You Are An Heir

So over the last several weeks, we have been talking about who are you, or you can say, who am I?

That is the title of this series that we are in. And how many of you have enjoyed

this series that we're in?

Yeah. So it's been really good. And we've been discovering who we are because

identity is so very important.

Right now, people are trying to discover who they are by how they feel.

They're trying to discover who they are by what they see.

They're trying to discover who they are by who they hang around with,

how they vote, who they like. Some people are trying to find their identity

in the color of their skin or even their gender or even sexuality.

People are really trying to discover who they are.

And the only way to discover who you are is to look at the creator.

The creator is the only one that can tell you who you are.

He created you on purpose and for a purpose.

And so if we ever want to know who we are, we're going to have to ask the Lord, who am I?

And because we are in the body of Christ, those of us that believe and receive

Jesus or in his body, we've been created as a brand new creation that's never existed before.

And we find our identity in him. We do not find our identity in our past.

We do not locate our identity in how we feel. We don't look at our identity in what we experience.

Our identity is solely found in Christ Jesus. And his word tells us who we are.

And so my goal is for you to know who you are. Anytime you step into any room,

any place, you know who you are.

You don't walk in there and be intimidated or fearful or scared. I know who I am.

And when you know who you are, you'll begin to discover your purpose,

the reason why you exist.

And many of us don't even know that, and that's why we're in this series,

to understand and to realize the reason why we exist and to find some direction, right?

We all want direction in life, and all of that comes from our identity,

our purpose, and we'll locate our direction when we know who we are.

And so over the last several weeks, we have been discovering ourself in Christ.

You are not who you used to be, all right?

You are not who you used to be. Say that, I am not.

Who I used to be, even 30 seconds ago.

I'm not who I'm used to be because I am a brand new creation in Christ.

And the Corinthians says, I am being renewed day by day.

And so I am not who I used to be.

And so we discovered that we are a new creation in Christ.

We discovered that we are born again. And I'm going to talk a little bit more about that today.

Today, we also discovered that we are complete in him.

We've talked about that we're just like Jesus. We are just like Jesus.

We've discussed that your life is not your own. We sung about that today.

I belong to him. My life is not my own. And I want you to get used to,

watch this now, get used to not doing what you want to do.

Let's grow up a little bit. Too often, we are acting like toddlers and infants,

whining and complaining about not getting our way.

Well, it didn't work out, and that person didn't do this, or that person didn't

do that, and that's more fit for babies, all right?

That's more fit for preschoolers, okay? We need to grow up and get used to just

not getting your way sometime.

Stop always wanting to get your way. Sometimes it works out better that you

didn't get your way. Say amen to that.

I'm thinking about Ron's situation. Ron went for a job and didn't get the job.

I mean, he's fully qualified for it, didn't get it, and said,

well, the will of the Lord be done. I gave it my best.

A month later or so, was it that long?

About two months later, the person that they did hire was let go.

So what if he would have got the job? He would have been let go.

But the Lord knows what he's doing, amen?

And sometimes we need to stop trying to get our way all the time and let God

be God and let him work things out in our life without you and I's involvement.

We ain't got to make it happen. Amen. And so your life is not your own.

And then last week we talked about that you are a bond servant.

That means you willfully and voluntarily have given your life to him.

He becomes your master, and whatever he tells you to do, that's what you do

because you have voluntarily given your life to him.

And I want to go a little further today, and if you don't mind,

we're going to read some scriptures. Y'all okay with reading some scriptures?

We're going to read some scriptures today. So John chapter 8, turn there real quick.

John 8 · chapter mention

John chapter 8, meet me at verse 37.

John 8 · chapter mention

And what I want to do is I want to crush this prevalent thought that all of

humanity is God's children. All right, I want to start there.

You'll hear politicians say this when they're running for president.

We're all God's children.

Well, I want to show you something in Scripture where that's concerned.

You'll even hear saints say that. There are millions of people that believe

all of humanity is God's children.

And let's see what Jesus has to say about that.

In verse 37, he says here, he's talking to the Pharisees and the Jews.

I know that you are Abraham's descendants, but you seek to kill me because my word has no place in you.

