DAILY DEVOTION: EPHESIANS 1:20

By Stan Brown

Ephesians 1:20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places 
God energized His power in Christ when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand (v.20) as He subjected all things under His feet (v. 22) and gave Him as head over the church (v.22).  The same power that God exercised in Christ is the power that He exercises toward us as believers (the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe (v. 19)).  Paul now mentions three examples of the same power that is available to us.  One more time for emphasis; the same power that God exercised in regard to Christ is the power that He energizes in the lives of believers meaning you and me.
 The first example concerns the resurrection, ascension and enthronement of Christ in the heavenlies.  God demonstrated His great power when He raised Christ from the dead.  And this was just not just any average ordinary resurrection from the dead.  Others had been raised from the dead before including Lazarus but every one of them had to die a second time. Jesus is the first fruits of the resurrection from the dead and will never again die.  The power of God in the resurrection of Christ from the dead is the same power that gives us victory over the greatest enemy of mankind.  We will meet Him in the air (believers who remain and believers who have died) and we will all be changed.  The power of death was defeated in Christ.  The power of death has been defeated by the power of God in us.
Not only did the power of God defeat physical death, it also seated Christ as ruler in the place where God dwells.  This is the place where ultimately all of our blessings reside.  God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ (v.3).  This is the sphere where our battle rages (For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places (Eph. 6:12).)  This is the place where Christ has all authority.  The power of God is energized against all the forces described in Ephesians 6:12. 
 The power of God was magnificently exercised when Christ was raised from the dead and seated on the throne with all authority given to Him (All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. (Matt. 28:18)).  Paul will more fully describe this authority in verse 21.  God demonstrated His power in the sphere in which we live when He raised Christ from the dead.  God demonstrated His power in the sphere in which we battle but do not see when He seated Him at His right hand in the heavenlies.  One final time for added emphasis; the same power that God exercised in regard to Christ is the power that He energizes in the lives of believers meaning you and me!  This power is available for us to appropriate in our lives!!