If you’ve accepted Jesus Christ as Lord of your life, then you are a citizen of heaven.
In Christ we have many wonderful and precious promises. The one we’re going to speak about today is being a citizen of heaven.
You Have a New Standing
The moment you accepted Jesus Christ as Lord of your life everything changed. You were instantly born again from above. God did something so amazing in you. He made you a new creation. Your spirit came alive and you were reconciled to God.
Not only that, you were rescued from the domain of darkness and transferred to the kingdom of God’s beloved Son. You are now under the rule and reign of God, but it gets even better. Jesus Christ gives you authority to become a child of God. You’ve been adopted by God and are His son or daughter.
You have a new family and all the wonderful blessings connected with that family. You’re now a citizen of heaven. You are part of God’s own family with all the rights and privileges that go along with it. Because you’re God’s child, you are a citizen of heaven.
Paul encourages the believers at Philippi with the following words:
20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; (Philippians 3:20)You Are a Citizen of Heaven
As a citizen of heaven the earth is no longer your home. You’re just visiting. It’s like traveling to another country. Even if you stay for a very long time you are never a citizen of that nation unless you make the choice to give up your citizenship to become a citizen of that nation.
I recently heard from some casual friends that felt called to go to Ireland. They went through a very long process to become citizens of the nation so they could better serve the people there.
Some people have a dual citizenship where they are recognized as citizens of two nations. That’s the situation you’re in. You are here on the earth and a citizen of whatever nation in which you were born. Yet, if you are a believer in Christ, you’re citizen of heaven.
Each nation has its own culture, values, practices, and atmosphere. The same is true about heaven. As a citizen of heaven you’re to live in a way that is pleasing to the Lord. As a follower of Christ your life is to show forth the love and glory of God.
The church is here to show the world what it means to be a follower of God. Together we have the opportunity to show people what it truly means to be citizens of heaven. Jesus said it best in John 13:35:
35 “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”You Can Change the World Around you
As a citizen of heaven you also have the right to bring the glory of heaven to the earth. When Jesus was teaching the Sermon on the Mount, He told His followers that they should pray to bring the fullness of heaven to the earth. He said:
10 Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
You have authority from Jesus Christ to exercise your citizenship by asking God to bring His glory into the earth. Any time you see injustice or anything that doesn’t match the kingdom of God, you can cry out to God and ask for His kingdom to come and His will to be done as in heaven.
Heaven is the standard that Jesus sets. It’s His heart for people to experience the life that is only made available through Him. Jesus has given you the right to pray for things on earth to change. Your prayers are more powerful than you think.
You Are Representing Christ in the World
As a citizen of heaven, you have the privilege of representing God to people. You’re the only Jesus that some people will ever see. I’m not saying this to put a huge weight upon your shoulders or to cause you to feel overburdened by the responsibility.
I’m saying it to encourage you that your life can make a difference. You are part of something way bigger than yourself. You are part of the kingdom of God. You have the life of Jesus dwelling in you. You have the only antidote that will heal the hearts of men.
I want to encourage you to rise up to the full stature of Jesus Christ. He is in you and will help you though the power of the Holy Spirit. I want to leave you with these words from the apostle Paul as an encouragement to remain true to who are and live your life as a citizen of heaven.
17 Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. 18 For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. 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 3:17-21)
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