And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. – Ephesians 2:6 NIV
As a result of Jesus? work on the cross, and our acceptance of Jesus as our lord and savior, we are no longer slaves to sin. We have been adopted by God the Father, as heirs to heaven, and we are now seated in the heavenly realms with Christ Jesus, as members of the household of God.?
Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. – Ephesians 2:19?
It is important to understand what it truly means to be a member of God?s household. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines household as those who dwell under the same roof and compose a family. God is now our Father and we live with Him as a family in the heavenly realm.
Allow me to offer an analogy. When I was senior in high school I lived with my parents – no surprise there. I would wake up for school, take a shower, get dressed and run downstairs for breakfast. I?d often grab juice from the refrigerator, cereal from the pantry, and if it was a special day, my mom might be making bacon and eggs. As a growing teenager, I?d pretty much eat everything in sight. I?d then hop into my car and drive to school. But, and this may also come as no surprise, I didn?t pay for anything! My mom kept the kitchen fully stocked with food, and she paid for all the bathroom products that allowed me to take a morning shower. The clothes I put on were also paid for by my parents. And the car I drove was a gift when I got my license. I had access to all these great things, simply by being a member of my father and mother?s household. I had full access to the resources of the household.?
When I grew up we lived in a modest middle class neighborhood, and while we enjoyed comfort, we weren?t super rich – not by any stretch. While I had access to the wealth and resources of my parents household, my access was limited to what was available in the household. We didn?t have fancy cars, caviar and designer clothes. But this is where our relationship to God, as members of HIS household, differs greatly from our experiences with our earthly families. God?s household is without limit. All that is good and wonderful and everything you can dream up or desire exists in heaven. Just like how I could walk into my parents kitchen, open the refrigerator and pour myself a glass of juice, we can do the same as members of God?s household. We simply need to reframe our thinking about what it is that we actually have access to, and position ourselves to seek it.?
Accessing the things of heaven is something we can freely do as the sons and daughters of God, and members of His household. God is not a far off thing and heaven is not a future reality. Bill Johnson, of Bethel Church in Redding, CA writes ?The belief that Heaven is entirely a future reality has reduced far too many of God?s declarations in Scripture about the believer?s identity and calling to ?positional? truths that are acknowledged but never experienced.??
Heaven is not a future reality. Heaven is a now reality. We have access to all of heaven today. We simply need to reach for it. When we do, we can see heaven manifest here on earth, in all aspects of our lives, including our businesses!?
Pray this prayer with me:?
Father God, show me what it truly means to be a member of your household. Show me what it means to have access to all of heaven. I ask that you would make heaven real to my life today, and give me the faith to reach for things unseen and usher in breakthrough and heavenly resources into my life today. Amen
Heaven is not a future reality. Heaven is a now reality. We have access to all of heaven today.