In Ephesians Chapter 1:15-23 Paul the apostle is offering a prayer to God for the believer’s in Ephesus, and for all Christians, and he asks the Lord to help us understand the awesome power that raised Jesus from the dead. And how that same power brought Him all the way to heaven where He now occupies an exalted place of authority at the Father’s right hand.

 

Paul wanted the Father to show His children how that same mighty power is available to all of us who belong to Him—power to take us all the way to heaven someday.

 

If you were to ask the average person today how someone gets to heaven they would no doubt tell you by living a good life here on the earth and doing our best to help others. In other words, it’s all about human effort and hard work on our part that gets us to heaven even though Jesus told a very religious man, a Pharisee named Nicodemus, that no one ever reached heaven that way.

 

Let’s imagine for a minute that heaven is on the moon and if we could somehow jump to the moon we could attain heaven. And yet common sense tells us that no matter how high we jump we will never be able, in our own strength and by our best efforts, to jump high enough to reach heaven if it were on the moon.

But now let’s imagine that Jesus is like a very powerful rocket ship and receiving Him as your Savior and Lord allows you to enter into Him—to climb on board! Now it’s not a matter of your power and strength to do anything—all you have to do is rest in Him and the power of God will do the work.

 

In My Father’s house are many mansions; if

it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also

.

 

Jesus is talking about the Rapture here—and this makes the Rapture the believer’s launch or blast off to heaven!

 

“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.”

 

Principality, power, might, and dominion are all words that describe various categories of demonic entities and angelic beings—bad angels and good angels. They have different degrees of power and authority—but no matter how great their rule, authority, power, and dominion might be—Jesus has power and dominion over them all! The same power that raised Him from the dead and brought Him to heaven is the same power that is at work in us who are believers.

 

Whatever you’re struggling with is nothing compared to the power it took to raise Christ into heaven and give him dominion over all.

 

One author said,

“If I’m in bondage, it’s not because I need more power, but because I’ve failed to utilize that power that is already in me.

• We say, “I’m addicted.” God says, “You’re free.”
• We say, “I’m wounded.”God says, “You’re as whole as you need to be.”
• We say, “I need counseling. I need drugs. I need a program.”God says, “You have Me.”

 

“That’s nice-sounding theology,” you say. “But how does it work out practically?” Read on.

 

And He put all 

under His feet…

 

When Paul says that the Father has placed all things under the feet of Jesus what exactly does that imply? Well it signifies universal and absolute dominion—not just over the devil and his demons but also over—addictions to alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, gambling, pornography, food etc.

 

It means that Jesus has authority over any problem whether it is physical, financial, spiritual or emotional. It means whether you’re battling depression, anger, gossip, lust or laziness—no matter what it is that has you overwhelmed, discouraged and defeated—Jesus has defeated it at the cross and now is seated at the Father’s right hand where all things have been placed under His feet—His authority.

 

Someone put it this way: 

you say. It couldn’t be any more overwhelming than the waves threatening to drown the disciples.

 

Yet even the waves that rolled over their heads were under Jesus’ feet—the very waves He walked upon to go to His disciples (Matthew 14:25). Nothing is over His head. All things are under His feet. Jesus is in absolute control of every situation, be it financial, physical, relational, vocational, or parental. Whatever might seem to be rolling your way, ready to sink your boat and wipe you out is already under His feet—and might be the very path He chooses upon which to walk to you.

 

Not only that but because we’re in Christ it also means that we share in His resurrection, ascension, and exaltation—in other words we too are seated, in the heavenlies (Eph. 2:6), and all things are under 

our feet as well.

 

Luke 10:19 (NKJV)
Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy

, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

 

No wonder Paul wants us to know our position in Christ and

However, for that power to flow from God into your life it is going to require faith.

 

“Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?” But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, Who touched Me?’ ” And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”

 

How are you touching Jesus?

 

Is your touch a touch of faith where you expect His power to flow into your life or are you only ‘brushing up against Him’ throughout your day and week? Don’t just have casual or incidental contact with Jesus—grab hold of Him by faith and claim the promises of victory and freedom He has said belong to all who receive Him by faith and walk in faith with Him every day!