And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:19).
Love is the greatest power in the world. It’s the greatest force in the universe. The Bible says God is love (1 John 4:8). Love raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Love can bring forth anything you require for your life. Even now, the love-power of God is present, but until you know the love of God, you can’t know its power. Some people don’t experience the love of God because they’re not certain that God loves them personally. A simple test can help you find
out. Ask yourself, “Do I love God?” If your answer is yes, then ask yourself another question: “Is God as good as I am?” If again, your answer is yes, then it means He’ll definitely love
you, at the very least, as much as you love Him. But God isn’t only as good as you are; He’s better.
His love for you is unfathomable, unconditional, pure and eternal. He loves you more than you could ever love yourself. In fact, you could never have loved Him if you didn’t learn of His love. That’s why John the Apostle declared, “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Jeremiah 31:3 also says, “The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”
Our opening verse says, “And to know the love of Christ…that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:19). God’s purpose for our lives is to be filled with His fullness, to be overflowing in His love, manifesting His life, nature, character and power. That’s what the Lord Jesus was talking about when He cried out in the temple, “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). His love-power flows from us to the world (Romans 5:5). It’s a fire that can’t be quenched (Song of Songs 8:7), an overcoming power that crushes fear (1 John 4:18) and every evil work. Walk in the fullness of this love-power.
PRAYER
Dear Father, I thank you for granting me revelation knowledge of the dimensions of your love; the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, thereby filling me with your fullness. I’m rooted and grounded in love, and my heart overflows with the love of Christ. I manifest and radiate your glory to my world today, in Jesus’ Name.
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 (Colossians 1:18).
The phrase in the theme verse, “the firstborn from the dead,” doesn’t mean the first to be raised from the dead. Prior to Jesus’ vicarious death, there were those who had been raised from the dead; so what the Apostle Paul communicates by the Spirit here, is different. When our sins were laid on Jesus on the cross, He died spiritually. Spiritual death is separation from God. Only through a spiritual rebirth does one awake from this death. Jesus Christ was the first born from spiritual death.
As Jesus hung on the cross, He suffered the agony of being separated from the Father: “And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?
which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34). This was a result of His being made the sin sacrifice, which automatically identified with sin: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
It should have been illegal for Jesus to be crucified and sent to hell, because He was innocent and without sin, but He went in our place. Recall the graphic details in Colossians
2:15 when He engaged Satan in that awful combat in hell, and defeated him and all the cohorts of darkness: “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” No one ever came out of spiritual death or out of Satan’s bondage, but Jesus did. He paid the full penalty for every man.
Thus, because a righteous man was given for sinners, it became legal, and possible, for sinners to be given His righteousness. He took our place of sin, that we might obtain His righteousness. Now, you’re as righteous as Jesus is! He’s made you the very expression of His righteousness. The righteousness that He was clothed with was made available to you, because He died for you, and when He came out of death, you came out in and with Him. Hallelujah!
PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, I thank you for sending Jesus, who became the very representation of sin on my behalf, and died in my place, so that I might be made righteous, and also be the
expression of your righteousness. I walk in, and manifest, your righteousness today and always,
in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Moses implemented God’s instruction. He rallied the children of Israel, to bring all the necessary offerings, and they built a beautiful sanctuary in accordance with the pattern and plan that God gave to Moses. However, that wasn’t good enough. God wanted a new sanctuary and showed David a vision of the new sanctuary; He gave him every detail of what it should be like.
David was excited, and laid down a lot of gold and silver for the building of the temple. Nevertheless, it was Solomon, David’s son, who was approved of God to build the temple, and he built for God a magnificent temple. The Bible says, “Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet” (Acts 7:48).
Then Jesus came on the scene and said, “…I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). The word translated “Church” means “Assembly or Congregation of the called out ones.” It’s therefore not a physical building, but a living tabernacle of human beings.
Let’s read Ephesians 2:19-22 NIV. It says, “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” We’re God’s habitation through the Spirit! His vision to dwell in the midst of His people has been realized in us, the Church.
Each one of us is a temple of the Holy Spirit. He lives and walks in us (2 Corinthians 6:16). You’re God’s holy temple (1 Corinthians 3:16); this, the Bible says, is the mystery that was hidden from ages and generations, which has now been made manifest. The mystery is, Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:26-27). Hallelujah!
PRAYER
Precious Father, I worship and adore you; thank you for making me your dwelling place. I acknowledge your Spirit living in me, protecting, guiding, and leading me in your perfect will.
Thank you for beautifying my life with the glory of your presence, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18).
Over the years, the Church of Jesus Christ has continued to wax stronger and stronger, marching on in glory, regardless of the many persecutions and oppositions orchestrated against it by the adversary. The Church has remained unstoppable to this day, and will remain so for all time, because the Lord meant it when He said, “…I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).
The word “Gates” is symbolic in prophetic language for “power and dominion.” So, the powers of hell, the dominion of hell, shall not, and cannot prevail against the Church. It doesn’t matter what they do. The Church, right from inception, has survived and endured many terrible persecutions. There have been kings who threatened to annihilate the Church. Some even boasted that when they were through with the Church, history would not remember that it ever existed. But the Church has out-lived them all.
The Church will always have the victory. It’ll crush every opposition, and conquer everyone who ever stands against it. That’s the blessing upon the Church. The Lord Jesus said to Saul of Tarsus when he was persecuting the Church, “…it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks” (Acts 26:14). Then, in Luke 20:18, He said, “Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.”
The Church of Jesus Christ isn’t a human organization; it is, in fact, a living thing, and it’s indestructible. It doesn’t matter the onslaught of evil and wickedness against the
Church from Satan and wicked and unreasonable men, nothing can stall or hinder the growth and impact of the Church around the world.There isn’t enough fear, unbelief, doubt, or persecutions that can prevail against the Church.
Being born again, you belong to the Church, and you’re indestructible. Victory is yours, no matter what happens with you. You may be in the deepest “dungeon” even now; right there, declare, “Greater is He that’s in me than he that’s in the world.” The Word is guaranteed to put you over and bring you out in victory. Hallelujah!
CONFESSION
I belong to Christ; in Him I live, and move and have my being. No evil shall befall me; neither
shall any plague come near my dwelling. I’m strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
No weapon formed against me shall prosper, and any tongue that rises against me in judgment
is condemned, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
