Complete in Christ
Colossians 2:5-10
“For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.”
Are you following the rhythm? Are you following—I’m asking again—are you following the reading? All right. So verse six says,
“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.” He said, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of this world, and not according to Christ. For in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.”
And verse 10 says,
“And you are complete in him, who is the head of all principality and power.”
I’m going to take that verse again: “And you are complete in him.” And you are complete. Say with me, “I’m complete in Christ.” I can’t hear you. Say, “I’m complete in Christ.” You are complete in Christ. You are complete in Christ. You are complete in Christ. You’re complete in Christ. Hallelujah. In him who is the head of all principality and power. Hallelujah.
Ephesians 1:1-3
“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:”
So the emphasis is “has blessed us.” He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. So there is nothing outside there; everything you need, everything required for life and godliness, all right, you have been blessed with such in Christ Jesus, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. So he has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ. This is the essence of our looking into our completion in Him.
All right. So in verse 10 of Colossians chapter 2, Paul said we are complete in him. We are complete in him. And this verse three is saying that we are blessed with every—and every means every, everything means everything.
It is a place you say nothing missing, nothing lacking, and nothing what? Nothing broken. Nothing missing, nothing lacking, nothing broken. He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. All right? In Christ, he has blessed us. He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
2 Peter 1:1-3
“Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:”
Now you need to pay attention to those tenses: “has blessed,” “has given.” Are we together? As His divine power has given, has given—given to us. In Ephesians 1:3, he said “every spiritual blessing.” Now this one is saying “has given to us all things”—all things, all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, right? He has given to us, He has given to us. He has given to us. Glory to God. He has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us to glory and virtue. Hallelujah. I said hallelujah.
Romans 8:32
“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”
THE CONSISTENT MESSAGE OF COMPLETE PROVISION
Now notice that the scripture was very consistent with that—how do I put it down?—with that which we have, that we have received, that has been given, or that we have been blessed with. You see, you notice that consistency that He has given, He has blessed. Amen. He has given, He has blessed. Glory to God. He has given us all things. He has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness. He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. We are complete in Him. And in Romans chapter 8:32, it is telling us clearly that He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things—all things, all things. So you see, the believer has nothing actually outside Christ, and I’m not talking about money.
By now you should know when we talk about spiritual blessing in that same chapter one of Ephesians, everything that was captured there were spiritual blessings, things like—you see in that scripture—you see forgiveness, you see redemption, you see we are chosen, and all of that. Now if you trace that out now, those were the things the Bible referred to as what? Our spiritual blessings.
So when I’m saying in Christ, all right, when we say we are complete in Christ, we are not necessarily talking about physical or material things, or I don’t know whether you’re getting the point. Okay. So that’s not primarily what we’re talking about here. So when you say “complete in Christ,”. Now let me trace it back to where we’re coming from so that we understand that this is not a standalone from where we’re coming from. We have been looking carefully at these things.
LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS
Prior to this chapter, I talked about the discerning of foundations. It is very necessary that each of us is mindful of what our faith is built upon. If care is not taken, some people’s faith will be built on things that will not carry them. All right. All right. The foundation that is expected for us to be built upon is Christ. Hallelujah. And that’s the sure foundation. Glory to God. That’s the foundation that can carry us through seasons of life, through different situations of life. On that foundation, we are sure. On that foundation, we are safe. On that foundation, we know that we can last. Glory to God. It is a sure, enduring foundation, and it’s Christ. Glory to God.
Now, Christ is the fullness of God, and the connection to that was that the only foundation that we are meant to be built on is Christ, and that Christ is that foundation for us, right? And looking at Him from that understanding, we were able to see the riches or the richness of Christ that is your foundation. I don’t know if you get that—we were able to see the robustness of that foundation. If Paul said that’s our foundation, it is better we understand that outside Christ—in fact, I said something very clearly: I said if you remove Christ from Christianity, we’re going to have empty religion. Emptiness! So you will not see Christ as something that is vague. You need to understand that Christ is the essential focus bodily. All right. Subject matter—in fact, we went on to say He is the conversation that God is having with us. He is the language of God, He is the vocabulary of God, He is the explanation of God. Christ is the revelation of God.
Now if you understand from this perspective, it is saying now to where we are now: if you walk in this, nobody can make you feel that you are not complete. I don’t know whether you get that. Nobody can bring you under unnecessary pressure of life and make you feel that there is something you are looking for outside Christ, or there is something you need to do to be complete, or there is something you need to do to make life—are you following me, everybody?—there is something you need to do to now make life complete for you. Glory to God. Amen. So, we are complete in Him. Say with me, “I’m complete in Him.”
