One of my favorite passages in the NT is Ephesians 1:18- 23~ ~Paul's prayer
18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He (God) has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in his Holy people, 19 and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 He exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, (Authority)23 which is His body, (the church) the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way. This, as many other passages, explains what we need to fully understand.. first of all,Paul prays that we who believe and are called the children of God can see clearly and that our hearts will be enlightened so that we may KNOW the hope in Which God has called us.... the passage goes on to relate the immeasurable inheritance we gain through Christ.. such a powerful truth than many pastors will simply pass right over this section.. for perhaps only the Holy Spirit can truly enlighten us to the power, the riches, the authority is ours because since the days of Paul even until the ages to come... Because there is so little teaching on this many Christians read it with wonder then wander aimlessly through life perhaps knowing it in our minds, but not truly believing it in their hearts and applying its truth in their circumstances.
Then there is Ephesians 2:6 And God raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, SO there we are right now with full access to the throne room and the ear God through and because of Christ's death on the cross.. to win back all that the enemy stole from us in the garden when sin came into the world... The very same authority God had given to Adam and Eve was relinquished to satan and it wasn't until Christ 's death and victory over the grave that the authority was won back . Then Jesus was caught up to heaven and he left that authority with us when he gave out the great Commission... to take the authority and use it to reclaim what the enemy tries to take from us, to empower us to walk boldly on earth spreading the gospel, healing the sick... delivering people from the throes of the enemy... when we wield that authority in the precious name of Jesus.. we can speak to the storm, we can lay hands on our friends and family in prayer.. and when we pray in His name it is actually praying in his nature... as he would pray.. Then we are praying in his will. IN His nature?????? Doing what we saw Jesus do,... loving, merciful, kind, compassionate, just, humble, full of grace, giving, caring for the poor, the sick, the wounded, the lost, those who needed deliverance.... and he only did what he saw the Father (The Invisible God) doing... so He is the exact replica of God on earth... and after Jesus went to be with the Father we were to grow into the fullness of HIm so that we might reflect the true nature of Christ to the world to win souls and shine away the darkness and light up the earth! where is your light now... Are you beginning to think about removing that basket!
Wow, we really have to know Him well to pray like that don't we... to fully know His nature. Let's look back for a moment.. at the moment of our salvation....according to
Romans :16-17 16The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. So when someone asks you how do you know you're a child of God... it is because the Holy Spirit testifies to us that we are....we simply usually say, well, I know that I know that I am.... because if you are a believer, you know it. If you have prayed the believer's prayer, repented and given your life to Jesus, don't let satan rob you of the knowledge that you are a child of God . many find it easier to listen to satans lies than the truths of the Spirit.
So true believers are called, they are children of God and joint heirs with Christ, they are seated in heavenly places right now with Him and with God the Father!
However, there is another important component.. see if you glean the concept from these scriptures.
1 Peter 2:9 - But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
1 Peter 2:4-10 - To whom coming, [as unto] a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, [and] precious, (Read More...)
Revelation 1:6 - And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him [be] glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 2:5 - Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:9-10 - But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (Read More...)
Revelation 5:10 - And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
Exodus 19:6 - And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These [are] the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
Lest we be fooled by satan's whisperings.. remember we are grafted in to the nation of Israel... so Exodus 19:6 also relates to the church...
What do we make of these references to priesthood...
What did the priests do.. They prayed over the temple, God's holy place, they offered sacrifices... They bled the blood of perfect lambs, goats, doves, for atonement of sin for the people.
Now we don't do this today, the Jews don't even do this today.... but Paul went on in Romans 12:1 to say,"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship."
Where do we do this... at the holy temple.... that my friend is none other than in our hearts... through praise, worship, and prayer.. intercession... .. When I imagine those priests of old I always see fiery altars ... our heart, as a holy priest, should be a flame for God... and we shouldn't let the flame go out. Now I ask you, reader, as I ask myself... has my flame been continually burning? Have I been pleading the blood of Christ over my circumstances, my unsaved friends, my community. our nation! if I'm a royal priesthood and all the believers that I know have that same calling well then wouldn't our churches be on fire for God..???? Wouldn't the light of Christ be burning so brightly that the darkness would flee into the pit from whence it originated.?????
Believers, I fear we have dropped the ball here... We cannot have the royal standing before God in heavenly places yet be a silent, unholy priest here in our realm of influence... I don't think that pleases our heavenly Father, who in His mercy is patiently waiting for us to get with the program... But how patient is He....that is the question... I think I have laid some ground work today... there is so much we need to know about our holy fire... and it may not always be easy to endure it... it will be a refiner's fire that we must be willing to endure to begin that internal transformation that is so desperately needed! I don't know about you but I feel the need to do a bit of repenting now!
So true believers are called, they are children of God and joint heirs with Christ, they are seated in heavenly places right now with Him and with God the Father!
However, there is another important component.. see if you glean the concept from these scriptures.
1 Peter 2:9 - But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
1 Peter 2:4-10 - To whom coming, [as unto] a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, [and] precious, (Read More...)
Revelation 1:6 - And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him [be] glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 2:5 - Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:9-10 - But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (Read More...)
Revelation 5:10 - And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
Exodus 19:6 - And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These [are] the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
Lest we be fooled by satan's whisperings.. remember we are grafted in to the nation of Israel... so Exodus 19:6 also relates to the church...
What do we make of these references to priesthood...
What did the priests do.. They prayed over the temple, God's holy place, they offered sacrifices... They bled the blood of perfect lambs, goats, doves, for atonement of sin for the people.
Now we don't do this today, the Jews don't even do this today.... but Paul went on in Romans 12:1 to say,"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship."
Where do we do this... at the holy temple.... that my friend is none other than in our hearts... through praise, worship, and prayer.. intercession... .. When I imagine those priests of old I always see fiery altars ... our heart, as a holy priest, should be a flame for God... and we shouldn't let the flame go out. Now I ask you, reader, as I ask myself... has my flame been continually burning? Have I been pleading the blood of Christ over my circumstances, my unsaved friends, my community. our nation! if I'm a royal priesthood and all the believers that I know have that same calling well then wouldn't our churches be on fire for God..???? Wouldn't the light of Christ be burning so brightly that the darkness would flee into the pit from whence it originated.?????
Believers, I fear we have dropped the ball here... We cannot have the royal standing before God in heavenly places yet be a silent, unholy priest here in our realm of influence... I don't think that pleases our heavenly Father, who in His mercy is patiently waiting for us to get with the program... But how patient is He....that is the question... I think I have laid some ground work today... there is so much we need to know about our holy fire... and it may not always be easy to endure it... it will be a refiner's fire that we must be willing to endure to begin that internal transformation that is so desperately needed! I don't know about you but I feel the need to do a bit of repenting now!
