Romans 8:9-18

Paul encouragingly reminds us that we are not in the flesh but we, who have been justified freely by His grace through redemption that is in Christ Jesus, are in the Spirit. The instant we gave our lives to Christ, we were indwelt and sealed with the Holy Spirit.We are now debtors to the Spirit and thus are to live according to the Spirit putting to death the deeds of the flesh. Furthermore, we are led by the Spirit, we are sons of God. We have received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out Abba, Father. We have been born into the family of God, we are sons of God, moreover we our heirs of God. We have an eternal inheritance based solely on our relationship to God through His Son Jesus. Because we are heirs of God, we are joint heirs with Jesus. We are recipients of all spiritual blessings. We will share with Jesus in all the riches of God's kingdom for all of eternity. Yet being a joint heir with Jesus involves more than anticipating the unspeakable glories and riches of heaven. To be a joint heir with Christ means that we will first be fellow suffers with Him.For the life of a Christian living in true victory, suffering will be the unavoidable prelude to glory. The experience of suffering will come before the experience of glory. Suffering with Christ, suffering for Christ is not optional in the victorious Christian life. Only the follower of Jesus who lives in victory will be able to share in the sufferings of Christ.