. . . AND YOU!

"Wherefore I also . . . cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know . . . what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places . . . And you . . . " (Eph 1:15-2:1). In salvation we assume an identity with the Lord Jesus that is staggering to contemplate. We have not simply been extricated from a dreadful circumstance. We have been placed in lofty realms. It all occurs when we are in Christ Jesus. However, this blessedness can escape the attention of those to whom it pertains. The difficulties of life, our own weaknesses, and a fierce adversary, require that God cause the glory of these things to burst upon our hearts. For this reason, Paul prayed for those who had faith and love. He besought God to illuminate them, giving them the spirit of wisdom and revelation, capable of probing the blessedness of our state in Christ. Of particular interest is the "exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward"--the power that is devoted to adapting us to glory, and conforming us to the image of Jesus Christ, God's Son. In a most marvelous proclamation of this, the Spirit affirms the primary demonstration of this power is found in the resurrection of Christ and His consequent enthronement in heaven. The Lord Jesus has displayed the weakened condition of the adversary by passing through his domain to His present throne. This text goes further to declare WE ALSO have been elevated with Christ--not to an equal position, but to the same location. God raised and exalted Jesus. . . AND YOU! Thus God now blesses us "with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places" (Eph 1:3). He has, therefore, raised us up with Christ in order accomplish this marvelous blessing. As the Spirit later declares, "But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus" (Eph 2:4-6). The awareness of this will bring joy, peace, and power!

-- MONDAY: New Series--PRESSING FORWARD --