Receiving an Inheritance

As another Sunday morning has passed, I pray that every Christian can say that they experienced the presence of God.  Our praise and worship are such vital parts of our church services, to know and experience the living God, to know that He is real and that He desires to spend time with us.  There is no greater joy on this earth that compares to knowing Jesus Christ.  I thank God for each of the singers and musicians who play such a vital role in our services and for a Pastor who knows how to flow with the Holy Spirit.  I was truly blessed by God’s very real presence this week.

Pastor Nathan’s message was entitled, Receiving an Inheritance.”  When we think of inheritance, most of us probably think of our home in Heaven, but God has so much more for us to experience while we are still on this earth.  Going back to creation in Genesis 1:26-28, Pastor Nathan pointed out that we are created in God’s image. “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness..”  God then created all that man would ever need and placed him in the middle of the garden of Eden.  Every need and desire he could ever have were already provided.  Of course, we know that through sin Adam and Eve were removed from that garden.  So then, did God stop providing?  On the contrary, God already had a plan in place.  His name is JESUS.

Just like the children of Israel were freed from slavery in Egypt, Jesus came to set us free from sin and darkness.   Jesus instructed us in Matthew 6:33 to seek first the Kingdom of God.  We need not worry about our needs because every need and desire are already met.  Pastor Nathan encouraged us not to worry but enter into God’s rest.  When man sinned, he was cut off from his source, but the earth still belongs to the Lord.  Jesus came so that we could be back in that place, the garden, so to speak.  However, like the children of Israel who listened to the evil report of the spies, we can end up walking in circles in the wilderness.  We might see the “giants” in our lives or the walled cities, all of the impossibilities.  We can choose to believe the enemy, or we can choose to believe God.

Entering into God’s rest is the same as entering into our inheritance, but Hebrews 3 warns us that unbelief can keep us from that rest.  Abraham received his inheritance by faith.  “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.” Hebrews 11:8  God’s vision is bigger than ours, but if we obey him, He will show us where we are going.  To attain our permanent possession, we must go somewhere.  We must get out of our comfort zone.  Hebrews 12:1 speaks of the race that is set before us, but when the race starts, we must run.  In this race we are in, Jesus is coming back soon, and we have much work to do, for Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith.  By faith Joshua was able to lead Israel into their inheritance (Joshua 1:3) because Abraham had already set foot there. (Genesis 13:14-17).  We too are able to go forward and possess our inheritance because “Jesus has already gone before us,” securing our heritage.

Jesus has paid for our inheritance, but we are called to be pioneers.  We cannot walk in fear.  As we move forward, we may encounter walled cities and giants, but we must run our race and go after our inheritance.  A church must always move forward, and also as individuals, we have an inheritance from our Heavenly Father.  We should be excited for what God has for us.  If we hang onto the past, we will always experience loss, but if we lay everything down for Christ, we have all to gain.  God’s best belongs to us.  What are  you waiting for?  Claim your inheritance!