Heavenly Citizenship: Philippians 3:20-21
“20) For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21) who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. Philippians 3:20-21
By contrast to the backsliders in the previous verse, the overcomes focus on Jesus Christ and their heavenly citizenship. This begs the question of where you are setting your mind. In Colossians 3:2, Paul admonished believers to set their mind on things above and not on the things that are on earth.
At some point in your spiritual journey, this world will not be your home any more! The Holy Spirit will give you the mind of Christ and you will begin to embrace all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. (Ephesians 1:3)
Your values will change and you will begin to crave the things of the Spirit much more than the passing pleasures of this present world. It is part of being born-again!
Bios life will be replaced by Zoe life. Let me say it this way; physical and fleshly life will be replaced with spiritual life. Rivers of living water will begin to flow from your inner most being. (See John 4:13-14; 7:37-38)
The secret of Paul and the early Christians was that they started embracing and living in their heavenly citizenship while still in this life. They walked and lived in kingdom principles, blessings and dominion while still in this world.
They also embraced the promise of the next life that will be ours when Christ returns and transforms us into our new and glorified bodies. We will be conformed into the body of His glory. We will see Him as He is and be like Him. (See 1 John 3:1-2)
This mystery is unpacked in Scriptures like 1 Corinthians 15:42-58 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. We are going to put on glorious, immortal, powerful and imperishable heavenly bodies. We will no longer be restricted to the physical realm with all of its limitations and suffering. The laws of physics will be replaced with the laws of the Spirit. Time and space will no longer be master over us!
I can only imagine. 1 Corinthians 2:9 gives a glimpse of the glory to come; “9) but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.”” But don’t stop there, the next verse says “For to us God reveals them through the Spirit.” The Holy Spirit helps us walk in heavenly citizenship while still in this life! Don’t wait until you die to embrace heavenly citizenship privileges, start embracing them now! This involves living in kingdom authority and blessings while still in this life.
I know this is a huge and fascinating study that we cannot fully unpack at this time. Ask Jesus to reveal these mysteries to you through His Spirit. He will answer your prayer.
But keep this thought in mind; “When He comes in His glory, we shall be like Him, but through His Spirit we can enter into the fulness of what He was and did when He walked among us.” We can be conformed to His likeness in this life. (Pause and read John 14:12) Stop being small in mind and spirit.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
Sent from my iPhone
“20) For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21) who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. Philippians 3:20-21
By contrast to the backsliders in the previous verse, the overcomes focus on Jesus Christ and their heavenly citizenship. This begs the question of where you are setting your mind. In Colossians 3:2, Paul admonished believers to set their mind on things above and not on the things that are on earth.
At some point in your spiritual journey, this world will not be your home any more! The Holy Spirit will give you the mind of Christ and you will begin to embrace all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. (Ephesians 1:3)
Your values will change and you will begin to crave the things of the Spirit much more than the passing pleasures of this present world. It is part of being born-again!
Bios life will be replaced by Zoe life. Let me say it this way; physical and fleshly life will be replaced with spiritual life. Rivers of living water will begin to flow from your inner most being. (See John 4:13-14; 7:37-38)
The secret of Paul and the early Christians was that they started embracing and living in their heavenly citizenship while still in this life. They walked and lived in kingdom principles, blessings and dominion while still in this world.
They also embraced the promise of the next life that will be ours when Christ returns and transforms us into our new and glorified bodies. We will be conformed into the body of His glory. We will see Him as He is and be like Him. (See 1 John 3:1-2)
This mystery is unpacked in Scriptures like 1 Corinthians 15:42-58 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. We are going to put on glorious, immortal, powerful and imperishable heavenly bodies. We will no longer be restricted to the physical realm with all of its limitations and suffering. The laws of physics will be replaced with the laws of the Spirit. Time and space will no longer be master over us!
I can only imagine. 1 Corinthians 2:9 gives a glimpse of the glory to come; “9) but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.”” But don’t stop there, the next verse says “For to us God reveals them through the Spirit.” The Holy Spirit helps us walk in heavenly citizenship while still in this life! Don’t wait until you die to embrace heavenly citizenship privileges, start embracing them now! This involves living in kingdom authority and blessings while still in this life.
I know this is a huge and fascinating study that we cannot fully unpack at this time. Ask Jesus to reveal these mysteries to you through His Spirit. He will answer your prayer.
But keep this thought in mind; “When He comes in His glory, we shall be like Him, but through His Spirit we can enter into the fulness of what He was and did when He walked among us.” We can be conformed to His likeness in this life. (Pause and read John 14:12) Stop being small in mind and spirit.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
Sent from my iPhone
