Seated with Christ

Jesus, what do you feel when you see your people together? What do you feel when your bride is

being refined, is being molded, is being prepared? How do you feel when we come hungry and thirsty?

How do you feel when we think of you? Thank you for the privilege to come together as a people.

Thank you for that. You didn't just create 100 mountains and keep us each on one peak.

You brought us together. So this afternoon, as we pray, as we listen to your word,

we submit ourselves to you, your ways, your desires. We understand that there is a story

you are writing in each of our lives, but at the same time there is something you

will accomplish through our lives together too. So I thank you. I just want to take another few

seconds to think of how you think because often we are so obsessed with how we think.

I want to think of how you think even right now, Jesus. Your people, your bride,

your blood that was shed, you paid the price so that we can be here. So we honor you. We thank you.

Jesus name. Amen.

In Leviticus chapter 10, sons of Aaron, two of them, one Nadab and two Abichu.

Leviticus 10 · chapter mention

Both of them, they stepped towards the tent of meeting and they attempt to do what Bible calls

about or talks about as an unauthorized sacrifice. So these are sons of Aaron. They are Levitical

from the tribe of Levi and they attempt to do something that God did not authorize them to do.

And Bible says, as soon as this happened, a fire came down and both of them dropped dead.

A few chapters later in that same narrative, you see God speaking to Moses and then Moses talking

to Aaron. And the whole idea is God sets this day up once every year and he calls it

the day of atonement. And he says, here is the process. Every day of atonement,

then you have the time to come together as a people. But one man, which is the high priest,

gets access to the Holy of the Holy. So depending on the version of the Bible you're looking at,

if it's ESV, it will just say Holy places. If it's another version like KJV, it will say

the most holy place. But the priest had one day to offer sacrifices. There are sacrifices happening

every other day too, but then there is one day, the day of atonement, when it's special. And the

Jewish people, even to this date, treat this as the holiest of days. So if you're an orthodox

Jewish guy, if you're asked the question, you'll say on the calendar, this day is the day, it's

this day is the day, it's the holiest of days, because they observe it to this day like that.

Today happens to be the day of atonement. It starts later today and then goes on till

tomorrow sunset or past sunset. Typically, it's about 24, 25 hours of time when the Jewish people,

they observe this day. And what they do is they fast sometimes, it's considered again, the holiest

of the days in the year, and they go through their rituals, the things that they believe in.

I was thinking about all of this and I thought today would be a good day for us to just go back

to why we do what we do and why the sacrifice of Jesus is so much superior and life-changing

for you and I. Why we get to do what we get to do. Because today, as I walk up and walk down,

you walk around, whatever we do here, see, we don't have protocols. We are not afraid of dropping

debt the next second. But they did. And we have to be understanding of that, that the Jewish people

thought if they did something wrong and it happened over and over again, things happen.

So what changed from then to now? Yeah. And I know we know the overall story, because that's

the story that got us to where we are at today. But I just want to look at a couple of different

things and trust that the Holy Spirit will do something in our lives and give us

a greater hunger to become all that Christ has for us. Yeah. So,

so, Neda and Abihu, they did this and God instituted the day of atonement. And on the

screen here, as soon as it comes live, you'll see this is the picture, an attempted picture

or a representation of what it looked like. Leviticus chapter 16, day of atonement.

Leviticus 16 · chapter mention

All I want to say in this is you see there is the altar, there is the tent of meeting

within which you have the holy place and the most holy place where you have the ark.

Like I said, the only time in the year that the high priest could go in to the most holy place

is the day of atonement. And when he did that, two things had to happen. Just remember that one, he

had to sacrifice for his own sins and the sins of his family. And then two after that was done,

he could go in and do the rest. Right? So first he had to sacrifice and make sure that his sins

and his family's sins were atoned for. And then after that, he can take the next step and say,

now for the sake of the people of Israel, here is what I do. There are so many things, you know,

you could literally be here on this screen and go through all of the things that had happened

the first time the day of atonement was instituted. And we can spend a lot of time there,

but I just want you to see the protocols. I want you to see the way it got instituted stuff. For

instance, the high priest had to take a shower before he did anything. And two, after that,

he had to wear linen garments. And we've talked about some of these things at Acts 29 over and

over again. Why? What? But there was a lot of things that he had to pay attention to

for him to go in and conduct everything that God had ordered for within the most holy place. Okay.

Now, the other side of the story, we know this, which is that our Jesus, the one who saved us,

he did something that the high priest could not do, which is why I really loved the writing of

the book of Hebrews, the epistle of Hebrews, because it talks about how Jesus is the high priest,

that he went before us, that there is a verse that I just want us to pay attention to.

