Advancing Encouragement By:
Bishop James Jr. Hairston

Romans: 8:16: The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

What is the evidence of someone who say’s he is a believer in Christ Jesus and that he is a follower of Christ? Before we answer that question, how many people you know say that they are Christians? How many Pastors or leaders in the Church have proclaimed that they love God and have vowed to be an example to those whom he leads and directs to live for Christ while under his or her leadership? Now what is the evidence that we must see not only in them but in ourselves to be an example to the world and all of those that are in our circle? The evidence is the Spirit Himself, the Spirit of the Living God is our companion and He possesses us, we possess Him and we resemble Him. Besides, bears witness actually means evidence from the word summartureo and evidence comes from having a companionship, as possession and with resemblance from the word, sun in the Greek. Therefore, your evidence of being a child of God is, you will look like you have been with Jesus Christ by the way you walk, the way you talk, the way you act and outright the way you live. You will be a splitting image of Jesus Christ and when people see you they will see Christ. You will not have any skeletons in the closet that you are living a double life; one to show that you love God too preach and teach His word or too show up to Church every Sunday and the other life is living like the Devil by your attitude, your sinful behaviors and your outright behind closed doors life style. The Spirit of God must bear witness with your spirit to prove that you are a child of God or He will uncover you and expose you to the world and the Church. In verse 13, the word says if you live after the flesh, you shall die: but if you through the Spirit do mortify or put to death and to kill the deeds of the body, you shall live. This is the evidence of a child of God that they killed the deeds of the body of sin and wickedness. Not only that in 2Corinthians 1:22: Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. Thereafter, the world will see the evidence in you that you are a child of God and if a Child of God, then heirs; heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together, verse 17. Heirs as in inheritor, a possessor of the Kingdom of God and all of God’s Riches and not only that, to be gloried with Christ is to exalt to dignity in company with Christ Jesus to reign with Him forever more in Jesus Name…

James Jr. Hairston