We will be starting an Elevation Series and I trust the Holy Spirit that by the end of this series, we are looking at four steps in this series, we are starting with step one today. And by the end of May we would have looked at four steps in this Elevation Series. I pray that each step will be a step into higher heights for you, exaltations, elevations, beyond your dreams, beyond your imaginations. The Holy Spirit will walk with you and make all of God’s plans materialize in your life in Jesus name.
Listen to Podcast: THE STATUS OF EVERY BELIEVER
So, today we are looking at the step one of the Elevation Series and we are looking at The Status Of Every Believer. When we talk about Status, we are talking about position, we are talking about rank. Every believer is positioned. Every believer is ranked differently from any other human on the earth. Now this is not something to boast about but it is the truth of who we are. Now there are times when you hear certain things about yourself, it is not for you to be puffed up but it is for you to come to the realization of the truth of your personality and that is what the Holy Spirit wants to take us through this morning because until you know who you are, you don’t know what you should command.
And that’s why it is important and the Holy Spirit has deemed it fit this morning to take us through this step one, The Status Of Every Believer. Every believer has a rank, every believer has a position in relation to others because that’s the simple meaning of what a Status is. When we talk about the Status of a person, you are talking about the rank of the person in relation to other people. You are talking about the position of the person in relation to other people. So that is what we are looking at this morning. And we are looking at the five major things that depict our Status as believers. Five major things that depict or paints a good picture for us of what our Status is as a believer and we are going to start with one.
The first one is that WE ARE SANCTIFIED, remember that we are looking at identity, we are looking at who we are because who we are determines what we command, who we are determines what we attract. So, when we talk about elevation, it’s about a position, it’s about a new positioning, it’s about the awareness of a positioning and that’s what the Holy Spirit is talking us through. Please follow through and I believe that you will be blessed in Jesus name. We are sanctified. That’s the number one identity and Status of a believer, we are sanctified. Hebrews chapter 10 verse 10;
10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Hebrews 10: 10
The Bible says, by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Christ, once for all. By that will we have been sanctified, by the will of God not the will of man and that’s why when we were reading in Psalm chapter 35 earlier, we realized that promotion does not come, exaltation does not come from the south or from the East or from the West, it comes from God. And He said, by that will, that will of God. By that will of God, we have been sanctified. What does it mean to be sanctified? He said we are sanctified through the offering of the Lord Jesus Christ once and for all. I want us to go to 1st Corinthians, which will also give us a good picture into what it means that we are sanctified.
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
1st Corinthians 6:11
And such were some of you but you were washed, but you were sanctified, did we see it? But you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. You were washed and you were sanctified. Now when you wash a vessel, when you wash an item, you don’t want it to be messed up again. When you wash an item, that means you’ve put in effort to make it clean, then you sanctify it. Sanctification means that you have been set aside, you have been termed holy. You have been set aside by God. That’s why the first scripture we read in Hebrews said, by that will. It was the desire of God that you are sanctified. It is not the desire of man, it is by the desire of God that you are sanctified. And this scripture in 1st Corinthians also made us to see, in 6:11, and such were some of you, not everybody. That’s why we said, we are looking at our Status, our position, it is different from who other people are on the earth because we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, this positioning comes to us, we are now in this Status.
And He said, the first thing is that we are sanctified, we are set apart, we are sanctified unto God. We are set apart. No wonder the bible says but you, talking about you and I. He said, you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special people, you have been translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of his dear Son. So, you are sanctified. You are sanctified, you are chosen, you are separated. You are not separated unto mediocrity. You are separated unto royalty in priesthood. So, we are sanctified for service. We are sanctified for the special use of a King and that King is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, our God and our Father and He said you have been washed. And another Scripture that I want us to see is in Galatians chapter 2 and verse 20; so that we understand the implication of ‘we’ being sanctified. If you don’t understand who you are, you won’t understand what you should command.