It talks about how, because Jesus entered into the most holy place, we now have access to the

most holy place. Yeah. But altogether, there are two main things I want us to know from what Jesus

did. Number one, Jesus now, what did Nader and Abihu start to do or try to do? They were trying

to draw near to God, offering an unauthorized sacrifice. You see, for us to now draw near to

our father, for us to now draw near to our savior, there is no protocol. There is no protocol. And

it's so easy for us Christians to just go past all of this stuff because we feel like we know

this very well. But it's important to appreciate what has happened for us to be able to be like this.

And two, on one hand, we have access to our father. What would we have done if we did not have access

to him? Right? Can you imagine? Because we are so used to having access. We are so used to living

like this that we don't know what it would feel like to not have access. It's crazy, isn't it?

That we've gotten so used to this life that Christ has given us that we have no clue what it would be

to not have access. So that's one. And the second thing is not only did Jesus give us access

to the father, he has also done something no high priest could ever do. What is it?

He is now seated at the right hand of the father. He now gives us not just access, but a position.

What is that? He says, I'm going to have Derek sit with me at the right hand of God.

Those two things and those two things alone is what I believe God wants us to know today.

And I won't go anywhere else. These two fundamental things. Number one, that I have access

24 seven all the time. Number two, not only do I have access, there is something else happening

where Jesus then says that Derek, you are seated with me in the heavenly places.

And that's a truth that many of us and most of us, including me, have not fully understood.

So let's just spend a little more time there on that today and go from there. Any questions or

comments before I move ahead? All good? Okay. So number one, drawing near to the father, see

couple of things that try to stop us from drawing near to the father. One is since and our conviction

that condemnation that brings this guilt and shame into our lives saying that you're not clean enough

to go to the father. Number two, it's not sometimes your sin that stops you from approaching the

father freely. It's someone else's sin. Meaning someone else does something to you, but now you

fall prey to that trap. And because of that, you don't approach the father as you could.

So many stories all around us where these things happen. It happens in our lives too. So for

instance, Jane treats me so bad that one day I wake up and say, aha, how can Jane treat me so bad?

Now, after having gone through a conversation like that with God, I get bitter to her and I

get bitter with God. And then I say, it's okay. I'll take some time before I come back. You see,

maybe I was right and maybe Jane was wrong, but Jane's sin in that example has prevented me

from gaining access to this father that I have. So it's not always just my sin. It's sometimes

another person's sin that causes issues, thoughts, emotions, whatever mindset and sometimes even

strongholds. When over a period of time things happen with the way we were raised, the families

we come from, all these different things, that's when strongholds happen. Stronghold is not built

overnight with a lowercase s. That's not built overnight. Strongholds happen over a period of

time. And these are certain mindsets that prevent us from enjoying all that the father has for you

and I. But I want us to see that distinction, which is sometimes we think when I'm not approaching or

I can approach the father if it's just me and you. It's true, but we can't let another thing

come in between. That's also important, which is why a few months earlier when I was talking about

Nazarites, I said something like this. One of the things that God commanded a Nazarite not to do is

not to touch unclean things. And in the New Testament understanding of how God works with

us and who God is, the real understanding of what's wrong with touching a dead body.

Because the Nazarite was told, don't touch a dead body, but we touched dead bodies.

What changed? The whole idea is this, that when there is a dead situation, when there is a sin,

you don't go touch it with your flesh. You respond to it with your spirit and that changes it. So if

someone treats me harshly and someone does something or there is some sort of stuff happening where

I feel like I'm wronged, there are two reactions. One is a reaction to the man or the woman or to

what is happening and the other is a response to God. And so when I'm able to touch that very thing,

not with my flesh, but with my spirit, something changes. You see how those things now don't have

the ability to stop me from accessing everything that my father has for me.

It's fundamentally different in the way we sometimes think about it. And so crucial because

all of these things that the high priest did, Jesus did once.

And that was it. The high priest had to do it once every year, which is why Jesus has sacked

guys today. I don't have points. I'm just going to talk through this and I'm going to trust the

Holy Spirit that he will convey to you what is important for you. Yeah. And so the high priest

did things once a year, all of this, Jesus did it once, which is why the Bible talks about what

Jesus did as a perfect sacrifice. Wow. Meaning he did it once and it was so complete

that nothing has to be done ever again. But you know what the perfect sacrifice led to?

The perfect sacrifice led to a perfect spirit in me. So it's not just his perfect sacrifice.

