Ephesians 1 Jesus Christ is Lord! The Power Against the Powers.

Ephesians 1:  Jesus Christ is Lord  Why You Should Never Be Afraid Again

Ephesians 1:15-23  For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints,¹⁶ I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,¹⁷ that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,¹⁸ having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might²⁰ that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,²¹ far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.²² And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,²³ which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

 

As we have discussed the last few months, our spiritual warfare is against Satan and his angelic demons.

This passage gives us a foreshadowing of the passage in Ephesians 6:12  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

1:21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

Every name that is named… it is about spiritual wickedness in heavenly places… 

When you become a Christian you move into a spiritual conflict.

There are some things that must be left behind.  Horoscopes.  The planets don't have power over your life.    That is a dumb myth.      It is a demonic myth.

Numbers don't have power over your life.

In Chinese culture, the numbers 2, 3, 6, and 8 are generally considered to be lucky, while 4 is considered unlucky.    It is considered so unlucky that some buildings in Sydney don't have a fourth floor!  Why do they avoid fours;  because the pronunciation in "four" and "death" differ only in tone, especially when a combination with another number sounds similar to undesirable expressions.  "94" could be interpreted as being dead for a long time.

Our Aussie culture doesn't think that does it? 13!!  Lucky 13!  Ghosts?! Seances and Ouji Boards?!

Traditional Korean belief posits countless demons inhabit the natural world; they fill household objects and are present in all locations. 

Medieval Chinese Buddhist demonology was heavily influenced by Indian Buddhism. Indian demonology is also fully and systematically described in written sources, though during Buddhism's centuries of direct influence in China, "Chinese demonology was whipped into respectable shape," with a number of Indian demons finding permanent niches even in Taoist ritual texts. 

Chinese Buddhism also influenced Taoism with beliefs of hell and the Taoists eventually came up with their own demonology lore which in turn created folk beliefs about spirits in hell which was a combination of beliefs from the two religions. However, the demons in hell are viewed differently than Abrahamic faiths who instead of being pure evil are more of guards of hell although they are still viewed as malicious beings. They are ruled over by Yama which came from Buddhism's Hindu influences but certain scriptures and beliefs also state that there are 18 different Yamas in hell which have an army of demons and undead at their side. Also  a major Mahayana Buddhist text, describes fifty demonic states

Vedic Scriptures include a range of spirits  that might be classified as demons. These spirits are souls of beings that have committed certain specific sins. As a purging punishment, they are condemned to roam without a physical form for a length of time, until a rebirth. Beings that died with unfulfilled desires or anger are also said to "linger" until such issues are resolved. 

Bottom line, there has been a tradition of knowing the name of a demon that might be possessing someone in order to have power over it and the only way to expel demons from people or places. 

You need to be aware of the Greatness of God's Power Towards You

For an awareness of God's power available to them (1:19)

And what is the incredible greatness of his power for us who believe

The third and final request is that God will reveal to these believers an awareness of the incomparably great power of God working in their lives. Paul conveys this in an emphatic fashion by using a wide array of power-denoting terms and descriptive words that highlight the vastness of this power.

He begins by using the neuter noun "greatness" to describe God's power.

"The superexcellent, sublime, overcoming, or triumphing greatness of his power;" and the other is even more singular: it is a Hebrew mode of speech forced to do duty in the Greek tongue: "The effectual working of the might of his strength:" or "The energy of the force of his power,"

The term translated "incredible" "surpassing"  used in a number of inscriptions from Ephesus and in the magical papyri. One of these magical texts invokes a god with the following invocation: "Greatest god, who exceeds all power , I call on you…."   People in western Asia Minor and in a context of folk belief were familiar with rival claims of local deities to possessing extraordinary power. Paul endeavors to assure his readers that the one true God is unexcelled in power.

In this passage, Paul is not simply trying to teach these believers about the vastness of God's power. He is convinced that this truth ultimately needs to be impressed upon their hearts by the Spirit of revelation. He is letting the readers know that he is laboring in unceasing prayer for this to take place.

1:19b According to the powerful working of his mighty strength  As if he has not said enough about the unsurpassed power of God, Paul stresses it all the more: three more terms for power. In doing so, he nearly exhausts the reservoir of power-denoting terms in the Greek language.

