Our Position in Christ

Your Position In Christ
 

Our Position In Christ – Heavenly Places

Today as we consider the word of God, we read in Isaiah 55:8 & 9,

“‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts nor are your ways My ways’, declares the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.'”

Not only are God’s thoughts and words at a higher standard than mans, but the Word of God is set forth as, and speaks of, a special goal or aspiration for the believer. But, it’s not just the goal that we seek as it states in Colossians 3:1 & 2:

“Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on the things that are on the earth.”

That is, there are Positional Truths that are being alluded to in these verses. When Paul says, by the Holy Spirit, that there are “Things above where Christ is”, he’s speaking of higher-heavenly realities of truth that He wants the Christian to grasp, believe, fellowship around, and meditate on.He’s speaking of our “New, real-life (that is) hid with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3 Amplified Bible). How can we be on the earth and seated together with Christ in heavenly places??

L.S. Chafer says the words “Heavenly Places” mean this:

“These divine blessings are identified as belonging to the ‘heavenly’.

They are “the deepest reality in the unchanging sphere of identity with Christ.”

“This is the sphere of the believer’s present relation to Christ. This sphere of relationship is far-reaching and all-inclusive. It includes the sharing of the divine nature; the possession of life which is none other than “Christ begotten in you the hope of glory”; the common purpose with Christ in service indicated by the words, “As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world”; the relation between Christ and the believer as forming the New Creation; in suffering, for we suffer together with Him; in inheritance, for it is said that we are “joint-heirs with Christ”; and in a yet future glory, when we shall be “glorified together with Him.” Such a sphere of blessing is not limited to favored places; but is ever and always the deepest reality in the unchanging sphere of identity with Christ, a reality which can shed its radiant glories in the human heart even in the dungeon at midnight as much as in the blazing glory of celestial realms.”

Ephesians 2:6 states that God “raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” The ultimate goal is Christ. And the way to get to the goal of being like and manifesting Christ, is having that life which is “in Him” transmitted to me by the Holy Spirit (Jn.16:13-16 disclose:anaggello-to announce in detail that which is heavenly in character). As I reckon (Greek-logizomai: count, consider, render, credit to my account; e.g. “imputed righteousness”) on what the Word of God says about me positionally, because of Christ’s Finished Work, then the Holy Spirit reveals, transmits, discloses, manifests to and through my soul, the specific truth on which I am reckoning. He makes it experiential as I mix faith with what I hear (Rm. 10:17, Heb. 4:12), and God the Father works His perfect plan (Deut. 32:4, Phil. 2:13) into my life using the Spirit to bring life out of death (Rm. 8:13&14, Col. 3:5, 2 Cor.4:10 & 11), which ultimately glorifies the Father!

As we shared above, the Holy Spirit is the divine Messenger that transmits to my soul through my human spirit daily benefits, that are located in Christ, in the Heavenlies! This is my position* in Christ:

“He daily loads me with benefits” (Psalm 68:19)

*See article by L.S. Chafer: The Riches of Grace in Christ Jesus (33 Divine Accomplishments in and for the Sinner upon Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ) Including 5 Unchanging Principles of Positional Truth –
http://www.wholesomewords.org/etexts/chafer/saved.html

God tells me not to forget those benefits (Ps.103:2).
But, to “think on these things” (Phil.4:8 Whatever is true, right, lovely and excellent), the “all things that are new” the “all things are for your sake” and the “all things” that are “from God” (2Cor.5:17, 2Cor.4:15, 2Cor.5:18).

Finally, this glorious place of position, blessing, and authority, is that “Highway of Holiness”! (Is. 35:8-10) This “High-way” of God produces true trans-formative holiness in our experiential-walk as we continue to have a mind-set on “things of the Spirit” (Romans 8:6).

In Jesus Name,

Pastor Wayne