I can say, “I’m complete with Him.” I mean, in Him. Believers are complete because of our union with Christ. Believers are complete because of our union with Christ. We are complete in Christ. He has brought us into that completion. Hallelujah. We are complete. Nothing is missing; nothing is lacking in us. As a believer in Christ, there is nothing lacking. Now, completion here does not mean perfection. Are we together? Completion here does not mean what? Does not mean perfection. That complete is not perfection. Completion is not perfection. Glory to God. Now, let’s go. It means possessing everything necessary for life and godliness through Christ. I’m going to go back again. Believers are complete because of our union with Christ. I’m complete on the premise of Christ. Now, completion does not mean perfection.
Real Completion vs. External Identity
Completion does not mean—it means possessing everything necessary for life and godliness through Christ. Glory to God. I said glory to God. So our identity is not determined by any other thing. Our definition—how we are defined, we are identified by the things that Christ has given to us, by the things that He has blessed us with, by the things He has given to us. So no man in Christ is actually defined by the things outside Christ. No man, no believer in Christ is defined is viewed.
If that’s the reason why you are shouting, “I’m a millionaire, I’m rich,” you will find out that your rating will be poor. This is because it is not in Christ, but you and I cannot stand when it comes to material things. So if the basis for your definition and rating are things outside Christ, then you’re on a long journey. Now I’m going to make a point so that you get the full concept of what I’m sharing with us. Let’s start like this: no believer is actually rated by his achievements. Are you following me tonight? We are not defined, we are not rated, our identity is not determined by our achievements.
Let me list a few things that do not determine our identity.
Our Achievements
Without controversy, achievement is good, while we do this in our career, in our finances, in our material life, why we need to make progress—Why we need to make not just progress, but meaningful progress in life. But see, those things do not determine our identity, because you are already complete in Him. Let me repeat that: your career does not complete you. The kind of job you are doing currently does not define a believer; it does not complete you. The car you drive—what you drive—if that’s where you are drawing your identity from, then something is wrong. Where you live, what you drive, the digits of your salary—while I will trust God with you that your digits will keep increasing. A good pastor will rejoice with you when these happen.
So if as a believer God helps you in your career, on your job, and you’re able to drive a good car, the only problem I have with you is if you are now allowing that car to be the basis to determine your identity. You see, the only problem that we have is not the car you are driving, it’s not the place you are living, it’s that you have reduced yourself to the car you have—I mean, your person is now valued, is now determined by the car. And you know how some people get to this point? It’s when the foundation that their faith is built on is not Christ. And that’s why, if you have followed me carefully, I was building: if the foundation is not Christ, then one day what will determine your worth will be based on what your faith has been built upon. Some, as I said, have values in legalism, men’s philosophy and men’s wisdom.
If your faith—I told you there are people that the grief in their life, around their life, they didn’t get it outside church, but inside church. They are in grief inside church, but the things they were hearing daily made them say.
You know, we have a father in the land that said he got to a point, he said, “I can never be poor.” I’m trying to say now, which is okay, it could be—I don’t even use revelation encounter, but that he said that, or he encountered that. Somebody can just say, “I can never be poor,” and doesn’t understand where it is coming from in his mind. It’s that anything that will bring money, we will do; anything that will give me money, we will do. Now such a person can start compromising, can start—if there’s no right thinking—he just wants to support and back up, because what is determining his identity now is not Christ. He feels he is not complete in Christ.
He feels that until I drive a particular car, then something is wrong with me. Have you seen people that want to use Christ as a basis for enhancement of their life? Now don’t get me wrong: am I saying God cannot bless us? No. But when you want to use Christ for gain, as a medium of gain for personal ambition, and you don’t understand the basis or the focus—anybody can make money, and like I will say, you don’t have to be a Christian to make money. As a matter of fact, some are making money more than you and they’re not Christians, and they’re not selling—you say they are selling or doing money rituals, stop it, it’s not fair. Some people are good in their career, they have got good jobs. Despite Nigeria as a country is tagged bad, I hope you know some people take home good money in a month. You know some people take home a lot in a month, and they don’t have to be a Christian, they don’t have to come to church to pray, they’re just good.
They have the right skills, the right education, they have value to exchange to get such a life powered with money. Some people are earning in dollars. What about that? They earn in dollars. So don’t use money as your identity to determine who you are, whereas somebody does not need Christ to get that, because the only thing some people know about church and about God is to use God to get things. The only thing is to use Christianity as a basis for gain. If I tell you that people are making it outside church, and please, they’re not stealing—I didn’t say everybody, I’m saying there are people who are not stealing, they’re not cutting corners, they’re not compromising. In fact, they are men of integrity. It’s not corruption; in their jobs, they have good jobs, they have good careers, they have good businesses, they are making money.