20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Galatians 2:20
Apostle Paul said, I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me, this is the implication that we are sanctified. We have been crucified with Christ, we are dead to sin and all its works. We have been sanctified, separated from sin. He said, I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me, the reason I am sanctified is because Christ lives in me, that is who I am, that is my Status, that is my position, that is my rank. Christ lives in me and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. Now my new identity is in Christ, I am no longer in the world, I am no longer in darkness, my new identity is in Christ. I am sanctified. 2nd Corinthians 5: 17, so that we understand all the implication of what it means because this is the foundation, our sanctification is the foundation of our Status.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
2nd Corinthians 5: 17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, remember where we read in Galatians 2:20, Christ now lives in me so if I am now found in Christ. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. He has a new elevated Status. He is a new person. He has a new positioning. Such person has been exalted. Such person has been lifted. Such life has experienced an upgrade. And he says here, old things have passed away, behold, look, if you look intently at me, if you look closely at me, you will see that all things, not some things, all things have become new. I have changed levels. I have changed Status why? Christ lives in me. I am sanctified. I have changed levels. If you go to my former address, you won’t find me there. I have moved. I have relocated. I am no longer down where the devil can trample on me, I am now here in Christ. I am elevated. That is the first thing we must understand about our Status, we are sanctified. 2nd Thessalonians, to wrap up on that point because when we understand who we are, we will understand what we should command as children of God.
13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,
2nd Thessalonians 2:13
But we are bound to give thanks to God, always for you brethren beloved by the Lord. That’s who you are, you are beloved by the Lord because you are sanctified. Don’t feel less. That is who you are. Remember it’s not so that you will be puffed up but for you to understand the realities of your personality and what you should command as a child of God. You are beloved by the Lord because God from the beginning chose you, did you see that? God chose you, you are sanctified, you are chosen. God chose you for salvation through sanctification so He saved you from all the mess of the past, he separated you from all the family lineage issues, sanctified you, separated you, you are now of a new order. You are now a new creature in Christ Jesus by the Spirit and belief in the truth. Believe this truth, don’t let the devil lie to you. The bible says therefore there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, Christ lives in you. You are sanctified. So, you have been chosen by God for salvation through sanctification. Your sanctification is the reason why you are not same as every other person. You are being sanctified, number one.
Number two, which we will also refer from this 2nd Thessalonians 2:13, YOU ARE BLESSED because you have been accepted in the beloved. He said you are the beloved of God. He chose you. You are the beloved of God. Ephesians 1 verse 3-9, talking about the second point, the second thing that makes us to understand our Status is that we are blessed. Number one, we are sanctified. Number two, we are blessed.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and [b]prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,
Ephesians 1:3-9
Blessed be the Lord and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us, it is the Father that has blessed us. The blessing is not something we just put on ourselves. The Father has blessed us. The greater bless the lesser. God is the greater and He has blessed us. So, every believer is blessed. You are blessed you are not cursed. You have been redeemed from the curse of the law, you are blessed. The reason why you are blessed is because you are sanctified. You have been separated for a blessing. The blessing of the Lord is upon you. You are blessed. Blessed be the Lord and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us and with what? He has blessed us with spiritual blessing so when we are looking at ourselves, don’t look at yourself and look at your Status because you don’t have a car or because you don’t have house of your own or because you don’t have 9 digits in your account, you are blessed. That’s your Status. You are blessed with every spiritual blessing, not some, every! Every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places! That’s where our blessing is, in heavenly places, in Christ. That’s why we understand that our sanctification is because Christ lives in us. We are in Christ.
Apostle Paul said in Galatians 2:20, I have been crucified with Christ nevertheless I live. The life I now live, the life of blessing that I live, I live by faith in the Son of God, in Christ Jesus, who loved me and gave himself for me so we are blessed. We are blessed that’s our Status because you cannot upgrade your life if you do not know who you are. The Holy Spirit cannot help you with an upgrade if your mind is not renewed and your mind gets renewed by the word of God. That’s why the bible says, faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God so you must understand who you are, you are sanctified, you are blessed.
And in verse 4, He said just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy, did you see sanctification again? We should be holy, sanctified, set apart without blame before him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the adoption of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace by which he made us accepted. He made us accepted in the Beloved. We are accepted we are not rejected. We are blessed and He has blessed us. God has blessed us. Once you are sanctified by Him, you are blessed of Him. He has blessed us with every blessing, every spiritual blessing in heavenly places. So, never look at yourself small, that is the lie of the devil, never look at your bank account and conclude that that is who you are, you are bigger than that bank account, you are bigger than the car, you are bigger than the house. You are blessed. That’s who you are. That’s your Status. You are blessed.