The "powerful working" is distinguished from the common word for power (dunamis), "strength"  and "might".  By contrast, Paul commends to the readers a direct access to the power of God and never advocates calling on angelic intermediaries. Neither does Paul condone the use of incantations, formulas, magical symbols, or the performance of certain rituals to gain access to divine power; he simply prays for their increased awareness of God's power already available to these believers. Finally, whereas in magic, people often sought spiritual power as a means of influencing and gaining ascendancy over people, Paul will argue that the power of God is manifested in the lives of believers to help them resist evil forces, live virtuous lives, and manifest love to people.

And That Power is Yours Already In the Lord Jesus Christ!

1. He raised him           2. He seated him     3. He subjected everything to him   4. He gave him as Head.

Power (1:19-20a).

Only by God's power will we be able to engage in the spiritual battle described in Ephesians 6. Only by God's power will we arrive safely into His heavenly kingdom, and His power is given to "us who believe" (v. 19).      Some were formerly caught up in magic, the Artemis cult, astrology, and emperor worship. Their lives were dark and perverted (Eph 4:17-19) until Christ saved them. The people of this culture lived in fear of hostile spiritual forces (O'Brien, Ephesians, 138). Paul is assuring them that God's power is supreme over all their enemies!

We need not fear when we have superior power. The power of the risen Christ is ours to do battle against worry, temptation, doubt, and demonic warfare. Why do we often fail to rely on this mighty power? Added to the exalted view of self and diminished view of God is the failure to understand the spiritual battle in which we are engaged.

The evil one and his host hate us. They hate our faith. They hate the church, our marriages, and our mission. That is why we must lean into Christ and pray for His resurrection power to strengthen us and empower us to live for God's glory.

Col 1:11  "being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might…" 

according to the working of his great might20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

The greatest power shortage today is not the removal of coal fired power stations.  It isn't the government's reticence to construct nuclear power stations.  It isn't those windmills generating electricity (one of our church members in Newcastle, the daughter of a close friend who is a baptist minister invented those chicken choppers).  The greatest power deficit isn't any particular politician.   One prime minister it was said, was ejected from hell because he kept trying to close down the blast furnaces.  Of another it was said he was a walking blackout.   No the greatest power vacuum is found in our personal lives.

God's Power is Available

The Apostle's teaching is that the fact that anyone at all believes the gospel is a great miracle which can only be explained adequately in terms of the surpassing greatness of the power of God; that it takes the energy of the strength of God's might to bring anyone to believe the Christian gospel and to accept the Christian faith.

We believe by virtue of this tremendous power.  The Apostle is telling these Ephesian Christians that he is praying that they might know 'the efficacy of the force of his strength'; or that they might know 'the energy of the might of his strength' towards them. But all language is totally inadequate to convey this truth. The making of a Christian is the result of the manifestation of the might of God exerting itself.

Do you realize that you are what you are because this eternal, illimitable might of God has been working energetically in you? That power is still working in you, and in spite of your failings, that power will continue to do work in you!

Phil 1:6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ  2:13 it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

 

Be Aware of His Power In Christ's Resurrection (1:20a)

God, raised Jesus from the dead! Death is a bitter enemy we will all face. Yet because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we do not have to fear death. Jesus has crushed it!

1:20b When he raised him from the dead . The resurrection of Christ from the dead was the foundational conviction of the church from the beginning. Paul speaks of it numerous times (e.g., Rom 4:24; 6:4; 8:11, 34; 10:9; 1 Cor 15:4; Gal 1:1; 1 Thess 1:10). Paul attributes the resurrection to the power of the Father.  And His first proof that you can need not be afraid of the spiritual enemies that attack you is that the greatest enemy death has already been defeated for you in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus from the dead.

It is an objective demonstration of the power of God.

Christ's was a real death. Those loving hands have taken him down from the cross; those weeping eyes have let fall hallowed drops upon his face. Tenderly have the women wrapped him about with spices and fine linen, and now he is about to be put into the tomb. He is assuredly dead. The pericardium of the heart has been pierced; blood and water have both freely flowed. Lift up the pierced hand and it falls at once to his side.  "He hath raised up Jesus Christ from the dead." Do notice that. He lay for some time sleeping among those who dwelt in the tomb — among the dead.   But then.. a mysterious life. You cannot see it, but inside that tomb a spirit has fallen upon those once bleeding limbs, and entered that lifeless corpse; the eye shall soon see the light, for the hands are already unwinding the napkin from the brow; the cerements are unbound, one by one; the feet are free. No one saw the life come back. If any one had watched that corpse, they could not have seen the vital spark of life return. Then came an earthquake, by which the stone was rolled away, showing that the power put forth was enough to shake the earth. The stone being removed, forth came the Savior. He was free; raised up no more to die.  And His disciples, and even His enemies saw Him risen. 500 at one time saw Him! And saw Him many, many times.

