So far this week we’ve learned that God speaks well of us and has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. Now let’s see where those blessings are located.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.”
Ephesians 1:3 (NKJV)
God has blessed us in the heavenly places. What does that mean? The Greek word for “heavenly places” is epouraniois. It translates as “heavenlies.” The word comes from ouranos (heaven) and epi (in, upon). It means what’s in heaven or pertains to heaven.
What’s important about the fact that God blesses us in heavenly places? Our blessing does not eminate from earth. It doesn’t even happen on some celebrated mountaintop. It doesn’t come from another planet or another solar system. God blesses us from His Home, from His Throne. Our blessings are sure. They are certain. Time and distance and earthly circumstances cannot affect our blessings. Nothing on earth can change the fact that God has spoken well of us. No one can do anything to alter or tarnish what God has given us. What comes from the Throne of God is settled for Eternity. He said it and it will be done!
Heaven is where Jesus Christ sits at the Right Hand of God the Father. Paul reminds us that Jesus is the one “who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.” (Ephesians 4:10) Jesus is in Control. He’s in charge. He died and rose from the grave to seal our eternal blessing. He paid the price for the sins of mankind and no one can take that away. No one can make His sacrifice of no effect. No one can remove the power and blessing that comes from the Blood of Christ. Jesus rules from Heaven. He rules millions of angels and solar systems. He rules billions of suns. He rules over every planet. He rules every thing! Mankind had their way with Jesus once when He was a Servant on earth. They beat Him, bruised Him, mocked Him and killed Him. But, He overcame them all. He rose from the grave. He ascended to the highest Place. He sits on the Throne of Heaven. No one on earth, above earth or under earth can ever have their way wth Jesus again. He died, voluntarily, once for all. Christ is all-powerful and “fills the whole universe.”
That’s significant to us because we believe our blessings are sure based on the Word of God. Christ says we are blessed and we trust Him to do what He says. We trust Him because we believe He is All-powerful and that what He says will happen — will happen. If Christ was still in the grave, we’d have no hope. If Christ was wandering about the universe trying to figure out how to recover and recoup from what happened to Him on earth, we’d have no reason to believe He could deliver on His promises to us. But we know Christ is at the Right Hand of God. We know He is higher than all created beings and fills the universe. We know He can and will deliver on His promises. That’s what gives Christians the hope to go on. That’s the proof His promises are sure and we are secure.
What is our reaction to all this about Heaven? We receive more insight from Paul.
“For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.”
2 Corinthians 5:1-9
Bottom line: God continually blesses us in Heaven. Our blessings are eternal. We are going to be with Him forever. Our goal should always be to please Him. That’s our response to His promise.
Blessings!
Mark McGee
GraceLife Blog 