This digest is based on the eighteenth message given by Brother Titus Chu in this series. If you have not seen it already, you may watch it on Youtube. This message will cover from point V.E to the end of the messages 16-18 outline. We recommend watching the whole Message 18 video before reading the digest, to better appreciate each section.
An Open Door
“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”
(Matthew 16:19, NASB)
Nearly 2000 years ago, on the day of Pentecost after the Lord’s crucifixion, Peter opened the doors to the kingdom of heaven to the Jews. Later, in the house of Cornelius, the door was also opened to the Gentiles. Through this open door, we find that there is now no distance between God and man, we experience being mingled with the overcoming life of God, and we are able to be incorporated with Christ.
No Distance Between God and Man
What is an open door? There’s no distance between God and man, because the door’s open. So, through the Spirit, God is no longer confined. Remember, in the beginning we shared that God was confined. For at least 4000 years, He liked to be with man, He liked to be in man, He liked to say, “I want to be alive, abiding in my created human being.” But He couldn’t. Why? Because man sinned. As a sinner, God has to be apart from us, remote from us. But now, Jesus Christ died. His blood cleanses us from all our sins. And more than that, we are so thankful, not just that our sins are cleansed, now more than that, we have received the Spirit.
– Message Transcript, p.1
Mingled with Overcoming Life
And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me
(2 Corinthians 12:9, NASB)
With the door opened, God is no longer merely with man, but He is also in man. There is no more distance between God and man. One of the things that results from this is that “this all-possessing, all-sufficient, and all-abundant God has become the bountiful supply to be united with the saved ones. What does it mean that we, the saved ones, are united with God? It means that everything of Him belongs to us. Even though we may be terrible, we are not poor, because we possess His overcoming life within us.“
– Daily Bible Verses and Devotional, Day 1
You say, “Titus, in this way, shouldn’t we Christians overcome all the time?” I say “No. The preciousness of being a Christian is not overcoming all the time; rather, it is being defeated all the time, yet always having the ability to come back to walk with Christ.”
– Message Transcript, p.2
Incorporated with Christ
But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.
(1 Corinthians 6:17, NASB)
“I am this very God. I like to abide in you, I like to be united with you, I like to be mingled with you. Eventually, I like to be incorporated with you.”
– Message Transcript, p.3
Christ’s life has come into us! Wonderful! But in my daily life I get exposed over & over by my defeats & failures. How marvelous it is then that “The preciousness of being a Christian isn’t overcoming all the time, rather it is being defeated all the time, yet always having the ability to come back to walk with Christ.” We may seem defeated or poor, but we are being mingled with a limitless God! There is something so marvelous about the fact that God is no longer confined to the heavens. Now is the New Testament age! Now God can be joined to man. Now the kingdom of heaven is here and the keys were given to a man, Peter, who used them to open the door for Jews, then Gentiles to enter into this kingdom.
– From the Hymns Team
Hallelujah! As we sing this song, let this be our prayer: “Lord, thank you that You are no longer confined to heaven, but You have united me with Yourself.”
One with Thee, Thou Son Eternal
Closing Prayer
Thank You, Lord, for Your overcoming life. Thank You for Your grace that is all sufficient and for Your strength made perfect in our weaknesses. Thank You for an open door, that we can be united with You.
– Daily Bible Verses and Devotional, Day 1
