“For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Ephesians 2:18).

Yesterday we considered our seating in heavenly places in Christ Jesus and the indisputable authority, which gives us power to allow or disallow happenings on this earth. Our seating in heavenly places also symbolises the restoration of our place in heaven, which Adam lost after the fall. Paul reminded us that we were once Gentiles, considered uncircumcised, without Christ and aliens from the commonwealth of Isreal. Being outside of this promise, we had no access to the blessings of Abraham, but are now reconciled through the blood of Jesus. Jesus brought us peace and tore down the dividing wall that separated Jews and Gentiles. He set aside the Jewish law, with its rules and commandments, in order to join both Jews and Gentiles as one people (Ephesians 2:15).

Through Christ’s death on the cross, he created a church which is one body and the division was also destroyed on the cross. His message of peace was to those far away and to those who were nearby. Through Jesus Christ, we all have access to the father, through the Holy Spirit. We are no longer strangers or foreigners, but fellow citizens of the household of God. We are also built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone. All of us as saints, are built together, growing as a holy temple unto God. Together we are one body for God to inhabit through the Holy Spirit. Paul was the apostle assigned to bring the Gentiles to God and spoke of the grace, which allowed the revelations and mysteries to be made known to him. These mysteries were not known to the former prophets, but was revealed through Christ to the apostles and prophets after his resurrection.

Paul preached to the Gentiles, the rich things of the gospel, which no one can fully understand. “to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God” (Ephesians 3:10). The context of this scripture is that these mysteries, were also being discovered by angelic rulers and powers in heavenly places. Peter also said that the angels long to look into matters being revealed to the prophets and apostles (1 Peter 1:12). Paul also spoke of the apostles being put on display and being a spectacle unto men and angels (1 Corinthians 4:9). This wisdom was to give us the boldness and courage to confidently approach God, through Christ. Paul’s prayer for the church was that we would be strengthened with power, through the spirit of God in our inner beings.

He prayed that the love of Jesus Christ would dwell in our hearts and that we would fully understand and experience his love. This love will help us to be full of the presence of God and allows the Holy Spirit to live through us. Our authority in Christ is founded on his love for us and our love for others. We have to accept the love of God, believe that he loved us and died for our sins and accept his sacrifice of redemption. The world will know that we belong to God through our love and the unity and oneness of the body of Christ, give us authority in the world. “and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:5, 8).

A.P.-Y.

Published by Anneta Pinto-Young

I am a trained Social Worker who currently provides professional leadership on a programme to support Social Work students and Newly Qualified Social Workers entering the Social Work Profession. Born and raised in Jamaica in a Christian family where my father is an ordained Pastor and Deacon who has served for over 50 years in the ministry. My father is also a trained musician and our family can be described as a musical family. I grew up in a small farming community in St. Peter’s, St. Andrew and my parents also have a small farm. I credit my gift of writing to my father who I watched and listened to over the years as he wrote sermons, poems and other recitals in his capacity in ministry. English has always been an easy subject for me and over the years I have developed an increased interest in writing. I am a Trainer, I sing and have a passion for worship, the spoken word and the free flow of the prophetic anointing. I am married to my best friend Andrew Christopher Young who is an advanced Musician and whose music you can find on YouTube and Facebook. I am a trained Coach and Mentor and I love experimenting with food so I love cooking. I enjoy trying cultural dishes from across the world and I view food as an entry into cultures and languages.

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