The Table of Union

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4:1-6)

The Table of the Lord is the table of His body, and His body is one. At His table, we all eat of the one bread and drink of the one cup. We do not just partake of Him individually, but together as His body. No matter where we are geographically, we all share in communion with Him, and therefore with each other. We have this communion not only with those of His body who still walk this planet, but also with all the saints who have lived since the beginning of the Church. The Table of the Lord is the sign of this unity.

When I was young, I used to see an old cartoon, which featured a number of vignettes. One of those scenes showed a mailman sorting mail. In this cartoon world, this mailman was actually an octopus, busily sorting the mail into a wall full of slots. It was funny enough watching the him going at it with all eight tentacles, but then we were shown that, on the other side of the wall, all the slots emptied into one mail pouch.

Sometimes I think about that at the Table of the Lord. We all take of the bread and the cup, each of us “sorting” it into our own individual mouths — but then, behind the scenes, it all enters into the same body, the body of Christ.

In the passage above, Paul speaks of the unity we have in Christ, and how we shall walk in view of it. We should be humble, gentle and patient with each other, even putting up with each other for the sake of love.

We are to be diligent to hold on to the unity we have in Christ, who is our peace. For we do not create this unity; we receive it through faith in Jesus Christ, who has given His Spirit to each one of us. Our job is simply to live that out. The Message puts it this way: “pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences.”

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul describes this unity, and how to keep it, this way:

Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:1-8)

This is the mind of Christ for the body of Christ.

All those who come to faith in Jesus Christ are made one in Him. We are His body. We see this in the Table of the Lord, the Table of Union with Him.

Years ago, I wrote a little song about the Table of the Lord and the unity we have in Him. It’s called “Celebration” and you can listen to it in streaming MP3. It's from our first CD, Walking Barefoot.

What You Ask, Think and Imagine Can Change the World

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21; the NIV has “imagine” instead of “think”)

This power that is at work in us is the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you”(Acts 1:8). This is the same power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at the Father's right hand in the the heavenlies, far above all principality, power, might and dominion (Ephesians 1:19-21). This same power has also seated us there in Him (Ephesians 2:6).

At the end of Ephesians 3, we see that this power has something to do with what we ask, think and imagine. Now, notice that, although God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above and beyond all we ask or imagine, He does it according to the power that is at work in us, the power of the Holy Spirit. This means that job is to ask, think and imagine, not according to our own ability, but according to the divine power at work in us. All our asking, thinking and imagining can never exhaust this power, because God is infinite in power. But this power is released by our asking, thinking and imagining because God has established His power to work in us. That is why it says “according to the power that works in us.”

If we do not ask, think and imagine, then this power will not be released. But we must ask, think and imagine in line with God's thoughts, God's will and God's way if we expect to release God's power and get God's results. Otherwise, our thoughts and imaginations will result in chaos. That is what happened at the Tower of Babel:

And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”

But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. And the LORD said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.” (Genesis 11:4-7)

The King James Version has, “Nothing will be restrained from them which they have imagined to do.” The Amplified Bible shows it as “Nothing they have imagined they can do will be impossible.” These were ungodly people plotting proud and arrogant things. Because their language was one, when they expressed their imaginations together, it was a very powerful thing. But it did not make for divine order, so God confused their speech and scattered them abroad.

We must ask, think and imagine according to God's thoughts and God's ways.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts higher than your thoughts.

(Isaiah 55:8-9)

This does not mean that we cannot know God ways and thoughts, for in verses 10-11, we see that He sends His Word to earth to accomplish His purposes. Paul put it this way, quoting from Isaiah 64:4, and adding an important New Testament revelation:

But as it is written:

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. (1 Corinthians 2:9-10)

God reveals these things to us by His Spirit so we can ask, think and imagine according to His thoughts and ways and get divine results, because it is according to the power of His Spirit at work in us that the world gets changed for the good.

The human imagination is very powerful for changing the world. When you ask, think and imagine according to the Word of God, it brings about divine order and blessing — the kingdom of God.

All You’ll Ever Need

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. (Ephesians 1:3)

If you know the Lord Jesus Christ, God has blessed with you everything you’ll ever need. Every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies already belongs to you.

Now, don’t go thinking that, because it says spiritual blessing, it has nothing to do with the natural world. What goes on in the spiritual realm has everything to do with the natural realm. For this natural world was created by God, who is Spirit. What happens in the natural realm is totally dependent upon the spiritual realm. So when God blesses you with every blessing in the spiritual realm, it also affects everything in the natural realm.