Verse 38, I speak what I have seen with my father. Somebody say my father.

And you do what you have seen with your father. Somebody say your father.

So we notice here there's a contrast. He's differentiating between my father

and your father. So we don't have the same father, all right?

Verse 39, the answer was said to him, Abraham is our father.

Jesus said to him, if you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham.

But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God.

Abraham did not do this. You do the deeds of your father.

Once again, Jesus is saying, your father and my father is not the same.

Then they said to him, we were not born of fornication. We have one father, God.

Jesus said to them, if God were your father, you would love me.

For I proceeded forth and came from God, nor have I come of myself, but he sent me.

Why do you not understand my speech? Because you are not able to listen to my word.

You are of your father, the devil.

Now, you know that God's father is not the devil, right? Right?

I'm sorry. Jesus' father is not the devil.

And so we understand that Jesus' father is the Lord God.

So he's saying your father is the devil. So we don't have the same father and

the desires of your father you want to do.

He was a murderer from the beginning

that does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him.

When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources for he is a liar and the father of it.

I tell my children this all the time. You are more like the devil when you are lying.

When you're lying, you're more like your father, the devil. But Devon,

daddy is your father, and we tell the truth, amen?

And so be more like dad and tell the truth. But when you're lying,

you're more like your father, the devil.

Verse 45, but because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Look at verse 46.

Which of you convicts me of sin?

And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?

And I love here at verse 47, he who is of God hears God's words,

therefore you do not hear because you are not of God.

So once again, he is differentiating between you have a father and I have a

father and our fathers are not the same.

And you'll hear people say, well, we're all God's children and we all are,

God is all of our father. And that is not the case. Some people are serving the devil.

Some people's father is the devil because they have not given their life to the Lord.

And we look here at John chapter 1, verses 12 and 13.

John 1:12

John chapter 1, verse 12 and 13. It says, but as many as received him,

John 1:12

to them he gave the right to become children of God.

Watch this. The right or the opportunity to become children of God is because they have received him.

To those who believe in his name. Look at verse 13.

Who were born not of blood, that's physical birth, not of the will of the flesh.

Nor of the will of man, but of God.

So those that receive him are born of God or from God, or God has birthed them.

Now, we know that our physical body has not been reborn.

This is a spiritual rebirth, a new birth happening on the inside of you.

When Jesus was meeting with Nicodemus in John chapter 3, Nicodemus asked him

John 3 · chapter mention

a question, and Jesus says to him, you must be born again.

And Nicodemus misinterpreted and said, can a man enter the second time into

his mother's womb? And Jesus said, that's nasty. Let's not talk that way, right?

Jesus said, no, I'm talking about spiritual things.

You must be born again spiritually. There must be a new birth,

or you can say it this way, you must be born from above.

And so once you have a new birth and you're born from above,

then you are considered a child of God.

But if you have not received Jesus, if you have not confessed with your mouth,

believed in your heart, you're not a child of God.

And so in order to be a child of God, you must be born again.

Say this, I must be born again. Amen.

Now, I was studying this all week, and it's something that's really been on

my heart for a very long time, and I feel a release today to teach it.

Jesus mentioned you must be born again one time.

And how many of you know that's very, very important? You must be born again.

I mean, that's life and death. That's salvation.

That's heaven or hell, right? That's life on the earth more abundantly or wandering around aimlessly.

You must be born again.

But then if we take a look here at, let's go to Romans chapter 8,

Romans 8 · chapter mention

and let's look at verse 14.

I'm going to shed some light on something here. Romans chapter 8 and verse 14,

Romans 8 · chapter mention

the apostle Paul tells us, for as many as are led by the spirit of God,

these are the sons of God.

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear.

So notice we did not receive a spirit of fear that puts us in bondage.

So if there's a spirit of fear attacking you, that's not from God because that's

putting you in slavery or in prison, right?

But here's what you did receive, the spirit of adoption by whom we cry out,

Abba, Father. Let's look at verse 16 there.

And it says, the Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

And verse 17, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with

Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together.

And so one of the things that has been on my heart for several years now is

Jesus mentioned you must be born again.

And then Paul here says you must receive the spirit of adoption.

