DON'T SIT ON THE FENCE ~ Precious Victor Akah

If you walk up to anyone in a country where Christianity is the dominant faith and ask them who they are, in relation to spiritual faith, they'll boldly tell you: "I AM A CHILD OF GOD". Hardly will anyone say "I AM A CHILD OF THE DEVIL". But the reality from God's Word is that, just as God has children, the devil also has children. This we see in 1 John 3:10: "By this the children of God and the children of the devil are clearly identified: anyone who does not practice righteousness [who does not seek God’s will in thought, action, and purpose] is not of God, nor is the one who does not [unselfishly] love his [believing] brother."

Another reality is, many of those in the house of God (church building) who call themselves children of God are still children of the devil. 

FIVE KEY REALITIES MOST PEOPLE DO NOT WANT TO BELIEVE:

• All men were created by God, but not all men are children of God. You are not a child of God because God created you, you are a child of God because God gave birth to you through the Holy Spirit and you're being led and ruled by the Holy Spirit. "For all who are led by the Spirit of God (Holy Spirit) are children of God." Romans 8:14 

Once again, you are not a child of God because God is your Creator. You are a child of God because God is your Father. You don't choose God to be your Creator (He is your Creator whether you admit it or not). But you choose God to be your Father. He forces no one to be His child. He fathers anyone who accepts Jesus Christ His Son as their Saviour and Lord and chooses to worship Him by the power of the Holy Spirit. Making God your Father is a decision you'll be very glad you made.

• Contrary to popular opinion, you are not born (into this world) a child of God, you choose to become a child of God when you reach the age of understanding and consciously and personally accept Jesus as your Lord and put your faith in Him as your Saviour. "Yet to all who did receive him (Jesus), to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— "John 1:12

• All men are born into this world as children of the devil. The devil remains your father until the day you come to Jesus and willingly make God your Father. You choose to cease being a child of the devil and become a child of God when you deliberately decide to put your faith in Jesus Christ, forsake sin, and embrace righteous living. Galatians 3:26 says, "For ye are all the children of God through faith in Christ Jesus." It is through faith in Jesus Christ alone that you become a child of God.

• You are born a sinner but you can die a saint. No one is born a saint, but you can become a saint, live the life of a saint and die a saint. This is achievable by receiving Christ Jesus into your life. The moment you repent from sin and choose Jesus and righteous living, you stop being a sinner and become a saint (a righteous person); because Jesus' blood cleanses you from all sin and makes you a righteous man/woman (a saint) in God's eyes. "But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin." 1 John 1:7 

• You must be born again by the Holy Spirit to become a child of God. You don't become a child of God by simply calling yourself a child of God, neither do you become a child of God by merely identifying with Christians and attending church services. You must deliberately come to Jesus in genuine repentance of your sins, acknowledging you're a sinner, and ask Jesus to forgive your sins and make you one of His own. When you do this sincerely, your sins will be forgiven and you'll receive the Holy Spirit, who'll start living right inside you, guiding, instructing and helping you to live in obedience to God's Word. "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is within you, whom you have [received as a gift] from God, and that you are not your own [property]?" 1 Corinthians 6:19 

BENEFITS OF BEING A CHILD OF GOD

• God watches over you, so, you're always protected and delivered from every evil. "FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE [looking favorably] UPON THE RIGHTEOUS (the upright)..." 1 Peter 3:12

• God listens to your prayers and answers.

"...AND HIS EARS ARE ATTENTIVE TO THEIR PRAYER (eager to answer)." 1 Peter 3:12

• God orders your steps, so you avoid taking dangerous steps, making regretful decisions and making costly mistakes. "The LORD directs the steps of the godly." Psalm 37:23 

• God provides for you, so you have what you need whenever you need it. "Fear the LORD, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need." Psalm 34:9

• It will go well with you. "Say to the righteous that it will go well with them, For they will eat the fruit of their [righteous] actions." Isaiah 3:10 

• God delivers you from every challenge of life that confronts you. "Many hardships and perplexing circumstances confront the righteous, But the LORD rescues him from them all." Psalm 34:19 

And many more innumerable benefits....

Based on this new and clear understanding you have on this matter, would you say you're a child of God? Have you personally accepted Jesus Christ into your heart? Have you consciously forsaken sin entirely and embraced righteous living? Are you currently living a holy life of obedience to God and His Word as a proof that you are a child of God?

If yes, I congratulate you and encourage you to keep living for Christ. If not, you still have the opportunity today, right now, to make things right and make God your Father. Do it now.

It is unsafe, unprofitable and unwise to sit on the fence or to put one leg in the world and another in church, because God does not identify you as His child and the world also does not identify you as their own. So you have to intentionally choose where to be and serve dedicatedly there. Choose the camp of Jesus. Choose the Kingdom of Heaven. Choose to be a child of God and enjoy the wonderful benefits that comes with it.

God bless you.

Also Read Last Week's Blog Post HERE