2 Corinthians 5:15 NLT “He died for everyone so that those who receive His new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.”
I’m inspired to talk on this particular topic, it is a Theme that belong to The Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim & Seraphim Church (ESOCS)
I began to look at this Topic and its foundation and began to see something unique and Special that we believers ought to understand but before I commence, Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits and even the God of our salvation(Psalm 68:19).
Being Made Alive can only be found in the confines of CHRIST;Trinity (a man can only be made alive IN and NOT OUTSIDE Christ (the book of Gen. 2:7 bears witness to this) and all men has a signature of this by GRACE. Why? “He died not only for poor neither rich alone.. He died not only for Young neither the Old but the Scriptures says He died for EVERYONE.
Salvation is made Free for all but it’s at the same time not free because someone paid for it. An instance; you were given a scholarship (free for you because you did not pay for it) on the other side it’s not free because someone paid for the scholarship, wherefore any man that claims to be Alive must be in Christ because Christ is the Genesis of being Alive and even the genesis of every good thing (John 3:27, James 1:17)
Remember, The point that Grace that brings salvation appears to all men does not mean that everyone will automatically receive it.. it is in 3 definite processes namely; A,B and C
Before a man can be made Alive in Christ He/she must firstly Accept, Believe and Confess..
- Accept: “2 Cor. 5: 15 …who receive His new life will no longer live for themselves…"
- Believe: “John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life…”
- Confess: “Romans 10:9 - that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved”
In the above scriptural references we could find out that this three Steps above gave birth to man being Made Alive but notably in Christ.
PURPOSE OF BEING MADE ALIVE IN CHRIST;
There may be recorded many purposes to be made Alive in Christ but the Major Purpose of being made Alive is that “YOU MAY LIVE FOR HIM”. You are not just made Alive in Christ but you are made Alive in Christ to Live for Him. It is essential and it’s indeed the Major purpose a man made Alive in Christ must possess or have.
If I stop here under the Purpose of Being made Alive in Christ my statement or point maybe incomplete and thereby causing controversy, know that there are attributes attached to the Major purpose of being made Alive in Christ. The attributes are;
Stephen as a case Study of a man Made Alive in Christ(Acts 6:1-3:5);
1) Full of the Holy Spirit: Holy not Sweet, not Sexy. Holy Spirit is that which represent and stands for Purity. It is the Spirit of God through which things He does by Men are done through the Holy Spirit. We must come to understand that one of the Signatures that shows a man is alive in Christ is the Holy Spirit. Why? “ 1 Cor. 2:11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God” For you to be aware and know is dealings and what He is doing in a specific season you must be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Holy Spirit, hoping that God gives us a Grace to write one day on it. This are things of the Spirit it can’t just be defined, it can only be explained by men that has Encounter God most importantly in this dimension we are discussing. Holy Spirit as recorded can be by being impacted (Acts 8:17-18 ; 9:17), through an outpouring from above (1 Samuel 16:17), while men with the Burden prays for it (Acts 2) and two of the Evidences of Holy Spirit within, upon and in man is Ability to Pray in Tongues and Prophesy (Acts 19:6). It is a must, if you want to walk with Lord and live for Him you must be joined together in the same Spirit (Holy Spirit). Stephen was found worthy to Live for God due to the concrete and visible traces of the Holy Spirit in him. What you live for is as a result of a Spirit you are joined to! What Spirit is in you?
2) Full with Wisdom: Let every other wisdom be silenced! This we take us to the Foundation and theory of Wisdom. The Scriptures makes a strong emphasis on the Wisdom of man that is Folly before God. At my regularly staying at His feet I began to find out that the theory of wisdom began from the fear of God (Prov. 9:10). Definitely, Stephen feared God!
This is a School, before a man can talk about wisdom he must be a man that fears God. His fear for God will do the announcement! Stephen was found outstanding amidst all because he had wisdom which was wrapped in the fear of God. This is not the Opposite of Faith, it is love “If you Love me you will keep my commandment.” Ask me of a man and I will show you Stephen who fear the Lord that he may Love him to keep his commandments and count him worthy to LIVE FOR HIM.
3) Full of Faith: I come with regular and daily verse - Heb. 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” Hmmmmm… In is dealings with us, faith is as well essential. Permit me to call it the key to Divine and Supernatural Encounters. I’m not sure if we know that we are part of His DECIDING OFFICERS. It is important you know because by knowing it will help you to Live for Him. Kai! Oh faithless generation… God needed an approval from us most times before He heals that sickness, He needed an approval most times before He takes away the sorrows but it is a shame that we don’t understand the power in our tongues being made perfect through faith. He just needs you to ask and you “employ your faith” Hebrews 11:16 "And without faith it is impossible to please God..” Understand that Faith is all it takes to come into the agenda of God.
Many Miracles done by the Followers Jesus and even Jesus Christ Himself was either as a result of His Faith or the person’s faith. Most times your faith is the Currency that buys all things in Gods dealing with man. Y? Your faith is crippled!
4) Full of Grace: Checking from the Genesis to revelation of my Scripture I have come to find out that only consistency in prayer and Bible Study aren’t enough but Grace is needed in the Journey (1 Cor 3:6). Verily we see your works, we see how diligent you are by making His Kingdom come but it’s never concretely by works but by Grace.
While I started the introduction to this topic, I said something about Grace. Recall; His grace has been made available for all men. One of the works of Grace is “Rom 5:8 …in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” It is a must, if you want to walk with the Lord and live for Him you must acknowledge that you are being save by Grace.
It appears to all men but won’t work for all men. Why? Hebrews 4:16 “Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence…” Show me a man that has Grace and I will tell you he is a real definition of a man on the Lord’s Side! Let’s us stop here…
5) Full of Power: I will only give few points here and await a write-up titled ‘Trust the Process, Stop being after the Result’. Let’s continue, it’s true that power is needed. Stephen as a case study here was full with power but he make sure that the 4 attributes was meant before recording him being full of the Power. The first four attributes must be meant because it will train you on how to make use of the Power because power can be corrupted. When Stephen was about to be stoned to death we knew he had power but why did he not make use of it?. Because the first 4 attributes he had earlier made him understand the use of power and made him note that “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him (1 Cor. 2:9)” as his pleasure is not that the people should die but being made alive in Christ.
You! Have power! Col. 4:20 Made us understand that the perspective we have concerning being made Alive in Christ is Wrong (is not accurate) and that it must consist in Power and not in unreasonable and irrelevant babbles and talks. Awake!
Lord! You will help us! Space won’t permit me, I should have given some men like Saul - the Persecutor, Noah-who found favour, Enoch, David and others in the scripture as a case study. We should have taken them one after the other and look at what defines them of being made Alive in Christ.
WHAT NEXT AFTER BEING MADE ALIVE IN CHRIST
-Get a Local Church or Fellowship (Hebrew 10:25)
-Fear God and keep His commandment - The Whole Duty of Man (Ecc. 12:13)
-Constant Prayer & Fasting - Pray in tongues, Pray in understanding (1 Thess. 5:17, Mathew 17:21)
-Give your self to the Ministry of the Word (Acts 6:4)
I will not give this as a point under this because it is very Important. Devil is not scared that you prayed, he is not scared that you fast but he is scared by the Power of your CONSISTENCY with this things.
Brethren, I have yet many things to say unto you… but I leave you with this text John 3:16. It is a well known verse in the Scripture but how well have we responded to this Grace that has appear to all men. Jesus calls you today that He may make you Alive only in Him.
Shalom
Your beloved Brother writes
Michael Olajiga
YMS
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