Now, in our natural way of thinking, a new birth and adoption is two separate things.

But in a spiritual concept, this is actually two sides of the same coin.

What we are seeing in Scripture here is Jesus is talking to a Jewish man,

Nicodemus, and the Jewish people understood a new birth.

But Paul, and we'll read some more verses, Paul is talking to the Romans and

they understand adoption.

Now, when we think of adoption, we think of an orphan child, right?

We have some kind of thought or somebody doesn't have any parents or someone

that really is in need and someone that just needs the support, and they're young.

And that's great. There's nothing wrong with those type of thoughts.

But if you look back in the culture of adoption, a grown adult could be adopted into a family.

If I heard of a story here that I was studying and reading, that one particular

rich, wealthy man's son had died.

And this other gentleman saved this rich man, but couldn't save the son,

but was able to save the rich man.

And the rich man adopted this grown man.

Now, why did he adopt him?

Well, he adopted him because he wants to give him something.

He wants to give him something.

In this passage of Scripture, we see here, let's put it back on the screen,

Romans chapter 8. Let's look at verse 16. Watch this now in this passage of Scripture.

Romans 8 · chapter mention

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. Look at verse 17.

And if children, then heirs. Somebody say heirs.

Heirs of God and joint heirs. Say joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer

with him, that we may also be glorified together.

This word children, I don't want you to get wrapped up in age as much as I want

you to get wrapped up in family.

And so in a new birth.

Your nature changed. But when you receive the spirit of adoption,

your status changed, your position changed.

In the new birth, you were put in the family.

But when you receive the spirit of adoption, you're going to receive something.

Now, God has always, because he's a good father, has always wanted to give us something.

And what he wants to give us is called an inheritance. Somebody say inheritance.

An inheritance is simply a portion allocated for someone.

That's an inheritance. A portion allocated for someone. All right?

It's a portion assigned for someone. All right?

That's an inheritance, and God has always wanted to give this inheritance.

But before we get into this inheritance, I want to spend a little more time

on, it says here, when you receive the spirit of adoption,

you will cry out, Abba, Father.

Now, Abba, Father is an Aramaic term that just simply means father,

but it goes a little deeper and more intimate. It actually means papa or daddy.

And so when you receive the spirit of adoption, you now have a daddy. Somebody say daddy.

You now have a papa. And this is not a judge or an authority figure that you're

viewing as your papa necessarily.

This is an intimate relationship that you have with your dad.

Now, I believe the enemy has attacked a lot of dads on the planet because he

wants to make God look really, really bad.

When things happen and dads are not around, the enemy really wants to make dads

look really, really bad.

So there's an attack on men. Pray for dads. Pray for men.

There is a real attack on men because the enemy is after the idea and identity that we have of a father.

And so, Paul is saying once we receive this spirit of adoption,

notice when he's talking to the Jewish people, this is about a new birth.

Now he's talking to the Romans. This is the spirit of adoption that we have

received. Now, can I tell you something a little deeper? Can I go a little deeper?

Only three people want me to go deeper, but that's all right.

And I'm going deeper anyway.

I ain't scared of y'all. Amen. But I do want you to get in here with me and track with me. Amen.

Not today, but back in the day, if I can use that terminology,

a parent could disown a natural-born child.

A parent could say, I don't want to have anything to do with this natural-born

child. I'm done with them.

But once you've become an adopted child, a parent can never disown an adopted child.

Jesus was on the cross, son of God.

Jesus is saying, why have you forsaken me?

We have this picture that God really turned his back on him because he carried

all of sin for us. This is his son.

God turned his back.

You and I carry the spirit of adoption on us. Glory to God.

God will never say to you and I, where are you? Where are you forsaken? I'm done with you.

I'm finished with you. I don't want to have nothing to do with you anymore because

we've received the spirit of adoption. Come on, say amen to that.

And because we've received the spirit of adoption, we have become an heir.

Somebody say heir. Now, an heir is someone who receives an assigned portion set aside for them.

Let me say it this way. I wrote it down this way. An heir is one who receives

the portion assigned to you.

An inheritance is a portion assigned to you, but an heir is someone who receives,

the portion assigned to you.

