Christ in you

God bends over backward to emphasize how much you are identified with Christ now, how you are one with Him:

"Christ in you" (Colossians 1:27).

"It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me" (Galatians 2:20).

"Do you not know that you are God's temple? …" (1 Corinthians 3:16)

"Abide in me, and I in you …" (John 15:4).

"My father and your Father …" (John 20:17).

Even with this multiplying of assurance of fusion with Christ-in intimacy, in relationship with the Father, in mission, in access to power, in authority-we get cold feet. We do not believe we have authority. We feel a false sense of separation from God (thanks to Satan's Department of Misinformation). We believe (theologically) in Jesus' past death and in his future resurrection, but we are afraid to trust Him for the present problems or the present challenges for the advancement of the kingdom.

If we are shaky on the truth of our union with Christ, we will be weak and timid using our authority. Authority for what? Authority for effective prayer, for sharing the truth we know, for battling demonic powers during daily temptations. If we do not believe we have Christ's power and authority, when trials come we will not even try.

We have died and we have risen, and we are seated in the heavenly places with power (compare Ephesians 1:3 and 2:6). The history of death and resurrection is verily not only Jesus' history but also now ours. It's in our pedigree, thanks to our union with Him. He at this very hour sits and reigns until He has put every last enemy under His feet. And you and I presently (if we choose to believe it) sit and reign with Him until we have vanquished all our imperfections (1 John 2:14; Hebrews 13:20-21; Jude 24).