This Changes Everything
Dearly beloved of God, when the Lord Jesus Christ sent the promise of the Father it changed everything. For the first time it was available to be born again of the spirit from God, and gain entrance into the kingdom of God.
On the Feast of Pentecost following Jesus Christ’s resurrection out from among the dead, Jesus Christ shed forth the new birth spirit, and the twelve apostles spoke in tongues the wonderful works of God.
When asked what this meant, the apostle Peter began by quoting Joel 2:28-32. This was the beginning of the new covenant of the spirit, which was foretold in Jeremiah 31:27-34.
Hebrews 8: 8-12 speaks to this new covenant of the spirit, also. God became their God, and they became His people by the new birth of the spirit from God.
"And for this cause He [Jesus Christ] is the Mediator of the new testament [covenant], that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament [covenant]. they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance." Hebrews 9:15
The old covenant pertained to the flesh; the new covenant pertains to the spirit.
“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the LORD; I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them: and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.” Hebrews 10:16-18
This was a new beginning for man’s relationship with God. In Christ and by his work God became their Father, and they became His children by being born of the spirit from God. Jesus Christ sent the promise of the Father, and He forgave their sins. They entered the kingdom of God, and became citizens of the heavenly realm.
That’s not all; God sent the apostle Paul with the revelation of the mystery of God concerning Christ, which said that the Gentiles were fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ with Israel. The Gentiles received the same spirit that the Judeans received.
Both the Judeans and the Gentiles became one new man, members of the body of Christ, fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God.
There is no difference between the Judeans and the Gentiles any longer. They became God’s Temple, and it grows as others are born of the spirit from God. In Christ Jesus we are built together for a habitation of God in the spirit; we became God’s dwelling place!
Getting our prayers heard is no problem; we have access to the Father and the throne of grace by the spirit. His ears are open to our prayers.
Getting our prayers answered is no problem for us; He delights to hear our prayers and we can be confident that we have the petitions we desire of Him. God our Father delivers us out of all our troubles; He delivers us from all our afflictions.
God our Father cares for us; we do not have to be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving we can let our requests be made known unto God, and the peace of God, which passes understanding shall guard our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Under the old covenant only the High Priest had access to the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle, and later on in the Temple.
Dearly beloved, we have boldness to enter the Holy of Holies by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say through his flesh.
Under the old covenant only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies. In the new covenant we have unlimited access into the Holy of Holies, even if we are not the high priest.
We are not limited to access only once a year. Under the old covenant only the High Priest could enter once a year on the Day of Atonement. In Christ we have unlimited access to God our Father.
The Lord Jesus Christ gave us access to God our Father by the new birth spirit. Utilize your access with boldness and confidence!
We are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. In fact, we are God’s dwelling place by the spirit.
The glory of the new covenant of the spirit far exceeds the glory of the old covenant.
In the new covenant we all with unveiled face are beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, and we are changed into the same image; from glory to glory, even as by the spirit of the Lord.
Today we have the glory of the new birth. When the Lord Jesus Christ gathers us up to meet him in the air we will receive the glory of the inheritance. It is from glory to glory!
Today we have only experienced the birth; the inheritance could come at any time. Yes, the coming of the spirit, and the new covenant changes everything! Rejoice dearly beloved, and again I say rejoice! He is coming!