Abundance:

            We through His poverty might become rich:

2 Corinthians 8:9

9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.

            Most of us would be willing to give up our rags for riches, but what about going the other way? Jesus was willing to give up everything to come to earth as a man and then to die for us. That was kind of like riches to rags. Yet, because He was willing to give up all, He gained more than we can conceive … for Himself and for us. We became rich; not as the world counts riches, but as God counts riches. Sure it would be nice to have a lot of money, but why do you want it? Too many Christians would spend it on themselves. Oh, they would claim to want it to help the Kingdom, but when it came down to it, would they really spend it to further God’s Kingdom or to establish their own? Yes, God does want us to be blessed financially. But He wants us to be blessed spiritually first. Then we will be better able to make good use of the riches He has in store for us.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "You are rich, My children; not as the world counts riches, but as I count them. The riches of this world will soon decay and disappear; but the riches I give will last for eternity. You cannot succeed in this world no matter how hard you try or how many riches you obtain. They will all flee away at the last trumpet. You cannot take them with you when you die, so don’t long for them. I will supply all your needs as you trust Me. You cannot get impatient waiting for Me to meet your needs. I will do it in My time. Abraham did not see all the riches I had for him when I promised them to him. He had to wait until the correct time. Then he saw them in abundance. There is no lack in Me. If you follow My Word, you will succeed in life; not as the world counts success, but as I count it. You can succeed in Me, even though the world thinks you have failed. It’s not that you will be defeated in this life; for I want My people to be successful in this life also; but it is more important to be successful in My Kingdom than to be successful in this world. You will more than succeed if you trust in Me. You will be more than conquerors in Me. You will make others desire to come into My Kingdom as they see your success in Me.”

            57. Jesus became poor for me so that I through His poverty might become rich.

Dead or Alive:

            Abolished death by tasting death for everyone:

2 Timothy 1:10

10 but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,

Acts 2:24

24 “But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.

Hebrews 2:9

9 But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.

            When I was growing up, there was a brief time that I was afraid of dying. We as Christians should have no fear of death. It has no power over the real person. Our spirit man will live forever. That doesn’t mean that we desire death. We simply do not fear it … no fear. Not only do we no longer fear death; we look forward to true life here and now and forever. Hundreds of years ago Ponce DeLeon searched for the Fountain of Youth in order to live forever. People today keep trying new things to keep from growing old and dying. We’re not searching for that Fountain of Youth. We’ve found it in Jesus. We can have confidence in the abolishment of death and the immortality of life because the Gospel has shed light upon them to us.

            By Jesus being raised from the dead, He showed that death no longer had power over Him. Thus, it has no power over us. We may die, but death can’t keep us in the ground. We will also rise again like He did. There will also not be any agony while we are there.  We will be anticipating our soon coming resurrection.

            Jesus tasted death for each one of us so that we don’t have to. Do not fear death any longer, but rejoice in the Lord that He has taken away its pain and sorrow.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "There is no fear in death, My children. There is nothing that can harm you as you walk in My will. I have longed to see you and it shall not be long. Those that long for Me will not be disappointed. They will see Me as I am. I am not far from you, and it will not be long till you see Me. In Me you have life and that life is abundant. You shall never fear as long as you walk in Me. There is no fear in the future when you trust in Me. In Me you have peace; a peace that the world cannot understand nor experience. You shall know My peace in all circumstances. There is nothing that can come upon you of which I am not aware. There is nothing that can come upon you to harm you as you trust in My care. My Spirit is ever with you to bring you safely into My Kingdom and to be with Me. There is no other place to be than with Me. In Me you have eternal life and eternal rest.”

            56. I need not fear death any longer because it has no power over me. I know that because it had no power over Jesus. I will only have life and immortality though Him. I can believe that because the Gospel, His Word, says that it’s so.

Chapter 6

Results in Your Life

            My math students are always asking, “How can we use this in real life?” Well, how can we use this destiny thing in real life? That’s what this chapter is all about. It goes through some of the verses that we have not already looked at in the previous two volumes. We can see further how God wants us to use what is ours to bring about His Kingdom in our lives.

Overcoming:

            Victory in Christ:

           

1 Corinthians 15:57

57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

            He gives us the victory. We don’t have to earn it. We couldn’t earn it; otherwise, we wouldn’t need Him. We don’t just barely make it, either. We have victory. This victory is through Jesus. Notice that it says our Lord Jesus Christ. If He’s not Lord, you won’t be having victory in your life. You will always be struggling to accomplish what He’s already done in our lives.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "You are not losers, My children. You are winners through Me. I have chosen you to be conquerors through Me. You are champions in My Book. You cannot be defeated as long as you trust in Me. I will show you the way to always win in Me. You are undefeated in Me. You are always overcomers in Me. You are to champion My cause to the world to bring them to Me. Then they too will be overcomers in this life and in the next.”

            55. I have victory through my Lord Jesus Christ. I am more than a conqueror.

Word builds you up and gives you the inheritance:

Acts 20:32

32 “And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

            See what the Word is supposed to do? It is supposed to build us up. It can’t, if we don’t have the Word in us. A word meaning to build up is to edify. Some people tear down others with their words. The Word of God is meant to build up; to raise us up as an edifice to stand against the storms of life and the enemy. It is also able to give us our inheritance among fellow believers. It can’t if we don’t read, study, and meditate upon it. You could inherit a million dollars, but if you never knew it was yours, you would never enjoy the benefits. You cannot enjoy the benefits of your inheritance until you understand what is your destiny in the Word of God.

           

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "My Word is what will build you up, and It is what will make you stand in this wicked cruel world. The world cannot know Me; just as it cannot know you; for you are not of this world; as I was not of this world. The world longs to place you into its mold. But you must resist firmly in your faith; for it is faith in My Word that will bring about My Kingdom in this world. The world loves its own and hates those of My Kingdom. You are of My Kingdom if you walk in My Word. It is what will make you what you ought to be.”

            54. The Word of His grace will build me up and give me my inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

            Thus we see that our destiny depends upon us knowing what is in the Word of God concerning it and upon us allowing the Holy Spirit to activate it in our lives. We cannot go until we know … what the Word says we are.