"The Power of His Might" *BY RICHARD JORDAN (1-4)

"The Power of His Might"
*Part 4 of 4*
*BY RICHARD JORDAN *
* *

*WHY IT IS NEEDED *

Our need for being strong in this power of His might goes much deeper
than simply the momentary difficulties and vicissitudes of life.
Consider Eph. 3:9,10.

"And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which
from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all
things by Jesus Christ:

"TO THE INTENT THAT NOW UNTO THE PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS IN HEAVENLY
PLACES MIGHT BE KNOWN BY THE CHURCH THE MANIFOLD WISDOM OF GOD,"

You see, as we make known "the fellowship of the mystery"--as Body truth
works in our lives--we manifest unto the angelic beings currently
filling the positions of principalities and powers in the heavenly
places the manifold wisdom of God in reconciling even those positions
back under His authority through Christ. And what is that "manifold
wisdom "? I Cor. 2:6·8 tells us:

"Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom
of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:

"But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom,
which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

"WHICH NONE OF THE PRINCES OF THIS WORLD KNEW: FOR HAD THEY KNOWN IT,
THEY WOULD NOT HAVE CRUCIFIED THE LORD OF GLORY."

Simply by keeping a secret about what He would accomplish through the
cross-work of Jesus Christ, God "spoiled principality and power" and
"made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it" (Col. 2: 15).

At Calvary God took the wise in his own craftiness! In the face of
Satan's boasted "wisdom" all God had to do was keep a secret and Satan
fooled himself into doing the very thing that resulted in assuring his
doom.

Is there any wonder why Satan hates the truth of the mystery so? Is
there any question that he would oppose those who proclaim it to others?
Thus Paul says,

"----BE STRONG IN THE LORD, AND IN THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT."

Our strength is in what God had done in Christ. It is this message of
grace and glory Satan so bitterly hates. Yet this is the very truth that
makes us strong as we rest by faith in who God has made us in Christ. It
is this message we are privileged to cherish, to guard, to proclaim and
with which to fill our lives.

*Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the
impossible. -- unknown *

*"The Power of His Might" *
*Part 3 of 4
BY RICHARD JORDAN

It is Col. 2: 10 that matches Eph. 1:21,22--not Col. 1:18. At this point
perhaps we should examine Col. 1:16-18, for these verses hold the key to
how Christ's headship over the heavenly government is for our advantage.

"For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in
earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions, or
principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
"And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
"And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the
firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. "

It is God's intention that Jesus Christ have the preeminence in "all
things." Once again, the context of Col. 1: 16-18 clearly defines the
"all things" being spoken of as those things identified in verse 16
--the positions of government created by Jesus Christ in heaven and
earth. These are the "all things" that are to be "reconciled" in Col. 1:
20. 2 The reference is to the future restoration of the system of
government originally established over heaven and earth.

It is clear from the prophetic program that Jesus Christ was to be head
of" all things" in the earth. When He sits on "the throne of His glory"
and reigns from Jerusalem, He will be "King of Kings" and "all nations
shall serve Him." What was unknown until the revelation of the mystery
was that He also had a plan to reclaim His position in the heavenlies.

>From Genesis 1:2 until the raising up of the Apostle Paul, the issue
in the program of God was the earth. Now with the revelation of the
mystery, the heavenly places have become the focus. God will restore the
earth to Himself through the nation Israel; the heavenly places through
the Body of Christ. Then Christ will be head of "all things." This is
what Eph. 1:9-10 looks to:

"Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his
good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
"That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather
together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and
which are in earth; even in him."

In order for Christ to be preeminent in "all things," He needed the Body
of Christ. Israel would be His agency to reclaim the government of the
earth. But He would need a "new creature" a "new man "--to extend His
reign into the heavenly places. Thus Christ has been made "head over the
body"--"that in all things he might have the preeminence. "

Without the Body of Christ He could never reclaim "all" things. Thus
Christ has been made "head over all things to the church" that is, to
the advantage of the church, for the church is "His body, the fulness of
him that filleth all in all"

In other words, it will be members of the Body of Christ whom He will
use to fill up the positions of governmental authority in the heavenly
places and through whom He will carry out the rule and business of His
"heavenly kingdom" (II Tim. 4: 18).

What a position is ours! What power and authority has been exercised in
our behalf! And it is in this power that we are to stand fast. **

The Power of His Might" *
*Part 2 of 4*
*BY RICHARD JORDAN *


What is being referred to here is the headship of the Lord Jesus Christ
over the government of the universe. The Father "raised Him from the
dead"·· and not just to "sit on David's throne" (Acts 2:30), as prophecy
had predicted. We now know He has "set Him at His own right hand in
heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and
dominion."