Number three, WE ARE SEATED WITH CHRIST. That’s who we are. We are seated with Christ. In that Ephesians chapter 1 that we read, in that verse 5, He said having predestined us to adoption as sons, not as slaves. Its slaves that cannot sit in the house, its slaves that cannot sit on elevated positions but sons sit, so you are seated. You are seated. You are enthroned, that’s who you are. He said as sons by Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will. It pleased God to make you his son, He adopted you into the beloved. You are accepted. You are not a bastard. In the kingdom of God, you are not a bastard, you are a son in the kingdom and He said we are seated. Ephesians 2, let me read it from verse 4
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
Ephesians 2: 4-6
But God who is rich in mercy , because of the great love with which he loved us, anytime you see we talk about the Father, God the Father, it’s about His love. It’s because of his love is why we are sanctified, because it’s of His love, we are blessed. Because of His love, we are also seated. And he said even when we are dead in trespasses He made us alive together with Christ. So, remember where we are starting from,. Our Status is that Christ lives in us, we are sanctified. So our life is in Christ. So wherever Christ is, we are. Whatever Christ owns, we own. He said in verse 5, and when we were dead in trespasses, He made us alive together with Christ, by the grace we have been saved and raised us up together, together with Christ and made us seat together. He made us seat together.
So, until you are in Christ, you cannot be blessed of God and you cannot sit together with Him. The foundation of who we are is in our sanctification. That’s the number one and because we are blessed with every spiritual blessing. It is also evident in where we are seated. He said we seat together and see where we are seated – in the heavenly places not in Aso rock, in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, we are seated together. We are seated together with Christ in heavenly places.
20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Ephesians 1:20-23
He said, which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand. See the location of Christ Jesus. He said He seated him at His right hand, in the heavenly places far above all principality and power and might and dominion. That’s where Christ is seated and we seat together with him. So this picture that we are reading out in the scripture is also our experience because we seat together with Him far above all principality. Far above! So, principality, powers and dominion are under our feet. Not because we are pompous but because that is who we are. We are seated with Christ. We are seated with Christ at the right hand of God in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named. You know when I got to this part, I loved it. Every name that is named.
So anything that has a name because the name of Jesus is higher than any name. Covid-19 is a name. Once they have named that virus, it is under our feet because we are seated with Christ, far above. So, Covid-19 is under our feet because we are seated with Christ. Every name that is named., once there is a name for it, once that man has a name, once that job has a name, once that contract has a name, you are seated with Christ above it, far above it. Not only in this age. So not just in this time, not only in this realm but also in that which is to come, till eternity and He put all things under His feet. Did we see that? He put all things under his feet and we are seated with Him. That’s who we are. We are seated with Him.
And He gave him to be the head over all things, to who? To the church! He gave him to be head over all things, not some things, all things, including money, including connection, all things to the church. The reason why Jesus is seating with all these glory, is for us, who are the church, the ecclesia, the called out ones, the separated ones, the sanctified ones, talking about you, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Do you understand who you are? This morning, it’s not all about go up and prosper, understand who you are, understand who God has made you because it is until you understand who you are that you will understand what you will command.
Number four, WE ARE ANOINTED. 1st John chapter 2, we are anointed. The first point is that we are sanctified, the second one –we are blessed. Number three, we are seated with Christ and number four, we are anointed. God is so good to us! 1st John chapter 2, I will read verse 20 and 27,
20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.
1st John 2:20
27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.
1st John 2:27
But you have an anointing from the Holy One and you know all things. That’s why we say elevation does not come from any other source, it’s from God. You have an anointing. Child of God, you have an anointing and the anointing is from God, from the Holy One and you know all things. That is who you are. I am not trying to cajole you. That’s why it is a teaching meeting. We are going into the scriptures to see for ourselves who God has made us. This is our Status as believers. Every believer has come into this Status by the reason of our sanctification in Christ Jesus, Christ lives in us. You are anointed. You have an anointing. It’s not for you to be puffed up. It is for you to understand what you need to command in your life. You have the anointing.
Verse 27, but the anointing which you have received. You have received it. The anointing which you have received from Him abides in you. It’s in you. It’s not just in the general overseers or the pastors, it’s in you as a believer and you do not need that anyone teach you but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things and is true and it’s not a lie, and just as He has taught you, you will abide in Him. You have an anointing and that anointing teaches you, you are anointed. You know things. Don’t say I don’t know oh, I am just confused. No! That’s not who you are. You are not a confused person. You have an anointing that teaches you, an anointing that leads you in all truth, an anointing that tells you, this is the way walk in it, that’s who you are. You are anointed. You are anointed of God. You have received an anointing from the Holy One. You have received an anointing from your Father. You are anointed and that’s why the bible says in Psalm 105 verse 15;
Saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones,
And do My prophets no harm.”Psalm 105:15
Touch not my anointed and do my prophet no harm, this is your heritage. That is your Status, that is who you are. You are anointed. Don’t say that scripture, ah! It’s for pastors oh! Touch not my anointed. It’s for you, it’s for every believer. That’s your Status. You are anointed. Anyone that is sanctified by God, that Christ lives in is blessed of the Father and you are seated with Christ in the heavenly places far above principalities and powers and you are anointed. And the last one we are looking at which is like the crown of our Status, that’s the chief of our Status but remember these things are steps, if you don’t go through step one, you can’t go to step two, you can’t go to step three. Number one is that we are sanctified, until we are sanctified, we are not blessed. Until we are blessed , we are not seated with Christ. Until we are seated with Christ, we are not anointed. And until we are anointed by Him, we are not heirs.