Many Christians seem to think that we only receive a few spiritual blessings now, and that we will receive the rest, the greater majority, when we leave this life for the next — at least they live like that is what they think. But the truth is that, when we get to heaven, we will not receive anything there that we have not already received here.

We do not need to receive any more blessing from God. All we really need to do is learn how to live in the blessing we have already received, for it is more than enough to enable us to be and do what God has called us to be and do in this world. And that is what discipleship is about — learning how to walk in the blessing of God in such a way that it changes the world.

We are already blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies. In fact, that is where we are seated in Christ Jesus—in the heavenlies (Ephesians 2:6). We are born of heaven, our citizenship is in heaven and we live on this earth as ambassadors of heaven. Our job is to bring forth heaven on earth, just as Jesus taught us to pray: “Kingdom of God, come. Will of God, be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). We are authorized to bind on earth what has already been bound in heaven, and loose on earth what has already been loosed in heaven (Matthew 18:18). Jesus also promised that as we come into agreement with each other on earth concerning anything, it will be done for us by our Father in heaven (Matthew 18:19). In this way, the spiritual blessing we have received is able to bring forth blessing in the natural realm.

If you know the Lord Jesus Christ, God has already blessed you with everything you’ll ever need. Are you learning to walk in the blessing and live the life of heaven on earth? Then you are becoming a world-changer.

(See also All You'll Ever Need, Part 2)

Equal Parts, Love and Truth

And He gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the quipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head — Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-15)

We must speak the truth in love. Both halves are equally necessary, equally important. Truth and love are equally divine: God is love (1 John 4:8); Jesus Christ is the truth (John 14:6). The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of Truth (John 16:13), and fruit of the Spirit is love (Galatians 5:22).

Truth without love is nothing more than facts, data, information. It is just knowledge. The apostle Paul gave this assessment: “Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies” (1 Corinthians 8:1). On the other hand, love without truth is sentimental emotionalism. Paul wrote to the believers at Philippi, “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:9-10).

It is not enough to speak the truth. We must speak it in love, are we are not really speaking it at all. Likewise, it is not enough to speak in love. We must also speak the truth, or else we are not really walking in love.

When we speak the truth in love, it brings forth a maturity and a unity among the people of God. It builds up the body of Christ and reveals the “stature of the fullness of Christ” in us — everything of Him being made known in us.

Unlimited Power at Work in You

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)

The Greek word for “exceedingly abundantly” is a compound word, and very emphatic. It speaks of that which goes beyond all bounds and is unlimited. God’s ability to work on our behalf is not limited by what we are to able ask or imagine. For it is not according to those things, but according to the power that is at work in us, that God is able to do miraculous things that exceed our wildest expectations.

What is this great power that is at work in us? It is the same power Paul talked about in Ephesians 1:

The exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 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 1:19-21)

It is the power of the Holy Spirit, who is the earnest (down payment) or our inheritance in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:13-14). There is no limit to what He is able to do in us, for us or through us, for this is the same Holy Spirit of power who anointed Jesus, so that He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed of the devil (Acts 10:38).

God is a therefore able to do completely above and beyond all that we are able to ask or imagine. But this is an ever-increasing concept. For once God has done something beyond what we are able to ask or imagine, we are then able to ask and imagine it—and God is able to above and beyond that as well. In other word, our ability to ask and imagine enlarges as we understand His ways, His will and His abilities more and more.

The power of God at work in you is unlimited. Don’t be afraid to ask and let your imagination explore the heart of God and what He wants to do in your life and in your world. Let Him enlarge your vision and your expectation. Then watch Him bust through all boundaries and limitations.

Taking the Offensive

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. (Ephesians 6:10-18)

We are in a spiritual warfare. It is not enough for us to take a passive stance in our helmet of salvation, the shield of faith, the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth and the hob-nailed boots of the gospel of peace on our feet. These are defensive devices. But we must also get active with the offensive weapons of warfare. We must take up the Sword of the Spirit (the Word of God) and pray with all kinds of prayer and supplication in the Spirit (that is, Spirit-led prayer).

The outcome of this thing is already determined in our favor. We are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ (Romans 8:37). But that is no reason to go passive. Rather, it is all the more reason to get active and aggressive, and press the battle. The assurance of victory does not do away with having to get out on the field and put it over on the enemy.

