Essays in Ephesians #8
And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to
the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Ephesians 1: 22-23 ESV
What does it mean to you and me that our God gave absolute dominion to His Son and then He gives Jesus’ life and power to us? This amazing text can be understood only by divine revelation. It says that the Creator God of the universe gave Jesus absolute dominion over all things. And then God gave Jesus to us, His church. As we align with and receive His headship, we receive His life and power.
There’s far more to this than I understand, but one thing I know. Our Father gives Jesus to us not only as our superior ruler and judge, though He certainly is that— but also as our savior, helper, redeemer and most, most loved friend—who is also our Lord. We receive Him through The Holy Spirit— who He called The Comforter. His Holy Spirit both stands along side of us and lives within us to teach us and guide us into truth.
By faith, the Holy Spirit of God, the immeasurably powerful, wise, creative Holy Spirit, THE HOLY SPIRIT of GOD enters our bodies of flesh and blood. He lives in us not to glorify Himself but to reveal Jesus and the Father to us and through us.
I think the Holy Spirit is so humble that the question of humbling Himself is moot— a non-question— but from my human point of view, it would require total humility and selflessness for the Spirit that hovered over the face of the waters at creation, the Spirit that filled thee artists who designed the tabernacle in the wilderness, the Spirit who inspired David’s songs and spoke through the Old Testament prophets, the Spirit who raised Jesus in the dead to come and live inside of you and me.
And we must humble ourselves and forgo our independence to receive Him and allow Him to reveal God’s truth to us and fit us into Jesus body. We receive His discernment, His direction, His life, and His very own nature and ability. At the Father’s discretion and direction, the Holy Spirit speaks to us and through us and gives us God’s good gifts, all the riches and powers of the Godhead—within our very own beings. It’s amazing.
The whole relationship between God and man is one of giver and recipient. Nothing is gained by our own efforts. All is gained by the obedience of faith. We can’t give anything to God that isn’t from Him in the first place and He receives nothing from us that He hasn’t given us by His Spirit. Paul writes:
What do you have that was not given to you? In 1 Corinthians 4:7
God has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. . .
Ephesians 1:3 NASB
Now how can we receive all that has been given to us?
We ask:
Father, teach us to receive. Help us receive. Forgive all our striving self-efforts, our own deeds and mental efforts, and those religious activities that don’t come from Your Holy Spirit moving within us. Give us faith for your life within.
We believe:
. . .whatever you ask for in prayer, believe — trust and be confident — that it is granted to you, and you will [get it]. of Mark 11: 23, 24 AMP
We follow through:
We choose each day to live in trust. We agree with His commands to love Him and our neighbors. We resist doubt and meditate on God’s power to do in us what we can’t do ourselves. We turn to God moment by moment—no matter what happens—because He is the head of all things and He is the head of His body, the church. We do the acts of kindness, mercy, forgiveness, charity and love He asks of us. And we thank and praise Him for the corporate fullness of Himself. No matter what happens to us, as individuals or as a part of His body, no matter what develops in the world around us, we choose, as best we can by the power of His Holy Spirit, to believe that He IS in control; He IS always good; He IS love; and He IS working out His eternal plan and purpose for us all.
