*Ephesians 2:1-7* - “And you He made alive, who *were* dead in *trespasses and sins*, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

 

4 *But God*, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and *made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus*, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

 

*What is the implication of raising us to sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus?*

 

In Genesis 3, we died to the Spirit and the will of God, and became alive primarily to the impulses of the mind and of the flesh. Now that God has sent Christ Jesus to die on the Cross of Calvary that we may have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins; He has made us alive to the desires of the spirit and reconnected us back to Him, that we may be obedient to His will. Therefore, it is our responsibility to now die daily to the desires of the flesh and of the mind.

 

*What was the outcome of Adam and Eve’s rebellion in Genesis 3?* Ephesians 2:1:

1. Trespass

2. Sin

 

Definition of *Trespass* 

*paráptōma* (from parapíptō) – properly, fall away after being close-beside, i.e. a lapse (deviation) from the truth; an error, "slip up"; wrong doing that can be (relatively) unconscious, “non-deliberate."

 

Definition of *Sin*

*hamartía* ("sin, forfeiture because missing the mark") – is the brand of sin that emphasises its self-originated (self-empowered) nature.

 

*The further you are separate from God, the closer the tendency to sin.*

 

Hence, whilst the Cross dealt with the sin-issue; being made alive in Christ Jesus, and dying to self deal with the trespass-issue.

 

It suffices to note that Satan is content with the idea that man recognises the fact that the sin-issue (which is primarily self-originated) was dealt with on the Cross, but the trespass-issue remains, ultimately preventing man from walking in total dominion on earth.

 

*The secret to dominion on earth is oneness with Christ Jesus*

*Seek. Find, Abide*: Father, I thank you for the exceeding riches of Your grace towards me and my family in Christ Jesus. I receive the grace to abide in you as you unlock the mystery of dominion in me.

 

*Who was in charge after man fell? You or some other forces?* Ephesians 2:2

1. What you thought was your walk was actually you *walking according to the course of this world*…You were living your life based on a programming you were unaware of…advertisement, music, popular culture, literature, movies, news etc.


 

2. According to the spirit called *the prince of the power of the air.* This spirit has access to and wields the power inherent in the air (e.g., every manner of wave that travel through the air) through the Internet, radio waves etc. Just like sound waves, any object in motion, such as an airplane, causes a chain reaction of colliding air molecules to spread outward in all directions at the speed of sound. Keep in mind that it is the waves that travels; the air simply moves back and forth.

 

*God’s 3-fold step to restoring man to the position he fell from:*

 

1. Ephesians 2:5…*made us alive* together with Christ…: Our spirit now is alive unto God

2. Ephesians 2:6…*raised us up* together…: He has not left us in the tomb of sin, under the power of the cosmos

3. Ephesians 2:6…*made us sit together* in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus: invited us to sit in the heavenly parliament.

 

*So what activities take place in the heavenly places (location of spiritual parliament)?*

_The Book of Revelation_

1. Destinies are determined

2. Decrees are decided

3. Matters are ratified

4. Resources are allocated

5. The work of the government is scrutinised

6. Conditions for execution of laws and decrees are shaped.

 

Just as the Opposition, as a group, is organised with the officially recognised function of opposing the Government in Australia, Satan, the accuser of the brethren, according to:

 

*Revelation 12:10* which reads “_Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down_” 

 

has the responsibility and is in charge of coordinating his kingdom to oppose God’s plan and purposes in a believer’s life.

 

*What other entities and systems are in the heavenly places?*

*Ephesians 6:12* - “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the *heavenly places*.”

 

*Ephesians 3:8-10* - “To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; 10 *to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places*.”

 

The knowledge and spiritual understanding of the activities that happen in the heavenly places help us to appreciate the reason we have been invited to participate in the heavenly parliament. 

 

*You have a seat in parliament in the heavenly places*

 

*Prayer Point 2*

In the name of Jesus Christ, every meeting convening to make decisions and decrees contrary to Your plans for my life is dissolved, reversed, annulled today.

 

*Don’t just sit, make powerful rhema declarations!*

Therefore, it is time to recognise and take your seat in the heavenly places and make declarations based on God’s revealed word to you. I want to charge every man on this platform to be conscious of his position in the heavenly parliament - a place where decisions are made, destinies are determined, conditions are fashioned, and seasons are ordered.

 

Jesus Christ is the head of the Church, and has invited you man, the head of your family to have a seat in the parliament. Your responsibility is to intercede and make divine declarations on the behalf of your family. Understand and always remind yourself that you are a spirit and the words you speak are spirit and they are life.

 

Your intentional action (*daily dying to self*) and declarations based on the rhema word of God activate spirits to go into action on your behalf.

 

*Revelation 12:11* - “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”

 

*The secret to overcoming is recognising the power in the blood, making declarations based on God’s revealed word, dying to self and living a life in the spirit in Christ Jesus.*

 

*Prayer Point 3*

Father, I recognise my position and my seat in the heavenly places. [_Gentlemen pray in the spirit and make powerful declarations in your understanding concerning your life, family, work, business, ministry, health, finances etc. based upon the rhema of God’s word given to you prior_].