Week 25 - Seated in Power
Seated in Power
“And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus….” Ephesians 2:6
As a port city, ancient Ephesus was known as one of the most important trading centers in what today is modern Turkey. It was home to the goddess, Artemis of the Ephesians. It was a city filled with sorcery and immorality. In his second missionary journey, Paul arrived at Ephesus with his friends, Aquila and Priscilla, and spent three years there.
As Paul later writes to the church in Ephesus from Rome, he reminds them that at one time they followed the “ways of this world, and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient” (Ephesians 2:2). This was language familiar to the Ephesian church. Paul’s ministry there was all about “the Way” of the Lord—superior to any man made god that Ephesus could offer.
In chapter 6, he tells Christians in Ephesus to “be strong in the Lord, and in his mighty power” and to “put on the full armor of God” in order to struggle against the rulers, authorities, powers, and the “spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms”.
How could they, and how can we be victorious over such spiritual forces? We can because Christ has already defeated the powerful Death enemy. When Satan thought he had finally won, with Roman nails piercing the hands and feet of Jesus, God raised him from the dead and placed him at his right hand in heaven. Not only that, Paul writes, but “God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions!” (Ephesians 2:4)
Paul makes this even more meaningful when he says that “God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms”. In this incredible vision, the apostle says that, even though we are still here on earth, still struggling with temptation, still doing battle with the Wicked Spirit, Christ has already given the victory to us!
When God seats us with Christ in heavenly realms, that is a place of victory and honor, not one of failure and defeat. We become participants in Christ’s victory over Satan!
As Paul tells the Romans, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” “Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen?” “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” Neither “angels nor demons…powers…nor anything else in all creation!”
Praise God for his infinite power!!!
—Jim Pounders