Ephesians 2:6-7 ‘And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”

DAILY READING; • 2 Corinthians 2:5-3:18; 2 Kings 15-16; Micah 5:2-15

Kefa Sempangi was the pastor of the Redeemed Church of Uganda during Idi Amin’s rule of terror.
On Easter Sunday 1973, Pastor Kefa Sempangi had his first serious brush with death at the hands of Idi Amin’s goons. At this time, Idi Amin had banned many Christian denominations and it had virtually become a crime to be a Christian.
But Easter Sunday of 1973 Pastor Sempangi bravely and openly preached on the risen Lord in his town’s football stadium to over 7,000 people. Despite the threat of death, that Easter morning many worshippers gathered at the Redeemed Church to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ. .
After the all-day worship service Pastor Kefa Sempangi went exhausted to the vestry to change clothes.
He did not notice that five of Idi Amin’s Secret Police had followed him to the room. They closed the door behind them and pointed their rifles at the Pastor’s face. “We are going to kill you for disobeying Amin’s orders,” said their leader.
Pastor Kefa was shocked beyond words, but at that moment he heard a voice begin to speak, he was astonished to realize that it was his own voice. He said “My life is dead and hidden in Christ. It is your lives that are in danger; you are dead in your sins. I will pray to God that after you have killed me, He will spare you from eternal destruction.”
The leader took a step towards him and then stopped. In an instant, this man’s face changed. He lowered his gun and motioned to the others to do the same. Then he said “Will you pray for us now?”
Pastor Kefa was very astonished by their response. But he prayed for them and thereafter the leader of the gang promised the pastor that he wouldn’t be harmed. Then as they were leaving, he said to the pastor, “I saw widows and orphans in your congregation,” he said. “I saw them singing and giving praise. Why are they happy when death is so near?”
The pastor replied him, “Because they are loved by God. He has given them life, ..because they died in Him.”

One of the most important revelations we can receive through God’s Word, is the fact that we are now living through Christ. It is no longer us that live but Christ is living His life through us. We are simply an extension of Christ as we live on earth.
We are never alone, Christ is always with us.
After His death on the cross, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. (Mathew 27:51)
The curtain in the temple symbolized the separation between God and man. Because of man’s sins, he was denied access to God’s Presence that abode in the Holy of Holies. Only the high priest and direct descendant of Aaron could walk through the curtain on the Day of Atonement to sprinkle the blood of the atoning sacrifice.
However, through His death, Jesus tore the veil that separated us from God. The tearing of the veil signified restoration of the relationship between God and man,
With the middle wall of partition broken down, God’s Presence now abides with us. We have been accepted into the beloved. And because God is for us, nothing and no one can be against us.
Indeed as Christ rose from the death, so have we been raised to sit with Him in heavenly places far above principalities and powers and every force of darkness.

This understanding of our spiritual change of status through Christ’s resurrection will remove every fear from us. Though we may walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we shall fear no evil for God is with us..
Whatever comes against us comes against the God in us. Whoever touches us touches the apple of His eyes.
What cannot happen to Christ is not permitted to happen to us. In Him we live and move and have our being.(Acts 17:28).
He lives in us, moves on us, and works through us. Our lives have been bound in His life. We have been crucified with Him and our fleshly life died on the cross with Him. And we also arose with Him, now no longer living as human beings but living as divine beings in Christ.

PRAYER
Father, I thank You that through Christ’s death and resurrection, I have received new life and complete victory over every force of wickedness. Thank You Lord for Your Presence that abides with me, even as I walk daily in the full consciousness of my redemption and victory in Jesus’ Name.

QUOTE
When God places His hand upon a man in life, nothing can come against him. This is because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. WORDBITE 222