I think we understand that part really well. His sacrifice is perfect, but his perfect sacrifice

has now led me to having a perfect spirit. That my spirit and your spirit is so perfect,

which is why we have the conviction that if we die tonight, we'll be with Christ.

We have the conviction for that 100%. But when we are out and about and doing things, that's when

we are like, Oh, am I, am I fully clean? Am I fully perfect? Is there no condemnation? And God

says, yeah, there is no condemnation because the sacrifice that I did once and for all,

that was complete. That was perfect. So there is then no sin that can stop me. Then there is no

man's sin or no woman's sin that can stop me. There is no familial, whatever curses X, Y, Z,

that we all talk about sometimes and wonder about. None of those things can stop me because the

sacrifice that Jesus did, his own life, his blood poured out is so complete. He's so perfect that

I need to know this when I wake up and when I, when I go to bed, that it is so complete that

perfection has now come inside me. Jesus himself, he lives inside me. Wow. So I'm perfect. You are

perfect. So every time the devil comes and does this in inside your ears and says, no, no, no,

maybe there is that maybe there is this, you can now stand up and say, no devil, I don't trust you.

You deceive her. I tell you who I am. I am made perfect by the perfect blood of Jesus Christ.

This truth, all of us know, but it is the living out of this truth that we need to progress in.

Because there are moments in time when we know what we know, but we don't live what we know.

And therefore, like I said last time, everything is out. The transformation that Christ brings in us

is when he reveals something to us. And when he's, I was talking to Prosper the other day,

it helps you see something differently. And so Prosper was telling me that he had a dream.

You're okay with me sharing the dream? Okay. So he had a dream. And in this dream,

he is at, yeah, he's standing at a door and there are people coming in. Yeah. And as people keep

coming in, he lays hands on them. And as he lays hands on people, they're getting healed.

And then the dream has a second part. In the second part of the dream, Prosper is inside that

house and there is an older man there. And this man says,

his bread has healed us. That's all. His bread has healed us. And as soon as these older men

says his bread has healed us, he starts crying in the dream. That's all he remembers. What is happening?

Here's what's happening. What God is doing with Prosper in that example is this. God is telling

Prosper, I want you to know this, that I have given you my spirit and my anointing so that when

you lay hands on the sick, they will be healed. That is where God wants him to go to. Correct?

But yeah, this is the beauty about our father. He doesn't stop there. But in order to help him

get to that place, what God does is he gives him part two of the dream, which is what? A revelation.

What is the revelation? Someone cries in the dream and says his bread, bread is what heals us.

Meaning the body of Christ that was broken is what heals us. Now, what is God trying to do in that

dream? Simply this with him that God is giving him a revelation that is so personal to him about what

happened on the cross. What does that revelation do? It leads to transformation. So he's, did he

not know that truth? Of course he knows it. He knows that Jesus Christ died for our sins and that

by his stripes we are healed. You see, there is something more when God communicates like that,

when God reveals something and it goes inside of your being, this is where it changes how you think

and that then leads to transformation to a point where when he now prays for someone and he prays,

he is not praying. I say chapter 53 verse four, this is what happened. No, he's praying from a

place of God spoke to me. God has taught me. He has revealed me. I trust what he says and that

transformation that happened inside of him leads him to pray a certain way. Yeah. And so this is why

I want us and it's okay to just slow down and just marinate in truths that we think we know.

Yeah. Because it just changes the way because otherwise he will think about Isaiah 53 a certain

way, but now God has taught him something about Isaiah 53, which we pray will absolutely change

his life forever. Yeah. Similarly, God is saying, Derek, I want you to know that this access that I

have given you according to Hebrews today, I'll go back for the notes, but it's in Hebrews. I

believe it's in chapter 10 in Hebrews chapter 10. This access that I've given you, Derek is

Hebrews 10 · chapter mention

two things I want you to know. One, it's living. It's a living way that I have given you and it's

a new way that I've given you. There is another passage in Isaiah that talks about any path that

God creates. It's an eternal way, which means that see it's, it's almost like Jesus did all of these

things and he has set up this canvas, this, this entire plan for our lives. It's all, which is why

Jesus says it is finished. It is complete, meaning there is nothing more to be done. This is a fresh

and living way. It's fresh and living way to the father. Each time, each doesn't matter how you

feel. Doesn't matter who told you what doesn't matter who did what to you. It's the same every

day. I have access to my father 24 seven in, in, in, in what way fresh,

fresh, fresh, living. Why is fresh important? That there are things that God always does

every day, which is why my, his mercies are new every morning. So you see, when I get that

revelation, now I am not expecting my exchange with my father the same way. When I talk to him about

something the next day, because it's a fresh way, he has fresh insights. There are fresh things he

does inside of me that causes me to respond to him in a new way. It's a fresh way and it's a living

way. The outcome is always sure. When I open my mouth, he listens. When you open your mouth,

he listens. And I want us to have this imagery almost where he leans in to listen.

