Robert Houk Hitchcock
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Your Spiritual Position


   As sons of God, each believer has a spiritual position in Christ.  Jesus Christ finished a perfect work, and as a result, every believer may claim that which is rightfully his in his Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 2:1-6
   And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
   Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world,  according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh   in the children of disobedience:
   Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the  lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and  were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
   But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved  us,
   Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with  Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
   And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

   The Christian's rightful position spiritually is "seated together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus."  A higher position of fulfillment is impossible: nothing is higher and nothing is more dignified than being seated in the heavenly places in Christ.  As believers, we are "in Christ," and thus we have all of the rights, privileges and responsibilities of sons of God.

Colossians 1:27
   To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

   God's Word declares that it is "Christ in you, the hope of glory."  Not only are we "seated in the heavenly places in Christ," but it also says that it is "Christ in you, the hope of glory."  All that Christ is NOW, all that he has accomplished, all that he is as the risen Son of God, is now IN you.  That is an unbelievable position to hold!

Ephesians 1:19-23
   And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
   Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own 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 world, but also in that which is to come:
   And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
   Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

It was the power of God that raised Jesus Christ from the dead.
It was the power of God that seated him in the heavenly places.
It was the power of God that set him far above all principality and power….
It was the power of God that put ALL things under his feet.
It was the power of God that gave him to be head over the church.

The church is identified with Christ in his position over all because the church is his body.

If he is seated at God's right hand, then we are seated at God's right hand.
If he is far above all, then we are far above all.
If we are part of his body, then all things, too, are under our feet spiritually.

Ephesians 1:1-3
   Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
   Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
   Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

   Because of God's Grace, we are "blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ!"  When will we ever begin to accept what God has made us to be in Christ?  Christians have lived in darkness for so many centuries.  Most live in the plane of the five senses where their position is still on earth in their thinking and believing.  We are seated in the heavenlies!  We are seated far above all!  We are blessed with all spiritual blessings!   What more would God have to give to convince His children of their position in Christ?  He has no more to give, because all has already been given.

    If God did not mean "seated in the heavenly places in Christ", then why did He say "seated in the heavenly places in Christ?"  If God did not mean "far above all principality and power," then why did He say "far above all principality and power?"  If God did not mean "Christ in you, the hope of glory," then why did He say "Christ in you, the hope of glory?"  It seems the church has rationalized God's words and substituted their own words in thinking about their spiritual position.

What about our former position?

1 Corinthians 2:14
   But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

   The "natural man" is the man of body and soul, and not spirit.  He lives in the plane of the five senses and is totally limited to that realm.  He cannot understand the things of the spirit of God.  He has no access to God.  He has no position in Christ.  He is not seated in the heavenly places, he is seated on earth.  He is not blessed with all spiritual blessings, he is cursed under the curse of Adam's sin.  He does not have Christ in him, he is a man of just body and soul.  He has no position spiritually, because he has no spirit.

   The god of this world, Satan, controls the realm in which he lives.  The natural man has no where else to go but earth, for he is earth bound and senses bound in his position in life.

   The realm in which we have our position is not subject to the earth, it is in the heavenly places in Christ who is far above all on earth!  A believer may choose to think that he is still earth-bound, but it is not true.  He has a new spiritual position in Christ and that is "seated in the heavenly places in Christ."

Ephesians 2:1-3
   And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
   Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
   Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

   We also once walked as men of this world.  We also once walked limited to the five senses.  We also once walked as belonging to this world.  We also once walked according to the course of this world, because we had no other way to walk until the new birth.  The new birth for man places him in an entirely different position.  The new birth for man places him in any entirely different category: body, soul, AND SPIRIT!  And it is the spirit of God in the believer that makes him no longer the property of this world, but, indeed, the property of God.

Ephesians 2:18-22
   For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
   Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
   And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
   In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
   In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

   Under the former rulership of this world, we had access to nothing.  Bound to this world, we had no way of going anywhere!  Now, we have access directly to the Father.  We are no longer strangers and foreigners to the heavenly realm we are citizens!  Citizens have full rights and privileges.  The believers are now of the HOUSEHOLD of GOD!  That's a considerable household.  That's a considerable change in position, wouldn't you say?

   Not only are we fellowcitizens and of the household of God, but we have become the habitation of God through the spirit.  We, as the church, are the living habitation of God.

Ephesians 3:17-21
   That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
   May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
   And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
   Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
   Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.  Amen.

   Now that we have seen our position in Christ as sons of God, then it is time to benefit from it by walking God's Word and walking in the spirit.  We are now able to comprehend the love of Christ and be filled with all the fullness of God.  That would be a task impossible for the natural man.  That was unheard of in our former spiritual position.  Now it is a reality to the born-again believer as he walks out on God's Word and claims his own spiritual position.

   As sons of God, seated in the heavenlies, our standard is no longer the course of this world, but our new standard is "exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us."  This is the standard of living for one who is seated in the heavenly places in Christ.  This is our new banner of life.  This is our rightful place in the spiritual realm.  This is our spiritual position- to be seated in the heavenly places in Christ.


Cortright Fellowship
URL http://www.cortright.org/rhhjun99.htm
© Copyright June 1999