Being an “Already/Not Yet” Person

Being an “Already/Not Yet” Person

I. Introduction

A. Mark 1:15 (NAS) “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

B. I John 3:8 (NAS) “The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.”

C. Revelation 11:15b (NAS) “The whole world has now become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever.”

1. You, as a Christian—are already living in the age to come—at least somewhat—and—at the same time—you are just a normal, ordinary, person!

II. “Already/Not Yet” People

A. “Already” Verses

1. II Corinthians 5:17 (NAS) Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

2. II Corinthians 2:14 (NAS) But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.

B. “Not Yet” Verses

1. II Corinthians 5:2-5 (NLT) ²We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. ³For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. ⁴While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. ⁵God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit.

2. Colossians 3:5a (NLT)

C. “Already” and “Not Yet” Passages

1. II Corinthians 6:4-10 (NLT) ⁴In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. ⁵We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. ⁶We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love. ⁷We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense. ⁸We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. ⁹We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. ¹⁰Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.

2. “Christians are victorious losers!”

III. Things to Know About Being an “Already/Not Yet” Person

A. Galatians 5:17 (NAS) For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.

B. Christian lives in this experience!

1. At different times in the history of the church, people have tried to evade this “Already/Not Yet” reality by:

a.

b.

c. and Inner Healing

C. Do not fall into or get down on yourself.

D. It will get more !

1. The they get to God, the more they hate the sin that still remains within them.

E. It will also get !

1. Things you can do to help it get better and better:

a. Plug into !

i. “The means of ,” or “spiritual disciplines”

F. Do not postpone God until you are “okay.”

1. You will never be more ready to serve God—and be used by God—than you are !

2. As you get involved in ministry—and give yourself away to other people—mixed up as you are—with all sorts of stuff still in your life—you’ll be far more likely to experience there—than if you sit on the sidelines disqualifying yourself!

IV. Conclusion