Ready yourself for battle. Put on your armor and take up your arms, the weapons God has given you to enforce the victory of Jesus Christ on the evil one and all his works. Exercise the authority of God’s Word and let the Holy Spirit lead you into all kinds of prayer. The battle belongs to the Lord, so pursue it in full confidence.

No Strangers in This House

Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:19-22)

There are no second-class citizens with God; if you’re in, you’re in all the way, with full benefits. Paul addressed this particularly to non-Jewish believers in Christ. Once they were strangers and foreigners, now they were fellow citizens with full membership in God’s household. Non-Jews do not have to become Jews, as some erroneously taught (Paul addressed this error in his letter to the Galatians). Nor do Jews have to become non-Jews, as some of the traditions of men within the Church have held, and as some non-believing Jews have insisted. No, in Christ, the “middle wall of separation” (v. 14) between Jews and non-Jews has been abolished. For God is doing a new thing, making one household.

The concept of household runs very strong in this passage, particularly as revealed in the Greek text. The Greek word for “house” is oikos, and we see some form of this word six times this short passage:

• Once non-Jews were foreigners. The Greek is paroikoi — those who dwelt alongside the house, but not in it. They were resident aliens, not citizens. But now in Christ, we are fellow citizens with the saints, God’s “set-apart” ones.
• Now we are part of the household of God. The word is oikeoi — of the house and part of the family.
• The household of which are now a part is built on the foundation of apostles and prophets, with Christ as the chief cornerstone. The word for “built” is epoikodomeo — to build a house upon its foundation.
• This building is perfectly fitted together. The word is oikodome — the architecture or structure of the house.
• All who believe in Christ, whether they are Jews or non-Jews, are being built together. The Greek is sunoikodomeo — building, not two, but one unified structure.
• We are being built together into dwelling place of God. The word is katoiketerion — a habitation, an abiding place, a residence.

The foundation of this house is all about the Lord Jesus Christ, for that is who the apostles and prophets proclaim. Indeed, Christ Himself is the chief cornerstone, the one by whom the whole structure is brought into perfect alignment. All who believe in Him, whether Jew or non-Jew, are brought together, just as two walls are brought together at the corner and perfectly joined.

This house is a spiritual house, that is, it is a work of the Holy Spirit. Once we were outside of the house, separated from God. But now, we are not merely inside the house with God, but we are the house of God — He dwells within us!

Once we were far away. But now through faith in Jesus Christ we are brought into such intimate relationship with God — and each other — that He has made Himself at home in us.

No Wall of Separation

For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. (Ephesians 2:14-18)

Paul is addressing the relationship between believers among the Jews, who were of the Circumcision, and believers among the Gentiles, who were of the Uncircumcision (these were those who were not of Israel, but who believed in the God of Israel).

In the Temple complex, there was a place known as the Court of the Gentiles. It was for the God-fearing ones, but it was only the outermost court. A partition kept them from entering into the full worship and fellowship of covenant with the Jews. It was actually a physical enclosure that surrounded the Temple proper, and it was death for a Gentile to pass beyond its gate.

These were issues of enmity and division that could not simply be ignored. They had to be addressed properly and judicially, so that the stipulations of the covenant would be satisfied. That is what Jesus did through the shedding of His blood. He fulfilled all the requirements of the old covenant, and established a new and better covenant (Jeremiah 31:31; Hebrews 8:6).

He has became our peace, our oneness, our wholeness. There is no longer any division between Jews who come to Yahweh and non-Jews who come to Yahweh. We all have the same access to the Father by the Holy Spirit, through faith in Jesus Messiah, the Anointed One.

The moral law remains, but the ordinances of separation no longer apply. We are one in the Lord Jesus Christ. God’s purpose, to bring salvation to the world through His covenant with Israel, is fulfilled in Him.

It does not matter if you have been far away (Gentile) or one who was near (Jew), the gospel of Jesus the Messiah is the dynamic power of God for salvation (forgiveness, reconciliation, restoration, deliverance, healing) to all who believe, “for the Jew first, and also for the Greek [Gentile]” (Romans 1:16).

The Covenants of Promise

Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh — who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands — that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:11-13)

Paul is speaking to believers who had once been Gentiles — that is, they were not of the Hebrews, but of the nations that surrounded the Hebrews, and considered pagans. They were called “uncircumcised.” Circumcision was the sign of the covenant God made with the descendents of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the Old Testament.

Remember when David asked, concerning Goliath, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine?” He was not engaging in pre-battle trash-talk. He was properly assessing the situation: Goliath was uncircumcised; he had no covenant relationship with God, no right to expect any help from the Almighty.