So let's look real quick at Galatians chapter 4, and we'll read through 4 through

Galatians 4 · chapter mention

7, Galatians 4, 4 through 7. This is the Apostle Paul talking to the people

of Galatia, which is also a province of Rome.

So he's still addressing Roman people.

He says, but when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his son,

born of a woman, born under the law.

To redeem those, talking about us, who were born under the law,

that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Glory to God. Look at verse 6.

And because you are sons, say, I'm a son.

And the lady, say, I'm a daughter.

And because you are a son or daughter, God has sent forth Put the spirit of

his son into your hearts, crying out what?

Abba, Father, I have a daddy, and he loves me.

Therefore, you no longer a

slave. Watch this. Last week, we talked about being a bondservant, right?

You're no longer a bondservant, but a son.

And if a son, then an heir of God through Christ Jesus. and somebody shout amen.

Now watch this. I wrote some things down here. I want you to know today that

you are born again. You're in the family of God and you've received the spirit

of adoption, which means God has assigned and allocated something for you.

So you have something that you may not realize you already possess simply because

you are a son or daughter.

You are an heir to the inheritance.

Now, sometimes the inheritance is now, and sometimes it's later.

I mean, you know, how do you receive an inheritance? Someone has to die, right?

Someone has to die to receive an inheritance. Did Jesus die?

So he died, and we receive what? His inheritance.

Come on, say amen to this. I'm going to get you going here in a second. And so watch this.

There is something a sign to us that you and I may not know that we possess.

Now, God will give you all that he has given Christ Jesus.

Now, think about this. God is giving you all that he has given,

Everything he has given Christ Jesus. Did Christ lack on the earth?

Not one time was he in need because God took care of him. God has given you.

Watch this. Can I go a little deeper? Did Jesus suffer any sickness on the earth?

The only time he did was on the cross for you and I to take it away, for you and I.

So God has given you and I health.

Just like he gave Jesus health, you and I have health. Say amen to that.

We are redeemed from the curse. Hallelujah.

There is no debilitating negative spiritual force in operation in our life any longer.

We are an heir and our inheritance is redemption from the curse all we have now is the blessing

the blessing is on our life say yeah patricia i'll hear you back there clapping

girl the blessing is on our life and we're blessed to be a blessing because god has given us

everything that he has given christ jesus you inherit all that he is and all that he has,

so i'm trying to tell you who you are.

You inherit all that he is and all that he has.

Your inheritance includes access to excess.

Access to excess. Glory to God. That's why I told y'all earlier,

we never going to run out because we have access to excess. Glory to God.

I mean, God owns the cattle on a thousand hills.

And he said he'll never leave us nor forsake us.

So what does that mean? I have the spirit of adoption in me. I have access to excess.

My father is no longer the crooked devil. My father is the Lord Jehovah Rapha.

Jehovah Jireh El Elyon Elohim He's the

most high God And that is my Father And I have access to excess Glory to God

I'm never going to run out Say that I'm never going to run out Say it again.

Say it again. Say it again. Say it like you mean it.

I'm never going to run out glory to God. I got access to excess. Hallelujah.

I'm a son of God. I'm a child of God. I know what to do when I don't know what to do.

Amen. Somebody, Pastor, what are we going to do? I already know.

I'll tell you in a minute.

But I know what to do even when I don't know what to do. Say amen to that.

I know what decisions to make. I know where to go and what not to do.

And I don't actually always need clarity to know.

I'm just going to have to trust God. See, some of us, our crutch is clarity.

Oh, I'm talking to somebody. Our crutch is clarity. I'm just waiting on clarity.

I'm just, if I can get some clear direction from the Lord, I'm waiting.

And the Lord says, trust me, seek peace and pursue it.

I moved to Charlotte back in 2004, and I was single at the time,

and the Lord never told me to move to Charlotte. I'd never heard the Lord say, move to Charlotte.

But every time I thought about Charlotte, I had peace.

There was a bright light when I thought about Charlotte. And I thought,

man, this is the direction I'm supposed to go. I'm going to have to trust God

because he's my father, and I believe he's leading me.

Now, there are times the Lord will give you a clear, concise direction.

