Positioned For Blessing
Strategicresourcetraining   -   May 12, 2022

Positioned For Blessing

Introduction

Ephesians chapter one tells us that these blessings are more than just available to us – they actually belong to us. They should not be considered optional because they are given to empower us do fulfil our calling in Christ.

They come with immeasurable power, in accordance with the might and strength of God. In order for us to use them, we must embrace them.

 

  1. Situational Truth

This describes our situation at the present time. It is what we observe with our natural eye – where we are at and what we are doing. It includes all our faculties – thoughts; emotions; spiritual and mental condition; health; finances relationships, and the extent or degree we consider ourselves to be walking in victory or defeat.

 

  1. Positional Truth

This is about our position in the heavenlies (Colossians 3:1-3). We are positioned in the heavenlies in Christ. It is from here that we are meant to draw our sustenance from.

 

What Are the Heavenlies?

Hebrews 12:22 – “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenlyJerusalem, and to myriads of angels”

1 Corinthians 15:40 – “There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another.”

The “heavenly realm,” Paul mentions here is referring to the realm that encompasses all spirit beings. It has a holy side that Christ rules over – and a dark side that Satan rules over.

Until the return of Christ, Satan has been given at least some ability to wreak havoc upon the earth – and he does this focussing especially, although not exclusively, against the servants of God.

Although Christ is head over this realm, these blessings Paul is talking about have been placed right in the presence of all the powers, both good and evil. As a result, there is fierce warfare taking place at all times in this realm. Satan and his demons are actively working to thwart the plans of God and oppose His ways however they can (John 10:10).

This is why we must know what our weapons of warfare are, and how we should use them (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). Also, we need protection, so Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:11–17 about the armour we have been given and how we should use it.

The heavenly realms are as real as the earthly realms and influence much of what happens here. One of our goals is to draw most of our life from, or out of the heavenly realm (2 Corinthians 5:1). We need to be faithful and diligent to utilise our weapons of warfare and the armour of God, in every aspect of our lives.

 

Our Victory

We cannot gain victory over Satan on earth until we have seized the victory Christ gained for us over him in the heavenly realm. Also, we cannot lay hold of and walk in the abundant blessings of God until we first lay hold of the treasures that He has set aside for us in the heavenly realm.

If we don’t engage these blessings we are left to draw our resources of life primarily from the natural realm – meaning such resources as  money; materialism; situational authority, the medical realm, and our own earned provisions for life such as profits, wages etc.

Although this is not wrong, as long as we do it in a sanctified way, it causes us to miss out on the real power; which is in the heavenly realm. It is essential for us to access this if we truly want to walk in victory in our life and achieve the purposes God has for us.

 

Material verse Spiritual Blessings

There is no comparison between the spiritual blessings and material or temporal blessings that we can gain in our own strength.

 

Material Blessings

Material blessings don’t last. They all finish up at the rubbish dump and while we do have them, they can be lost or stolen. Also, most of them deteriorate over time. Paul calls them corruptible – they are exposed to all sorts of worldly ills.

 

Spiritual Blessings

Spiritual blessings are the very opposite of temporal or material blessings. They reside within us and are far more glorious and satisfying than worldly blessings.

It is from these that the power is gained to completely take away such issues as emptiness, alienation, and a life that seemingly has no hope and no purpose. They bring to us the ability to engage fully with God and have an abundant life. Furthermore, they are perfect and once we embrace them, we have them permanently and they will last forever. They are of the very same nature as God Himself.

 

Five Points

To prepare the foundation for these material blessings, the Bible teaches us many important things about our relationship with Christ that we need to embrace. Here are some of them.

 

  1. We Are Crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20)

This means we have been united with Him in His death, and as such, have received His great mercy, pardon and grace made available to every truly repentant sinner.

 

  1. We Are Buried with Christ (Romans 6:4)

We had to be buried with Him in order to be raised again to a new life.

 

  1. We Are Risen with Him (Romans 6:5)

We have become united with Him in His victory over the power of sin, the strength of death and the power of our fallen nature.

 

  1. We Are Ascended with Christ (Romans 8:17; 2 Corinthians 13:4)

This means we are united with Him in His endless life and His unlimited access to the throne of God

 

  1. We Are Enthroned with Christ (Colossians 3:1-5)

We have been united with Him in His triumph over Satan and all the powers of darkness, and over all that would oppose or attack the Kingdom of God.

This is the position we CURRENTLY hold in Christ – it is NOT futuristic – this is the way God sees us and this is where we should strive to live. These blessings are intended to provide the basis for our every action of life. God beckons us to take each of these attributes now and to incarnate them into our life to such a degree that we always operate out of them.

No longer must we allow ourselves to be crushed by a sense of unworthiness when we approach the throne of God with our prayers, petitions, or calling Him into the situations we face in our lives.

They are part of His promise to every person in Christ, and are available to be drawn from Him in the heavenly realm.

 

The Faith Aspect

There is a faith aspect to this because we will not see ourselves fully as we are until the return of Christ.

1 John 3:2 – Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.

 

Key Point

God wants us to take our Positional life – the life we are in Christ and make it our Situational life – meaning we live out of the Positional realm, even though we cannot see it. We are to make it our present time reality.

This takes a lot of practice, training, discipline, and the need for the renewing of our mind. But the Holy Spirit is committed to work with us to enable us to achieve this. Without achieving this we cannot operate effectively in the Kingdom of God.

 

The Seven Spiritual Blessings – Ephesians 1.

  1. A blameless and holy life (v4)
  2. Destiny as the Sons of God (V5-6)
  3. Redemption and Forgiveness (V7-8)
  4. Knowledge of the Plan of God (V9-10)
  5. Freedom to live for God’s glory (V11-12)
  6. The promise of the Holy Spirit (V13)
  7. A guaranteed Inheritance (V14)

 

Paul sums up these blessings as hope, riches, and power. They come via revelation, meaning we must have our eyes opened to see them.

 

Here is a useful summary

  • To whom has He given these blessings? – Believers
  • With what has He blessed them? – Described above
  • Where has He blessed them? – In the heavenly realm
  • How has He blessed them? – In Christ.

 

God Bless You.

Bruce Billington