Israel, on the other hand, did have such a covenant relationship. They knew God as Yahweh (a name expressed in our English Bibles by the name LORD in all or small caps). Elohim is the name by which God expressed Himself in creation; Yahweh is the name by which He revealed Himself in covenant. Israel have every right to look to God to rescue and provide for them in every way — though they often failed to exercise that right by putting their trust in Him.

But David remembered and asked his countrymen, “Who is the uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the Living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26). Then he proceeded to take Goliath’s head off — literally! He knew, because of the covenant and because he bore the covenant sign of circumcision — that God was on his side.

Now back to the uncircumcised Gentiles, which Paul’s readers once were. They were without Christ. The word “Christ” is a title, not a name. It is the New Testament equivalent of the Old Testament Messiah. In English we would say “Anointed One.” Jesus is the One who was anointed by the God of Israel to deliver His people. In Isaiah 10:27, we discover that the function of the anointing is to completely remove burdens and obliterate yokes and bondages. That is what Jesus the Anointed One came to do.

But the Ephesian Christians were once Gentiles and were without Christ. The Greek word generally translated “without” is a bit more intensive: they were apart from Christ, outside of Messiah, separated from the Anointed One and the anointings that could set them free from every burden and yoke.

Not only that, they were alienated, excluded from the commonwealth God had established with Israel. They had no rights of citizenship with Yahweh. They were strangers to the covenants of promise. They had no reason to hope in God and expect anything from Him. God was not on their side.

However, Paul goes on to write that little three-letter word that reverses all that has gone before, the word but.

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Gentiles were outsiders to the covenant Israel enjoyed under the Old Testament. But now in Jesus the Anointed One there is a New Covenant, just as God promised his people in the Old Testament:

Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah — not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers I the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. (Jeremiah 31:31-33)

This is a new and better covenant and it is mediated to us by the Anointed One: “But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises” (Hebrews 8:6).

The old covenant was established by the blood of bulls and goats. But the New Covenant was established by the blood of Jesus, Lord and Messiah. On the Passover night before He was crucified, Jesus took the ceremonial bread and cup, saying,

This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me … This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. (Luke 22:19-20)

It is by this blood, shed for us, that we who were once far off from God and strangers to the covenants of promise have been brought near. That is, we now have a place and a promise and a citizenship with God, and it is found in the Lord Jesus Christ. In Him we have received a circumcision of the heart, by which God now says of all those who receive Jesus the Anointed One, “This is My people.”

But God … Before & After

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:4-6)

My wife will tell you that I am a sucker for “before and after” pictures. Before and after the diet; before and after the makeover; before and after the plastic surgery; before and after the home improvements. This is why I like to watch This Old House on PBS, to see how a decrepit old structure is renovated.

Paul gives us a before and after snapshot in Ephesians 2:1-10. The before is seen in verses 1-3, about how we were dead (not merely sick, but dead) in trespasses and sins; how we walked according to this present age and the prince of the power of the air; how we conducted ourselves in the lusts of the flesh; and how we were by nature under the wrath of God.

Then he shifts gears in verse 4 and gives us those beautiful words, “But God …” The before shot was pretty grim; the after shot is absolutely glorious. And it all turns on “But God …” There are volumes in that little word “but.” Whatever our condition was before, it makes no difference, for God is much greater than all of that and it cannot stand up to the pleasure and power of His will.

Satan may come and say, “See, God, I have all these under my power and influence — they are spiritually dead to You.” Then God utters one Word, “But …,” and reveals something that strips the devil’s claims of all force:

• The richness of His mercy
• The greatness of His love
  

So rich and so great are these, see how far they lift us up and set us free. For even though we were dead in trespasses — willful rebellion against God — He has:

• Made us alive together in Christ
• Raised us up together with Christ
• Seated us together in the heavenlies in Christ
  

One we were spiritually dead, but now we have been given new birth by the Spirit of God, through faith in Jesus Christ. We have also been raised up together with Christ. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is now at work in us, so that we now truly live and move and have our being in Him. God has also seated us together with Christ on the throne of heaven, the place of ruling and reigning.

How far we had fallen; how greatly we have been redeemed; how highly we have been lifted up in Christ Jesus, to the glory of God. “That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:7). Once we lived according to the corruption of this present age, but now we are part of the age that is breaking into this world, an age that powerfully demonstrates God’s grace and favor.

