On the day of Pentecost, because of what God accomplished by His Son, Jesus Christ, people could, for the first time, become born again of God’s spirit, empowered to live the riches of the glory of the Mystery. The great mystery is that both Judean and Gentile believers were now fellow heirs and of the same Body (Ephesians 3:6) and that Christ was in every one of them (Colossians 1:27). To the Church of God, the born-again believers, the Body of Christ, there is no subject of such significant importance as the great mystery. God has given us spiritual resources—including our sonship rights, the manifestation of the holy spirit, and the fruit of the spirit—that have prepared and equipped us to live this Mystery.
Let’s consider these resources. The first category of resources that empower us to live the Mystery is our sonship rights. Five of them are redemption (Ephesians 1:7), justification (Romans 4:25), righteousness (Romans 5:17), sanctification (II Thessalonians 2:13), and the ministry of reconciliation (II Corinthians 5:18).
The Church Epistles show that we have been redeemed from a fallen state and liberated from the legal ownership of the prince of the power of the air (Satan). We have been justified, released from the penalty of sin and declared acceptable to God. We have received the nature of God in the gift of holy spirit, which makes us righteous just as God is righteous. We are sanctified, made holy and set apart for heaven. We have the ability and authority to reconcile others to God, to bring back those who are separated from God. These five sonship rights help us understand and live our true, spiritual identity. Standing boldly on these legal rights authorizes us to live dynamically and prevail with God!
Our second category of resources that empowers us to put the Mystery into action is the manifestation of the holy spirit. What God accomplished in the new birth has provided us not only with sonship rights but also with the power of holy spirit to achieve and attain amazing things for Him and for His people. The manifestation of the holy spirit has nine separate yet united parts, as listed in I Corinthians 12:8-10. Verse 7 beautifully explains that “the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.”
Every spirit-filled believer has the privilege and responsibility of evidencing all nine manifestations of the spirit in the Church for the benefit, or profit, of all. Speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues, and prophecy are inspirational manifestations, meaning they are spoken forth by inspiration. Word of knowledge, word of wisdom, and discerning of spirits are revelation manifestations. They have been called the eyes and ears of the Church, giving us information not available to know by our five senses. They profit us and enable us to effectually minister to others. Faith (believing), workings of miracles, and gifts of healings are power, or impartation, manifestations. They draw people’s attention to God and bring God’s deliverance to people by way of His mighty power! As the first-century Church used these resources to walk powerfully in bringing God’s blessings and deliverance to pass, so can we!
Our final category of resources to consider that help us live the Mystery dynamically is fruit of the spirit. As if sonship rights and the manifestation of the holy spirit aren’t more than enough, God has furnished us with a way to demonstrate in the senses world nine wonderful qualities of the inner man, the Christ in us.
Galatians 5:22,23:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
This spiritual fruit is produced as we walk by the spirit, operating the manifestations of holy spirit. The qualities of the Christ in us radiate as we produce the fruit of the spirit, and others are enriched by these qualities as they see them in our lives.
We’ve examined and discovered three powerful aspects of the new birth that God has so lovingly provided for us to help us stand and prevail in our day and time. Our sonship rights authorize us to stand above the spiritual attacks we may face. The manifestations empower us to act on God’s behalf and prevail in the spiritual competition. The fruit we produce is on display, helping us glorify the God Who has made our abundant lives available and attainable. God Almighty has certainly outfitted us with all the resources needed to live the great mystery that was revealed for us. We are qualified, we are authorized, YES, we are empowered to live the Mystery!