There is a difference between the meaning of ascension and the meaning of death and resurrection. Death and resurrection are for redemption, while ascension is for warfare; it is to execute what death and resurrection have accomplished. Ascension makes it possible to manifest the new position. Thank the Lord that Ephesians 2:6 tells us that God has “raised us up together with Him and seated us together with Him in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus.” Brothers and sisters, have we seen what God has done for us? In chapter one Christ ascended to be far above all rule and authority and power and lordship and every name that is named not only in this age but also in that which is to come. In chapter two we are seated with Him in the heavenlies. This means that the church also has transcended far above all rule and authority and power and lordship and every name that is named not only in this age but also in that which is to come. Thank God that this is a fact. Just as Christ transcended over all things, the church has also transcended over all things. Just as the Lord transcended over all spiritual enemies, the church has also transcended over all spiritual enemies. Just as all spiritual enemies have been overcome by the ascension of the Lord, the church has also overcome them by being joined to Christ in His ascension. Hence, all the spiritual enemies are under the feet of the church.

We have to pay attention to Ephesians 1, 2, and 6. Chapter one shows us the position of Christ. Chapter two shows us the church’s position in Christ. Chapter six shows us what the church should do after it has acquired its position in Christ. Chapter one is on Christ in the heavenlies. Chapter two is on the church being in the heavenlies together with Christ. Chapter six is on spiritual warfare. God has made the church sit together with Christ in the heavenlies. But the church does not sit there forever; God also causes it to stand. Hence, chapter two mentions sitting, while chapter six mentions standing; we stand in our position in the heavenlies. “For our wrestling is...against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenlies....and having done all, to stand” (Eph. 6:12-13). Our warfare is against the demons. Hence, it is a spiritual warfare.

Ephesians 6:18-19 says, “By means of all prayer and petition, praying at every time in spirit and watching unto this in all perseverance and petition concerning all the saints, and for me.” This is a prayer concerning spiritual warfare. This kind of prayer is different from ordinary prayer. Ordinary prayer is directed from earth to heaven. But the prayer here is not from earth to heaven; it begins from a heavenly position and goes from heaven to earth. A prayer with authority has heaven as its starting point and the earth as its destination. In other words, a prayer with authority is prayed from heaven to earth. Everyone who knows how to pray knows what it is to pray upward and what it is to pray downward. If a man has never learned the prayer that prays downward, he has never learned to pray with authority. In the spiritual warfare, the kind of prayer that prays downward is very important. What is a prayer that prays downward? It is to stand in the position that Christ has given us in the heavenlies, to command Satan with authority and reject all his works, and to proclaim with authority that all God’s commands should be accomplished. If we pray for a realization of God’s will and a decision concerning it, we should not say, “God, I ask You to accomplish this.” Rather, we should say, “God, You have to do this. You have to accomplish this. No matter what happens, You must fulfill this work.” This is a commanding prayer, a prayer with authority.

The meaning of the word amen is not “so be it” or “may it be so,” but “it will be so” and “it will surely come to pass.” When you pray and I say amen, I am saying that things will turn out according to the way you pray. Events must transpire this way, and your prayer will be answered. This is a commanding prayer, a prayer of command that issues from faith. We can say this because we have a heavenly standing. We were brought to our heavenly standing when Christ ascended to the heavenlies. As soon as Christ ascended to the heavenlies, we were there also. This is like saying that as soon as Christ died and resurrected, we died and resurrected. Brothers and sisters, we must see the heavenly position of the church. Satan begins his work by trying to take away our position in the heavenlies. The heavenly position is a position of victory. As long as we stand in that position, we have victory. If Satan succeeds in dragging us down from the heavenlies, we will be defeated. Victory is standing continuously in the heavenly position of victory. Satan will tell us that we are on earth. If we agree with him that we are on earth, we will be defeated. Satan will try to frustrate us by our defeat and make us think that we are indeed on earth. But if we stand up and declare, “Christ is in the heavenlies, and we are also in the heavenlies,” and hold on to our position in the heavenlies, we will overcome. Hence, it is a big thing to stand in the right position.
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