Now, it is not about us, but all about Him.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

It is not about our works, but about His grace. This grace brings salvation, which we receive through faith, but even that faith does not come from us — it is a gift that comes to us from God. Once we walked in the works of the world, but now we can walk in the works of God. There is no room for bragging here, except in God, who has created us anew in Christ Jesus.

Do you find yourself in the “before” shot of Ephesians 2:1-3? God has a wonderful “after” for you, and it can begin now, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Prince of the Power of the Air

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. (Ephesians 2:1-3).

The power of the air refers to the realm of demonic spirits. They have no more place in heaven, having fallen when they rebelled, along with satan, against Almighty God. As disembodied spirits, they have no place on earth, unless they can find a body to inhabit. (The Greek word sometimes translated as “demon possessed,” is daimonizomai, and is better understood as demonized, that is, having a demon.)

All that is left for them is the region between heaven and earth. So Paul refers to it as the power of the air, the atmosphere that surrounds. The Greek word for “air” is aer. A. T. Robertson notes that, “Aer was used by the ancients for the lower and denser atmosphere and aither [ether] for the higher and rarer.”

The Greek word for “power” here is exousia, the same word used in Ephesians 1:21, where God seated Christ in the heavenlies, “far above all principality, power, might and dominon, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come.” The word for “prince” here is closely related to the word for “principality,” and they both refer to a ruler.

Who is this evil prince? It is the one of whom Jesus said,

Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. (John 12:31)

I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. (John 14:30)

The ruler of this world is judged. (John 16:11)

In 2 Corinthians 4:4, Paul refers to him as “the god of this age,” and he is none other than satan. He has been judged and cast down, for though he tried to destroy the mission of the Lord Jesus Christ, Jesus has defeated him instead. For Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8) and heal all who are oppressed by him (Acts 10:38).

The Lord Jesus Christ also sent out His disciples with divine authority to do the same:

Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” And He said to them, “I saw satan fall like lightning from heaven.” (Luke 10:18).

Soon this fallen prince and his demons will not even have the lower atmosphere for their habitation.

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

Then it will be that “the devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Revelation 20:10).

The prince of the power of the air may have once held powerful influence in your life when you were dead in trespasses and sins, but if you know the Lord Jesus Christ, God has made you alive with Christ. The works of the devil have been destroyed, and that destruction is now in the process of being enforced upon him. Soon he will not even have a platform from which to propagate his lies and accusations, but will be cast into the depths of hell.

The Fullness of Him Who Fills

And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:22-23)

This is an expansion of Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians, beginning in verse 15, in which he asks the Father to reveal the exceeding greatness of His power toward all believers. This is the same power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenlies — far above all principality, power, might and dominion, and everything that can be named in this age and in the one to come. All has been placed under His feet. All these — principality, power, might and dominion — refer to angelic beings and demonic powers. Christ is above them — not merely above, but far above.

But what of the church? What is our role, our place?

God has given the Lord Jesus Christ to be head over the church. We are explicitly identified as His body. Christ in not a disembodied head, nor are we a headless body. Rather, we go together with Him. We are intimately related to Him, as close as your own head is to your own body. We are not merely in close proximity to Him, but integrally related with Him.

Now consider this: If Jesus is seated far above all principality, power, might and dominion, and all these are placed under His feet — then we, as His body, are also seated far above all principality, power, might and dominion, and all these are placed under our feet, as well. Indeed, in the next chapter, Paul notes that God has already raised us up (exalted us) together with Christ and seated us together in Him in the heavenlies (Ephesians 2:6). Christ is in the place of ruling and reigning; and as His body, exalted and seated with Him in the heavenlies, we are in the place of ruling and reigning also.

What is the fullness of Christ? According to Paul, we are — all those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. We are the fullness of Christ, for we are His body. Just as your body is the fullness of you, so we, as the body of Christ, are the fullness of Him. Your body is all about you; His body is all about Him. We represent Christ in every way, for He has filled His body all in all, that is, fully and completely in everything.

• We bear all the authority of Christ on earth. Before He ascended to heaven, Jesus declared, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18). Then He commissioned His disciples, authorizing them with all His earthly authority.
• We have the authority to ask “in His name” (John 14:13-14). Whatever we ask in His name, the Father will do (John 15:16; John 16:23-27). We don’t have to ask Jesus to ask the Father; we can ask the Father directly in Jesus’ name. That is, we have the same authority to ask that Jesus has.
• We have the authority to bind or loose on earth what has been bound or loosed in heaven (Matthew 18:18). As we agree together concerning anything, it will be granted by our Father in Heaven (Matthew 18:19).
• We have the authority to command the Kingdom of God to come and the will of God to be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). Jesus specifically gave us this authority in the Lord’s Prayer. He taught us to pray in the imperative mood: Kingdom of God, come! Will of God, be done on earth as it is in heaven!
• We have the authority of His perfected love. “And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God; and God in him. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:16-17).

