Each of us need to know, understand and enter into our present connection with Christ in the heavenly realms. This connection is vital for the overcoming life. In the Epistle to the Ephesians, the Holy Spirit has indicated the rich blessings that God our Father has prepared for us in Christ.
Ephesians 1:3-4 NKJV Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
Later a prayer was offered to the Father for the eyes of our understanding to be enlightened so we may know these things.
Ephesians 1:19-20 NKJV …what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
The Holy Spirit wants believers to recognize what God has done for us by raising Christ into the heavenly realms.
Ephesians 2:6 NIV And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
Consider this fact, that by exalting Christ, believers have also been raised with Him.
Ephesians 3:10 NIV His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
Ephesians 6:12 NIV For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Take note of the progression of God’s blessing in this fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Ephesians 1:3 NIV Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.
Here is a progression of God’s grace and blessing.
- God has blessed us.
- These are spiritual blessings.
- They are every spiritual blessing.
- God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.
- God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ.
God is generous in blessing us. His grace and favor is demonstrated in relation to His character. He blesses us with every spiritual blessing and holds nothing back. These spiritual treasures far exceed and contrast any other kind of blessing. God is not just referring to the blessings that await us when we arrive in glory.
These spiritual blessings refer to divine privileges and resources that are available now.
Ephesians 1:20 NKJV Which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places.
In 2021 astronomers spotted a nearby star that was 480 million light-years from earth exploded. They say the energy from the explosion will impact much of our solar system.
What was the greatest exhibition of God’s power?
Most people would think it was creation. At creation, God’s might was demonstrated when He spoke and creation leapt out of nothing into existence. The magnitude of His power was manifest by the diversity of the creation.
Was the greatest exhibition of God’s power the Red Sea crossing?
Exodus 14:22 NIV The Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.
God caused a mighty wind to blow and the sea stood up, and God removed all of the water from the floor of the sea.
What was the greatest exhibition of God’s power?
It was the might of His power that raised Christ from among the dead and enthroned Him at God’s right hand. The Holy Spirit wanted Paul to emphasize this to the church.
Ephesians 1:18-23 NIV84 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Why was this the greatest exhibition of God’s power?
The hosts of hell were amassed against God to frustrate His purposes. If Christ could be kept in the tomb, God’s eternal plan would be defeated. All of the consequences of man’s sin would be without remedy and Jesus Christ would be defeated.
God triumphed over every opposition, power and authority.
Jesus Christ triumphed over Satan and his hosts. The power of sin was defeated and Jesus Christ gained a glorious victory.
The Apostle Paul described the power that was employed on our behalf.
Ephesians 1:19-20 Exceeding greatness of His power …according to that working of the strength of His might which He energized in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made Him to sit at His right hand in the heavenly realms
Words are inadequate to describe the weight, might, energy, and power of this work. This is the immensity of God’s power manifested in His own omnipotence. Jesus Christ came out of the grave of mortality to eternal immortality and throne of God. The darkness of death and the tomb were defeated by the incomprehensible light of God and heaven.
Principality, power, might, and dominion are consistently used for the visible and invisible ruling authorities. Christ and all who are in Him is shown to be placed in authority above these powers.
Ephesians 2:4-6 NKJV But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
God has called us into this marvelous fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
We have been enabled to fellowship with Christ on a higher level. We have been made alive with Christ and have been raised up with Christ. Within this fellowship, what has been put behind and under Christ has been put behind and under us also. Our standing is on the resurrection side of the tomb. This is a demonstration of God’s rich mercy and great power. Thus God, who is rich in exhibiting this undeserved kindness, has taken action on behalf of sinners because of His great love for us.
Those words, “Together with Christ” describes our new position and relation with Jesus Christ, God’s Son.
- We are together with Christ in His resurrection. We were dead in our sins but we have been given new life.
- We are together with Christ in His ascension. God has raised us up with Christ and lifted us into this new position.
- We are together with Christ in His present rule at the right hand of God. We have been seated in a new position of authority in Christ.
The sacrifice and blood of Christ has been powerful to save, deliver and heal. The blood still works.
God has granted us a place of partnership and honor in the work of His kingdom.
Colossians 1:13 NIV For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves.
What shall we now do in this position?
Ephesians 3:10-12 NIV His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to His eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In Him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
God has triumphed over the power of sin, Satan and death. He sent heaven’s best and conquered Satan’s worst. He redeemed captives and has prepared a bride for His Son. God has been vindicated and Christ has been exalted. Satan has been defeated and the Church is enthroned in Christ to share His glory.
What shall we now do in this position?
In this world, we are to demonstrate the power of His might. God has granted us a place of partnership and honor in the work of His kingdom.
Colossians 1:13 NIV For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves.
God has given us everything that is necessary to live victorious. God is faithful, by Whom you have been called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. We can stand with Christ above the powers of darkness. We have been made mighty through God to pull down the strongholds of the enemy. Even the gates of hell cannot prevail against us. If you are weak and in distress, the Lord wants to strengthen you with His might.
