Can Christ rise up in us? The idea that Christ will rise within us, quite literally transforming us and renewing us both individually and as the Body of Christ, is a wonderful thought and can be a comfort in its own way. I want to allow Him full access of my mind, my heart and my life so there will be less of me and more of Him. Let's invite Him, as we come out of our prayer closets around the world, to rise up in us all.
Can Christ Ascend in Us?
As Christians, we all walk in the blessed hope of the promise of Christ's literal return. The disciples were told as Christ ascended into Heaven, that He would return in the "same manner" in which He left. This could be in reference to the fact that He went up into the clouds, and so He will return in the clouds. However this "same way" could also refer to the fact that Christ will ascend or rise up in the Body of Christ. I believe that this scripture will be fulfilled both ways. Christ will return in the clouds and He also will ascend in us (the Body of Christ).
Acts 1:9 And when He had said this, even as they were looking [at Him], He was caught up, and a cloud received and carried Him away out of their sight.
1:10 And while they were gazing intently into Heaven as He went, behold, two men [dressed] in white robes suddenly stood beside them,
1:11 Who said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing into Heaven? This same Jesus, Who was caught away and lifted up from among you into Heaven, will return in [just] the same way in which you saw Him go into Heaven. (Amp)
There will, in fact, be another ascension when Christ returns. That will be the ascension of His "Body," His "Bride," His Church. Christ will appear in the clouds, in all of His Glory and Majesty. At that time, His saints will ascend to Him by the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit who dwells within them. So in essence, Christ will return in the clouds, ascending.
I believe that everything that is done by the Lord in the physical has a spiritual parallel. Therefore, what occurred or is to occur literally should also occur daily in a spiritual sense. Every situation in God's Word can be spiritually applied to our lives. For that reason, I propose that we consider the possibility that in a spiritual sense, Christ "ascends" within us on a continual basis, via His Holy Spirit and by the sacrament of Holy Communion.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus was telling us to take Him in, eat Him. He did this in one of His teachings before the last supper AND He did this at the Last Supper as well. Take this bread, it is My body, take this wine, it is My blood. He urged us to absorb Him, eat Him, and consume Him. In this way, another sort of ascension of Christ takes place within us. He returns just like He left, ascending, up through each of us from our stomach to our heart and then to our minds. This is accomplished because His Holy Spirit dwells within us.
Hopefully, you have experienced Christ actually rising up in you, talking through you, living through you, by way of His Holy Spirit. This mystery of taking in the bread and wine as Christ's body and blood is not a message we intellectually grasp. This is Christ Himself, rising up in us and using our willing vessels to spread His love, healing, mercy and peace.
The Bible is the living word. The cross is our eternal salvation but we need salvation NOW, as well. So often this world presents a picture of futility and despair (because look who's running it--Satan). We must become Christ's body, Christ's heart, Christ's mind and let Him "ascend" in us. Let Him up through us, out into the world as our eyes are opened even wider and Christ spills out through us blanketing the world with His peace and love and healing. What a wonderful thought!
Even if you think I'm stretching the meaning of what I'm reading in the Bible, the idea of allowing Christ to permeate us so much that we, quite literally, are seeing, hearing, living and breathing our Lord and Savior, is appealing. It is inspiring to think of calling on Him at all times so that we do not slip into our own ways but rely only on His Way, Truth and Life.
Specific verses follow in which Jesus explained "taking Him in" with additional verses telling us how He will ascend in us which the two angels made clear after He ascended:
John 6:48 I am the Bread of Life [that gives life--the Living Bread].
6:49 Your forefathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and [yet] they died.
6:50 [But] this is the Bread that comes down from Heaven, so that [any]one may eat of it and never die.
6:51 I [Myself] am this Living Bread that came down from Heaven. If anyone eats of this Bread, he will live forever; and also the Bread that I shall give for the life of the world is My flesh (body).
6:52 Then the Jews angrily contended with one another, saying, How is He able to give us His flesh to eat?
6:53 And Jesus said to them, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, you cannot have any life in you unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood [unless you appropriate His life and the saving merit of His blood].
6:54 He who feeds on My flesh and drinks My blood has (possesses now) eternal life, and I will raise him up [from the dead] on the last day.
6:55 For My flesh is true and genuine food, and My blood is true and genuine drink.
6:56 He who feeds on My flesh and drinks My blood dwells continually in Me, and I [in like manner dwell continually] in him.
6:57 Just as the living Father sent Me and I live by (through, because of) the Father, even so whoever continues to feed on Me [whoever takes Me for his food and is nourished by Me] shall [in his turn] live through and because of Me.
6:58 This is the Bread that came down from Heaven. It is not like the manna which our forefathers ate, and yet died; he who takes this Bread for his food shall live forever. (Amp)
Matt 26:26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread and, praising God, gave thanks and asked Him to bless it to their use, and when He had broken it, He gave it to the disciples and said, Take, eat; this is My body.
26:27 And He took a cup, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, Drink of it, all of you;
26:28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which [ratifies the agreement and] is being poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. [Exodus 24:6-8] (Amp)
Acts1:6 So when they were assembled, they asked Him, Lord, is this the time when You will reestablish the kingdom and restore it to Israel?
1:7 He said to them, It is not for you to become acquainted with and know what time brings [the things and events of time and their definite periods] or fixed years and seasons (their critical niche in time), which the Father has appointed (fixed and reserved) by His own choice and authority and personal power.
Acts1:8 But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth.
1:9 And when He had said this, even as they were looking [at Him], He was caught up, and a cloud received and carried Him away out of their sight.
1:10 And while they were gazing intently into Heaven as He went, behold, two men [dressed] in white robes suddenly stood beside them,
1:11 Who said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing into Heaven? This same Jesus, Who was caught away and lifted up from among you into Heaven, will return in [just] the same way in which you saw Him go into Heaven. (Amp)
Let us do more than just wait for that day when our Lord returns in the clouds in His glory, and we, His body, rise or ascend to meet Him in the air. Let us choose to partake of His body and His blood, in remembrance of Him. Let us allow His Holy Spirit to ascend within us, daily, that we may do His will, love one-another and be willing bodies that He can use every day, until He comes.
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