HEREIN IS OUR ASSURANCE

 I was reading one of my notebooks where I write the things i learn when i study the Bible and it suddenly occurred to me that we need to live daily in the consciousness that Jesus Christ is our only life and which is our assurance. Assurance in other words is certainty and guarantee. Jesus Christ is our only assurance in life. For us to understand this assurance we have in Jesus Christ, we need to understand His substitution in our place and for our benefit. Starting with Matthew 20:28, which says "Even as the Son of Man came to not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many". Jesus Christ is a substitute for ransom. "The word 'substitution' means to put in place of another, to exchange or interchange. The Latin word for substitute was used as a military word, where a person was engaged to serve in the room of another; or delegated by law to act for another. Jesus took our place on the cross at Calvary. This means that everything Jesus did, He did for us, in our place and all He did is marked out to our credit as us having done it and it thus belongs to us and is set down to our account. In mind of God we did what Jesus did. We are represented by Christ and thus enter into all the benefits and privileges of His standing in for us". Dr Shawn Smith, The New Man in Christ pg.56. Complete substitution is the means to complete victory for all who believe (Romans 6:5-7, Galatians 6:14). Jesus became exactly what you were in spirit, soul and body. His crucifixion was your crucifixion and your old man who was filled with spiritual death was nailed to the cross with Christ. Substitution has made us beneficiaries of Christ's death and resurrection. By acknowledging that what He did, He did as us, we are able to walk in its provision (pg.60).

Beloved brethren, your assurance is that Jesus Christ died for you and as you; He carried the full responsibility of your salvation, healing, deliverance and prosperity. Since He took your place, you have been replaced (Galatians 2:20). It is Christ in your place and for your benefit. We're sons in the Son; God engendered us by including us in His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. We're justified by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. It's so amazing to know that as a believer in Christ, God now has paternal obligations towards you. He keeps you safe, secure and preserved in Christ, for in Him we live and move and have our being. Father God loves you dearly and unconditionally and it's not on the basis of what you did or didn't do but purely His love for you. What matters to you, matters more to God because He lives in you. He is your peace.

You may be reading this and wonder to yourself if God loves you as much; the answer is 'yes'. It was for you that Jesus came and died as you. You may not have received Jesus Christ as your one and only life, and declaring with your mouth that He is Lord of your life, now is the time. Now is the time to confess your identification with Christ Jesus in His death, burial, resurrection and ascension in your place. Now is the time to live in the assurance that as Jesus is, so are you in this world; you're free from bondage and sin, you're accepted in the Beloved and Christ is all that defines you. You have received complete forgiveness of sin in Christ, He took your place and you now have the fullness of life. Now is the time to live in the assurance that because Jesus Christ is, you are; He defines you. You are complete in Him and you will live and not die to declare the marvelous work of God. Brethren, with lifted hands, please say this prayer of salvation to receive Jesus Christ as your life 

PRAYER OF SALVATION

Ever living Father, I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is Your only begotten Son. I believe He was made flesh to include me in the Divine life of God, I believe He died on the cross and shed His blood for me. He was buried and on the third day, He was raised from amongst the dead. I believe He ascended n high and is seated at Your right hand. I acknowledge with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord. I receive the gift of eternal life into my spirit. Amen.