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….