But more often than not, we're going to have to hear and trust.

Somebody say trust. We're going to have to trust him. Like, Lord, I trust you.

If this is the peace that I feel, and I'm going to have to seek that peace,

and I'm going to pursue it because I trust you.

Now, I married the best woman alive.

Amen. Yeah, amen. Put your hands together for that. Some of you guys are clapping

too hard about that. All right, so, no.

I never heard the Lord tell me to marry Stacy. see. I never heard the Lord say, marry her.

I just trusted him. I enjoyed being around her. I had peace,

and it passes understanding, and then there was no tribulation.

I don't know why I'm talking about this, but somebody needs to hear this.

There was no constraints. Yeah, I had a lot of questions, right?

Like, is it going to work?

Is this good, you know? But I just trusted him.

And sometimes we're pausing and we're waiting to hear concise,

clear direction. And the Lord can give you that.

But more often than not, he wants you to trust him.

He wants you to trust him. Amen? He wants you to know that you are his son and his daughter.

And so your inheritance is what belongs to you because you belong to Christ.

Your inheritance is what belongs to you because you belong to Christ.

Your inheritance isn't based on what you've earned. It's based on what family you belong to.

It's not based on what you have earned.

How many of you know, I know some people that they come from some very rich,

financially rich families.

And how many of you know, they act a little different.

Don't they they act a little they might be a little bougie you know they they

might be a little you know think they better than you or whatever the case may

be but i've been thinking about this they know they possess something,

they so there's a and they're in that view there may be some cockiness but you

and i need to have some confidence right that that that i'm not doing this alone.

I'm not by myself. I'm not the only one. God's going to take care of me.

If he's brought me this far, he's going to take me all the way. Amen.

If he's telling us to make these steps and trust him and lean on him for these

directions and these goals, then he's going to get us there. Amen.

Amen. Matter of fact, I'll say this. God would never let you go through anything

you couldn't get through.

Are you listening to me today if you couldn't get through it you wouldn't be

able to even go through it.

He won't allow any test, any trial, any temptation, any circumstance,

any sickness, any poverty,

anything to attack you if he didn't already know that you can get through it.

Hallelujah. That's good news today.

He has surveyed my ability, my capacity.

He says he's well able. He's capable of getting through this.

And so if I go through it, I can get through it. Say that. If I go through it,

I can get through it because he wouldn't

even allow it if you couldn't be victorious. I'd say I'm victorious.

This is the inheritance that we have in him. It is based on the family you belong to.

Like I said, I know some wealthy people that come from wealthy families and

they carry themselves just a little differently.

They act just a little differently. They talk a little differently.

I know I'm thinking about a particular friend of mine, and while I'm talking

about, you know, maybe paying the bill, he's talking about buying property.

I'm like, you know what I'm saying? Two different conversations. Amen.

Amen. And so I like hanging around people like that, too, because they stretch you.

You want to be stretched. That's why y'all hanging with me, because you want to be stretched.

God calls y'all to be with this crazy individual because you want to go to the next level.

And we're going to the next level, amen?

And so, when we realize that our inheritance is in him and we belong to the

family, we're going to carry ourselves just a little differently.

Not cocky, not ego, not pride, just confident that God's got this in Jesus' name.

Now watch this. Your inheritance, watch this, includes...

His presence, his presence.

What more do we want than his presence?

Man, I like what they said in the Old Covenant.

Moses says, listen, we got to go over here.

And the Lord said, I'm going to send my angel.

And Moses said, no, no, no, no. I don't want the angel to go.

I want you to go with me. He says, if you don't go, we're not going.

Amen. His presence is our inheritance.

He will never leave us nor forsake us.

He will always be with us. When times are tough, he'll be there.

When times are rough, he'll be there. When we don't know what to do, he'll be there.

And when times are good, he'll be there, praise God.

When times are going well, he'll be there. His presence is our inheritance,

and not just here on the earth, but in heaven too, glory to God.

Heaven is for you and I, and his presence will feel heaven.

I was reading Revelation just this week.

It said, there was no light in heaven for God lit up heaven. Hallelujah.

He is so bright. He is, God is light.

