Beyond Resurrection Power

#6 Ephesians 1:18-23 part 1

Beyond Resurrection Power
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.
Ephesians 1:18-21

As Christians, we have learned all about salvation. We know about the blood Jesus shed for our sins; we know about the cross where He became the substitute for sin; we know about the power that raised Him from the dead – but wait, what about that power?

Have you ever noticed how God demonstrates His power throughout the Scriptures? There is a past, present and future standard of power revealed in the Bible. The past standard is seen in Exodus 20:2 “I am the Lord … which brought you out of Egypt.” When the Israelites repeatedly underestimated God, forgetting how He used His mighty power on their behalf, He reminded them of their phenomenal deliverance from Egypt – this was the measure of His power on their behalf.

Today Israel lives with the promise of a different display from God – it is the powerful regathering of her people when Christ returns to fulfill His promises to them. “He shall send His angels …they shall gather together His elect from the four winds…” and “They shall no more say ….the Lord, who brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt … but, who led them out of all the countries to which I had driven them, and they shall dwell in their own land.” (Matt. 24:31; Jer. 23:7-8 ) This is the future standard of God’s power toward Israel: a magnificent regathering of His people.

The measurement of Divine power in the present age, for believers, is that of Christ’s resurrection from the dead and ascension in to heaven, as stated in the verses above. This is the most impressive power of all! We hear about resurrection power every Easter, but we often overlook the ascension which is described in this verse:

… AND SEATED HIM AT HIS RIGHT HAND IN THE HEAVENLY REALMS, FAR ABOVE ALL RULE AND AUTHORITY, POWER AND DOMINION . . . NOT ONLY IN THE PRESENT AGE BUT ALSO IN THE ONE TO COME.

This power took Him to the highest heaven, far above angelic hosts, and seated Him on the Father’s right hand. The cross, though essential for God’s glory and our salvation, does not give us the power of God. He was “crucified through weakness.” He submitted to His accusers, He gave Himself over to the power of puny earthly men, and He went down under the judgment of God. That was not power – that was humility. That was Jesus setting aside His divine power and position to become lowly and humble.

In the resurrection, all trace of weakness is gone! Only the triumphant power of God is seen; this is power over death itself. But that is only stage one – following resurrection, He ASCENDED! Now He lives as the Glorified Man, exalted far above all creatures (angels, dominions, powers, etc.) in the nature of a man. To be above all creatures is not new, for He has always existed as God’s Son, but now He exists as a man and He has carried humanity above all other created beings. That is a powerful thing to contemplate!

Now go back to Ephesians 1:13 where we are told that we are included in Christ, marked and sealed in the Holy Spirit. In fact read all of Ephesians one with His exaltation in mind – ask the Holy Spirit to open this up to you. We need to ask ourselves, “If this is true, if I’m really in Christ and all He is dwells in me, and I am there with Him exalted over all created beings (Eph. 2:6) – then how is it that my knees buckle in the difficult circumstances of life and ministry?” This is precisely why Paul prayed this prayer (vs 17-23) – we need the eyes of our hearts (our spiritual eyes) to be opened to see that RESURRECTION/ASCENSION POWER IS OURS!

“…THAT YOU MAY KNOW [EXPERIENTIALLY] HIS INCOMPARABLY GREAT POWER … THAT SEATED HIM … FAR ABOVE ALL RULE AND AUTHORITY, POWER AND DOMINION.”
To be continued….

Know Him

#5 Ephesians 1:17

Know Him!

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. ~ The Apostle Paul, Eph. 1:17

What is the Lord after in our lives? As Christians, this is the first question we should ask ourselves – and we need an answer before we come into a circumstance that will cause us to ask more emotional questions such as:
• Why me? Why did God allow this to happen to me?
• Why does my loved one have to suffer like this?
• Why won’t God heal this person or help that person?
• Why did God allow my loved one to die so young?

The answer to the first question (What is God after in our lives?) will not only help us through life’s wrenching anguish and searing pain, but it will put us on the path to knowing God in a deeper, more fulfilling way as we trod through life in general. Paul’s prayer indicates what God is after: that you may know Him better. We are created to know Him. We are brought into His family, as His dear children, to know Him. This is His purpose for every believer.

There is only one way to ‘know Him better’ and that is through the Spirit of wisdom and revelation. We have the Word of God – His written revelation – but without the Spirit of revelation, all we have are interesting, uplifting, informative words on paper . . . and nothng more.

The Israelites of old had the prophets – but most of them didn’t hear the prophets’ words and take them to heart. The Pharisees had God’s holy law, but they transformed it into a burden for the people of God. The disciples lived and walked with Christ – who was the very face and voice of God – but before His resurrection, they didn’t see or hear God, they only saw and heard a great teacher.

In Saul of Tarsus, student of the eminent rabbi, Gamaliel, we get a God’s-eye view of the change that takes place when the Spirit of God brings the written word to life. This man knew the Scriptures as well as anyone could; still, He had it all wrong until God the Father gave him the Spirit of wisdom and revelation. The Spirit of the living God re-educated Saul and transformed him into Paul, the Apostle of the Church. Paul was given insight into the secrets of the Old Testament and the mysteries of Christ.

What is God after? It is that you should know Him deeply and personally. Everything else about your life will spring from that knowledge: your attitudes, your response to trials, your service and your testimony (whether by your walk or by your words). Let the Spirit of wisdom and revelation loose in your mind and heart – see where He takes you! Ask your Father in Heaven for His revelation! Don’t even open God’s Word without taking a moment to recognize your need for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation! Ask Him to take the Word of God and bring it to life for you! This is a prayer He delights to answer.

If you want to know where that will take you, read Paul’s letters and see where it took him. He experienced joy while he suffered brutal beatings and imprisonment. He suffered hunger, loneliness, loss of position and desertion by friends. Yet, as you read his letters, you will notice that he just can’t find enough words to express what Christ means to him. He layers words upon words as he tries to describe the depths of the riches of Christ – especially in the books of Philippians and Ephesians. He told his readers that he “keeps asking” the glorious Father to give them revelation. Continual, Spirit-generated revelation is necessary if we are to gain a heart-knowledge of the riches of Christ (described in Ephesians 1:3-14).

Why did God create mankind? Why did the Son “rise from His throne and plunge Himself into humanity?”* Why does He withhold judgment and continue to heap mercy, compassion and grace on us? Because He’s after our hearts and minds. He wants us to know, really know, the depths of His love and desire for us. He wants us to see, with the eyes of our hearts, who He really is. Seek this first of all:
TO KNOW HIM!

* I love this phrase; it’s a quote from Bruce Marchiano in his book, Jesus Wept. LJ