He leans in to listen to what I have to say and what you have to say, which means that even when

there are days when we don't feel like it or whatever, it's still the same. When we feel the

holiest on earth, it's the same. When we feel like we are the scum of the earth, it's the same.

And God says, don't feel like the scum of the earth. You are perfect. And some of us need to hear it.

We need to hear this, that this Bible calls this elemental principle.

Bible actually calls this as elemental principle. That this is very elemental. This is 101 for us

according to him. But this 101 for us according to him, see we can actually go like this sometimes.

Even though it's 101. And that's why God says, I want you to have such

firm-footedness about this, Derek. This way is living. This way is fresh. Access to me

is always. When you feel like it, when you don't feel like it, it's the same. Now, when I have that

revelation and it has sunk in, guys, can you imagine how powerless the devil is?

How powerless the devil becomes the moment you say yes to this truth for real in your life.

Because the same devil otherwise used the same cunning strategies to deceive you that no,

something else needs to be done. That you're not perfect. That you're not good enough. And now you

rise up and say, yeah, I am not going to give in to condemnation. I'm not going to give in to shame,

not to guilt. And I rise up. There is one thing I remember a few years ago when I was

writing down something, and this particular thing was about pornography. I was writing down a series

of things that God had been telling me about the church and this sexual sin, i.e. pornography. And

as I was writing this down, one of the images that God gave me then is this.

It's like a sea and you see these waves. And then God said, Derek, can you see how my church

goes through these waves? These are holy men, pure men, great men and women. But then there are days

when they feel like they're on top. And just when they feel like they're on top, they come down.

And they're on the ground. And they're on the ground. And they're on the ground. And they're on the ground.

And they feel like they're on top. And just when they feel like they're on top, they come back down.

And I saw something as I was thinking with God about it, that was fresh and new to me,

because it was a perspective of heaven, how this large mass of water rises up and then goes down,

and then rises up again and goes down. You know why in that example, why these many, many, many,

millions of people struggle with that? Yes, there is lust that Christ sets us free from.

But the greater thing that binds people is shame and condemnation and guilt. It's true, guys,

which is why I don't want us to think this is easy. It is easy for Christ to give us victory in,

but don't think like, ah, it's okay, not me. Because your problem may not be lust,

your problem may not be something else, maybe something else. But this stance, which is the

devil uses guilt, shame, condemnation to bring you down. And now when you say, now, I have been made

perfect. I have been made so clean. I rise and I sit with this awareness. And not only am I aware

about this, I approach my father in fresh ways, in new ways every day. Fresh, new ways. I was

thinking the other day that I think God really loves us telling new things to him. And we should,

we should aspire to be like that with him, original. Like the way I talk is so different

from the way Mike talks is so different from the way Shireen talks is so different from the way Nelly

talks. It's so different. And if I ever tried to talk like Shireen to him, my goodness,

he loves these unique things that he has put in us and the way we communicate. And so this fresh

and living way, aha, it also involves me being a certain way, the way he has created me to be

and engaging him with him like that. So a couple of things that I want us to

think about in terms of drawing near, because that's the very thing that killed two men because they

did it the wrong way. Now, because of Christ, we don't need to be afraid. We have made,

we've been made perfect. We can do this every second. What a privilege. Our problem is we don't

know what it means to not draw near because now he has brought us so close, which is a good problem

to have that we have forgotten the old ways. We forgot like Tony often says, the Egypt is a

forgotten memory. A couple of things with respect to before we go to seated with Christ

that I want us to think about. I'll give you some references so that it's there.

The drawing near reference was Hebrews chapter 10 verse

Hebrews 10:19

19. I think if you go 19 through 25, you will see that.

Okay, Psalm 19, 12 and 13. Psalm 19, 12 and 13.

Here's what it says, who can discern his errors, declare me innocent from hidden faults, keep back

your servant also from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be

blameless and innocent of great transgression. I like how David writes that Psalm. He's saying

there are sins in my life, God, that I know and I maybe even did it knowingly.

Then there are sins in our lives that are hidden. We don't even know that those sins exist.

So there are two types of sins. One sins and patterns in my life, in our lives where

we know about it. The first thing that comes to your mind is that when you think about since

then too, there are sins and what is sin? Sin isn't just things that dress in the 10 commandments.