And in him, no darkness at all. He lit up all of heaven, praise God.

Matter of fact, God lit up the earth. You know that there was light on the earth before the sun.

Where did the light come from? It came from him. Then he said,

let me create the sun because, you know, I'm going to burn y'all out because

I'm so bright. I'm so full of light.

Glory, hallelujah. So his presence is with us.

His presence is our inheritance, and we can receive his presence now.

I want y'all to recognize his presence.

You may not feel his presence, but he's there.

Every opportunity you have, recognize that God is here.

He's in me. He's with me. He's upon me. His presence is our inheritance.

Another inheritance we have is his provision.

His provision is a part of our inheritance. He will provide.

Matter of fact, his name means I will provide.

And so provision is a part of our inheritance.

Our inheritance. Who are you? I am an heir.

What are you an heir to? I'm an heir to his presence and I'm an heir to his provision.

That means what is an heir? Someone who has been assigned to receive something.

That's all an heir is, an assignment to receive something. And so I'm an heir of his presence.

I'm an heir of his provision. You and I are also an heir of his power.

Somebody say power.

Delegated power. That's also authority. We're an heir of his power.

We have access to the power of God.

You don't want to serve a God that has no power, right? I mean,

I want to serve a God that's all powerful.

And not only is he able, but he's also willing.

That's who I serve. And I don't just call him dad. I can call him,

I'm sorry, I don't just call him God. I can call him dad. Amen.

He's powerful. And his power is always available to you and I.

Come on, somebody say amen.

I don't know if y'all were watching. Miracles still happen. I don't know if

y'all been watching the news. I rarely watch the news.

But did y'all hear about this plane over in Israel that, my goodness,

you're talking about a miracle taking place? If you don't know,

I'll tell you about it. This plane was a co-pilot, stabbed the pilot.

Plane was going down. They didn't broke in and kicked in the cockpit door,

seized the terrorist that was trying to crash the plane.

Two pilots just so happened to be on the flight and they jumped in the pilot

seat and landed the plane safely.

No one dead. This is a miracle. This is a miracle.

Now, I know some conspiracy theories. Whoa, there's something going on.

I don't care. That sounds like a miracle to me that all that happened.

And I'm like, my goodness, nobody's really talking much about it.

But I said, man, God is still in the business of doing miracles.

My goodness. They said that the pilot that was stabbed, and I guess he got stabbed

with some kind of axe or something. My Lord, he got stabbed,

and he was still able to open the cockpit door so the people could come in.

My goodness, and they beat up, old boy.

Stacy asked, what have you done? I said, I would have choked him out. But they beat up.

You had your opportunity to give your life to Jesus. Jesus.

And you missed multiple opportunities. I'm going to put you to your maker today.

All right. And so, and then two pilots jump in and land the plane. Wow.

Come on, you have access to this kind of power. Miracles. I declare miracles

are happening for you right now.

The power of God is moving in your life right now. This is part of your inheritance.

His power, His provision, His presence. And the last P is His promises.

You are an heir of all the promises. The promises, what is Hebrews 6.12 says

that by faith and patience you shall inherit the promises of God.

You are an heir. That means you have something set aside just for you,

and it includes his promises.

I dare you to go in the Scriptures and find his promises.

I dare you to look up all of the promises of God and write them down and say

them and say, that's mine, that belongs to me, I'll take it, I'll have it.

All of the promises of God are what? Yes and amen. Man, so be it,

you are an heir of all of the promises of God.

I was reading a scripture in Deuteronomy 11, 21 the other day.

It says that there should be days of heaven on the earth.

Well, I received that. Did you receive that? Instead of days of hell on the

earth, I want some days of heaven on the earth operating in my life. This is in the Bible.

You can find in the Bible whatever his promises say.

You can discover these promises in Scripture because they're for you.

You are an heir. Say, I'm an heir.

You are a child, and because you are a child, you are an heir.

And because you are an heir, you have an inheritance.

His presence, his power, his provision, and his promises, they all belong to you.

This week, I want you to just bask in his presence, go over his promises,

beseech his power and look for his provision this week because it all belongs to you.

Amen. This is how you experience true life.