So if you now want to use money as a basis, your achievements—”you know, I’m a Christian, that’s why my life is moving forward.” To serve Jesus—why do we serve Jesus? See, the evidence of serving Jesus is not pointing to a machine and saying, “This is the benefit of serving Jesus.” That’s not the primary benefit of serving Jesus. We know the benefit of serving Jesus, of having Jesus in our life. Glory to God. So Paul was saying here, “We are complete in Him.” Our achievements are not what complete us, neither your failures. Neither your failures nor your troubles—that’s not what defines you. That’s not what defines you: not your failures, not your status, not your possessions. Of course, Jesus told us the life of a man does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. I repeat, not your possessions, not your certificates, not your degrees determine your life.
So even when you are well knowledgeable, and you have certifications—have you not seen people, you know, when they write: PhD, MSc, BSc, FCIB, FCCA? It’s a list. So even if you want to write, just write PhD, you don’t need to write MSc if you have a PhD. Is it MBA you don’t have? But see, that’s the reason why if they don’t call you “Doctor,” you’ll be angry. You will not answer. Reason: We must bear in mind that we are complete even before my PhD arrived. Before the degree came, I was complete.
Sometimes, our completeness is not the master’s degree, it’s not the certifications. Mind you, if you don’t have them, please get them. But when you have them, before they even show up, you know you are complete because of the foundation you are standing on. So our completion is on the premise of our foundation, not our achievements, not even your failures, not your setbacks in life. Because life throws things at us. Whether you are a believer or me standing before you. You would be shocked in your bones and marrow. But it does not take away from me. It doesn’t reduce me, it doesn’t change anything. So it can be challenges of life, it can be troubles of life, it can be setbacks, it can be poverty.
[Redemption is Not Reduction]
I was hearing somebody say that sometimes when a man has received Christ and is willing to follow Christ, following comes at a cost. Sometimes it can even make you drop down small in your finances. I will explain: before, you could do anything to get money; before, you could shift values, you could cheat others, before anything goes. Any way you could get money, you did. Now, as a believer in Christ, you have received Christ; it may look as if your income dropped. I don’t know whether you’re hearing me. It may look as if your income dropped because the things you used to do, you do not do them again. But seeing Christ is essential, because somebody who is making progress can make progress, and it doesn’t stop you as a believer from making progress. Are you hearing me tonight?
Where we are coming from tonight is that whether you have it, or are getting it, or not having it, as a believer, I am complete. I’m complete. Having it is good. I want to have it. I don’t know about you—I want to have them. I want to drive a good machine, I want to live in a good house. We are not forbidden to drive a good car, we are not forbidden to live in a good house, we are not forbidden to travel across cities and countries. I don’t know whether you hear that. Accepting Christ is not—let me say this: redemption is not synonymous with reduction. Did you hear what I said? Redemption is not synonymous with reduction, with setting your life backward. That’s not true Christianity. That’s not true. That’s not the reason. Listen to me: you have to understand so that I can trust God to deliver you from frustration tonight. I’m trusting God to bring you to a place where you can have rest, where you now understand, “Yes, sir, I can pray to God.”
[Understanding Our True Spiritual Standing]
I can trust God to help me, just the way any other person will pray for God to help them, to empower them, to help them in their business, to help them in their career. But you see, that’s not why—I don’t know if somebody is hearing me tonight—that’s not the reason you are complete in Him. Nothing is lacking, nothing is missing. If there is anything lacking in your life, it’s not because you are in Christ; it is perhaps that there are things you need to do that you are not doing, or things you are not doing correctly, or areas of your life you need to pay more attention to. But even when you have those things, it’s not the reason why I am who I am in Christ. I’ve been accepted in the Beloved, I’m a child of God, I’m a citizen of heaven, I am His righteousness. Those are the things that complete us: righteousness, redemption, forgiveness. I received redemption, I received forgiveness. These are the things He has given to us in Christ.
So I’m not looking for those things outside. Glory to God. I have them in Christ. I have them, I have them. So one thing believers should know is that the way you are rugged and dogged about knowing Christ, learning Christ, is also the way you should be dogged and rugged about your life. If not, you will come to a point where you’ll be frustrated in life, and you will lay the blame on Christ or Christianity. The same way we are passionate to learn Christ, to know Christ, to lay hold on our inheritance in Christ Jesus, is the same way you should also be ready to step out of your comfort zone and believe God will help you in your life. Now, the only advantage you have is that you have God in your life, that you can pray to God and ask for His help. Hallelujah. You have the Holy Ghost who can guide you, who can direct you, who can inspire you. You have access to divine direction. You can hear God; you have the voice of God.