Sin is anything that is not perfect because our God is so, because Jacob has been talking about

our father being so majestic. So who, see he's so holy that his standard is so high. So we can't

measure him based on what we see on earth. So he's so perfect and he's made our spirit perfect, but

there is a journey for us to take on with respect to our mind and soul, which is the

sanctification process. So Psalm 19, something for you and I to think about as I draw near to God,

as you draw near to God, what is it about? What are the presumptuous sins in my life? Things that

I'm aware of. And then what are the things that I'm not aware of that your Holy Spirit wants to

shine light on in my life? It's a great question to ask because when the Holy Spirit reveals

something about you, that you, that's currently in your blind spot, I should be thankful. You

should be thankful for that. That he says, Derek, did you ever see this? I want to show this to you

so that this becomes something that you walk away from and having people around us helps

having people we walk with helps. And at the same time, we ask the Holy Spirit, show me

hidden things in my life because they've pretty much gotten to be my second way of living. So show

it to me. You see, it's a good prayer to pray if we, if we understand what happened with Isaiah

and we see what happened with many, many, many, many people all throughout the scriptures where

they say, God, I'm, I'm an unclean man. Make me clean. So my spirit is so clean and so perfect,

but God, my, this area in my soul, it's so unclean, make me clean.

And that prayer is such a powerful prayer

because he really does that. He cleans me. He sends wave after wave of his mercy and grace,

wave after wave of his power to change me. Hidden sins, free me from them

and since that I am used to that, I don't want free me from them.

And when we pray this prayer, we must believe that this is not a prayer we,

so when it comes to, let's say one area of sin in your life and you're asking the Lord for help

in an area of sin, you must trust that it is not going to, going to be a permanent battle in your

life because the other deception of the devil is he tries to tell you and inform you that some

battles with sin are forever. And you hear it also with many, many good people. When they say

things, they say it in that way that makes you know, think that maybe this one I struggle with

for the rest of my life. What a lie. What a lie. Because when I ask him for help and when you ask

him for help, help comes. Fresh supplies come and so I must expect that these things continue

to change. So today I may be praying for, okay, father, pride. I feel like I had gotten a little

better at it, but pride is such central in the way I think sometimes change me. I must expect

God to change me. And then he shows me another area, another area. You see how

what Christ did on the cross. Now I'm making use of what he did. We all have kids where we give them

something and we want them to use it the right way, but they start toying with it, playing with it.

They're not even using it the right way. And there is a part of you that thinks, ah, I wish you knew

how to use it. Same thing. Jesus's victory on the cross is to have me live a fully victorious life

that when he, when he wants, when he, when I tell him this is about what's happening, I need your

help, all of his power, all of his grace is there to set me free, not some. And it is never meant

to be a lifelong battle. And that is truth that you are meant to progress from strength to strength,

from glory to glory. It is part of the Christian's life. And these deceptive voices that sometimes

comes in and says these other words, we recognize it and we say, you have no room anymore at my

table out. And we rise up and become all that Christ wants us to be. So drawing near one,

like in Psalm 12, discern your errors with the help of the Holy Spirit. Number two, embrace

continuous maturity to the fullness of Christ, embrace continuous maturity to the fullness of

Christ. Why is, I remember Paul from South Africa when Paul was here, he was saying something like,

maturity is measured in time. And I haven't forgotten that since then. He said, maturity is

measured in time. What is spiritual maturity? Spiritual maturity is the, if I take that a

little further, the time difference between sin and repentance. It's the time difference between

sin and repentance. Because when I know that I sinned, spiritual maturity causes me not to be

okay with that. And I stand against it and I repent and I change. That is maturity. Lack of

maturity would be me knowing that something is wrong, still engaging in it. And when I engage with

it, not repenting enough or fast enough, because we don't talk about this much, but it is important

that repentance, when we do it is important. That shows our maturity level. If I break down

my fellowship, because I cannot break down my relationship, but my fellowship with him,

I can, from my side, break down. Would you agree? My relationship with him is forever intact,

but my fellowship with him, his fellowship, he's always there, but my fellowship with him,

I have, I'm, I'm to steward it. I am responsible for it. That my spiritual maturity, heaven, heaven

measures it this way. What's the time for Derek between these? And it's important to think,

because repentance isn't just something, of course, that we do when we get born again. It is a way of

thinking that we have that Christ helped me, which is why Christ says this. What did Christ

mean when he said, come, take your cross and follow me? There is a way of living that he

has instituted. And while we are all about all the other things that we want to do, which we'll get

to when we talk about seated with him, this is also important that inside of us, we have

a way of thinking about our soul realm and our body.

