I Heard The Lord Say “I Have Returned ” – By Pastor Jahfas Victor Ahua

Royal Life
Daily Devotional & Prophecy
January 22, 2021.

Discovering Christ In Ephesians

We saw from our last discussion how Paul admonished the Ephesians not be sorrowful towards his afflictions for it was rather to their glory. Then we saw it revealed as the apostle began to to pray, that we are now of the generation of Christ, that we have been spiritually severed from evil genealogies, and are now named after God.

This the apostle prayed while he bowed his knees in reverence, praying to our heavenly father, even the to father of the family of Christ.

The apostle continues his prayer;

That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; Ephesians 3:16

This is a prayer expressing total dependence on the grace of God. Although he had commended their faith in Christ even at the beginning of this letter, genuine perfection in matters of the spirit is a continual submission to grow day by day, from strength to strength, even from faith to faith.

Paul entreats God to give out of the abundance of his mercy and grace, strength to these believers.

Without divine grace we are altogether destitute of strength in accessing divine riches, but God comes to us while we are yet without strength.

Through fresh supplies of divine grace we are empowered with might by the Spirit of God, right in our inner man, even in the heart of the new creation to lay hold on divine realities.

In this request of Paul, two objects are to be observed, the means and the subject. The means is the Spirit of God, and the subject is the inner man, a thing totally of the grace of God.

This is not physical strength the apostle is praying for, but spiritual power infused into our inner man for us to be able to bear trials, overcome temptations, perform our Christian duties, and to be able to comprehend deeper spiritual truths, for we hear;

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, Ephesians 3:17

Observe carefully this statement “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith”

It is not as though Christ was not dwelling in them yet, for the Spirit of God was already in them, but for him to “dwell in your hearts by faith.” It is a prayer for them to be empowered to have faith that he dwells in them efficaciously.

It is one thing for Christ to dwell in you, it is another to believe that the Almighty God has taken residence in the quarters of your heart. Knowing God is with you, for you, and in you changes everything.

There was a time in scripture, God was with man named Jacob, but he never realised it. He was running away in fear from the wrath of his brother, and one day as he slept, God manifested himself to him in an encounter, and he discovered that God had being with him all along, but he had not realized it;

And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. Genesis 28:16-17

Even so it is today, many believers are housing God, but they do not even know it. We may say it, but our actions deny the reality.

If you truly believe that the creator of the universe, the maker of the heavens and the earth, the head of all principality and power, the sovereign Lord dwells in you, you will not walk around in fear, for if God be for us, who can be against us.

You will never nurture a lack mentality, for the all sufficient one dwells in you. You will never be afraid of the devil, for the creator and the controller of the devil is right on your inside, for to this One the devil himself believes and trembles.

You will never agree to the belief that you are a failure, if you truly believe God dwells in you, you will never dare think anything is impossible, for with God all things are possible.

This is how the apostle prays that Christ would dwell in the hearts of these believers.

A dwelling by faith, where we become conscious of the God on our inside. For of a truth, he dwells in us;

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 2 Corinthians 6:16

Confession:

Gracious Father, I thank you that you are with me, You are in me, and you are for me. I am grateful I have a father, even the creator of the universe.

As long as you are with me, glory is on my side, power is on my side, wisdom is on my side. My life is completely a display of your glory.

Help me Lord to be strengthened even more, that the consciousness of who you are in me be made more manifest to my soul. Thank you for loving me, in Jesus name! Amen.

Prophetic Insight:

In an encounter with the Lord, I saw a child of God who had felt stuck in this situation which looked as though God had left, But I saw excitement return as things that were lost, even people that had left began to return. The Lord returned in favour.

As I saw this, I heard this child of God declare with confidence and excitement before many, ‘my God has returned’ For the Lord had truly began fulfilling his promises

Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain. Zechariah 8:3

As I pressed on I heard the Lord say ” My dear child, I only allowed you to be tested, I AM aware you went through fiery trials, but I have returned. My Glory will now be seen in you, for I AM dwelling with might in your midst.

You have been refined through the fire, purified, and now a city of truth, the mountain of the Lord of host, a vessel hosting the presence of the almighty God.

Be joyful, be fearless, for you will see your God in manifestation.”

Blessings in Christ.
Pastor Jahfas Victor Ahua
Living Hill Christian Church.