FAR ABOVE ALL RULE - PART 4

THURSDAY 11 JULY 2024

Today's focus in this article is still on the saints being seated with Christ at God's right hand in the heavenly realms. More below!

Reference: Ephesians 1:20-21 New International Version (NIV)

"...and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in the present age but also in the one to come."

In the previous article, I mentioned that the mother of Zebedee brothers said to Jesus, "promise that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom." Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?" They said to Him, "We are able." Then Jesus said to them, "You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."

Now watch this: If you carefully consider and observe the above petitive dialogue based on splendid illustration of what is to take place after the death and resurrection of Christ, there are two important dimensions of divine revelation that are connectedly ingrained within the expressive connotation from the mother of the Zebedee brothers, as well as the response from both brothers (James and John).

The first dimension of my observatory analysis is that they were forethinkers, meaning that they anticipated it in their mind although it was by the inspiration of the Spirit. They were readily planning in advance to participate in the joint sitting with Christ, not knowing that their anticipation or expectation was in line with God's predestined purpose for the saints in Christ. So as forethinkers, they considered "sitting together with Christ" beforehand as honourable request and then presented it to Christ in candid manner.

Yet, in another way, they were echoing the death, the resurrection, the victory of Christ and His glory that would follow, which are the underlying conception and origination of the Christian life of a new creation. They manifestly acted as though they knew that God would get Christ seated at His right hand in the heavenly realms, and also make provisions for joint sitting with the saints. Got it?

The second dimension of my observatory analysis is that when Jesus asked the Zebedee brothers, "Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?", notice that they said to Him, "We are able." Then Jesus said to them, "You will drink my cup..." What did that imply? It implied that we would die with Christ, which in turn denotes that when He died, we died with Him on the cross. Hence, Romans 6:8 says, "And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with Him" (ESV). Therefore, in my conclusive examination and evaluative assessment, we can come to an undeniable notion that it was the Spirit of salvation that instructed James, John and their mother to come forward with that request, ahead of time. Simply clarified, the salvation of mankind was at hand in Christ!

Beloved, we have been crucified with Christ, and so markedly, if anyone has received Christ as Saviour and Lord, the person is in Christ, and if anyone be in Christ, He is a new creation, seated together with Christ at the right hand of God in the heavenly realms. Now one of the prayer points Jesus is constantly making in heaven as part of His intercessory mandate for the saints on earth - is for us to see and grasp this truth with sufficient conviction.

This is the reason Jesus Himself programmed Pauline epistolary platitude numbered as Colossians 3:1-3 to inform us saying, "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God" (NIV). In other words, live as those made alive in Christ and function from the realm of Christ's glory by setting your hearts and minds on things above. Stay tuned for part 5. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Ephesians 2:6; Romans 6:4-5; Ephesians 2:10; Colossians 2:12.

Guided Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I acknowledge before you that I have the positional assurance of my high calling in Christ, and I'm forever grateful for my glorious election to participate in joint sitting with Christ in the heavenly realms. I testify that it is a function of the firm habitat of your grace and mercy hovering upon my life, and I uphold the responsibility of functioning as the royal head in Christ with utmost confidence and unprecedented dignity, in Jesus' Name, Amen!