Dahil sa habag at napakadakilang pag-ibig ng Diyos sa atin, binuhay Niya tayo kasama ni Cristo. Ang ating espiritu na dating patay (separated from God) dahil sa kasalanan ay nagkaroon ng buhay (spiritual re    surrection) at ito’y hindi lamang karaniwang buhay, kundi mismong buhay ni Cristo ang ipinagkaloob sa atin. Hiningahan tayo ng Diyos; buhay ni Cristo ang dumadaloy sa atin. Kaya nga’t hindi na tayo ang nabubuhay ngayon kundi si Cristo na; mayroon na tayong bagong buhay (new life), bagong kalikasan (new nature; righteous) at bagong pagkakakilanlan (new identity; our identity is Christ). Isinilang tayong muli (new birth) upang maging bahagi ng Kanyang kaharian (new humanity/creation in His kingdom); at kasama Niya tayong naghahari ngayon sa buhay na ito dahil sa ating pakikipagisa sa Kanya (union with Him). His Spirit dwells in you; He lives in you; He walks with you; He speaks through you.

Know who you are in Christ! You were raised with Him and you are seated with Him in the heavenly places - this is not a future promise; it is a present reality. This is our inheritance in Christ. It is not a reward we earned, for we did nothing to deserve it. It is entirely the work of Christ, given to us by His grace through faith in His finished work on the cross. Nakaupo kang kasama Niya sa kaharian ng langit (shared authority and rule in His Kingdom; not geographically, but spiritually).

In Christ, you are not only seated in a position of reigning, but also established a position of rest – because His work is finished. Hebrews 10:12 – Ngunit si Cristo ay minsan lamang naghandog para sa ating mga kasalanan, at hindi na ito mauulit kailanman. Pagkatapos nito, umupo na siya sa kanan ng Dios. Tinapos na ni Cristo ang lahat ng kailangang gawin upang mabigyan tayo ng isang buhay na ganap at kasiya-siya at buhay na may kapahingahan. Stop figuring things out or solving problems on your own; you’ll get exhausted. Walk in the Spirit; set your mind on things above. Rest in His finished work.

If you are a believer, you have already entered God’s rest, yet your experience of that rest flows from how clearly you know who you are as Christ is revealed in you. Kilalanin mo ng lubusan kung sino si Cristo at ano ang Kanyang ginawa at ibinigay para sa iyo. Unawain mo na nang nakipag-isa ka kay Cristo (nanampalataya sa Kanya at naisilang na muli), ang Kanyang Espiritu ay nanahan sa iyo, for good. His Presence is in you; heaven (His Kingdom) is in you; heaven is nothing without Christ. We are the habitation (temple) of God. This is the salvation we received from Him.

Kung hindi ka pa tiyak sa iyong kaligtasan o kaugnayan sa Diyos, o alam mong Kristiyano ka na subalit lagi at labis kang nag-aalala sa iyong mga pangangailangan, unawain mo ito: “…Unahin ninyo ang mapabilang sa kaharian ng Dios at ang pagsunod sa kanyang kalooban, at ibibigay niya ang lahat ng pangangailangan ninyo (Mateo 6:33 ASND). Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all the things you need in this world will be added to you. Unahin natin lagi na makilala ang Diyos (si Cristo) sa buhay natin sa pamamagitan ng Kanyang Salita hanggang sa lubusang maihayag sa iyo na wala ka nang ibang kailangan sa buhay na ito kundi si Cristo lamang!

Elevate: Application/Question:
1. From a scale of 1 – 10 (10 being the highest), gaano mo na kakilala ang iyong sarili batay sa iyong pagkakilala kay Cristo? Ipaliwanag.