Our Resolute Hope Podcast

As good soldiers of Christ Jesus, we are to live as elite troops in Father’s kingdom, fully prepared to engage in our battle with the enemy.  But to function that way, we first must fully understand and embrace authority.

Full citizens of God’s spiritual kingdom, we are His official envoys to a foreign realm … the kingdom of darkness.  Our role is to speak and act well on behalf of our home and lift up our Lord and King so that He will draw all people to Himself.

As God’s heirs, we have immediate, perpetual access to all He is, all He has, and all He does to meet every need we have.  We can experience today … right now … the full blessings of heaven through His life in us.

When Father God adopted us into His family, He made us full sons, giving us all spiritual blessings and equipping us with all rights, privileges, and responsibilities.  As sons, we must recognize Him as our Abba, the One Who loves us dearly and gives us only His best.

Jesus cautioned that, unless we become as little children, we’ll not fully experience God’s kingdom (Matt. 18:3).  We must change how we approach life so that our first response to every circumstance is to trust Our Father, Who has it all under control.

Diakonos.  Servant, one who does things to benefit others.  Our Savior came to serve us in the ultimate way by willingly, joyfully give His life as ransom.  Being a servant involves not only what you do but also your attitude while you’re doing it.  This aspect is critically important.

Doulos.  Slave.  Jesus emptied Himself, took the form of a slave, and did the will of His Father Who sent Him.  The same applies to us.  If we wish to bear fruit in Father’s kingdom, we too must choose to be slaves.

Many believers define themselves by their behavior:  because they commit sinful acts, they must be sinners.  But God defines us by birth.  We’re His children, His holy ones, who at times make poor choices.  When we maintain that we’re sinners, we’re saying, “I know what Scripture says, but I know better.”

Because the Lord, the Holy One, lives in believers, we can’t get any more sanctified in our identity.  But we become more like the Lord in behavior as we walk in the Spirit.  Then, what’s true about us on the inside becomes more evident on the outside.

Ágios.  Holy one.  In His New Testament, Father calls us that nearly 60 times, so we won’t forget who we are in Him.  He shares His holiness with us, so much so that He even calls us by the same word He uses to describe Himself … Holy.