For years, the Church has been taught to see ourselves as merely forgiven sinners. This has kept us more aware of who we were, rather than who the Father has made us to be. We see ourselves as unworthy, unrighteous and never worthy to have God look down upon us or to speak or to act on our behalf. We expected that everything good would happen only when we arrived in heaven. I understand Christians wishing to be humble, but we've been so aware of being prideful, that we have walked in false humility instead.
I'm not condoning arrogance or being puffed up, but I'm speaking about being honest. If anyone outside of Sunday morning called you unworthy or a beggar, then there would a fight, but in the Church, we put on our "Christian face." When I speak of being honest, I'm speaking of truth. Jesus said that, "The Words I speak are Spirit and truth" in John 6:63. Truth overcomes fact. It is a fact that Jesus was crucified, died and was buried, but the truth is that He isn't dead. Romans 3:4 (Amplified) says, "Let God be true, and every man a liar."
2Corinthians 5:16-17 says that we are a "new creation." We're not simply forgiven, but we're made a new creature altogether. The Greek Concordance says we're "a new creature that never existed before." Through faith in Jesus, we have been made a new creation, one that is righteous and in right standing with God. We're a new creation that has been justified and made to be one with Jesus Himself. We are something this planet has never before seen.
In John 17:15-20 (Amplified), Jesus said, "I do not ask that You will take them out of the world, but that You will keep and protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world (worldly, belonging to the world) (Just) as I am not of the world. Sanctify them (purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy) by the TRUTH; YOUR WORD IS TRUTH." Verses 18-20 go on, "Just as You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And so for their sake and on their behalf I sanctify (dedicate, consecrate) Myself, that they also may be sanctified (dedicated, consecrated, and made holy) in the truth. Neither for these alone do I pray (it is not for their sake only that I make this request) but also for all those who will ever come to believe in (trust in, cling to, rely on) Me through their word and teaching."
When Jesus made these statements in prayer to the Father, the Holy Spirit truthfully recorded what He said, "The Words are Spirit and Truth." This truth says that we are not of this world, but a new creation people whom He sent to us as the Father had sent Him. I refer to Romans 3:4 (Amplified) again, for those who do not believe this, "Let God be true, and every man a liar."
I realize that this sort of teaching goes against most everything we've heard and learned in our Christian walk, but it is TRUTH. This isn't something to puff us up or sacreligious, but is to raise up a Body of believers who will do what we were created to do in Jesus. This might seem "out there" and not even something to consider, to some, but to those who dare believe in God's Word, it's simply God's family doing what He "birthed" us to do.
You should read the entire chapter of Ephesians 3 through the Holy Spirit, but especially Verse 10 which says, "His purpose is that through the Church (the complicated, many-sided) wisdom of God in all its infinite variety and innumerable aspects might now be made known to the angelic rulers and authorities (principalities and powers) in the heavenly sphere."
This chapter tells us that it is through the Church, the world and satan will see what God has done and is doing now. We've been leading people to salvation all over the world, but have raised up very few adult Christians who have "Made known to the angelic rulers and authorities (principalities and powers) in heavenly spheres." Many Christians are unaware that these even exist.
Acts 19:14-16 (Amplified) gives us the account of the seven sons-one named Sceva, "But (one) evil spirit retorted, Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you? Then the man in whom the evil spirit dwelt leaped upon them, mastering two of them, and was so violent against them that they dashed out of that house (in fear) stripped naked and wounded."
Jesus and Paul were certainly made known to the "angelic authorities and the principalities and powers", because God was exalted through the Church in His wisdom and His Presence by this new creation people. Satan recognized this new creation people as those to "obey" and have to "bow" the knees at the Name of Jesus.
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