Receiving Abundance of Grace + Gift of righteousness = Reigning in life

2013 was pronounced the Year of Favour! Today’s blog entry is simply my notes taken for the Crossover Service, plus a few additions here and there to help me and whosoever will understand better what was shared.

The Word, our Light and Navigator

First question! Why does GOD give humanity His WORD? God knew after the fall of man that there will be darkness on earth, and He did not want His children (those who accepted His substitutionary work for them on the cross and received the new birth) to walk in the darkness, so He gave them His light in the form of His Word to help them live in a dark world. If we possess His Word, then He is with us always because He is His Word (John 1:1). For 2013, He gave a word to guide his children and give them light through the year—to help them navigate the year safely. What was that word? It is:

Rom 5:17 (KJV) For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

Who Reigns In The Current Dispensation?

Human history is divided into a number of dispensations or time periods, such as before the fall of man and after the fall of man, prior to the birth of Jesus and after his birth, etc. Prior to the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the ruler on earth was death. No wonder men who do not know the Lord still fear death. So in the B.C., death reigned through sin—the wages of sin was death. But the resurrection of Jesus changed all of that. Death was brutally beaten and defeated along with sin and the grave. The question is, who reigns now if death has been overthrown? Where is all the authority once held by death, hell and the grave? When Jesus resurrected, He stated:

Mat 28:18-20 (KJV)

18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

If this is true that ALL power and authority in Heaven and on Earth was given to Him, then nothing remains for the devil, sin, hell and the grave. What did He do with all that power and authority? Did He take it with him to heaven? Put differently, if He has ascended to heaven, then who did He leave in charge on the earth? To understand the answer to this question, we must understand who Jesus Christ is today. We must understand that when He died, He was a seed planted, and His resurrection was a germination (John 12:12). A seed dies alone but germinates a tree with much fruit, each containing seeds for further multiplication. In His death, He multiplied himself. Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. What does that mean? It means when He died, we died with Him, and when He rose, we rose with Him. So He resurrected NOT with the old body with which He entered the tomb. He resurrected with a new body called the Body of Christ which is all those who have accepted His substitutionary work and undergone the supernatural rebirth. Once this happens, from His perspective, everything is made new. But how come we do not feel like that sometimes? Well, the part of humanity that undergoes the new birth is the spirit and the spirit does not feel. It’s our soul (intellect, mind, will, emotions) that feels, and it must be consciously renewed by the Word after the image of Him that has saved it. When He rose, He became the head of this new Body of Christ. Apostle Paul puts it this way:

Eph 5:30 (KJV) For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

We are literally part of his body, flesh and bones—participators in the divine nature (2Peter 1:4). Jesus is head. The church is body. Together they form one new man. This means that ALL authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth is now resident in this new man i.e. Christ and His Church. The head (Jesus) resides in Heaven and His Body on Earth. This has always been God’s plan from the beginning.

Psa 115:16 (KJV) The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD’S: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.

It is this body that now has the power to rule on earth because resident within them is ALL authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth. In the beginning, ALL authority was given to the first Adam, and he surrendered it to the old serpent. Jesus came and took it back and gave it to the regenerated children of men again.

If this is true, then why do we see many Christians not reigning in life as reflected in their poverty, weakness, etc.? That is where Rom 5:17 comes in. Hosea 4:6 says GOD’s people perish NOT because of a lack of authority BUT rather because of lack of knowledge or truth.

What Is Missing?

Rom 5:17 (KJV) For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

The scripture cannot lie so if believers are not reigning the fault cannot be from the scripture. It is perfect. The only thing that could be missing it is the believer. What is the formula for reigning according to Rom 5:17?

Receiving (Abundance of Grace + Gift of righteousness) = Reigning in this life

To reign, those who qualify as children of GOD must believe and receive i.e. lay hold of the prerequisites noted in the scripture. We will discuss the prerequisites in the latter portion of this blog entry but first, let us look at a definition of what it means to receive as used in the context of Apostle Paul’s writings.

