Text: Ephesians 1
The church has evolved from when it was
just the 120 in the upper room to receive the promise of the Father to massive
cathedrals and big chapels filled with worshipping masses. Yet, the power and
glory experienced by the former day saints seem to be lost to the church. Or
found in only a few congregations. If the latter has to be greater than the
former, what is the church missing? The modern day church may be blessed with
all the electronic gadgets the apostles never had or jet planes to fly all over
the world and plant churches that Paul would have appreciated but we fail to operate
where God has ordained us; In a place of power and authority.
The Ephesians church (one would wonder why
this is the subject matter) was the best church in the bible. Through the
epistles Paul wrote to them, they learnt who they were in Christ and how to
translate that into a mode of operation for functioning in our modern world.
Therefore, our expose on this epistle is not farfetched but aimed at
transforming the believers’ mindset such that we operate the government for the
earth that was placed on the body of Christ. Until the church understands that
we are God’s kingdom (ambassador, embassy) on earth, we can’t exercise the
authority and power God has given to us
Paul begins in Ephesians one by
establishing that whom we worship is God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
You see that? As mundane as that may sound to you, many religions all over the
world say we serve the same God, but the mode of worship is different. That’s a
big lie! My God is different from yours if he’s not the father of Christ. We do
not serve the same God; Allah and God are not the same. We do not serve God
through Christ! He’s not a medium. Christianity is not a religion or a way of
life but a relationship (1Cor 1:9). He went on to tell us how we’ve been
blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ. The
believer has got to understand that he’s got spiritual blessings. They are
yours! You don’t have to go to a mountain to get it or travel from church to
church, looking for a blessing. These blessings exist in Christ, the anointing
that you received when you became a believer. This blessing came by confession
and is a spiritual ball game all the way. So the believer’s priority is to tap
into the blessings that are already given to you. Selah
Ephesians 1:4 says “according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy and without blame before him in love…”
God spoke the same words to Jeremiah in Jer
1:4. The bible says we are a royal priesthood, a holy nation. Set aside to show
forth his glory because we were chosen in Him! This heavenly place we occupy is
according as hath chosen us! God knew you before the foundation of the world
and you were called holy and the justified. The church in Africa is confused as
to what holiness means as we find churches preaching morality and physical
dowdiness to pass as holiness. The sign of the believer is the sign of the
chosen! Holiness is not a function of you, Sister Mary but of God after whom we
were created in true holiness (Ephe 4:24). You were chosen to be holy son! As a
result, no physical attribute can make you more holy than God already did when
he put his life in you. So you understand when Paul continues in the next verse
to tell us that we have a pre-destiny in Him. In him, we live, move and have
our being! (Acts 17:28) This is not about fate, but what God has destined for
you. It’s based on Jesus’ sacrifice at Calvary. His blood speaks better things
about your life. So it’s not a cold cut plan that says, you must be a doctor.
Predestination means you know who you are. You can’t make a mistake because you
have a destiny in Him. All things work together for your good! So the
predestination plan of God brings us to a place of adoption. Not the legal
adoption the world is used to where you bear the name, but God put his nature
in us so that you would never see us behave like our former father! There’s no
past in our former father. God loves you and there’s no condemnation in you.
You are holy! (Rom 8:1)
In verse seven, Paul establishes a critical
fact that the church has confused. “In
whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according
to the riches of his grace…” (Ephe 1:7). We are not the redeemed but the
RESULT of the redemptive sacrifice He undertook on the cross. The New Testament
believer was never under the curse of the law. We died with Christ and rose
with him! So I'm not the redeemed, but a result of the redemption. Get it?
Selah! There was a time when we couldn’t operate this dispensation of being in
heavenly places (Ephe1:7). So the believer has got to realize that it’s a new
dispensation and it brings forth a more “glorious” glory. Our mentality has got
to change from the Old Testament, Moses revelation. The dimension of the spirit
within started with you. It’s time for our sons and daughters to prophecy, our
young men, to see visions and respond to the call upon their lives. You’ve got
to operate the Kathizo (set) power! The fullness of time has come for priests
to rise up and do greater works. Don’t wait for the latter rain; ask for it in
the time of rain! There’s no mystery in Christ anymore! It has been revealed to
you His son because you were sealed with His spirit.
Whereof I am made a
minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to
fulfil the word of God;
Even the mystery which hath
been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his
saints:
To whom God would make
known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the gentile; which
is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Col1:25-27)
Selah
