“Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace are ye saved;) and hath raised us up together and made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:5,6
In Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian believers, he provides every beleiver in the body of Christ with a clear understanding of an “invisible” work of God, which was eternally accomplished in the heart and life. Not only this, but in his declaration he lays the foundation of faith, and the position of faith, with regard to eternal truths according to which His power is to be appropriated “on this earth as it is in heaven.” Paul wrote this: “But of Him (God) are ye IN CHRIST JESUS, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctificaiton, and redemption.” (1:30) By the sovereign, almighty act of God, the gifts and calling by whom are given without repentance, every believer was placed in an eternal union with the Son of God. The blood of Christ dealt with the washing away of all sins. The Cross of Christ, and concequent crucifixion and death of Christ, dealt with the “sinner” in Adam. The resurrection of Christ, its realization, manifestation, and revelation of the power of God, the very power of Christ’s life by the Spirit, was given to the believer to live by faith as a new creation in Christ.
We now find another aspect of faith that needs to exercised in response to the knowledge of being IN CHRIST. That aspect of faith is expressed by Paul in another passage in the letter to the Ephesian believers. He speaks of having a vision of he power of God which is revealed in the raising of Christ from the dead: “…His mighty power, which He wrought IN CHRIST, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at Hs own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, no only in this world, but also in that which is to come.” (Eph. 1:19,20) When Jesus was raised from the dead, every believer IN HIM, would be raised also, and this by the power of God. We see this specifically declared by the Apostle when he wrote: “…and hath raised US up together and made US to sit together in heavenly places IN CHRIST JESUS.” (2:7) Not only did He do this to reveal in the ages to come the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness towards us through Christ Jesus, but there would be revealed that the entirety of the salvation of one’s soul, being kept, and hid, for eternity IN CHRIST, is all of God’s doing by His grace, through faith, NOT of anything in and of man. What then is this fourth position of faith?
It is that declared stand of faith in Christ according to His word, that the believer IN CHRIST, one with Him, is now seated in heavenly places TODAY. From that vantage point of Christ’s victory, he is to live. Christ not only dealt perfectly with sin, and the sinner; He has also dealt with Satan, and all pertaining to him. Paul, writing to the Colossian believers wrote: “And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” (Col. 2:15) The victory of Christ was a perfect victory over all His foes, and those of every believer. The authority that now belongs to the believer is such that, in submitting himself deliberately to the authority of Christ, provides the power to resist the devil, certain that he will flee. The believer has been given the promise that authority has been given him to overcome all the power of the enemy. To the church has been given the declaration, “…and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matt. 16:18) The believer is to “seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.” (Col. 3:1) Risen IN CHRIST, faith overcomes the world.
Dear Father, Manifest Thy victory today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.