V.I.P.s

V.I.P.s

When you hear about V.I.P.s, what comes to your mind?  Celebrities, super stars, rich people, private jets, mansions?  V.I.P.s are considered very important people.  Very important people for what?  According to Wikipedia, a V.I.P is a person who is given special privileges due to their status or importance.  These people are given special treatment for various reasons.  This treatment involves separation from common people and a higher level of comfort or service e.

Now based on that definition, this is true for a child of God.  As a child of God, you have certain privileges other people can’t get.  You’re separated from the world to fulfill the plan God specifically has for you.  With the worldly standards, a V.I.P is an acronym for:

Very

Important

Person

As children of God, we can be considered very, important people.  But that kind of thinking can lead to feelings of self-satisfaction and self-service; wanting people to do for us instead of us being of service.  So……let’s consider God’s definition for a V.I.P.

Victorious in Christ

Identified in Christ

Prosperous in Christ

Notice the words “in Christ” after each word.  That automatically separates us from the worldly definition.  However, the real question is “what does it mean to be ‘in Christ’?”

To be “in Christ” means that we have accepted Jesus’ sacrifice as payment for our sins so that we may have eternal life with God.  There is no self-cleansing that can make us pure enough to get forgiveness and a relationship with God.  The bible says that in our natural, sinful state we are enemies of God.  When we accept Jesus’ sacrifice, he exchanges our list of sins for his perfect account that is totally pleasing to God.

So let’s look at this V.I.P. status.  How are we victorious in Christ?  In short, victory in Christ is God getting his will done in our lives for his glory.

What is our identity in Christ?  Let’s look at a scripture first.

“Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.” (II Corinthians 1:21-22 KJV)

What does that mean?  It means that we stop accepting what others have said about us or how others label us and accept what God says about us. 

“You aren’t defined by your feelings, other people’s opinions, your successes or failures nor your possessions.  You are defined or identified by God alone.  You are who God says you are and no one else dictate that.” (Pastor Rick Warren)

Lastly, prosperous in Christ.  First, let’s define what “prosperous” means.  According to the dictionary, it means to be rich and successful.  We think it is all about money, right?

What does the bible say about the word “prosperity”?  Biblical prosperity means being blessed by God.  God wants us to prosper but does not necessarily want us to be rich.  If some immature Christians are to become rich, it can destroy their relationship with God.  Being rich is a great temptation because it is very tempting to rely more on the money than on God.

Many people teach “prosperity” to mean having good success without lack and then go on to talk about money.  Let’s look at some scriptures.

“There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing:
    there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.” (Proverbs 13:7 KJV)

 ^“He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity. ¹¹ When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes? ¹² The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.” (Ecclesiastes 5:10-12 KJV)

God is not a slot machine nor are his blessings all about money.  Blessings and prosperity are more than just money.  According to “Strong’s Complete Concordance of the Bible”, the Hebrew word for “prosperity” is “shalom” which means “peace”.

God’s thoughts on peace and prosperity are much higher than we can imagine.  It is His desire to bless and prosper us, give us His grace, favor and protection.