For God to have "set Him at His own right hand in heavenly places" and
to have 'put all things under His feet and [given] Him to be head over
all things" signifies that Christ has been placed into a position of
governmental headship. Just what government the
principality- -power--might- --dominion" is referring to is expanded in
Col. 1:16,

"For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in
earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions, or
principalities or powers: all things were created by him, and for him."

There is a government not only "in the earth" but also "in heaven," Just
as Satan usurped the position of "prince of this world" he has also
taken the position of "prince of the power of the air" --the unseen,
heavenly realm, But God has a plan and purpose to restore His authority
in all these governmental positions--in heaven as well as in the earth.

His prophesied intent, is to reclaim the authority in the earth through
the instrumentality of a kingdom vested in the nation Israel. This is
the subject of prophecy and has been "spoken by the mouth of all His
holy prophets since the world began" (Acts 3:21).

God also has a purpose and plan to restore His authority in the
government in the heavenly places as well. This is the subject of the
mystery revealed to Paul and was "kept secret since the world began but
now has been made manifest" (Rom. 16:25; Eph. 3: 1-9).

Eph. 1: 19·22 is setting forth the greatness of God's power as
demonstrated by making the Lord Jesus Christ the head over a heavenly
kingdom. The governmental positions of rank and authority which have
been usurped from God's authority by Satan and his host have been
reclaimed by the Lord Jesus. Thus Christ now sits as the rightful head
of "all things." Note that the context clearly defines "all things" in
verse 19-- "all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and
every name that is named. "

And this is done to the specific advantage of the members of the Body of
Christ:

"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" (vs. 22,23).

Notice Paul does not here say that Christ is the "head of the church."
That is a glorious truth but it isn't the point here. Rather Eph. 1:22
declares Him to be "head over all things to the church." Again, the "all
things" over which He is made head is the heavenly government-- and it is
to the advantage of the church that He is so positioned.

Christ has a two-fold headship that should not be confused. Col. 1:18
declares, "He is head of the body, the church. " But he is also the
"head of all principality and power, " as Col. 2:10 clearly states:

"And ye are complete in him, WHICH IS THE HEAD OF ALL PRINCIPALITY AND
POWER."


Glory be to God for fulfilling His promises in raising Jesus Christ from
the dead. Nevertheless, does His resurrection have any meaning to you?
Has it had any impact in your life? Have you experienced the work of
salvation that Jesus Christ perfected in His resurrection?

*"The Power of His Might" *
*Part 1 of 4*
*BY RICHARD JORDAN *


The book of Ephesians begins with a three chapter exposition of the
wealth of our calling in Christ as members of His body. This is followed
by almost three more full chapters detailing our walk in our conduct as
members of that body on planet earth. Paul then concludes the epistle
with an exhortation concerning the warfare we face due to our conflict
with the adversary the devil.

These final instructions are introduced with the statement:

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his
might" (Eph. 6:10).

This is a twofold declaration. First comes a message of grace: "Be
strong in the Lord." As we previously saw in our study of this phrase,
this is an exhortation to be strong in God's grace to us in Christ --to
take our stand in the "all spiritual blessings in heavenly places" which
God's grace has so freely bestowed upon us "in Christ. "

To this Paul adds a message of glory: "Be strong in ... the power of His
might." Although this part of the verse is often mistakenly assumed to
be simply a repetition of the first part, we will find great profit in
considering it more fully on its own.

A MESSAGE OF GLORY
In speaking of being strong in "the power of His might" Paul is
referring back to Eph. 1 and the risen, ascended Lord Jesus as the
source of the power which enables us to stand the shock of the battle
with the adversary. He does this for a very important reason--one which
explains why Satan hates the Body of Christ and the message of grace
with such ire.

Eph. 1:15-23 contains the first of two great prayers recorded in this
book. It is a prayer for enlightenment: that believers might know what
is (1) "the hope of His calling"--the glorious expectation inspired by
what God has purposed to do with and through the Body of Christ; (2)
"the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints "--what God
will gain for Himself in all He plans to accomplish; and (3) "the
exceeding greatness of His power" in accomplishing it all.

The standard for measuring "the greatness of His power"is then set forth:

" ... 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 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
OVERALL THINGS TO THE CHURCH,
"WHICH IS HIS BODY, THE FULNESS OF HIM THAT FILLETH ALL IN ALL" (Eph.
1:19-23).

God's power has been measured in different ways throughout Scripture. It
was manifest in creation. With Israel, when the Lord wanted to cite who
He is and what He does, He often pointed to their deliverance through
the Red Sea as illustrating His power to deliver them. In the
dispensation of grace, however, His power is set forth "when He raised
[Christ] from the dead and set Him at His own right hand in heavenly
places."

It is important to read these verses fully and appreciate that much more
than simply the resurrection of Christ from the dead is in view here--as
glorious as that wonderful truth is!