To Receive Defined

The word used in Rom 5:17 to receive the abundance of Grace is lambanō. Please find the definition below from Thayer’s Greek Definitions. In summary, it means to actively take-up what’s already one’s possession. Here is the broader definition.

G2983   (Thayer)

λαμβάνω

lambanō

Thayer Definition:

1) to take

1a) to take with the hand, lay hold of, any person or thing in order to use it

1a1) to take up a thing to be carried

1a2) to take upon one’s self

1b) to take in order to carry away

1b1) without the notion of violence, i,e to remove, take away

1c) to take what is one’s own, to take to one’s self, to make one’s own

1c1) to claim, procure, for one’s self

1c1a) to associate with one’s self as companion, attendant

1c2) of that which when taken is not let go, to seize, to lay hold of, apprehend

1c3) to take by craft (our catch, used of hunters, fisherman, etc.), to circumvent one by fraud

1c4) to take to one’s self, lay hold upon, take possession of, i.e. to appropriate to one’s self

1c5) catch at, reach after, strive to obtain

1c6) to take a thing due, to collect, gather (tribute)

1d) to take

1d1) to admit, receive

1d2) to receive what is offered

1d3) not to refuse or reject

1d4) to receive a person, give him access to one’s self

1d4a) to regard any one’s power, rank, external circumstances, and on that account to do some injustice or neglect something

1e) to take, to choose, select

1f) to take beginning, to prove anything, to make a trial of, to experience

2) to receive (what is given), to gain, get, obtain, to get back

First Prerequisite For Reigning: Abundance Of GRACE

Now that we know what it means to receive, what are we to receive? The first is the fullness of Christ otherwise known as the abundance of grace. That statement sounds scary but it is not. We receive the fullness of Christ or abundance of Grace the very same way we received salvation. How did we receive this great salvation? We heard the truth about what He has accomplished for us, actively confessed with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and actively believed in our heart… and as easy as that we were saved (Rom 10:9). This is how we receive all things from GOD. It begins with our minds, proceeds through our mouths, and if we permit, it becomes a heart reality to us. Once we posses the reality in our heart/spirit, it’s a done deal. The fact that we do not see it physically is not a cause for doubt.

So with the abundance of Grace, what does scripture say about it?

Joh 1:14-17 (KJV)

14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Notice the tense used by Apostle John in the second scripture. It’s past tense and we either believe it or not. This is what Apostle Paul was alluding to in Rom 5:17.

Jesus is FULL of Grace and He has given it to whosoever will—one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, and even favor upon favor and gift [heaped] upon gift. I have written much about Grace and what it is in previous posts such as What you might not know about Grace! and The relationship between Humility and Grace. So yeah, we have received it in abundance, but do we even know what it is? If not, how can we actualize its reality in our experience? We can only relate with what we know and not what we perceive as abstract reality.

Biblical Grace Defined

Many define grace as unmerited favour of GOD. While this is not entirely incorrect, it is an incomplete definition. Grace is much bigger than just the favour of GOD. It is actually the SOURCE of all the favour, elegance, acceptance, loveingkindness, mercy, beauty, charm, pleasantness, loveliness, affectionate regard, etc, that is available to all God’s beloved children. For example, taking the bit on acceptance, it is what made Esther acceptable to the King. Taking the favour bit, it is what gave Daniel and Joseph favour with Kings of Babylon and Egypt. Grace beautifies the believer. Grace is a person or a spirit. Zech 12:10 calls Him the Spirit of GRACE. Who is this Spirit of GRACE? He is GOD. You may know Him as the Spirit of GOD. But GOD is spirit (John 4:24) anyway so the Spirit of GOD is GOD. The spirit of a spirit is a spirit. The Holy Spirit is GOD. Grace is GOD and thus we say that all good and pleasant things come from GOD. But I thought all pleasantness from the definition above comes from Grace. Yes they are the same. Do not get confused. All that is being said is GOD is Spirit. This Spirit manifests in an innumerable number of ways depending on the need. For example, GOD proceeds as the Sprit of Wisdom, the Spirit of Knowledge, and the Spirit of Might. He is also the Spirit of Grace in Zech 12:10. This Spirit of Grace who is GOD has a throne and you know it as the throne of Grace (Heb 4:6). The throne of Grace is the throne of GOD. God and His Spirit are one and the same. SO, when John 1:14 says that Jesus is full of Grace and truth, it’s simply another way of saying the earthen body of Jesus is full of GOD. What is that earthen body of Christ? It’s His Church. She is full of GOD or full of Grace and Truth. And if you are born again, you belong to this body and have received John 1:17, i.e. you too have received one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, and even Favour upon Favour, and gift [heaped] upon gift.

