In Christ: Know It, Live It - 30 (Risen, Seated)

God made us alive with Christ..."and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus" Ephesians 2:6.

When God made us alive together with Christ He gave us a CERTAIN KIND of LIFE. It is a RAISED UP and SEATED life.

RAISED UP here refers to Christ's ASCENSION to heaven and SEATED refers to Christ's being seated at the Father's right hand, the position of ultimate power and authority and favor.

NEVER lose sight of the little phrase "with Him," occurring twice in this verse. The "Him" of course is Christ. Once again the Apostle Paul emphasizes our UNION with Christ and its results. Christ ascended FOR US and He is seated by the Father FOR US. His victory over death and hell and sin is OUR victory. That is, we share in Christ's victory and it's results because the Father has united us to Him by the Spirit. Hallelujah!

But we are NOT in heaven yet, even though we ARE raised and seated with Christ in heaven. We are on earth. Oh, HOW we are on earth!

How then, do we share in His victorious resurrection, ascension, and session (being seated in power and authority and favor) at the Father's right hand?

We are now, in Christ, the partakers of a HEAVENLY LIFE. The Spirit of God has given us a new heart with a new BENT towards God and the things of God. These "things of God" are things like an appetite for the WORD of God, a love for the PEOPLE of God, a desire to be and do what is righteous, a desire for FELLOWSHIP with God and Christ, a compassion for the LOST, etc. The VALUES of Heaven are now our values...at least in measure...an INCREASING measure. NOW we pray "Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10). NOW we "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33). NOW we say NO to sin and YES to Christ (see Colossians 3). NOW we engage in spiritual warfare and STAND (Ephesians 6:10ff). We have a NEW RULER with NEW POWER. We are truly tasting and experiencing and living out SOMETHING of Heaven here on earth.

Why? Because Jesus ascended to heaven and there was seated at the Father's right hand FOR US. We are there IN HIM. It is a DONE DEAL. We could not be MORE raised and seated than we are. We could not be MORE in the place to receive the power and authority and favor of heaven than RIGHT WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW...IN CHRIST.

DON'T MOVE! If you are saved by grace through faith in Christ alone, you are EXACTLY where you need to be. However, DO MOVE towards Christ every moment of every day to receive the life of heaven that you need to live out His kingdom in your little sphere today.