Abundant Life Devotional
By Eric Jinkwen

Greater than the Old Testament Saints

Galatians 4:6:
And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

As we saw yesterday, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” (Matthew 11:11). So, what makes the least person in the kingdom of God greater than John the Baptist and all the saints before him?
John the Baptist physically introduced Jesus Christ and the kingdom of God in a direct way. He saw the kingdom. But he was not part of the new creation of God. He only became a part after the resurrection of Christ.

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Our first argument is that New Testament believers are sons of God, born of the Spirit and part of the new creation.
Until John the Baptist, no one could be born again with the permanent presence of the Holy Spirit in him. In the OT time, the Holy Spirit could only come upon the judges, some kings, the prophets and a selected few for specific missions and after which leave. But after the resurrection, all believers are new creation in Christ, born again sons of God with the Holy Spirit permanently in them. Glory to God!
Believers in Christ have received a new birth which was not possible in the Old Testament.
Our text says, and because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

This was only possible after resurrection in Christ. Jesus promised in John 7:38-39, Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
So, after resurrection, all believers are sons of God with the Spirit of God. In fact, your spirit is the Spirit of Jesus Christ. And because of this truth, you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

No one in the OT was called heir of God. As a matter of fact, we are co-heirs with Christ. The presence of the Holy Spirit in a man makes all the difference. Romans 8:11 says, If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. Hallelujah! The Holy Spirit dwells in you. You cannot be stranded. You have solutions and answers to Crises. Take advantage of the ministry of the Holy Spirit in you.

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Prayer: Thank you Father, that I am born again with the Holy Spirit in me. I am not stranded; I have answers and solutions to crises. Rivers of living water flows out of my belly. Amen!