1 Peter 2:9
"You are . . . a royal priesthood . . ."
We are of "a royal priesthood" by right of the atonement of Jesus on the Cross. The accomplishment was not of our own but solely His own sacrifice. We can state that we have victory in Jesus because of it, but if we are not in the proper relationship with Christ, those words hold no meaning.
Are we still performing internal searches in an effort to see if we are what we ought to be? This can generate a self-centered type of Christianity in our lives. We are not to be focused on self but on Him.
We need to launch out in reckless relief that our redemption is complete and then not think about ourselves anymore. We need to open our hearts and begin to follow the lead of Jesus Christ and what He taught.
We are to pray for the friend on our heart, pray for God's saints, we actually need to pray for everyone.
Pray with the realization that we are perfect only when we are in Christ Jesus and not at any time are we perfect just by our own merits or actions.
What It Means to Be “In Christ”
When the Bible says we are “in Christ,” it is describing a real spiritual position God places us in the moment we trust Jesus.
Being in Christ means:
God no longer looks at us through the lens of our failures or our efforts.
He looks at us through Jesus — through His righteousness, His obedience, His perfection.
2. We now live inside His victory.
Everything Christ accomplished becomes the place where we stand:
His death becomes our death to sin
His resurrection becomes our new life
His righteousness becomes our righteousness
His acceptance becomes our acceptance
We are not trying to earn anything.
We are living inside what He already finished.
3. Our identity is no longer “in Adam” but “in Christ.”
Scripture teaches that every person is either:
In Adam (sin, separation, condemnation) or
In Christ (forgiven, accepted, made new)
When we are “in Christ,” we are moved out of the old life and placed into His life.
4. It is a union.
We don’t walk beside Jesus trying to keep up.
We walk in Him, and He lives in us.
This is why Paul says: “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27)
It is mutual indwelling — His life inside ours, and our life hidden inside His.
5. This is why we are “perfect only in Christ Jesus.”
We are not perfect because we behave perfectly.
We are perfect because we are placed inside the perfection of Christ.
Our standing with God is not based on:
our emotions, our performance, our spiritual progress, our self‑inspection...
It is based entirely on where we are — and we are in Christ.
Being “in Christ” means: God has placed us inside His Son so He can treat us as He treats Jesus.
That is why our perfection, our peace, and our priesthood all come from Him alone.
So, we must get to the point that we are turned sick to our stomach when we start to think of ourselves. Because we are nothing unless we are in Christ Jesus and we need to stop thinking about ourselves long enough to realize it. We cannot be of any spiritual value unless we are in Christ. In reality, we cannot even fathom our own true wretchedness unless God shows it to us. So we need to just quit worrying about ourselves, put that on the shelf and leave it there.
We need to get in the right relationship with Jesus Christ, our Lord, our provider, our everything. If we will focus on Him and the work He would have us do then we would stop thinking about ourselves.
When we get to this point, where our focus stays on Christ, we will be everything we need to be. The only place where we are right with God is when we are in Christ. When we finally arrive at this place of peace, we then pour our lives out and into the ministry of the inner life, which is intercessory prayer.
In reality, we have already been placed in that perfect place "in Christ." God placed us there at the point of salvation, we just have not accepted it in our hearts and minds that we are there. But we have already arrived at the destination — we are already in Christ. Now, it is simply a matter of accepting that truth in our hearts and minds.
We stop trying to make ourselves better so that we deserve to be here and rest in the knowledge that we deserve to be here because we were saved by the atonement of the Cross of Christ and nothing that we say or do is going to change that. It is a gift.
We cannot fix ourselves, we do not need to either. Jesus will do all of the work and we just abide in Him and let Him be our Healer. He is the potter, we are the clay. We just stay in His hands and He will perfect us.
What we need to do is get on with our new life in Christ. That is the next step. So, step out in faith with reckless relief and joy filling your heart and mind. Then walk forward in confident belief that we are redeemed souls and nothing can separate us from the love of our God. We are in Christ Jesus, and He is in us.
Lord, you see me,
help me put my focus entirely on You, Lord.
Draw me into that focus, help me be satisfied with the fact that I am never going to get right with You until my whole being is with You; until I rest in You, Lord.
Open my eyes to truth and help me focus my life on You.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
Perfect in You;
help me be perfect in You.
Scripture References
1. “A Royal Priesthood” — Our identity in ChristOpening section.
1 Peter 2:9 — “You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood…”
Revelation 1:5–6 — He “made us kings and priests to His God and Father.”
Hebrews 10:19–22 — We enter God’s presence by the blood of Jesus.
2. The Atonement — Our right standing with God
Redemption being complete and not earned.
Romans 5:11 — “We have now received the atonement.”
Ephesians 1:7 — “In Him we have redemption through His blood…”
Hebrews 10:14 — “By one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.”
Titus 3:5 — “Not by works of righteousness which we have done…”
3. Freedom from self‑focus
Turning away from self‑inspection and toward Christ.
Matthew 16:24 — “Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Me.”
Colossians 3:1–3 — “Set your mind on things above… your life is hidden with Christ.”
Galatians 2:20 — “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”
Philippians 3:3 — We “put no confidence in the flesh.”
4. Only in Christ are we made right
“We are perfect only when we are in Christ Jesus.”
1 Corinthians 1:30 — Christ is our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.
2 Corinthians 5:21 — “We become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Romans 8:1 — “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.”
5. Intercessory prayer — the ministry of the inner life
Praying for others.
1 Timothy 2:1 — “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions… be made for all men.”
Ephesians 6:18 — “Praying always… for all the saints.”
Luke 11:5–8 — The friend at midnight (Chambers’ reference).
Job 42:10 — God restored Job when he prayed for his friends.
6. Resting in Christ, not striving
Prayer and Breath Prayer
Matthew 11:28–29 — “Come to Me… and I will give you rest.”
Psalm 46:10 — “Be still, and know that I am God.”
Isaiah 30:15 — “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and trust…”
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