I AM IN CHRIST

I. THE POSITION

A. BLESSED US WITH

ALL SPIRITUAL

BLESSINGS

EPHESIANS 1:3

3 Praise be to the God and Fatherof our Lord Jesus Christ, who hasblessed us in the heavenlyrealms with every spiritualblessing in Christ.

B. CHOSEN US TO BE

HOLY

EPHESIANS 1:4

4 For He chose us in Him beforethe creation of the world to beholy and blameless in His sight.In love

C. PREDESTINED US

TO BE SONS

EPHESIANS 1:5

5 He predestined us to beadopted as His sons throughJesus Christ, in accordance withHis pleasure and will—

D. MADE US

ACCEPTED IN GOD

EPHESIANS 1:6 (KJV)

6 To the praise of the glory of Hisgrace, wherein He hath made usaccepted in the beloved.

E. REDEEMED US BY

HIS BLOOD

EPHESIANS 1:7

7 In Him we have redemptionthrough His blood, theforgiveness of sins, in accordancewith the riches of God's grace.

F. ABOUNDED TOWARD US IN ALL

WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING

EPHESIANS 1:8

8 He lavished on us with allwisdom and understanding.

G. MADE KNOWN UNTO HIS WILL

EPHESIANS 1:9

9 And He made known to us themystery of His will according toHis good pleasure, which Hepurposed in Christ.

H. HE GAVE US AN INHERITANCE

EPHESIANS 1:11

11 In whom also we haveobtained an inheritance, beingpredestinated according to thepurpose of Him who works allthings after the counsel of Hisown will.

I. SEALED US WITH THE SPIRIT

EPHESIANS 1:13

13 In whom ye also trusted, afterthat ye heard the Word of truth,the Gospel of your salvation: inwhom also after that yebelieved, ye were sealed withthat holy Spirit of promise.

II. THE PROBLEM

HEBREWS 2:1-3

1 We must pay more carefulattention, therefore, to what wehave heard, so that we do not driftaway. 2 For if the message spokenby angels was binding, and everyviolation and disobedience receivedits just punishment,

HEBREWS 2:1-3

3 how shall we escape if weignore such a great salvation?This salvation, which was firstannounced by the Lord, wasconfirmed to us by those whoheard Him.

A. IGNORANCE Lacking knowledge

or information

HEBREWS 2:3

3 How shall we escape if weignore such a great salvation?This salvation, which was firstannounced by the Lord, wasconfirmed to us by those whoheard Him.

LEVITICUS 18:1-4

1 The LORD said to Moses, 2

"Speak to the Israelites and sayto them: 'I am the LORD yourGod. 3 You must not do as they doin Egypt, where you used to live,and you must not do as they do inthe land of Canaan,

LEVITICUS 18:1-4

where I am bringing you. Do notfollow their practices. 4 You mustobey My laws and be careful tofollow My decrees. I am theLORD your God.

B. NEGLIGENCE

HEBREWS 2:1

1 We must pay more carefulattention, therefore, to what wehave heard, so that we do notdrift away.

1 TIMOTHY 4:14

14 Do not neglect your gift, whichwas given you through aprophetic message when thebody of elders laid their handson you.

1 TIMOTHY 4:15

15 Be diligent in these matters;give yourself wholly to them, sothat everyone may see yourprogress.

C. DISOBEDIENCE

HEBREWS 2:2

2 For if the message spoken byangels was binding, and everyviolation and disobediencereceived its just punishment

2 KINGS 17:15

15 They rejected His decrees andthe covenant He had made withtheir fathers and the warnings Hehad given them. They followedworthless idols and themselvesbecame worthless.

2 KINGS 17:15

They imitated the nations aroundthem although the LORD hadordered them, "Do not do as theydo," and they did the things theLORD had forbidden them to do.

III. THE POTENTIAL

EPHESIANS 1:15-19

15 For this reason, ever since Iheard about your faith in the LordJesus and your love for all thesaints, 16 I have not stopped givingthanks for you, remembering youin my prayers.