This power was irresistible. All the soldiers and the high priests could not keep the body of Christ in the tomb. Death himself could not hold Christ in his bonds.

He is risen.  And that same risen power works into your hearts.

It is perfect analogy of spiritual experience. (2:6).     We were dead in trespasses and sins. Try to stir the natural man to spiritual action, and you cannot do it. Lift up his hand to good works, he has no power to perform them. Try to make the feet run in the ways of righteousness; they will not move an inch. The fact is that the heart is dead. The man is absolutely and entirely dead as to anything like spiritual life. There he lays in the grave of his corruption, and must lay there and rot too, unless divine grace shall interpose.  Such were some of us — we were among the dead — and "were by nature the children of wrath," even as others. In the case of some of us, our outward life was just that of other ungodly men. Were they drunkards? so were we. Were they immoral? so were we. Did they have the delights of the flesh? So did we. Did they follow the desires of the mind? so did we. Were they hard-hearted, and impenitent, and unbelieving? so were we. Whatever may be said of any ungodly man, may be said of at least some of those whom God has quickened by his divine power. We, like Jesus, were reckoned among the dead.     Irresistible is the power put forth, too, in the Christian. No sin, no corruption, no temptation, no devils in hell, nor sinners upon earth can ever stop the hand of God's grace when it intends to convert a man. He raises people from Spiritual death to spiritual life. And  it is that same resurrection power that does it!

It is the proof, beyond every other proof, of the fact that every obstacle and hindrance and enemy set in our path shall be overcome. The raising of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead is proof positive and absolute, that even the 'last enemy' has been conquered and defeated.

So the Apostle is reminding us that, by raising the Lord Jesus Christ from death and the grave, God has given us this public demonstration and manifestation that the last enemy has been conquered. 'The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death'; but Christ has already conquered death. 'The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be unto God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ' (1 Corinthians 15:26, 56–57). Death, hell and Satan have been conquered, and we can say triumphantly, 'O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?' (1 Corinthians 15:55).  nothing can prevent the carrying out of God's purpose with respect to us. There is no power that can withstand Him; there is no might or influence that can match Him, there is no possible antagonist that can equal Him. The mightiest foes, the devil, death and hell have already been vanquished, and the resurrection of Christ is the proof of it.

2. Be Aware of His Power In Christ's Enthronement (1:20b)

Following the resurrection, God enthroned the Lord Jesus Christ at his right hand. This exaltation is to a position of power and authority. This ascension to the throne of God (sometimes referred to as Christ's "heavenly session") is a consequence of the resurrection and was taught by Paul in his previous letters (see Rom 8:34; Phil 2:9; Col 3:1).

The language Paul uses here echoes Psalm 110:1, the most frequently quoted psalm in the NT: "The LORD says to my Lord, 'Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.'" Jesus himself referred to this passage when he debated with the Pharisees about the identity of the Messiah (Matt 22:44) and when he testified before the Sanhedrin (Matt 26:64; Mark 12:35—37; Luke 20:41—44). This Psalm citation was also a central tenet of the apostolic preaching (Acts 2:33—35; 5:31; 7:55—56; see also Heb 1:3; 1 Pet 3:22) to support the OT expectation of Jesus' enthronement following his resurrection.

Psalm 110 promises that God will defeat all of the exalted king's enemies.

The Father manifested his awesome power to restore Jesus to physical life and to exalt him to an unsurpassed level of authority over all his enemies—especially the evil, angelic powers.

Jesus is not only alive forevermore, but He is also reigning forevermore.

What does that mean for us? It means everything. Everything is under the reign of the seated King!  He is the Lord Jesus.  His throne is above the principalities and powers. He is above creation. He is above Satan and his system. He is above everyone and every ruler. Paul mentions His supremacy over all earthly powers. He mentions Christ's supremacy over every title or name (cf. Phil 2:6-11). And then he mentions Christ's supremacy over all His enemies with the phrase "under His feet." Paul is saying here that not only is every power inferior to Christ, they are also subject to Him (O'Brien, Ephesians, 145).