As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are the fullness of Him who fills all in all. It is all about Him, His authority, His power, His goodness, His righteousness, His love. Through faith in Him, we abide in Him and He in us. As He is, so are we in this world, for we have received His fullness.

The Dispensation of the Fullness of the Times

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth — in Him. (Ephesians 1:7-10)

Redemption, forgiveness, grace — this is the revelation of the Father’s will. It is His good pleasure and freely determined purpose. Because it pleases Him, it must have everything to do with faith, for without faith it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6).

The overarching purpose of God which has now been revealed is to gather all things together in unity in the Lord Jesus Christ, to bring heaven and earth together in Him. For He is the God-Man who now rules and reigns over all forever and ever — and we rule and reign with Him (Ephesians 2:6).

We are now in the dispensation of the fullness of times. A dispensation is an economy, an administration, a stewardship. In the dispensation of the fullness of times, the stewardship is to bring all things in heaven and earth together. We have not yet reached the completion of the fullness of times — that is still to come — but the administration of it has already begun.

• It is an administration of the New Covenant, which is established in the blood of the Lord Jesus, and of which God has made us able ministers: “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as minister of the new covenant” (2 Corinthians 3:5-6).
• It is an administration of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ: “For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship [dispensation]” (1 Corinthians 9:16-17).
• It is an administration of the grace of God: “For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles — if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you” (Ephesians 3:1-2).
• It is an administration of the Word of God: “I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship [dispensation] from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the Word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations but now has been revealed to His saints” (Colossians 1:24-26).
• It is an administration of the Lord’s Prayer. For the Lord Jesus Himself taught us to pray, “Kingdom of God, come! Will of God be done on earth as it is in heaven!” and all things in heaven and earth to being gathered together under His lordship.

The dispensation of the fullness of times has begun, and all those who have received the Lord Jesus Christ have been made able ministers of it. How will you exercise your stewardship today?

The Inheritance of Grace and Peace

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 1:2)

Grace and peace are a gift from our heavenly Father. It is a matter of inheritance, for fatherhood always brings inheritance. We do not work for it, or try to show ourselves worthy of it — we simply receive it. It comes to us because we have been reconciled to the Father by His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus removed the barrier of sin by taking it on Himself and nailing it to the cross. He has destroyed all the works of the devil that separate us from God (1 John 3:8).

Grace is the favor of God. It means that we are backed up by all the power and authority of heaven. That is why God said to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Corinthians 12:9). It is more than enough to deal with every obstacle and hindrance we may encounter.

Peace is not just the absence of conflict, or even mere calmness. Paul use the Greek word to write to a Greek-speaking audience. But being a Jew, he had the Hebrew idea of shalom in mind. It is a word of wholeness and means that there is nothing lacking and nothing out of joint. This can only come from God, who alone is able to restore things to wholeness.

If you know the Lord Jesus Christ, grace and peace belong to you in abundance. They are a gift from the Father. Are you walking in your inheritance?

Ascension: The Gifts of Christ

But to each one of us grace was give according of the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.” (Now this, “He ascended” — what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

That we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head — Christ — from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:7-16)

Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastor and teachers — these are known as the “ascension gifts” of Christ to His Church. He Himself is the embodiment of all these things, and because He has ascended to heaven, He is able to multiply these things in His body, the Church, through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.

Christ loves the Church. At the ascension, when God exalted the Lord Jesus, “He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:22-23).

The Church is the fullness of Christ — it is all about Him, and He fills it with every good thing. These ascension gifts are given to equip the body to do the work of the ministry, to bring the body of Christ to unity and maturity, operating in love and truth. For the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23), and the purpose of God is to conform us to the likeness of Christ in these things (Romans 8:29).

All who receive the Lord Jesus Christ are part of His body, and He takes very good care of His body. Every believer is joined to each other. Each one has a part to play and a contribution to make, that the whole body may be built up in love.

Ascension: The Revelation of Glory and Power

Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know … what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, 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 1:17-22)

The ascension of Jesus Christ to His throne at the right hand of the Father is the revelation of God’s glory and power. It is the same power God exercises toward us and on our behalf. In fact, this great power is actually at work in us.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)

The same power by which Jesus has been raised from the dead and exalted to heaven is also at work in us in the same way.