That’s our advantage. That’s the edge we have. That’s the edge we have. I can hear God, I can pick direction, I can enjoy divine leading. Are you following me? I can trust God for supernatural health, I can trust God in my life, I can believe God for the help of God. That’s the extra that we have. But the same BSc you have is what any other person has; some even have better than you, they are even more qualified. So never say it was because you are serving or you are in church that life is not making progress when it comes to career. It’s not true.
It’s a lie to say, “You know, I come for Saturday cleaning in church…” and I’ve told you, some of the people cleaning church with you—only you know what they are doing. Listen to me, because I’ve done the mathematics for us: the hours we spend in church in a week is not more than 7 hours. That is for some of us, not even everybody. 7 hours out of 168 hours in a week! What’s the ratio? Tell yourself the truth. The world has gone so far that there are several things you can do by the help of the internet and online platforms—hybrid arrangements, working remotely. Things are getting done today that if you pay attention to them, your life will not remain on the same spot.
So you will know that you have what it takes to bring to the table when you go to the corporate world. You don’t just say, “You know, I speak in tongues, I’m in Christ Jesus.” That’s not the language spoken in the corporate world. “You know I speak in tongues, I’m a child of God, I have the righteousness of God.” In an interview, you say, “I’ve been forgiven, my debt is paid, I am highly blessed with every spiritual blessing.” He said He has given me all things, it’s my heritage. So what determines my identity is not my job, it’s not my bank account. I want good money in my bank account, but that won’t determine who you are before or after it comes.
And failure or setback does not determine who we are. We are complete in Christ. God is not going to shoot your head because you failed or made a mistake. That’s not who you are. Your mistake is not you, your setback is not you, your failure is not you. That’s not who you are. You’re complete in Christ. I have come to a point in my life where I like to diagnose issues to pinpoint what is responsible. I can diagnose and tell you, “This one is a money problem. This one is something I need to trust God for and make decisions, take steps, make moves.” We buy things in the same market whether we are Christians or Muslims.
All of us spend the same money and go to the same market to buy things. They won’t give me something cheaper just because I’m a Christian. Except in extraordinary, supernatural circumstances—which is not the normal daily layout. Sometimes you can carry your money to shop, load your trolley, and at the counter someone says, “Sir, don’t worry, it’s paid for.” Not because you don’t have the money, but because of God’s favor. But that’s not an everyday market guarantee. Yet God can meet your needs, help can come.
You can embrace the favor of God, but not necessarily only because you received Christ, because even unbelievers get such help. So don’t bring yourself to a place of frustration, thinking Jesus is not good to you. Sir, Jesus is good to me, and I’m excited to be in Christ. It is honorable for me to have received Christ, and I am complete in Christ. My problem does not define why I’m in Christ. My mistake does not define why I’m in Christ.
This is why someone can feel overwhelmed—even pastors have committed suicide. A pastor preaches on a Sunday morning, and by Sunday evening he commits suicide. That means he was talking from his head, not from his heart. I’m complete in Christ. He has blessed me with every spiritual blessing. Those are the things that determine who I am before God. That’s my heritage in Christ, and my heritage determines who I am. That’s what He has given to me. Hallelujah.
Acting Based on the Opinions of Men
If you are a man or a woman that people’s opinion makes you feel good or makes you feel bad, your journey is long. You are secured in Christ. You have come to a place of rest—overwhelming rest—not dependent on the opinions or perspectives of people. We listen to men, glory to God, but we listen to check out what they have to say and weigh it against the Word of God and my reality in Christ. If it is not in alignment, we drop it regardless of what anybody is saying, regardless of whoever is saying it or wherever it is coming from.
What if you have now done things that people say things to you based on what you have done, when you as a brother committed error and mistake and your name is everywhere in the world? We’ve seen cases of people that made mistakes, brothers that were humbled, and the matter was everywhere, yet they survived it and bounced back—and it seems they are even doing better than before they had those crises. These are people that have come to understand their identity in Christ. They have come to a place of realizing who they are, and they are so strong and established in their identity in Christ. They know: “I am complete; this mistake is not taking away from me, this error is not subtracting from who I am in Christ. I am complete in Christ.”
This mistake, this setback, this trouble—you know what I’m doing tonight? I’m doing this for you to be able to come to a place where you’re not mixing up things. You’re not mixing up things because if you do, you won’t enjoy Christianity. Christianity will be a burden to walk. Get to a point in your life where you know: when it comes to Christianity, sir, I am complete.
