Ascension...
- White Stone
- Mar 3
- 6 min read
Those who are to be seated in the heavenly realms with their ascended King today accesses the Lord's power to stand against Satan's schemes and struggles with the forces of darkness.
Ascending into God's presence requires a clean heart that allows one to approach God. We must be that people who surrender our understanding to allow God to redefine who we know He is, and who we are in Him. We are those who live in a state of continual surrender, willing and able to experience greater depths of God's grace and power. To go to a higher level of intimacy with God; we’re ready to become the man or woman of integrity, of prayer, of the Word, and of godly character that God has called us to be.
Isaiah 48:17
Now see what the word “profit” means. God Himself teaches us to ascend. God teaches his people to ascend by pursuing him and his commands daily, so that the glory of God can be seen working in and through us to bring change in the world. The priestly role that we are to find purpose in describes our entering into God's space without transporting out of the physical world, and being present with God to guide others in the same direction. We are to live on earth as it is in heaven because we belong in heaven. We should be living from heaven to earth. In Christ, this should not be a new reality to us. He teaches us to ascend. God Himself teaches us to ascend. Profit is not a financial gaining. It is abiding in Him, and being one with the Father. God’s reality is to be our reality. We can have an ascending life here. The truth of every word of God opens up space within history for the in-breaking of the powers of righteousness. Christ did not ascend spiritually, but in the flesh. We are preparing to pass through the heavens. We have an ascended Lord who interceded for us.
Psalms 103:2
Let’s reflect on how Jesus’s ascension changed everything. It provided his followers with power, grace, mercy, presence, gifts, and anticipation enabling us to advance his mission. Who is the one who is a true and perfect human being? It is the Lord Jesus Christ. What is the final perfect definition of what humanity is. Christ's public ministry, his passion, his death, his resurrection, his ascension into heaven. In other words, it is the man Jesus in his final condition: ascended, glorified, exalted who finally stands before us as the perfect definition of humanity.
Ephesians 2:6
By faith, we who are in Christ share His merits. Our names are written in His Book of life. We can ascend the holy mountain to enjoy the presence of God forever. We will ascend. And we have ascended. We are united with Christ through faith, and where He is we will be also. Ascending into the heavenly realms can be our experience while on earth if we are in Christ. Scripture tells us that our conversation is in heaven. And to learn how to ascend into the heaven we must bring all that is in the heavens waiting for us back to earth. We are persons entitled to the privileges and franchises of that place. Heaven is our native land. We
are just visiting here. Christ’s prayer is answered. We are justified, glorified in the power given him by God that he should give eternal life to us whom God has given him. We have every word of truth Jesus has given us. We are one in both God and Jesus. Everything! Everything we need to have life in the heavenly realms is in us through the dwelling of the Holy Spirit. Wisdom and understanding to solve a problem, spiritual healing that we need desperately, deliverance from sin-filled oppression. We have peace and presence of God who is in heaven. Because of Jesus Christ we have the legal right to have possession of all those things because of our citizenship.
It is this faith that we are already inhabitants of this place that fills our earnest and patient awaiting on, and for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Because we saw Christ ascend to heaven and because we know that he is coming for us soon to bring us home, ascending is one way that we can bring the things from heaven to earth. Our faith goes to the source, we go to Jesus in heaven. Let us please understand the determined, purposefully designed providence of God – He gave us a creation of revelation. This realm that we are living in, walking in, touching right now, is actually inferior to the invisible realm of heaven, because everything we see, touch, hear and feel was made out of the invisible heavenly realm. We understand that the worlds formed in eternity were framed and created, formed and put in order, equipped and designed for their intended purpose by the word of God, so that what is seen by us was not made out of things which are visible. We know where our Father reigns and our home is in heaven and it is where our source is. So, we need to learn how to go up there!
C’mon...we know the word...and because God so loves us, He hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. What Jesus did on the cross...what he did in the resurrection assures our admittance. God’s spirit is our breath of life. And because God is Spirit we can be anywhere instantly in heaven. And as our spirit is operating in us and as we are in Christ it can also be operating inside of heaven simultaneously! Jacob saw the Lord standing above the ladder let down from heaven. John
saw the door of heaven open and was commanded to come up there. Paul was caught up into paradise. Hear what God told Nathanael about seeing heaven open. Elisha saw Elijah ascending in a whirlwind. Enoch walked with God and God took him! Moses ascended to the top of a mountain where heaven was brought down so he could talk with God. This man forsook Egypt. He kept the Passover. Led God’s people through the Red Sea. Then God let him visit the grave before bringing him up to heaven. Why must we prepare to ascend...because all of these received a good report rendering their faith so illustriously to God’s will. And here is why our Jesus proclaims that no man has ascended up to heaven. To assure their expectation God will have a people of much more perfect faith that will provide them with the full possession of the promise.
God is teaching us to practice our “sonship”. Our stepping into our position in Christ. Sonship is part of who we are. We are learning to govern our lives from the kingdom realms - a higher position. We do this from a sanctified position where we envision being in the place with Jesus so that together, we "govern" our lives. We focus on the thoughts of our mind and the words of our mouth. Christ’s earthly ministry culminated with His glorious ascension, and this has practical significance if we are faithful in this life. Christ’s ascension is meant to help us to grow to full stature in Christ as we respond to his confidence in making us his called, purposed election. His ascension offers us hope of glory because Christ took our humanity to God and opened the path to us. We focus on what we have not seen, nor heard, nor what has entered into our heart, but on Jesus’ going to prepare a place for us. Since we are baptized into His death, we are assured that if we entrust our life to Him, and let ourselves be guided by Him, we are certain to be where He is soonest. Think of the duty we owe our fellow believers and humanity as a whole. Ascension points out to us that we must despise earthly things and rise to things above, especially by active works of mercy and love. The narrative of Christ’s departure must be measured against the mystery of his presence in us. May we strive to conform our lives to virtuous ways such that the world may see the face of Christ in us and in so that we may radiate the fruits of the Holy Spirit. We must be beyond the training phase of faith...we must be in full departure mode. We are in the ends of the earth. The true ascent is in our humility, showing spiritual works of mercy, including passing on the faith to those who don’t know it or who reject what they mistakenly believe it to be. This is to be our exodus here and now. An exodus from the self toward God and others, a journey from fear to trust, a passover from the earth of a world without God to the multi-revelational reality of Christ’s kingdom.
⛰ Go Deeper
This reflection is part of a larger Bible-based study on faith and transformation.
👉 Read more at OnlineBibleCourse.com
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