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:4-7)

The ascension of Jesus into heaven, where He rules and reigns forever, is also our ascension into glory, where we are seated in Him in the heavenlies, where we rule and reign with Him. It is the revelation of His power and glory, both to us and in us.

The Power That Works in You

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or imagine, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)

The Greek word for “power” is dunamis, the ability to get things done. Notice that God is not only able to do superabundantly above all we can ask or imagine according to His own power, but more precisely, according to the power that works in us. It is His power, of course, but it is present in us to work in this wonderful way.

How can that be?

Before He ascended to heaven, Jesus promised the disciples, “You shall receive power [dunamis] when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

By the dunamis of the Holy Spirit at work in them, the disciples would be witnesses concerning the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. A witness is one who brings evidence or produces proof. By this power, the disciples not only preached boldly in the name of Jesus, but in His name they performed signs, wonders and miracles, just as Jesus had done.

Preaching to Cornelius, the apostle Peter spoke of this same power at work in Jesus:

God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power [dunamis], who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. (Acts 10:38)

Although He is the eternal Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity, that is not how Jesus performed His miracles of healing and exorcism. Rather, it was by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in Him—that same power He promised would come on His disciples. By that power, God is able to do much more than we can ask or even imagine.

Remember the woman with the issue of blood who came up behind Jesus, saying to herself, “If I can just touch the hem of His garment, I will be healed.” She did, and she was. She felt healing power flow into her body (see Matthew 9:20-22).

Jesus was not even aware of her until she received healing power from Him. He turned around and said, “Who touched me?” Peter answered, “Lord, there’s a lot of people pressing in all around — and You want to know who touched You?” Jesus said, “Yes, I know somebody touched me, because I felt dunamis flow out of me” (see Luke 8:43-48).

Jesus had not asked the Father for this woman’s healing, nor did He think about her being healed. He did not even know she was there — until she touched Him in faith. It was her faith that released the healing power which was resident in Jesus.

Consider the extent of this great power, which we receive by faith. In Ephesians 1, Paul prayed that we would know

What is the exceeding greatness of His power [dunamis] toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 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 name, no only in this age but also in that which is to come. (Ephesians 1:19-21)

If you know the Lord Jesus Christ, the same power that was at work in Him is also at work in you. By that power, God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all you can ask or imagine — and it is released by faith. That is the way it is supposed to be from now on. Glory be to the Father, to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.

In Christ — For the Glory of God

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame in Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which he made us accepted in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:3-6)

In Christ, we have been blessed by God with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies. The nature of the universe is that the natural proceeds from the spiritual (cf. John 4:24 and Genesis 1:1), so every spiritual blessing makes available to us every natural blessing as well.

In Christ, we have been chosen by God before the foundation of the world.

In Christ, we have been predestined to be adopted as sons of God. We are in the family of God, bearing His name and partaking of the inheritance He has for all His own.

In Christ, the Beloved, we have been accepted by God the Father. The Greek verb behind “accepted,” literally means that God has bestowed us with His favor.

In Him, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace, which He made to abound toward us all in wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on the earth — in Him. (Ephesians 1:7-10)

In Christ, we have redemption through His blood. We have been bought and brought out of the slave market in which we were held captive. The ransom price that has secured our freedom is the blood of the Lord Jesus Himself.

In Christ, we have forgiveness of sins. The Greek word for “forgiveness” here is aphesis and signifies a release. We have been released, not only from the bondage of sin, but also from the penalty of sin.

This is all according to the overflowing riches of God’s grace. Out of His wisdom and prudence, He has given us insight and discernment, which has revealed to us the mystery of His will. God is pleased to do all this, not out of any obligation, but completely out of the desire and purpose of His own heart.

In Christ, we are being gathered with all things in heaven and earth into a unity in Christ. This is the “dispensation of the fullness of times” in which we are now living. Heaven and earth are being made one.

In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after your heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. (Ephesians 1:11-14)

In Christ, we have received an inheritance. Whenever you see the word “Father,” you can know that there is always some sort of inheritance involved. In Christ, we have God as our Father. Therefore, there must be an inheritance.

In Christ, we have a secure expectation. The word for “trusted” in this passage would better be translated as “hope.” It is the anticipation of good things we have because of Christ.

In Christ, we are signed and sealed by the Holy Spirit. We belong totally to God and are secure in Him (God is not careless with that which belongs to Him). The Holy Spirit is Himself the guarantee, the earnest, the first deposit of the inheritance God has promised. What God has begun in us, He will bring through to completion.