I think it is in Daniel chapter 10, verse 12 or something.

Daniel 10:12

Daniel is embarking on a three week, let's call it fast.

Bible says he was not eating any delicacies. Bible says he wasn't drinking wine. And that version

of Bible, I just picked up from here and I was, I was opening up to that version, which I don't know

which version it is, but it uses another language too. It says he wasn't applying any body lotions

on him. That's what that version says. Trust me. So no self care for three weeks, according to Daniel.

Now, one thing we know that this man is a praying man. He used to pray at least three times a day,

at least is a praying man. His heart is like that. But then in Daniel chapter 10, I found something

Daniel 10 · chapter mention

that I haven't seen before. God speaks to him and he says this in verse 12 and may this ring in our

ears. Verse 12, then he continued, do not be afraid, Daniel, since the first day that you set

your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself, yourself before God, your words were

heard and I have in response to, I have come in response to them. Did you see that? That

he was fasting for three weeks. He was doing certain things, but when the word comes to him,

it says, Daniel, I want you to know this. Not three weeks ago, not two weeks ago, not a week ago,

but something happened in heaven. The day you set your heart for understanding, the day you set your

heart to be humble. Wow. Interesting, right? You see, heaven cares more about certain things than

others. The day you set your heart to learn, the day you set your heart to be humble, the day you

set your heart to gain understanding, heaven recorded it. So when I draw near to him,

as I walk with this mindset that God, I want to know that I'm wrong when I'm wrong.

I want to know that I'm wrong when I'm wrong. That's humility. And sometimes it's painful

because it comes through people. Let's accept it. If someone says, it's always good for you,

you haven't gotten it enough. It's not all nice sometimes because some of these things are

things that you think is your way. And when it is corrected, you don't always like it.

But heaven records it. If you have a mindset where you say, I have submitted my life to learn,

I have submitted my life to gain understanding from the spirit of God and heaven records it.

And that is the day a word was sent to him. So Jesus, our high priest, has gone before us.

He has paved this fresh and living way. I draw near to him and there are ways I do it.

And this heart attitude is so important, fundamental to how we must be. Any questions,

thoughts? Yes.

So

yeah, it's a good point, Dilna. That what Dilna is saying is the, another way Jesus's sacrifice

is different from what the Old Testament high priest did is this, that the Old Testament high

priest was doing, they were doing it once every year for that duration. Because it could not,

it is not a complete thing. It had to be done again and again and again. Because we are made

of three parts, mind, body, and spirit. And what Jesus, and what the Old Testament high priest did,

never took care of the spirit. It just covered, the word atonement means it's covering.

That's all it did. What Jesus did, as Dilna said, is he gave me a new spirit and made me perfect.

So the old sin nature is gone from the spirit sense. The only thing that I need to work with

him on is the way I think, my mind. And that's why Bible then uses the word sanctification,

which seems like a big word, all just to say, I move closer and closer and closer to Jesus.

And I walk away and away and away from all things worldly sanctification. Yeah.

Be anchored in the hope that enters into the most holy place. Be anchored in the hope

that enters into the most holy place. Hebrews 6 19. I just want you to think about this later

because we don't have time. Hebrews 6 19 talks about Christ having instituted or introduced

a better hope through which we draw near to God. In other words, you know, this is what Christ

expects us to have. We must have as we go through life, because there is a hope that he has given

us that goes through the high place into the most holy place. There is a type of thinking we should

cultivate in our life where we think about what it is like going, what it is going to be with him

next day, next month, next year. It's a great thing to do. It's a hope that he has given me.

Hope is not for today. It's for tomorrow. So what is your hope with respect to this living access

that you have with the father? Think about it, right? That next year in my communion, in my

fellowship with Christ, ah, with my limited understanding, it's going to be different this

way. That I will be more yielded to him. That you will be more yielded to him. That the words that

I speak will change. That sometimes when I talk back and I talk back a certain way, that will

change. That when I think about certain things, it will change. Philippians chapter four,

19, somewhere there, it talks about how your thought life must change. What does it say?

Think about these things, Derek. Whatever is commentable, lovely, pure, true. You see,

that one verse can just change me and change you. Because now when I measure every thought that I

have against that, the bar is set so high. Because is that thought commendable is the question.