Let us consult some Hebrew and Greek dictionaries. According to the Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries, Grace comes from a Greek word χάρις which is transliterated as Charis. The Strong’s number is G5485. Grace or Charis is defined by the bible dictionary as:

G5485   (Strong)

Χάρις | charis | khar’-ece

From G5463; graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude): – acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, grace (-ious), joy liberality, pleasure, thank (-s, -worthy).

From this definition, we can now see the relationship between grace and favour clearly. Notice the part underlined. Grace is the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life. So, grace is not primarily the reflection in the life but rather the divine influence upon the heart. Grace is that which influences our Spirits/hearts (a.k.a the Holy Spirit or the Spirit of Grace).

The reflection which comes about as a result of the Influence is not Grace but rather the benefits of Grace. When God influences our spirits with His presence, the result is favour, gratitude, acceptance, benefit, gift, grace (-ious)ness, joy, liberality, pleasure, thankfulness, etc. This is the reflection or the result of having a GOD encounter. Favour is one end-result of Grace at work in and through us.

After GOD has influenced a person’s heart with GRACE i.e. himself, that person will be highly sought after and deemed of much worth where he or she was once disdained. Grace is GOD extending himself to touch a life and the resulting outflow of abundance as a result of that encounter with GOD, a.k.a the divine influence. This is why Apostle Peter says we are participators in the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4).

Second Prerequisite for reigning: Gift of RIGHTEOUSNESS

Notice the construction is the GIFT of righteousness—meaning it is not something that can be earned by any level of works or holiness. Paul explains it this way:

Rom 11:6 (KJV) And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

Righteousness, like Grace cannot be earned. Both can only be received. Again I have written much about this righteousness in previous posts, such as the Difference between the righteousness of the law, the righteousness of God and Righteousness Consciousness and Sin Consciousness.

For a simple understanding of the gift of righteousness, let us consider the following statement:

2Co 5:21 (KJV) For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Humanity tried under the dispensation of the law to work to attain righteousness but failed over and over again so GOD chose to become a man and meet the righteous requirements of GOD’s justice laid out in His law, and when GOD in Christ had fulfilled the law, He took that righteousness and gave it to humanity as a gift, and took upon himself our evil. In fact, He went one step further. He became sin itself according to 2Cor 5:21, and we became righteousness. True believers do not only have righteousness. They have been made the actual righteousness of GOD. This truth is beyond human intellectual reasoning capacity (Gnosis). It can only be apprehended via revelation knowledge (epiginosko and epignosis).

Once these two are received by the believer, the believer is ready to reign.

Reigning In Life

Rom 5:17 (KJV) For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

To reign is to exercise authority, to rule, to be in charge. This is humanity’s original commission in Gen 1:28. In fact, verse 26 states this as the reason for GOD creating humanity. God has not made us victims but rather rulers, but we must know the truth for it to set us free to become more than conquerors in life.

