By Bro. Victory Awhotu Agberia
Introduction
The moment an individual hears and believes the gospel of Christ, he immediately becomes eternally saved and enters into a position “in Christ” where he enjoys numerous spiritual blessings. Within this sphere of the believer’s new reality are spiritual gifts, endowed by the Holy Spirit, which are to be manifested for the edification of the church and to point unbelievers to Christ.
Accompanying these gifts is the divine empowerment of the believer to exercise dominion over the kingdom of darkness, serving as a precursor for reconciliation through the preaching of the gospel. Therefore, for the believer to effectively walk in these realities, he must be knowledgeable of who he is in Christ, what he has received in Christ, and what Christ can do through him.
The Spiritual Blessings of the Believers in Christ
When the gospel of Christ is preached and received in faith, the believer is instantly saved and becomes a recipient and partaker of spiritual blessings. Spiritual blessings are immaterial benefits, privileges, and advantages that every believer is blessed with at salvation.
These blessings are not seen physically, but they are spiritually discerned. The believer in Christ is saved eternally from condemnation, having been justified before God, sanctified, redeemed from the bondage of sin and death, and made perfectly righteous by the atoning work of Christ. Also, the believer is made holy (set apart for the work of ministry) and ultimately sealed with the Holy Spirit.
The Guarantee of the Believer’s Spiritual Blessings
The guarantee of the believer’s spiritual blessings is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. After the resurrection of Christ, his ascension into heaven is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in every believer.
Therefore, at the moment of salvation, the believer is sealed and indwelled by the Holy Spirit, who empowers the believer and serves as the divine assurance of all that God has promised in Christ “…until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14.)
The Empowerment of the Believer with Spiritual Gifts
Through the indwelling Holy Spirit, the believer is sovereignly empowered with the royal power and authority of Christ to subdue the kingdom of darkness through these spiritual gifts. In this redemptive reality, the believer is seated with Christ and shares in his exalted position at the right hand of God,
“…far above all principalities, power and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, only in this world but in that which is to come.” (Ephesians 1:21)
Moreover, these gifts are not merely for personal edification rather they are to be manifested “… for the profit of all.” (1 Corinthians 12:7)
They include the gift of faith, healing, prophecy, word of wisdom, word of knowledge, discerning of spirits, diverse kinds of tongues, the interpretation of tongues, and working of miracles. While the operation of these gifts cannot be seen with the physical eyes, their manifestation can be observable by the need they address. For example, the divine power of the believer cannot be physically seen when the gift of healing is manifested, but it can be observed and measured when the health of a sick individual is restored.
Why the Believer is Endued with Spiritual Gifts
The believer is endued with spiritual gifts primarily for the profit of the body of Christ and consequently to point unbelievers to Christ here on earth. Spiritual gifts are primarily for the edification of the brethren, but also to be used as a complement in executing the plan and desire of God here on earth, “for God desires that all men be saved.” (1 Timothy 2: 4)
This is clearly seen in the early church, where the Apostles manifested these gifts as a precursor to the preaching of the gospel, and as a result, thousands were saved. Symbolically, these spiritual gifts were manifested by the Apostles to establish the legitimacy and authenticity of the message of Jesus, which they preached.
Spiritual warfare through preaching the gospel
Preaching the gospel is an act of spiritual warfare. Through it, the believer directly confronts the powers of darkness by reconciling unbelievers to God, delivering them from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. This reconciliation is not a mere intellectual or emotional response; rather, it is a deeply spiritual process made possible through the power of the gospel of Christ “… for it is the power of God to salvation to everyone who believes.” (Romans 1:16)
When an unbeliever hears and believes the message of Christ, salvation happens, and the dominion of darkness loses its grip upon his life. Every soul saved through the gospel is a victory in heaven, a declaration that Christ supremely reigns and Satan is defeated. Therefore, to engage effectively in spiritual warfare, the believer must be thoroughly grounded in his realities.
Knowledge in Christ
It is the precise and accurate knowledge of Christ that informs the believer of who he is in Christ, what he has in Christ, and what Christ can do through him. With this understanding, the believer understands that in Christ he is spiritual, a partaker of spiritual blessings, is endued with the ability and capacity to manifest spiritual gifts, and is commissioned to engage in spiritual warfare. For the believer in Christ to efficiently know, walk, and manifest these Spiritual realities, he must grow in revelational knowledge by being taught in a local church and not in isolation.
Also, the believer must constantly desire to walk and utilise these Spiritual realities, for in “mere knowledge” we become conscious of them, but in constant reminder, and in doing, it sinks into our subconscious mind. Hence, the believer must know, manifest, and constantly remind himself of his spiritual realities in Christ.
************
****
References
Damina, A. (2020). Heaven, the Believer’s Reality Now. Destiny Publishers.
King James Bible. (2014). The Holy Bible, King James Version. Hendrickson Publishers. (Original work published 1611)
Onayinka, C. S. (2018). In the name: The authority that comes with believing [Teaching series]. Living Word Media.
PWAVODI, P.O (2025). Manifesting the Things of the Spirit (Teaching series). Near East Christian Fellowship Sermons.