What we receive in Christ is all to the praise of God’s glory. He is letting us in on a good thing — the goodness of who He is. Let all the world know, that they might come to Him and enjoy His goodness throughout eternity.

Who’s the Boss?

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. (Ephesians 5:22-24)

Many Christians (mostly men, but not a few women) look at this passage and think it is about who’s the boss. They completely miss the point. It is the sort of question people ask who don’t understand very much about intimate, personal relationships.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word. (Ephesians 5:25-26)

Notice that Paul does not say, “Husbands, boss your wives,” or “Husbands, make your wives submit.” Nothing of the kind. Rather, he says something completely different: “Husbands, love your wives.”

Then Paul gives definition to that love. It is not the world’s idea of love, but God’s idea. We see this clearly portrayed in the Lord Jesus Christ: “Just as Christ also love the church and gave Himself for her.”

The Bible says that God is love (1 John 4:8), and it is the nature of love to give and serve. God so loved that He gave His only begotten Son (John 3:16). Jesus came, not to serve, but to be served, and to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

So Paul is not talking at all about “who’s the boss.” Rather, he is talking about “who’s the servant.” When he says, “Husbands, love your wives,” he is saying, “Husbands, give yourselves to your wives, and serve them.” BIG difference!

Some husbands go to God and complain, “Lord, that woman you gave me won’t submit.” They sound like Adam when he was caught in sin: “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate” (Genesis 3:12). As if that made any difference at all concerning his own responsibility.

Husbands are to love and serve their wives regardless of whether their wives submit to them. In fact, husbands are to submit to their wives, for Paul speaks in verse 21 of “submitting to one another in the fear of God.” Husbands are supposed to submit to their wives every bit as much as wives are supposed to submit to their husbands.

In fact, the greater obligation is on the husband to love, serve and give — even if the wife does not submit.

Husbands, forget about who’s the boss — you will not like where it leads you. Focus instead on who’s the servant-lover, then you will be much more like Christ. For God is love, and love gives and serves.

The Eyes of Your Understanding

Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened.
(Ephesians 1:15-18)

This is one of Paul’s powerful pastoral prayers. He was offering it for a young church learning to walk in faith and love. It is a Trinitarian prayer. That is, in it we see the Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory and the Holy Spirit.

• Jesus is the basis of our fellowship with God because of His what He came to do for us.
• The Father of Glory speaks of the family we are now a part of, because of Jesus, and the inheritance of glory we now have in Him. Glory is the manifestation of God’s greatness and goodness. (See A Partnership in the Glory Realm)
• The Spirit is given to us to impart wisdom and revelation, so that we might know God more and more intimately.
  

As gifted as Paul was at teaching and preaching, he realized that what these young churches really needed was the wisdom and revelation that comes directly from the Holy Spirit. That is something that happens, not in the mind, but as an activity of the Spirit of God at work in our spirit. Paul calls this an enlightening of the eyes of our understanding, therefore it has to do with seeing in the spirit, seeing the kingdom of God.

The purpose, as Paul continues in Ephesians 1:18, is “that you may know.” This is not theoretical knowledge, merely something to which you give mental assent. No, it is practical, intimate knowledge that comes out of vital relationship, in this case, relationship with God.

There are three things Paul wants the Holy Spirit to reveal to you and me, and they are all about God and how He is at work in us:

• The hope of His calling (v. 18). It is His calling, His initiative, not ours. He is the caller, we are the callees. He is calling forth something in us — something wonderful — and He will bring it all the way through to completion.
• The riches us of the glory of His inheritance (v. 18). There is an inheritance at work in us, the inheritance we receive from God, and it is full of His greatness and goodness.
• The exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe (v. 19). Theologians call this the omnipotence of God — His all-powerfulness. That is awesome in itself, but what is even more magnificent is that God applies that exceeding great power on our behalf. It is the exact same power that raised Jesus from the dead and seated Him high above all principality, power, might and dominion, and every name that is named (v. 20-21). This is the power that is at work in us (see Ephesians 3:20).
  

Father of Glory, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I ask You to give wisdom and revelation by Your Holy Spirit to the one who is reading this today. That they may know You more and more intimately, experience Your love and grace, the wonderful destiny to which You have called them, the tremendous inheritance which You desire to place within them, and the exceeding greatness of Your mighty power, at work in them to fulfill Your great goodness in their life. That they may see Your kingdom breaking forth into their world. Amen.