 

3. He subjected everything to him  Be Aware of His Power In Christ's Lordship over all.

High above every principality and authority and power and dominion . Paul expresses the dominant position of Christ over the entire scope of his enemies with the rare adverb "high above" contrasts the position of Christ with that of the evil powers, which were typically described in the folk belief of the time to reside in the "world above"  or in the "realm above".   Jesus is superior to all of his supernatural enemies.

The fact that Paul is referring to hostile powers here is strongly suggested by the fact that these forces were subjected to him (1:22), will ultimately be brought completely under his headship in the future (1:10), and are the same powers believers struggle with throughout their lifetimes (6:12).

The variety of terms that Paul uses for evil spirits is striking. Whereas the Synoptic Gospels refer to these beings only as "demons"  and "spirits"  "unclean" or "evil"  Paul uses a much broader range of words to refer to them. He does, in fact, speak of them as "demons" (1 Cor 10:20—21; 1 Tim 4:1) and "spirits" (Eph 2:2: Satan as a "spiritual forces" [] in 6:12), but he also uses other terms, such as "principalities" , "authorities" , "powers" , "dominions" , "thrones" , "angels" , "rulers" , "world rulers" , and "elemental spirits".  This rich variety of descriptive terms he employs underlines the importance the demonic realm had in his worldview. Although Paul in no way views them as rivals to God's sovereignty, majesty, or supremacy, he does see them as supernaturally powerful opponents that cannot be trivialized or ignored.

We struggle with these spiritual entities until Christ returns (6:12). They are the same forces who work powerfully to hold unbelieving humanity in bondage to sin, working in conjunction with "the world" and "the flesh" (2:1—3). But their rebellion and hostile activity against the church and the redemptive work of God will be brought to an end at the final consummation, when God subdues them under the ruling headship of Christ (1:10).

Paul did not invent the terms he uses to refer to this realm.

Christ is now and always will be infinitely superior to every angelic being. In this way, Paul assures his readers that there will never be a time when any demonic being, spirit, or so-called "god" or "goddess" in any way will threaten or rival the supremacy of Christ.

And one day everything will be completely subjected to His power!

4. Be Aware of His Power In Christ's Headship (1:22b-23)

Christ and His church. Only the church, not all creation, is said to be His body. Consequently, the church should be important to us! Jesus identifies Himself with it! He is head over it. The church should be important to us because it is important to Jesus. He is head over it. And consequently, he has a genuine faith in the Lord Jesus! 

 'I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord' (Romans 8:38–39), and then sing with Augustus Toplady,  The work which His goodness began The arm of His strength will complete;

His promise is Yea and Amen, And never was forfeited yet.

Things future, nor things that are now, Not all things below or above,

Can make Him His purpose forego, Or sever my soul from His love.

Do you realize the exceeding greatness of His power in you? Do you realize the energy of the strength of His might that is already working in you? And do you realize that because it has begun it will continue, and continue until you will find yourself 'faultless and blameless, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing' in the presence of God in the glory?

Why is it so important that we should know this exceeding great power that is working in us? There are two main answers, one negative and the other positive. Firstly, I must know and realize this power because of the power of the forces that are set against us.

The Apostle Paul's final word is that we are to know the exceeding greatness of God's power towards us as believers.  It is for the advancement and the Lord Jesus' purposes for the church.

The church isn't a denomination.  It is those who know Him as their Saviour and their God: those who are united to Him who is the Head of the body, and so they are automatically part of the church.

God has made His Son the Controller of all things, including the material universe.  And why? So people may come to know the Saviour and be part of the church.

'All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth' (Matthew 28:18). He had that authority and power and that He would be with them to the end of the age. He had the power then, and He has it at this moment. He is controlling history. It was 'a Lamb as it had been slain' that was alone strong enough to take the book sealed with seven seals, which John saw in his vision, and tear off the seals and open the scroll of history (Revelation 5:1–6). The Lord Jesus Christ is the Lord of history.  'God has raised him from the dead, and has set him at his own right hand … and has put all things under his feet, and has made him to be head over all things to the church.' It means 'for the sake of the church', that He might exercise His authority and power in the interests of the Church, in order that He might finally redeem His people and present them faultless to God. 

And the Lord Jesus Christ is the culmination of history. 'For he must reign until he hath put all enemies under his feet' (1 Corinthians 15:25).