Knowing who I am in Christ is essential to understanding my mandate, my purpose in the earth. I’m just going to warn you…this one is scripture-heavy, as I am sourcing every statement below, but that is good for bible study purposes!

Who am I? I am the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21) It has been given to me when I gave my allegiance to Jesus Christ as Lord of my life. I exchanged my sin for His righteousness. (Romans 5:12) As such, I can walk in the earth without fear and under God’s protection (Psalm 91), as Jesus walked, teaching, performing miracles, calming storms, multiplying food, healing the sick and raising the dead, even walking on water, should that be needed. (Mark 16)  I should be doing even greater things than Jesus did, because he said we would. (John 14:12)

What does being the righteousness of God mean? It means spiritually I am seated with Him in heavenly places, far above all principalities and powers. (Ephesians 2:6). That is my spiritual position.  As He is, so am I in the earth. He is my model of how to manifest the kingdom of God through love, which includes miracles (1 Cor. 14), teaching, “doing good and healing all who are oppressed of the devil.” (Acts 10:38)

How does this truth manifest itself? This truth means I have authority in the earth (which was originally given to men to rule, see Genesis 1:28). I have authority over demonic powers, and spiritually over evil men, even evil men operating in man’s “authority.” Righteousness in God places me in that position. My authority, my identity is from above, where Jesus Christ is Lord over all; all judgment has been given into His hands (John 5:22) until the time of the end, when He turns the kingdom over to His Father (1 Cor. 15:24).

I am totally redeemed from the devil’s works of darkness and his domain. However I must not continue participate in them. I am still redeemed from them even if I should accidentally participate in them in some fashion, (which we still do at times) which would put me at risk to be touched by the devil who is roaming about looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). But I can escape through repentance (1 John 1:9). God always gives a way out of temptation if I am paying attention! (1 Cor. 10:13) I am free and cleansed by the sacrifice that Jesus made for me and the whole world, because God loves His creation so very much. (John 3:16-17)  Sin has no dominion over me. (Romans 6:14) I am free from it through the cross. Its power over me is broken. Hallelujah! The Holy Spirit of God lives in me and speaks to me. ( 1 Cor. 2) I am His temple. (1 Cor. 3:16) I carry Him around with me as He leads me in the paths of righteousness and the plan of God for my life. (Psalm 23:3) Because of that, I have His mind and access to His thoughts. (1 Cor. 2:16)

I can now be the head and not the tail. I can walk free from sin, sickness, disease and the devil. God has a plan and a purpose for my life. (real, not just a platitude) (Jeremiah 1) Consider Joseph with his early dreams foretelling God’s plan for his life. (Genesis 37) Moses perceived the plan of God for his life early on, but went about fulfilling it in the wrong way. (Acts 7:25)  The Old Testament is full of stories of how God used normal, imperfect people to work His will in the earth. It is no different today. God loves His creation. He really, really does. He wants people to know about Him and His great love for them. He wants to use us to show people that, just like Jesus did when he proved the love of God for mankind by going about doing good and healing all who were oppressed of the devil. He is the express image of God. (Hebrews 1.) We, as His church and bride, are to be the express image of God in the earth.

We are to use the gifts and talents that God has given us to work to establish His kingdom on the earth, as He has prepared works beforehand that I should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10), but I have to seek Him to find out these things. (Matthew 6:33)

The Kingdom of God will be established on the earth some day in a full demonstration of His authority. The devil and his evil cohorts will be bound (Revelation 22) and unable to deceive mankind. Until that happens, His church is the manifestation of the Kingdom and will of God in the earth, standing against the powers of darkness until others who are called to this kingdom can get free and enter into it through salvation. But God likes to show off His power, which is where healing, miracles and the dead being raised comes in. This brings glory to Him and people to salvation. It is a demonstration of His great love.

The evil of our day is experiencing a shaking like I don’t think it ever has, at least not in my lifetime. God is exposing much darkness, especially in our government entities. Placing men in authority over other men has alway been risky. When God is honored and godliness rule men’s lives, the risk is diminished, but when such rebellion in men’s hearts prevails, there is no such guarantee. We have been born in this time for a reason and must take our positions in the war, whatever that may be. God is calling us to it. Will we respond and reap the rewards of it? Or will He need to get another to take our place? I want to be smack dab in the center of where He wants me.

Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. As we walk about our daily lives, are we destroying the works of the devil? If we are to be like him, that should be our purpose too, don’t ya’ think?

Prayer: Dear Jesus, I acknowledge Your Lordship in my life. I declare that You only are the Lord of my life. Open the eyes of my heart to see You and to hear You as I find Your will in my life. I want to help Your Kingdom come to  earth and help others come to know Your awesome love and power. I want to see You work in my life and the lives of my family and friends. Thank You for everything You have done for me. Thank You for dying on the cross that I might be free.