We give God the glory for the past series titled “Supernatural Growth,” and by the grace of God, in this month of revival, we are going into a new series titled “Jesus—the Name Above Every Name,” and our first part in the series is titled “The Privileged.”

Who are the privileged? These are the people who are not worthy of knowing Jesus but were chosen, picked up, given the opportunity, favored to know God. From the social context, we can call the privileged, individuals or groups who hold unearned, systemic advantages, access, or opportunities that others do not hold.

This could stem from fortunate circumstances at birth, such as wealth, race, gender, physical ability, or geographic location, and that creates conditions where navigating life’s challenges is inherently easier.

So the privileged are not just people who in their own power open the pathway to becoming who they are, but because positive circumstances happen to them.

And from this context, we will talk more about how we have been fortunate to live, walk, move in Jesus so that we can know how to become more appreciative among every other thing God has done for us.

From where we read, Apostle Paul was bound to give thanks to God for the privileges extended to the Thessalonians because he understood what it means for an outsider to partake in the blessings designated for the insiders, as he also was one of the privileged.

And I believe everyone knows the story of Apostle Paul as it is written in the book of 1 Corinthians 15:9: “For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” But by the extension of grace, he became who God privileged him to become and he will not stop acknowledging and praising God for it.

And from that perspective I also want you and I to give thanks this morning, for we must reminisce so as to worship Yahweh for how we have been privileged just like these folks to know Jesus, to live, move, and have our being in Jesus.

Sometimes, the appearance of Jesus or His angels to us is what many take for granted. The ability to have the word of God is what many take for granted. The ability to speak freely about Jesus is what we take for granted. The blessedness of knowing Jesus is what many take for granted. The privilege of salvation, being called into the fold is what many take for granted

The power in His name and His blood which was given to us is a privilege many take for granted. The deliverances, healing, breakthroughs, and more like it is what many did not see as a privilege to receive from Him, but this morning, this message is a wake-up call to appreciate God for the privileges extended to us by grace so that we can become the privileged in Him.

You know, I come to think of it, and it has been coming to me always—sometimes with what I preach and other times with the sermon of others I heard online, also with miracles, signs, and wonders that follow all our declarations.

I come to realize and see that no other god has been able to give support to their worshippers to declare them publicly with miracles, signs, and wonders just like we have been privileged in Christ Jesus.

No other god could be likened to our God in doing wonders and restoring lives stolen by the devil back to them except Jesus.

Hence the reason we have to give praise to God, because we are not serving a powerless, clueless, hopeless, and visionless God. We have to give thanks to God for choosing us from the beginning to be saved by Him.

Beloved, I don’t want to see you as an ordinary, clueless person like others anymore. I do not want you to see yourself as someone who did not know the privileges that have been given to them, because knowing Jesus made you the privileged one who has become a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

You did not choose Him. He chose you. You did not look for Him. He looked for you. You do not know Him, but He knows you even before you were in your mother’s womb. You do not yearn for Him, but He yearned for you so that your ways may be made perfect before Him.

So for this reason, we must give thanks to God always for choosing us for salvation and redemption. Leaving the ninety-nine and looking for you, the one, and bringing you back to the fold is a privilege that must not be taken for granted. He made us to be lifted up while others are cast down.

The privilege of salvation that we are benefitting from today cannot be overemphasized, for what God has done for us is much more than silver and gold or physical protection that we receive from Him.

Isaiah 49:1 says, “Listen to me, distant nations, you people who live far away! Before I was born, the Lord chose me and appointed me to be his servant.”

In other words, it was a privilege that Abraham was called out, made a promise to, and seeing the promise fulfilled in Israel. And that is why you must be appreciative, because God called you out, made a promise of salvation to you, and gives you salvation that many do not have the opportunity to receive.

Ephesians 1:4 says, “For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence.” No wonder the devil is not happy with us, because the privilege we received he did not have. No wonder he wrestles with us all day and night because the little he had while he was with God, he misused it and got chased out for it.

Beloved, give praise to God for the privilege to know Jesus, to be chosen by Jesus to follow Him, to be blessed by Him, to bear fruit for Him, to represent Him on earth. The same privilege that was given to Peter is what we are privileged to be part of.

If I were you I would give God the praise, for who are we that He keeps us on His mind? Who are we that He is right by our side? Who are we that He knows and calls us by name? Who are we to be divinely elected to live for Him?

We are the privileged ones, and we must not take the fortunate opportunity of being privileged for granted, but rather praise God, do His bidding, and see Him open the doors of more privileges for us as we continue to live for Him.