Royal Life
Daily Devotional & Prophecy
November 16, 2020.
In Him You Have Won
Yes, Discovering Christ in Ephesians.
We saw in our last discussion that we are already blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. The glory of the almighty God is embedded in our very spirits.
Then the apostle continues;
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Ephesians 1:4
Observe carefully this statement “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world”
The word used above for chosen is from the Greek word eklegomai which means to select (Strong’ s Concordance G1586).
There is such a thing as eternal election. Out of the unknown number of the human creation of God, you were known in the heart of God and chosen before anything was ever created.
Believers were elected in Christ before the world began.
The election of sons, was not an after thought in the heart of God. But it was not a reaction to the fall of Adam, no, never! God had already determined to manifest his grace to a select people, the fall of Adam was rather an accomplishment to his counsel.
A lot of people deny this but it is a true gospel doctrine.
We keenly looked at the first verse of this book where Paul addresses this letter “to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus”.
Wherefore the apostle is not saying the entire world was Chosen in Christ before the world began.
And he is not saying the entire people of Ephesus were Chosen in Christ before the world began since he had clearly indicated to whom he had addressed his letter.
Everyone that has ever believed has done so because they first were chosen or elected in the counsel of God before the world began. If a man was not elected, no amount of preaching can change him.
Observe it says he chose us ” in himself” and not in any good he foresaw in us, for others assert that God saw something good in us which was the reason he chose us.
To be called of God, to be chosen of God, to elected of God, to be born of God is an entire work the grace of God. We are totally undeserving of the least article of the things of salvation.
We ought to be the more grateful and ever thankful to God for his sovereign grace demonstrated towards us. Paul clearly stated this to excite the gratitude of the believers.
He intends that we come to know that God loves us, God likes us, God is pleased with is, almighty God is full of love for us not because we are good but because he has chosen to love us despite our sinfulness.
There has never been anything good in us to which God could have looked to and predestined us to be saved because of, which is why we hear the next part of the verse “that we should be holy and without blame before him in love”
This means he didn’t see anything good in us before choosing us. In fact we were not even formed before he elected us.
But rather he desired for us to be holy and blameless before him in love.
So how did he accomplish this? Was it by Christ or by our works?
We hear;
And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: Colossians 1:21-22
Observe the statement “in the body of his flesh” Yes he purified us by the offering of the body of his son.
Through the offering of his body we are today presented before God holy and unblamable and irreproachable in his sight.
This has nothing to do with our goodness but it has everything to do with the love and grace of the almighty God towards us.
Then we hear the apostle continue;
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, Ephesians 1:5
O’ what a declaration. Having predestinated us?
The word used above for predestinated is from the Greek word proorizo meaning to limit in advance, to predetermine (Strong’s Concordance G4309)
We were predestinated to be adopted as children of the most high God. You did not in actuality chose God, all what we have done is because we were predestinated to do so.
God predetermined our lives to the discovery and acceptance of Jesus Christ. We were selected and destined to salvation and this is not done for every one but for the elect only.
A lot of people deny this scripture, watering it down to mean the nations at large but there is no mention of nations in this verse, and remember this letter was written to the saints and faithful in Christ Jesus and not to the nations.
Again others say it means the Gentiles at large but observe carefully this statement “Predestinated us” Paul did not say predestinated you but “us” himself included. But Paul was not a Gentile, he was a Jew, an Hebrew of the Hebrews, A Pharisee of the tribe of Benjamin (Romans 11:1, Philippians 3:5).
Thus the “us” here are the privileged believers! It has nothing to do with the entire Gentile world.
Observe again this statement “adoption of children by Jesus Christ”
The instrumentality, the means of adoption is Jesus Christ and not any man’s goodness.
We were predestinated before we were ever created, thus there is no chance of man thinking he merits anything, for this was concluded before any man had ever done a thing.
Look closely at this statement again “according to the good pleasure of his will”
God was not influenced by anything outside of himself but it was all because of his good will. God cannot be influenced by anything outside of himself as though he needs help.
For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? Romans 11:34-35
The will of God is the rule of all his actions. According to the good pleasure of his will had he predestinated us and not according to our works.
Every attempt of man to temper with the glory of God is cut off here by the apostle.
Salvation is a thing of divine grace and nothing of man. God does not look to man for personal worth so he would bestow his salvation, It is only according to the good pleasure of his will.
Then we hear another vivacious proclamation;
Ephesians 1:6
To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Not to the praise of the glory of the actions of men but to the praise of the glory of his grace. It is done so we would praise his unmerited, undeserved, unconditional, unearned favor and nothing more.
Then we hear another striking statement “wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved”
God accepts no man’s person
Galatians 2:6
But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:
The only ground of acceptance with God is Christ and nothing more. We are accepted in the beloved and not in our works. No amount of good works would have made us accepted.
A lot of people have done many good works, even more than most Christians but they have never come to the Lord, have never been accepted and have died and gone to hell.
Praise God for the grace of God. Praise God for Jesus. We were predestined in him even before the world began and today we are accepted in the beloved to the praise of the glory of his grace.
How can you think on these things and still let your soul to be let down. You are a fulfilment of an immutable counsel. How can you not excel when you know his plans for you are not of evil but of good to give you an expected end?
Pick up yourself and look back to the love of God with excitement for you have been predestined to obtain the glory of Christ.
Confession:Heavenly father I thank you for loving me. I know there is no worth in me to deserve your goodness but you have loved me freely, having predestined me to be adopted as your son through Christ Jesus to the praise of the glory of your grace.
I understand that in the good pleasure of your will there is nothing evil written of me. I confess I have a glorious destiny in Christ. I proclaim you are fulfilling your plans of good over my life and I expect a glorious outcome in Jesus’ name Amen. Praise God!
In an encounter with the Lord “I saw a Child of God and the family, I saw a demonic force hovering over this family trying to oppress them. This is was a picture of this household trying to rise but being pulled down by this oppressive spirit.
But I saw as this child of God refuse to back down but pressed towards this force and overpowered it and broke loose.
Then I heard “You have won”
So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives..And David enquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all. 1Samuel 30:3,8
Then I heard “My beloved child, I have given you the victory in my son, in him You have won!
Therefore do not relent, do not back down but stand up in the victory of the Christ. It is not my desire that you all be in subjection to the evil one.
But it is my desire to restore! Now, pursue, for you shall surely overtake, and without fail recover all.”
Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Jahfas Victor Ahua
Living Hill Christian Church.