WE ARE HEIRS, that is the last one we are looking at. We are heirs, and what does it mean? The Bible says, we are heirs of God and we are joint heirs with Christ, we qualify for the treasures of heaven. We qualify. We are legitimate sons. When you make somebody an heir, the person is legitimate. The person qualifies so we are heirs. Romans chapter 8, we will read from verse 14 to 17
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 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.
Romans 8:14-17
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. As many as are led by the Spirit of God, as many children of God that are anointed, that have received an anointing in the personality of the Holy Spirit. You’ve received an anointing from the Holy one, the Holy Spirit. He said you qualify, you are sons of God. These are sons of God for you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear but you received the Spirit of adoption by who we cry out Abba Father. We have the privilege to cry Abba Father because we qualify. We qualify by the anointing, we qualify by our sanctification.
The Spirit Himself, the anointing himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, that we are legitimate and if children, if not bastards, if we are children then we are heirs. We are heirs of God. I know some people will wish they can remove this scripture from the bible, we are heirs of God. You know when they say this is the heir to the throne, that means you are next in line, you qualify, you are legitimate, that is who you are. This is the bible. This is scriptures, this is the word of your Father. This is the testament of God. You qualify. We are heirs of God and because we are heirs of God, we are joint heirs with Christ. I am so excited in my Spirit, if indeed we suffer with him, if indeed we qualify if indeed we suffered with Him that we may also be glorified together.
If you have allowed him to sanctify you and Christ lives in you, you have fellowshipped with His death and his resurrection and his suffering, then you qualify. We are heirs. We qualify for the inheritance. We are joint heirs with Christ. We qualify for the riches of God. We are not bastards in the kingdom, we are sons, we are legitimate. We qualify for kingdom treasures. That’s why Jesus was saying to his disciples. He said whatever you disallow on earth is disallowed in heaven because you are heirs. Whatever you allow on earth is allowed in heaven because you are heirs. You are heirs of the Father. You are heirs of God. Ephesians chapter 1 and we will read verse 11 to 14, you know also emphasizing on this truth, we are heirs. This is one important vital Status that we have as believers and we must not take it for granted, we must not think of ourselves less than who we are, this is who we are
11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
Ephesians 1:11-14
In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, in him who? Christ Jesus. We have been sanctified with Him and in Him we have obtained an inheritance being predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that is God. That we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of his glory, in Him you also trusted after you heard the word of truth. After you heard the gospel of your salvation, in whom also haven believed you were sealed because this scripture now gives us like a complete breakdown of these five things we discussed, you are sanctified, you are blessed, that you are seated with Christ, you are anointed and you are heirs. If you read this Ephesians chapter 1 verse 11 down to verse 14, it gives us that picture.
You are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise who is the guarantee of our inheritance. Do you see that without that anointing, there is no guarantee of inheritance? Who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of his glory. Know this, let it seat deep within your Spirit, let your faith be built by this word. You are sanctified, you are blessed, you are seated with Christ, you are anointed and you are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. In Revelations 5 verse 12, the Bible talks about the Lamb of God, the inheritance we have in him.
12 saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
Revelations 5:12
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, riches, and wisdom, and strength and honour and glory and blessing for you. We have obtained that inheritance in Christ, let the devil not snatch or steal it from you because all the devil wants to do is to steal, to kill and to destroy but in Jesus you have life and you have it in abundance. Believe it, receive it. Settle it in your heart that this is your position, this is your rank, this is your Status as a believer and yes I am working in the fullness of it. That’s when your life will truly experience an upgrade. The upgrade that we are looking for comes by the word and it is in Christ Jesus. Promotion does not come from the east or the west or from the south, it comes from God. He exalts us in Christ Jesus because we are seated with Him.
I just want you to give praise to God who has given you this blessing, that has blessed you with spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Celebrate the Father, give Him praise, exalt Him, receive His love for you.
Amen!