The question is not is that thought good. Because many thoughts are okay and good. What is commendable

is what he wants us to hunger after and go after. You see, he keeps lifting it. And so my thought

life and your thought life can be so superior next month compared to where it is today. Which is the

hope that he has given us. That it is not going the other way. Hallelujah. It is only going the

opposite way. Which is the way that Christ has for us. It keeps improving. The life of God,

Zoe is upon my life and upon your life. It keeps changing. Our thoughts are being transformed

more and more every day. Let's look at seated with Christ. Because where the Old Testament stops

is access. And that too, it was for one man once a year. Jesus has taken care of that.

Now where Jesus and his sacrifice differs and is so superior for us is now rather than just giving

us access to the Father. He has us sit with him in the heavenly places. And the title for today was

seated with Christ. Because that is what changed everything too. In Genesis chapter one verse 28,

Jesus says, God says this, he says, I bless you. I bless you to multiply, bear fruit, subdue,

have dominion. Four words as an example out of that. Subdue, have dominion, be fruitful,

multiply. Four things. Jesus then says in Matthew chapter 28, go therefore, make disciples of all

Matthew 28 · chapter mention

nations, baptizing them, teaching them. None of these things when it was said to Adam and Eve,

and when Jesus said to us, those things can't happen without the kingdom progressing.

God's rule progressing. God's reign progressing. And then when we think about why is it that

more than just access, he also seated us with him. When we think about that, here is the answer.

Sitting with Jesus is not anymore just for ourselves. Sitting with Jesus is also for others.

And this truth about being seated with Christ, let's just say we come up with another way to

think about it. Throne, room, living. Throne, room, living. Throne, room, lifestyle. And one of my

prayers is to really understand this because I don't understand it. And I would really like

to understand what it means when Bible says I'm seated with Christ and that there is a type of

lifestyle that I can have, which is throne, room, living. Almost sounds wrong, right?

Doesn't it sound wrong that we are in the throne room, that we are with Christ?

Yes. But that's what he did. He elevated everything. He changed everything. This is why

his way is perfect and his ways are everlasting. That he then says, Derek, not only am I going to

give you access to my father, not only do you have this fresh and living way, I also give you

this position. One was access to his position. It's at the right hand. So I want you to know,

Derek, that you're always favored. I want you to know that you're appointed. I want you to know

that there is unrestricted access for you. I want you to know that there are purposes that I have

for you and come sit. So I just want to touch on a couple of things and we close real quick.

The throne room is always crying out loud something that we read in Revelation 4,

Revelation 4:1

verse 1 or 2, which is come up higher, come up higher, come up higher. Because you see, I am,

I have these eyes, these ears, this mouth, these senses that I walk on earth with.

My senses, my earthly senses, my five senses, if you call it five senses, they're limiting.

They're very limiting when it comes to throne room living. Throne room

is God's view. It's a completely different vantage point when you're in the throne room.

I remember at one time, I'll give you two examples that changed the way I think about a couple of

things. I remember at one point I was doing something and I saw the map of Canada, like on

a floor, and I saw, it was like God's feet on that map. And all of a sudden inside me,

this verse came, which is the earth is his footstool. That thought in itself, for me,

was new because the way I think about Canada now changes. Because it's throne room view.

It is not Derek's view because Derek's view is very different. Derek's view about Canada

has XYZ, stats, what I heard on CBC yesterday and all those things. But God's view is very

different. Yeah. Two, there was a time when I was talking to God about revival. I was telling him

about a few things and all of a sudden God gave me this impression in my heart that I still

distinctly remember, which is, it was like a wind from heaven. And this wind is so big, so mighty

that it originates in heaven. Because one of the things I believe around that time I was

thinking about is, man, God, God's plan, world systems, XYZ, how it all comes together when it

comes to revival. And what that sense that I had in my mind did is I understood something about

revival in a new way, which is it is birthed in heaven. That there is a wind brewing not in your

heart and my heart first. It first is birthed in heaven and then it comes on to earth. And then

as this wind blows, nothing can stop it. It's so big. It's so loud. It's so mighty. It's the rushing

wind that cannot be stopped by man and systems. Throne room view, right? You see,

throne room living gives us heavenly view of our situations. So this is not just about Canada,

not just about revival, not just about things that we want with him on earth.

For others, it is also for our lives. How does heaven see my life? How does heaven see our lives?

How does heaven see Acts 29? Throne room living, throne room lifestyle. But my senses are limiting.

And when I say God give me sight, God give me hearing, I move beyond my senses. And I begin to

now see things that are new, that my eyes don't see when I look at someone. But heaven shows me

throne room living. Let me just finish with one other thing. So when it comes to throne room living,

I think in all reality, the reason we don't perhaps think about it as much, and that's my

proposition, I may be wrong. But the reason I think why we don't talk about that

truth in the scripture as much is because in order to live that, we have to be completely past our

five senses. And that's why we don't talk about that truth in the scripture as much.

