisfied with what you know about him or with the revelation that you have about God but then you go more and more, you're wanting more and more just like how Moses desired and asked God I'm just not satisfied with the manifestation that you revealed to me but I need more of you, I need more of your glory, I need more encounter with you. So when we seek every day, every day, God reveals himself to you because his word says, seek me and you will find. So be assured that your future is in God's hand, it's secured and he is leading you because he says that my sheep will hear my voice. The more we develop this relationship with God, the fellowship with God, we will start leading ourselves in the way God wants us to lead. In the same passage, verse 3, we see that blessed be the God and the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. So our identity in the spiritual realm is that we in Christ. So when the spiritual realm sees us, they see us in Christ. So they don't see us, they see Christ. And in the natural realm, how the people look at us, we in Christ. So every task that we do, the way we handle people, the way we get our task done, they see this person is able to do this only by the grace of God. As a human, as a person, I don't think this can be done, but it's only by the grace. If you see some of the great leaders who led the life pleasing to God and many ministry leaders, you see, whatever they could achieve, they could achieve it only by the grace of God. It's not because of the hard work, it's because of the grace that God gave them. How did God give them that grace? Because they depended on God that much. So we in our journey, we need to depend on God because the scripture says that I have blessed you with every spiritual blessing. Everything that you need is what you have in Christ. So all we need is Christ. When we have Jesus with him, when we have Christ in us, every need has been met. So we need to learn to live our life spiritual in the natural realm. We need to depend more on God, even for small things. Hey, this I can do certain things. You know, we segregate, we separate ourselves. These are the things that I can do in my ability and these are the things I need the help of God. So I keep it aside. I say, God, you don't interfere in certain things. No, we're going to keep every area open to God. Allow God to work even in your weaknesses. Let's not hide our weaknesses, friend of God, because God is all-knowing, isn't it? He can see in and through us. There's nothing hidden. So when we bring it to God and when we invite him into every area of our life, the scripture says, when you're weak, then you're strong. He enables us to overcome our weaknesses. He strengthens us in difficult times and he will help us to overcome and be more like Christ. The same passage, verse 9 and 10, we see there's a mystery of his will being revealed. Christ is the mystery of God, which was unveiled only to his children. All that God would do for us in Christ is part of this mystery of his will. So Apostle Paul gets this revelation and he declares that God made known to us this mystery through the Word. So Paul declares that this mystery includes having the Gentiles to share this wonderful promise in Christ. So Christ is not only for the Jews, but it is also for the Gentiles. Those who believe in Jesus will have this relationship, will have the access to the relationship in God. What a privilege that we have today in Christ with the work that Jesus did on the cross. So we need to understand that our identity in Christ is all about discovering our inheritance in our life and the victory that we have and knowing that we don't fight the battle, but we fight the battle from the victory. Knowing that God has already won the battle. He is Jehovah, Missy, Lord of victory banner. We need to know that. We need to claim in certain situations to strengthen ourselves. Ephesians chapter 1 verse 15 to 23. We see there is an amazing truth of being in Christ. So here we see Apostle Paul. He goes on to pray that the believers of Ephesians will experience the enlightening of the spiritual understanding through the work of the spirit of wisdom and revelation. So here we see a human spirit as at least seven functions. So what are those functions? What are those functions? Like our conscious where we recognize the right and wrong. So God has already put us within us. When we lead our life, we know what is right and wrong. Knowing we have this spiritual revelation and the knowledge of God knowing within us. And then we see the third one communion where we can worship and have a fellowship with God. Then a container. Container of life, nature, grace, the power and glory of God which is revealed in and through us. So we are the container or a substance that can hold the presence of God. Identity, fifth one. We have been identified in Christ. And sixth is the action. Believing there is action that is needed from us. Believing, serving, interceding, fighting or getting things done in the spirit. We need to take certain actions at certain season and certain circumstances. Sixth, sorry, seventh growth. Growing in Christ likeness. So that's the process that we are in. Knowing, equipping, growing and putting things into action. So growing into Christ likeness. So one of these seven functions is to grow in the knowledge of God. It's very important. This is the spiritual knowledge. When we talk about knowledge, it is a spiritual knowledge. It is a revelation. It is a revelation of who God is in and through us. So what is this revelation like what Ren says? What did you say? Sorry. Realization. So we can divide this revelation like perception plus illumination. What is perception? What is perception? An ability to see spiritual things. An ability to see spiritual things. And what is illumination? Something that has been enlightened. Something that which we were not able to understand before, we are able to understand now. A good illustration would be when a person enters a dark room and he has a perfect eyesight, 2020. So he enters a dark room. Would he be able to see anything in the dark room? No, everything looks dark. Now, the same room is brightened, illuminated and a person entering