EPHESIANS 1:15-19

17 I keep asking that the God of ourLord Jesus Christ, the gloriousFather, (1) may give you the Spirit ofwisdom and revelation, (2) so thatyou may know Him better. 18 I prayalso that (3) the eyes of your heartmay be enlightened in order that

EPHESIANS 1:15-19

(4) you may know the hope to whichHe has called you, the riches of Hisglorious inheritance in the saints, 19

and (5) His incomparably greatpower for us who believe. Thatpower is like the working of Hismighty strength.

EPHESIANS 3:20

20 Now to Him who is able to doimmeasurably more than all weask or imagine, according to Hispower that is at work within us,

EPHESIANS 3:21

21 to Him be glory in the churchand in Christ Jesus throughout allgenerations, for ever and ever!Amen.

A. THEY KNOW THEIR

IDENTITY.

THE PRESSURE TO CHANGE

THEIR IDENTITY

DANIEL 1:6-7

6 Now from among those of the sonsof Judah were Daniel, Hananiah,Mishael, and Azariah. 7 To them thechief of the eunuchs gave names: hegave Daniel the name Belteshazzar;to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael,Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego.

Daniel – “My judge is God.”Beltashazzar – “May Baal protect my

life.”Hananiah – “Yahweh has shown

grace.”

Shadrach – “The command of Aku, the moon god”

Mishael – “Who is what God is”

Meshach – “Who is what Marduk is”Azariah – ”Yahweh has helped.”Abednego – “Servant of the shining

one”

B. THEY KNOW THEIR

THEOLOGY.

THE PRESSURE TO CHANGE

THEIR THEOLOGY

DANIEL 1:3-4

3 Then the king orderedAshpenaz, chief of his courtofficials, to bring in some of theIsraelites from the royal familyand the nobility--

DANIEL 1:3-4

4 young men without any physicaldefect, handsome, showing aptitudefor every kind of learning, wellinformed, quick to understand, andqualified to serve in the king's palace.He was to teach them the languageand literature of the Babylonians.

C. THEY KNOW THEIR

DESTINY.

THE PRESSURE TO CHANGE

THEIR DESTINY

DANIEL 1:5

5 The king appointed for them adaily provision of the king’sdelicacies and of the wine whichhe drank, and three years oftraining for them, so that at theend of that time they might servebefore the king.

DANIEL 3:17-25

17 “If we are thrown into theblazing furnace, the God we serveis able to save us from it, and Hewill rescue us from your hand, Oking.

DANIEL 3:17-25

18 But even if He does not, wewant you to know, O king, that wewill not serve your gods orworship the image of gold youhave set up."

DANIEL 3:17-25

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar wasfurious with Shadrach, Meshachand Abednego, and his attitudetoward them changed. He orderedthe furnace heated seven timeshotter than usual

DANIEL 3:17-25

20 and commanded some of thestrongest soldiers in his army totie up Shadrach, Meshach andAbednego and throw them intothe blazing furnace.

DANIEL 3:17-25

21 So these men, wearing theirrobes, trousers, turbans and otherclothes, were bound and throwninto the blazing furnace.

DANIEL 3:17-25

22 The king's command was sourgent and the furnace so hot thatthe flames of the fire killed thesoldiers who took up Shadrach,Meshach and Abednego, 23 andthese three men, firmly tied, fellinto the blazing furnace

DANIEL 3:17-25

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzarleaped to his feet in amazementand asked his advisers. "Weren'tthere three men that we tied upand threw into the fire?" Theyreplied, "Certainly, O king.”

DANIEL 3:17-25

25 He said, "Look! I see four menwalking around in the fire,unbound and unharmed, and thefourth looks like a son of thegods."

DANIEL 4:37

37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praiseand exalt and glorify the King ofheaven, because everything Hedoes is right and all His ways arejust. And those who walk in prideHe is able to humble.

DANIEL 11:32b (KJV)

32b but the people that do knowtheir God shall be strong, and doexploits.