My effort is not what saved me. In fact, even when it comes to effort like fasting, it is not prayer that makes me complete. I did not fast 10 days, I did not do vigil before I came into Christ; it was His sacrifice that brought me here. Hallelujah. I don’t need to sustain it through my own work. When you hear the words Author and Finisher, that’s what it means: He authored it, He will finish it. He started this, He will complete it. In fact, He has completed it. There is nothing left to add.
He started the journey. I only came to receive. I didn’t come to do physically; Christianity is to receive. You have come to receive, not to do. I thank God that we didn’t have to fast to receive. Because if it were by virtue of the things that you do, sometimes it might be 21 days, but I’m grateful that it was not dry fasting that brought me to Christ. I came to receive this.
I collected His life. That is another thing that you need to understand: I did not give my life to Christ. Which life do I have to give Him? We say “come and give your life to Christ,” but we did not give our life—we received His life. We didn’t have a life to give; which life, the one that was smelling? I came to receive of His fullness, and grace for grace. I came to receive, and that will settle a lot of things for you. I have received the life of God. Glory to God.
As for growth, we understand that we have to grow and mature. Yes, that is another realm. But for salvation, it’s a done deal. It’s done. So our identity is found in Christ. Outside Christ, that is not who I am.
And that’s why when you see a believer who has achieved, is achieving, or has made a lot of progress, or whom God has lifted—those external things around him are not what determine who he is. You will see simplicity. Simplicity will be evident; you will see a man who is simple.
I’ve been in settings where we have past governors of states in Nigeria, professors, and vice-chancellors of universities present. You would be shocked until someone tells you that the person sitting beside you was a former governor. The governor that died in a plane crash—the one that was flying the aircraft by himself—was in a meeting that I attended. The thing that strikes me most is sitting in a place where men die to self-recognition, where it is very deliberate.
Accommodation is free, feeding is free, provided under the banner of “as the Lord provides.” You see people under trees or in simple arrangements, and you see people of high status, ranks, chairmen, and professors simply blending in. The point I am making is that if you have received this life, you cannot be bragging. You cannot brag because it is not your profession that makes your life. That is not who you are essentially. It’s not what you have, what you drive, your rank, or your status.
In fact, you shouldn’t be the one announcing who you are or what you have; people should have to dig deep to find out. Your troubles cannot name you. Your setbacks cannot name you. Your achievements should not name you. There is something higher for a child of God. In fact, the word “brother” or “sister” is the highest opening to this family.
[The Highest Honor: Being Part of the Family of God]
When Paul became a believer, before he was even called Paul, they started calling him “Brother Saul.” Calling him “brother” meant: “Welcome to the family of God.” Till tomorrow, call me brother.
Today, some people get offended if you don’t address them with full titles: “Address me properly, I’m an Apostle,” or “I worked for this honorary doctorate for 5 years.” I have a friend who changed titles from Prophet, to Apostle, to Bishop, to Pastor, and back to Prophet because he saw all of them in the Bible. Why do we grab all these titles? It comes from ignorance, self-importance, and thinking that titles determine your value, acceptance, or identity.
Say: “I am complete in Christ.”
So if you go for a meeting and nobody introduces you or gives you recognition, no pressure. If they don’t put you in front, no pressure. If you go to a place and your name isn’t called, please don’t be shaken. I am complete. Nothing missing, nothing lacking, nothing broken. I have a full, rich life in Christ built on a solid foundation. If you don’t have that foundation, circumstances and life will shake you. But built on Him, you cannot be shaken.
I am complete. I have a full life in Christ.
Now, when you have certain issues in life and you have prayed and communed with God, the next thing you should ask yourself is: “What should I do personally or naturally?” If it is career-wise, you sit down and ask what you can do to fix it. Problems in the natural realm happen to everyone—Muslims, Hindus, anybody. So you don’t leave your life to chance just because you believe.
You don’t leave your life to chance. Where you should work, please work. Where you should be rugged, be rugged. Where you should face life squarely, face it squarely. Stretch yourself, wake up from slumber, and be the best you can be—do it under righteousness and in the fear of God. Push and have a drive in life.
Christianity does not automatically make practical processes easy or bypass competence. People package messages like “Next Sunday is our Sunday of Divine Favor,” making you think God will bypass qualified people and pick you despite your incompetence, just so you can give a testimony. Even if a miraculous door opens for you, the day you are deployed, that initial card expires. After that moment, you have to roll up your sleeves and deliver.
Believers must be thorough. Be thorough when it comes to knowing Christ and learning Christ, but also focus on areas of life where you need to develop yourself. Let’s go out, be the best we can be, and bring excellence to Christianity to make Jesus proud.