the room has a poor eyesight. Will he be able to see anything? Will he be able to see anything? He will not be able to see because he is having a poor eyesight. Now, when the Holy Spirit opens his eyes, now there is something illuminated. Something that was hidden before has been made clear. Something that he could not see before. The same room is able to see things clearly. There is a revelation. Something that we read before in the scripture. We didn't have certain understanding. But now when we read, we are able to understand why the relationship with God is different now. Every time you read, every time you get a new revelation. It's the same word. It's the same person. How is that happening? Why? Because you are growing in the relationship with God. The more you grow deeper, the deeper way God can reveal things to you. A five-year-old child has a different understanding what you and I can understand. The same situation, circumstance. Now, isn't it? Same way. Same way as we grow deeper and deeper the relationship in the fellowship with Christ, the understanding, the revelation, the knowledge in Christ will be revealed in much deeper way. So it is very important to grow in revelation. Grow in relationship with Christ so that we can understand this word better. So Colossians chapter 1 verse 26 to 27 reads like this. The mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generation but now has been revealed to his saints. But now it's been revealed to us. To them God will to make known what are the riches of glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of glory. So what has happened? God has revealed this truth by his Holy Spirit to his people. So each time when we read we see a new revelation. We see that we are growing in the knowledge of Christ. How God himself reveals things to us in the way that we can understand. He communicates to each of us very differently because we are a different being, we are different person. So he talks to us. He has a fellowship with us in the way that we can understand. So our identity in Christ is very important function as a human. So our human spirit carries the identity in the spiritual realm. So what we discover in the study is that the identity that we have in Christ is very important both in spiritual and in natural realm. That can be developed only by the relationship we have with Christ. Last point that we would like to cover in this session is growing in knowledge with Christ. Colossians chapter 3 verse 9 to 10 Colossians chapter 3 verse 9 to 10 says do not lie to one another one another since you have put off the old man with his deeds. Verse 10 says and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of him who created him. So we must understand that a spirit needs continually to be fed upon and grow the revelation knowledge of who we are in Christ. It's not just once. I had an encounter with Christ so I know I am in Christ so I can lead my whole life with that. A spirit person need to be fed continuously. So the word renewed in verse 10 literally means continuously being renewed. We need to feed our person. What we feed is what you can expect things to grow. Isn't it? When we feed more on the word you can expect yourself to grow more in spirit and then truth. So in Colossians chapter 3 verse 10 says for you have acquired new creation life which is continuously continually being renewed into the lightness of one who created you giving you the full revelation of God. So what's happening here? We are becoming a new creation in our spirit. We may look the same but our spirit person has been renewed day after day. When we pray, when we get into the presence of God we see that we have been rooted in Him. We have been grounded in Him. So when we are rooted and grounded in Him we will bear much fruit. The goal of this study for us is to know that our identity is in Christ and we are filled with the knowledge of this truth that we are in Christ and we can be assured that Christ is in us. We need to live this truth out in our life. Okay? With that we will end the session and we will get into a time of prayer and ask God, God reveal yourself to me. Reveal yourself to me. I need more of you. Lord help me to develop the relationship that I need to have with you so that I know you so that I grow in the knowledge in the revelation of more of you in me. No matter what I come across no matter what hurdles or obstacles are ahead of me but the knowing that I am in you, you and me we can cross over Lord because you are the God the God of all knowing the God who is all powerful is abiding in me. The God who is much stronger the God who is able is abiding in me. Lord as I pray I lift up each and every student on campus those who are online and those who will be doing this course later and studying I pray and I speak your blessing over them that they will be enabled to identify of who they are in you or father. I pray that you will give this revelation that they can identify themselves in you that we have been made one in you. Thank you father that you are the God who abides in us. You are the God who desire to have relationship with us. You are the God who desires to do great and mighty things in and through us. You are the God who have called us. You have predestined us even before the foundation of this world. Father I pray that I speak and release your grace on each one of them Lord those who are seeking you those who are earnestly searching for more of you. I pray that you will satisfy them with more of you or father. Blessed are those who thirst for more of your spirit for they will be quenched for they will find God. Lord I pray that as each one seek you they will find you Lord. Thank you that they are able to identify themselves in you. Thank you father that you have enabled each of us Lord that you have enabled us to understand the revelation the mystery of God as we study the word. Thank you father. Thank you Lord. Thank you for doing great things in and through us. Thank you for having a relationship with us Lord. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. Thank you class for joining in. I hope it was a blessed session. Thank you. God bless. See you all in the next session. Thank you.