CHRIST, THE HIGHEST POSITION - PART 1

WEDNESDAY 29 DECEMBER 2021

As born again Christians, our union with Christ is a profound mystery. He is our new life because any person who is joined to the Lord by reason of new birth, is one spirit with Him. Hence, God raised us up with Christ and seated us together with Him in the highest position in the realm that matters - spiritual realm. This is why we don't focus mainly on the outward man, as in, we don't regard fellow saints according to flesh or from a worldly point of view (2 Corinthians 5:14-17 NIV). In our Christian journey, our focus is on the things above, because of the union of our spirit with Christ.

Reference: Hebrews 1:3 GOD'S WORD® Translation (GW) "His Son is the reflection of God's glory and the exact likeness of God's being. He holds everything together through his powerful words. After he had cleansed people from their sins, he received the highest position, the one next to the Father in heaven."

Today our area of focus is the latter part of the above Scripture - the position Christ received, after fulfilling God's purpose on earth. We understand that Word was with God from past eternity and has, ever since, been the radiance or reflection of the glory of the invisible God. In a nutshell, the Word was part of the "I am that I am" through whom all things exist. "I am that I am" means I have the power to become who I choose to become, especially - for my purpose to be accomplished. So as God, He became flesh to fulfil His eternal purpose for mankind.

This is the reason He was born of woman as the Christ, to accomplish divine purpose as a separate divine entity, which earned Him the highest position in the spiritual realm. Now, it does not matter the levels or spheres of authority that be, Christ is superior to all in position because He received the highest position, after he had cleansed people from their sins. And He is not just superior to and in command of every form of power and authority in the heavens and on earth, but also He is the head of all principality and power, including the supernatural forces of evil operating in the heavenly realms.

How did this happen? The Bible says, "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross" (Colossians 2:13-15). Beloved, the Lord Jesus stripped the forces of evil and kingdom of darkness of their power and made a public shame of them, exhibiting them as captives in His triumphal procession. So He triumphed over them in doing so. For this reason, God elevated Him to the place of highest honour and gave Him the name above all other names (Philippians 2:9 NLT).

Why did the author of Hebrews place specific emphasis on Christ ascending to heaven to sit down at the right hand of the Majesty, after He had provided purification for sins? This is because the word that comes out of God's mouth does not come back empty-handed. Before it comes back to God, it will do the work God sent it to do and will complete the assignment He gave it. According to Isaiah 55:11, God says, "...so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it" (NIV).

Beloved, Christ is the Word of God sent to accomplish God's eternal purpose on earth and the Word Himself confirmed this in John 4:34 (NKJV) saying, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work." Christ, the Word made flesh, did not return empty to God in heaven but rather He accomplished what God desired by fulfilling the purpose for which He was sent - to cleanse people from their sins. But most importantly, the Word had to return to sender in heaven after accomplishing divine will according to Isaiah 55:11. And forever, the Word is settled in heaven as Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession. Stay tuned for part 2. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Hebrews 2:17; Hebrews 4:14; Hebrews 6:20; Hebrews 10:12.

Guided Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, I thank you for the blood of the lamb without blemish, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice for the sins of mankind. I'm grateful for revealing yourself through Christ as the Word made flesh and for the victory you've granted me through His triumphant display of superiority over all the powers and principalities of darkness. By participating in Christ in relation to His atoning death and resurrection experience, I'm raised up with Him to the realm of highest position, where I'm seated with Him in heavenly places. Therefore I function as the manifest image of Christ on earth, heavily encircled by fortified entourage of the invisible God, in Jesus' Name, Amen!