We do. And doing that individually and together as a body is a privilege.

Because it's something that Christ has set apart for us. So all of those things in the Old Testament,

when it got changed, when Christ did it once forever in the New Testament, he also wants this

for us, come up higher, which is why Paul then writes and he says something like this. When he

says, seek things that are above and not things that are below. Because my eyes want to seek things

that are here. My ears want to hear things that are here because I'm continually bombarded with

that. So if I have eight hours in a day, and if seven and a half or eight hours in the day,

I'm always seeing with these eyes and these ears and speaking with this mouth, you see what the

problem is? That I must have times when I'm not just limited to these senses because I'm first a

spirit being. So me saying I'm a spirit being is one. Me living like a spirit being then leads me

to understanding the limitations of my senses that are physical and to then trust in the work

and the presence of the Holy Spirit who gives me a completely different vantage point for life.

And just like anything else, we start one day and we make progress as we go. But I want us to also

know that there is a special grace that God gives us to do these things because this is what he paid

for. He just didn't give us free access, right? He gave us access and then he says,

I want you to have the seat. Last thing is in Ephesians chapter one, it talks about how,

here is what it says. It says that God our father has blessed us in Christ Jesus with

every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Just hear that again, Ephesians chapter one,

verse two or something. God our father has blessed us in Christ Jesus with every spiritual blessing

in the heavenly places. That too is a result of what Jesus did on the cross.

That you see sometimes when we go through life, we think there are things that he hasn't done yet

that we need. But every spiritual blessing that Deshati needs, he has already been blessed with.

And the word blessing in the Bible is really God has spoken it. He has said it. And so it has been

authorized for him. It is just a matter of living it. So any of us sitting here who is deciding

who is desiring more of God in our lives, I want us to know and think about that verse later today

or this week. Here is what it says that every that Christ will bless me. No, Christ is going to bless

me. No, Christ has God has already blessed me. He has blessed me with what Derek with every spiritual

blessings, not some, not a little bit with every spiritual blessing from where in the heavenly

places. So as I sit there with Christ, this is my reality. And so if this is my reality, then

all I need to do is engage with him to experience this because he doesn't have to give it anymore.

If I ask him to give it, I'm asking the praying the wrong prayer.

If my dad gives me his house, let's just say that happens and don't doesn't get it. You know what I mean?

If my dad gives me his house, then I have to make use of it, right? I have to use the house.

That's the whole idea. I don't need to need to go and ask him again. After he wrote that house to

me and said, Derek, this is yours. After you say after he's after he does that, can you imagine me

going and knocking on his door next day and saying, Hey, can you give me the house again?

How can he answer that prayer? Can he answer that prayer? He can't answer that prayer

because he's already given it to me. What I should ask him is now that you've given me this house,

do you have any ideas about what I do with the living room? Do you have any ideas about what

we do with the land? Do you have any ideas? How? Where is the key? Is that the key? Is that the

right key to use for this room? You see, it changes. That is how we access Ephesians chapter one,

verse two. You've already been blessed. So don't ask him for that spiritual blessing. It is already

in Christ. Engage with him to exercise it, to use it, to grow in it. Yeah. Let's finish there.

You guys okay if we sing one song? Tuni can we please sing I surrender?

As Tuni sings this,

give him your heart, give him your mind, give him your spirit, give him your body,

draw near to him,

give him a desire to submit to him so that you can grow in understanding so that heaven records

this day and says that is the day when Evelyn submitted to this. That is the day when this

happened in his life, her life because heaven does record it. And two, you have been seated with

Christ in the heavenly places. So let's not ask for it ever again. Let's engage with him to

experience the riches of it. And with this song, my prayer for us is if there is anyone here who

today has not believed in Christ as your Lord and Savior, as you sing this song,

it is an opportunity for you to submit your heart and your life to him as your Lord and Savior.

And two, some of you may be in a place where there are areas in your life where you feel like you

know what I just need fresh access. Take it. It is yours. And then some of us may be in a place

in life where you're saying this access thing I know I'm always with God. I know I have access,

but I haven't understood what it means to be seated with Christ. Take it. That is the yieldedness

of your heart that you and I can give him together as a people like I said with this song.

So this is a day when a lot of people all around the world still goes back to the old.

Why don't we as a people rely on the finished work and give him his due reward,

which is our heart. Let's do it together.