WE’RE RAISED UP TOGETHER

Monday 23 December

which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. Ephesians 1:20-21 (NKJV)

and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, Ephesians 2:6 (NKJV)

When it comes to believing the Word of God, every Christian will readily acknowledge the position of authority that Jesus holds as the resurrected Christ. Few however seem to understand the joint sitting we have with Jesus now as believers.

It’s important to remember that Jesus was not the only one who was raised from the dead at the resurrection. We were also raised in Him. When we come into Christ and receive the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, we are raised to life in Him.

After Jesus was raised from the dead ‘by the glory of the Father’, He ascended to the right hand of the Father and He took his place as the supreme authority of heaven, earth and hell. An example in scripture to help understand this concept is Pharaoh and Joseph who was his prime minister. The only one higher than Joseph was Pharaoh but Joseph had total authority and say so in all of the Egyptian Empire.

So we have been raised together with Jesus through the resurrection. Because He paid for the salvation of all, all can be raised from the dead. No one is predestined to damnation. Predestination outside of the sovereignty of salvation is an erroneous idea. We’ll cover this in depth another time.

So all of us in Christ have been raised up together. As our text verse also says we have been made to sit together. We have a joint sitting with Jesus. This means that the delegated authority that He was given after the resurrection, He has now given to us.

Matthew 28:18-19a says ‘And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…’

Philippians 2:9-11 . ‘Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth…’

So what does this all mean to you? As I said in the beginning, most Christians can accept Jesus position of authority and rule but fail to grasp the revelation of their position in Christ. To put it plainly, whatever Jesus has authority over, you who bears His name also have authority over. He is ‘far above principality, power, might, dominion and every name that is named. Truth be told, so are you!

For example, cancer is a name, poverty is a name, confusion is a name. Whatever name that opposes you, you are far above it. It’s not the mention of the name, it’s the authority that the name possesses. Jesus’ name has all authority and when you operate from that authority, every knee of demons, sickness, darkness, depression has no choice but to bow.

It’s time to recognise not only the resurrected Lord but the resurrected you and not only His position but your position in Him. We are raised up together!

APPLICATION

Begin to recognise and function in your authority in Christ over every name that tries to lord it over you and put them where they belong: under your feet!