SONSHIP PROMISE

(From a sermon of Bro. Julius Adewumi, 9/6/96)

I will like to read from the Gospel of John chapter 5 verse 19 to the end.

From these verses I will like to point out that the Lord revealed the fulness

of the stature of the Son of God. That is, what we shall become when we

attain to the stature of Christ.

"Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily I say unto you,

the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for

what things soever he doeth, these doeth the Son likewise. "

We know that if we are to be like him, we must be led by him.

He said further, "For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth, and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. For as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will."

In effect he was saying, the power which the Almighty God has, to quicken the dead, is in that body -- Jesus -- to quicken the dead as he wills also. Now the Lord made me to see some revelation in these statements that "if we become sons of God, that is, individual member of the body of Christ, if we come to that level of the Son of God, this claim which the Lord Jesus was stating of himself in these verses, is actually for the sons of God". The sons of God can also claim this. Let's see the claims which the Lord stated of himself here: "For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:" (Jn.5:21-22).

You must remember that the "manchild" is to rule the world with a rod of iron as stated in Revelation chapter 12 verse 5. It represents the sons of God who shall rule in the world to come. Christ also said the apostles shall sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Yea, sons of Men shall judge the world.

The Lord went further in verse 25: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live." What you should meditate upon is that this verse was one of the few occassions where the Lord Jesus reffered to himself as "Son of God". He always reffered to himself as "Son of man". For example he said, "The son of man has power on earth to forgive sins". ( Mat.9:6 ). But why did he use "Son of God" here? It is basically that every son of God will have this power. As a son of God, God will come down and rest upon the individual in the cloud of God's presence. We, human beings, who come to that level are going to become sons of God, whereas He, God, became man and called himself son-of-man to claim all the rights of a human-being. It became more evident when the Lord Jesus asked the Jews: "And if I by Belzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges." ( Lk.11:19 ). He was reffering to the apostles whom he sent out to cast out devils.

The Lord called the prophets as "son of man". When he was on earth, he also called himself "son of man." But here by calling himself "son of God", he was showing us the claim we can also take for ourselves when we come to the level of a son of God. That was the level implied in the scriptures for which Christ gave ministries in the church, "for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." (Ephe.4:11-14).

The Lord stated further in Jn.5:25-26: "Verily,verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live." The sons of God are going to be used mightily in raising of the dead in these last days. The sons of God will occassionally call the dead back to live, "and they that hear shall live." Soon after, "the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout," and as we expect, the dead in Christ shall rise first. (1Thes.4:16).

Another promise which the sons of God will be able to claim is as follows: "For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;" (Jn.5:26). That is the promise. We, as sons of God, are going to come to this level whereby we shall have "life" in ourselves. What is this "life"? Remember the Lord Jesus said "virtue" came out of him, when a woman with infirmities touched him! That is the life!

"And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man." (v.27). Remember, Christ transfered the judgment of the Jews to the twelve apostles!

He said further: "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."

(v.28-29). Now this verse was talking of Christ himself "his voice".

Verse 26, is the key verse which the Lord has opened my eyes unto. We who come to this sonship level will be granted "life" in ourselves, in the seven Spirits of God. (Rev.5:6). As the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them, the sons of God will have the power and the anointing in them to quicken whom they will.

You can see that Christ manifested exactly the level of anointing we can attain unto, if we "become" the sons of God, and as the scripture has said, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (Jn.1:12-13).

You must also know, the latter rain revival is the manifestation of these sons of God.

Knowing that this is a great calling unto which the Lord has called everyone of us unto, we must make ourselves ready, and available for the Lord to build us up to this sonship level.

Yea, what God has in stock for mankind, who will surrender to him, is big. Shall we not therefore surrender all to him so that he can use us for his glory? The bride maketh herself ready. We must do our part, whether we have to pray, or fast, or worship, or obey his instructions. We must come to the humility and obedience like the lamb of God upon which the dove landed and rested. We must come to that level of obedience and humility to obey him perfectly. When the Lord gets the first-fruits to that level of obedience in everything they do, in things of life, then shall he come down permanently and rest upon these sons of God. But we cannot stay around the sinners long in that state, hence the rapture!

When we talk of obedience to the Lord, it is not just for the ministry. He is to be part of our life permanently. He will be involved in our eating, our drinking, our exercising, our secular and non-secular worlds, and our relationships. Our obedience is not fulfilled yet. The Lord wants us to be perfectly obedient to his Spirit.

May the Lord give us the grace to surrender to him totally.

Bro. Julius Adewumi.

Gospel Distribution Ministry,

USA.