Ephesians 2:6
“and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus”.
When we accept Christ, an amazing transformation takes place. We are born again. It's as real as a baby naturally born in a delivery room. Oddly enough we may feel nothing at the time. But we were born again. Ezekiel 36:26 says it this way, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh."
We also have jumped kingdoms. Ephesians 5:8 says, "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light," We used to walk in darkness doing evil things. Colossians 3:6,7 says,"For it is because of these things that the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them."
There are two kingdoms present which share the same space. There is God and His angels and the devil and his demons. We know this by faith and sometimes can sense them. The unbeliever is oblivious to all of this and think it's foolishness.
Today's passage says that we are seated in heavenly places in Christ. Because Christ is there and we are in Him, in a sense we are in heaven. It isn't fulfilled in its completeness.
In another sense the kingdom of God is in us. That's true because God is in us and as we obey Him we are a subject of the kingdom. Jesus said in the Lord's Prayer, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." As we walk in Him, we are walking in His kingdom. As we spread His love and share the gospel we are advancing His kingdom.
It's like putting on night vision goggles. Without them we see nothing, with them we see much more. The kingdoms brush up against each other. The members of those kingdoms are waring against the opposing kingdoms for the souls of people. The demons implant thoughts and temptations in peoples minds. The angels and the Holy Spirit seek to enlighten and rescue us.
The bible speaks much of spiritual warfare. Two passages in 2 Corinthians speak of it. Chapter 10, verse 4 says, "The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds." Then in chapter 2, verse 11 it says, "in order that Satan should not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes."
Here are some comments on the battle. Our eyes see things that can tempt us. We don't give a second look. Thoughts can enter our minds that discourage us. We take them captive and dispel them. On the positive end, we believe God is present and working even though we don't feel it. We dispel evil and feed faith. We love others even though they oppose us. In doing so we are spreading the kingdom.
The rules of His kingdom are those of love. He envelopes us in His love and grace. The love reaches us at our core and we respond and become real. He fills us with it and we give it to others. "It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things", (I Corinthians 13:7). The law of love wins.
God, thank You that You've saved us and put us in Your kingdom. Your love has changed us as it's the way of Your kingdom. You've taught us the warfare and ways of Your kingdom. We've been seated there positionally and with be there completely one day. Thank You.