By Mouka Lazarus

Beloved, it is important that we understand that what matters in our Christian life is holiness through Jesus Christ. This is because Jesus Christ is the foundation of our righteousness and holiness.

For without Him no one can be holy. If anyone claims that he is born again or holy without Jesus Christ, that person is fake because he is living in a house without foundation.

Any house without foundationcannot stand the test of time because any small wave could bring it down. So, holiness or righteousness without Christ is false for anyone who can achieve holiness must do it through Jesus Christ.

Jn 15: 5 says, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing”

There is nothing we can achieve as heavenly candidates without Christ. Without Jesus Christ no one can see the Lord. Our Christian faith without holiness and righteousness in Christ is unacceptable and thereforescaly nothing.

1Cor. 3:11 says, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ”

Our foundation is Jesus Christ which is the foundation of Christian life, faith, and righteousness. All the fruits of godliness embeddedin us have its footing on Jesus Christ. Once you receive Him as the foundation of your holiness, righteousness and faith He remains in you. It is from Him that you can have the power to live righteously and continue in it. So, if anyone is posing to be righteous or born again without Jesus Christ that person is not saying the truth.

1Jn 3:8 says, “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning, For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil”

Jesus came to destroy the adamic nature in us, andrescue our soul from the impending doom occasioned by the sin of Adam and Eve. His coming destroys what the devil has planted in usas a result of Adamic sin and make us free.

1 Jn 3: 9 says, “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God”

When you are born again theSpiritof Christ is planted in you, and that Spirit which produces righteousnessand holiness of Christ will be prevailing in your life.And when all these are in you, you will have power to live right. But if these things are not in the person, he can do nothing, and no matter how he struggles to avoid sin he will continue to commit sin. But when he has them,he will maintain holiness and have power to overcome sin.

1Jn 5: 18 says, “We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not”

Once you are born of God, and having the Spirit of Christ in you, by the power of that Spirit you cannot continue to commit sin, you will keep yourself and maintain righteousness and holiness that is required from you. You will maintain the divine nature of God which is holiness. Take note of the fact that holiness through Christ makes way for good Christian life and exploits in our calling. When you have the Spirit of Christ in you, you will gain power to do exploit. This is because what you need to do exploit is the presence of the Spirit of God in you which makes you win souls, evangelize and with ease do the things of God. When you have the Spirit of God, your fasting,preaching,zeal and sacrifice will yield fruitful results. If your holiness is acquired through Christ the tendency to do exploit, win souls will be there because the Spirit of God will make it to happen.

So once the Spirit of God is in you and you are in Him you shall have no limitation in doing exploits. You shall do great things- win multitudes for Christ, do miracles and establish many people into the Kingdom. Your messages will permeate into the hearts of men and the Lord will takeover from there and establish them. Once you have the foundation through Jesus Christ, the word you preach will have power of conviction, conversion, sanctification, purity and above all, you shall do great exploits.

Dan. 11:32b says, “but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits”

It is an established fact that those who have a deep understanding of who God is, are divinely imbued with power of remarkable accomplishments.  For such knowledge provides strength, courage and discernment to accomplish extraordinary feats for God. And they do exploits in all their endeavours.

Phil. 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me”

Apostle Paul had encounter with Jesus Christ and thus, received the Spirit of Jesus Christ, which is the foundation of holiness and sanctification before boldly declaring that he could do all things. I want to let you know that the Spirit which he received was not different from the Spirit that we too received. It’s not also different from the grace in us. Therefore, if he could do all things we too can do all things. We too like him can-do great exploits in the area of soul winning, sacrificial service, etc. I want to let you know that if you are truly born again and have acquired the grace for righteousness, holiness and living that life, the grace of winning multitudes for Christ, evangelizing, doing morning and evening cry, fasting and being prayerful will abound in your life. You will not struggle for such thing as commitment to the works of God and nobody will press or trouble you to attend workers meeting, services, or plead with you to engage in follow up of new commers, for the Spirit in you will convince you to do those things. That’s why Paul the Apostle said he could do all things because the Spirit stirred and quickened him to do those things seamlessly for that’s what pleases God.

We all know that Jesus Christ said that He that sent Him is with Him, ‘my Father has not left me because I do all things that please Him’. It isbecause of the Spirit of God upon Jesus that He said that He can do anything that pleases God. And if you have the Spirit of God in you what the Spirit will be craving for everyday is what pleases God. Nobody can persuade you not to commit adultery,steal or abuse someone. Although such thought may come your way but the Spirit in you will ward it off, and that Spirit will make you not to be late to services, including night vigils because you want to do what pleases God. You will not be in service today and say you will not be there tomorrow. You will not be in service today and say that you will not be there always. You will do everything to please the Lord and then do exploits because of the Spirit of God. And this Spirit of God in you will make for holiness because in the absence of holiness you will be weak.

1Cor. 15: 10 says, “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me”

Paul the Apostle told the Corinthians that whatever he has achieved is by the grace of God. He attributed his successes, talents, and abilities to the divine grace bestowed upon him. And never acknowledged that any of those his achievements were on his own merit or through his efforts.

Verse 9 says, “For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God”

Hesaid he wasn’t supposed to be called an apostle because of his past deeds but went and attributed his prevailing status as an apostle and all that he gained from the Spirit of God to the grace of God. He asserted that the Spirit of God that came upon him was never in vain as he has achieved a lot through the Spirit. And I want to let you know that that grace is not different from the grace we received.

So if you are not performing in Christ it could be that what you’re professing is different from what you are. You might be saying that you are born again while you are not. Or claiming to be a Christian while you’re not a Christian. If you are a Christian you cannot be persuaded to do the will of God, for it will naturally be in you to do. You will do everything possible to live righteous life, evangelize, win souls, establish souls, grow the church, you will do everything possible to ensure you are an example of good Christianto whoever that comes your way. The point is, are you really what you claim to be, is that what you are. And if you are what you are claiming, then why are you into some of these things that negate your claims. Why is it that you are not performing, evangelizing and winning souls, why is it that you are not committed, or consecrated, which shows that you have double identity.