Heavenly Places (1)
Paul uses the term ‘Heavenly Places’ five times in the Ephesian letter. Paul’s reference to heavenly places he is talking about the non-material world. Heavenly places predate the present world and will continue after the present world is removed. It is where the real spiritual battles are fought and real spiritual blessings are found. You might refer to it as heaven, or otherworldly or out of this world. It is God’s home, His dwelling place.
The first use is in chapter 1, verse 3: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.” Key word here is ‘every.’ All spiritual blessings that God has to give He has made available to us.
Second use is found in chapter 1, verse 20: “…that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places.” Not only did Christ not remain in the grave but He was brought out by God to return to the throne room of God. Even now, our Lord reigns over the spiritual home.
Third use is found in chapter 2, verse 6: “…and raised up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Did you anticipate this? Not only is Jesus at the right hand of God in the heavenly places, but we also were resurrected from our death to sin and placed with Jesus in victory. We belong to heaven now because of our relationship to Jesus.
Task for Today: You may need to think about this for a while before the reality of it sets in. In Christ you have access to heavenly places. Does your life reflect this reality? How are you doing today in your challenge to live in but not of this world?
Leave a Reply