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, (Ephesians 1:11, NKJV)
We HAVE that Inheritance, now, because Christ has died! You know, you only get that inheritance when your rich uncle dies… In the difficult days of communism, that’s what every Russian dreamed of, a rich uncle in America who has died… But what Paul is teaching us in this letter is that we have that Inheritance THROUGH Christ, NOW! ALL the Glory of Heaven – we don’t have to wait until we get there! We can experience the Glory down here! In our worship services, when we are together, when the Holy Spirit comes down, and we are lifted up – something of the Glory of Heaven enters into our soul, and we glimpse and KNOW the riches of the Glory that we HAVE!
and 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 1:19-21, NKJV)
And it gets better! Paul want us to know, in vv19-21, what is the EXCEEDING GREATNESS of God’s Power! I’m mystified that so many Christians don’t understand the greatness of His Power! To me, God has ALL Power and ALL Glory – and we inherit that Power and that Glory down here! So that I live and operate in the Power and the Glory – because it’s my Inheritance! I have it! NOW! Why do I see so many miracles? It’s because I’m living in the Glory and the Power of the inheritance. NOW! I don’t have to wait till we get to Heaven. Paul says, I want you to “understand the exceeding Power of His Greatness towards us who believe, according to the working of His Mighty Power which He wrought in Christ” – what God has done is this, He demonstrated the Greatness of His Power in Christ when He raised Him from the dead! Yes, resurrection from the dead is wonderful, but it’s the fact that God SO EXALTED Christ, our Jesus – He’s set Him at His own 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 world, but also in that world which is to come!
God the Father has EXALTED Christ above everything – given Him the Highest Name, the Highest Place, the Greatest Power – ALL this God has put in Christ when He exalted Him – AND THAT IS OUR INHERITANCE! Oh, come on! You need to understand who Jesus is! You need to understand the Glory of this Man who came down and took on Himself our human form, but was the Son of God, who gave His Life to rescue you and me from our sin! And as a result of His faithfulness, God raised Him from the dead, and EXALTED Him! EXALTED Him above every power, above everything, and set Him at His Own Right Hand!
This gets me so excited. But Paul also teaches us that this same Christ now lives as our intercessor. Jesus is interceding for us. NOW! That’s why He’s in Heaven, that’s why He’s in the Glory! Because He is interceding with His Father for YOU! All the time! People ask me to pray for them, and of course I do, if you are sick, if you have a need, I pray for you, as Paul also did. But the GREATEST Intercessor is Jesus Himself. He’s in the Presence of the Father, at the Right Hand of the Father – praying for YOU! Of course you want the pastor to pray, you want me to pray for you, but I’m more concerned that JESUS is praying for you. He is! That’s what the Scripture says. Jesus is praying for YOU! Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25, 1 John 2:1-2. And He’s praying for me! I need prayer, I’ve always needed prayer, I need prayer every day, when I go to bed I need prayer, when I get up in the morning I need prayer – I’m committing everything to the Lord! I’m down here with you… But I’ve got Somebody up there, who’s already in the Glory, in Power and in Authority! And in Him, we can have that Authority!