1Jn 4:17 (KJV) Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

How is Jesus now in heaven? He is a King carrying absolute authority and dominion over all things. Well, if we believe this scripture, then so are we in this world right now if we can only believe and confess it. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth, confession is made unto possessing what GOD has already won and blessed us with in heavenly places. In GOD’s mind, we are just like Jesus. Until we begin to see what GOD sees, we will not experience it. Abraham had to see the promised land as willed to him before he could possess it.

Gen 13:14-15 (KJV)

14 And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:

15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.

We can only be given or receive what we can see. The war is in between our ears in the region of our mind. If we win it there, we have won.

Putting the Word to Work

Luk 1:30 (KJV) And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

Put your name in place of Mary’s. We have been given favour/grace/charis with GOD. Grace is usually bestowed or endowed or imparted. It produces ability in us. Oftentimes, Grace is in our spirit, and the power of it is reflected on the outside. Favour refers to one of the details of the expressions of grace. Grace already abides in you, but when we recognize this and confess it, we activate it. All that we will ever need in life is in us. Christ in us, the hope of glory. The time to favour Zion has come, but we must actively believe and work the Word.

Psa 102:13 (KJV) Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time,is come.

How do we work the word? Let’s take the example of Prophet Daniel. In the days of Daniel, his people were in captivity and Daniel realised that the set time for the bondage of his people to be over was near. He knew it was the set time to favour Zion, so what did he do? He fasted and prayed and put GOD in remembrance of His Word. What was the Word? Let us read it from the Message translation of the bible.

Jer 29:10-11 (MSG)

10 This is GOD’s Word on the subject: “As soon as Babylon’s seventy years are up and not a day before, I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home.

11 I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.

Daniel knew the 70 years was up so he capitalised on the timing and prayed (Dan 9). The result is angels of different ranks were released. Principalities were overthrown (Daniel 10:13,20; 11:2) and his people were set free eventually.

God functions with his spiritual laws, which He does not violate. Put the word of GOD to work. If you are ignorant of the word, you’ll be defeated in life. Pray and put the word to work. Jesus has already done His part about our individual situation. Now we have to find out what He did and apply to our personal life. It’s a year of favour. The following are some scriptures about favour shared by Pastor Chris.

Psa 102:13 (KJV) Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time,is come.

Gen 39:20-23 (KJV)

20 And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.

21 But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it.

23 The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.

In closing, the legal document of our righteousness is given to us. One such statement in this document of the NT is “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:” (Rom 5:1, KJV). This is true. Now let us act on it.

Psa 102:16 (KJV) When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.

GOD speaks before He shows up. He usually first builds us up with the Word, then He appears in His glory. Let us put His word to work and He’ll show up.

Prophecy 2013

This section is an attempted transcription of the word of the Lord as delivered through Rev (Dr) Chris Oyakhilome PhD, Dsc, D.D.

2013 is the Year of Favour

Thus saith The Lord:

I have given you My word and I am your strength. I am your life. Have no fear, for I am with you. Have no fear… Fear not the night nor the darkness. For the darkness has no power over you, and the wicked shall not overcome you… For you are Mine, saith the Lord. The evil shall bow before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous. For I am your strength saith the Lord. I have enabled you. I have empowered you. My hand is upon you, and I have exalted you with my hand of righteousness for thou are Mine, saith the Lord. Thus saith the Lord, I have given you an understanding heart and my wisdom is perfected in you. Walk in the light of my word. I have made you victorious in all things therefore walk in victory. Walk in the consciousness of victory. Do not look at the shadows for I have laughed at the enemy. I have laughed at the adversary. Therefore consider him not. Consider not your adversaries, for they are fallen before you. I have exalted you… For in this year of Favour, saith the Lord, I will demonstrate My glory before you and men shall know that you are Mine. For you shall show forth My praise, saith the Lord, and your mouth shall be filled with testimonies of My goodness. I am your shield… It is your year of favour. So saith The Lord unto you!!!

— Rev (Dr) Chris Oyakhilome PhD, Dsc, D.D