The expression "in the heavenlies" appears five times in Ephesians and is not found at any other point in the New Testament. The two appearances which have provoked the most debate are the session of earthly believers in 2:6 and the presence of the spiritual forces of evil in 6:12. M. Jeff Brannon conducts a lexical, exegetical, and conceptual analysis of the expression arguing against the prevailing interpretation of the term and provides in-depth examinations of three significant concepts associated with it; namely the redeemed on earth having a heavenly status, evil powers in heaven, and the cosmology of Ephesians. Brannon uses a wide range of souces; Greek, Jewish, the Apostolic Fathers, and the Septuagint. Brannon concludes that there is no basis for a distinction between the terms 'heavens' and 'in the heavenlies' in Ephesians . He also asserts that Qumran and apocalyptic texts can shed light upon and assist in a proper understanding of the difficult passages in which the expression appears.

Get ready for life after death. Combining three books that together have sold nearly 1 million copies, Heaven and the Afterlife gives you Erwin Lutzer’s best reflections on eternity and what it means for you today. The trilogyincludes: One Minute After You Die. A simple and moving explanation of what the Bible teaches about death, this book makes you consider a sobering truth: one minute after you die, your life will not be over. Rather, it will be just beginning—in a place of unimaginable bliss or indescribable gloom. Are you ready for that moment? How You Can Be Sure You Will Spend Eternity with Godsummarizes the Bible’s teaching on salvation, answering questions like, “What role do I play in my own salvation? Can I lose my salvation if I commit a serious sin? What if I doubt that I’m saved?” Your Eternal Reward. This book explores the often-overlooked Scriptures about reward and judgment for Christians, answering questions like, “How will believers be judged? Do rewards for faithfulness vary? If heaven is perfect, why do rewards even matter?” Together these books will help you live faithfully today, readying you for that final hour when you meet your Maker.

As Christians find themselves trapped in the rhetoric of platform, influence, retweets, and fame, they need a ladder out of the fray. Many of us live in a prison of self-absorption. Shackled with pride and despair, we compare ourselves to others constantly in our frantic, unending pursuit of perfection. Seated with Christ gets to the root of this behavior and charts a path to freedom. Scripture says that God’s beloved are seated with Christ in the heavens (Eph. 2:6), treasured by Him and given a place at His table. Heather Holleman unveils what this means for us. It means we walk out on the fight for acceptance. We quit measuring ourselves to others.We leap free from cycles of shame. Securely-seated people can ask themselves hard questions about their lives; they can deal with sin, grieve their losses, and move forward in hope. From a position of security and self-forgetfulness they can joyfully do the good works prepared for them uniquely. They can even celebrate the successes of others. Seated with Christ is a deeply personal, liberating look at a glorious truth: that we have a place at God's eternal table.

An inspiring look at Ephesians and the believer's asociation with Christ, the world, and Satan. Written by the saintly Chinese pastor, Watchman Nee.

Engage Healing and Freedom from the Inside Out! Allow your heart to be encouraged and stirred towards a renewed life for good! While so many struggle with spiritual transformation, their health and wholeness is also deteriorating. Founded upon Scriptural insights, this message of healing and freedom will deliver power packed precepts that will revolutionize how you see your life and equip you to take back your freedom. Clearly see the connections between your spirit, soul and body, and how they affect your everyday health and peace. Find out what can often keep people sick and tormented. Enter into a true encounter of love that will heal the heart and set the stage for transformation. Answer, "Where do our thoughts come from?" Receive answers to the age old question, "Why do I do the things I do not want to do?" Understand the invisible realm of battle and how to become victorious. Identify spiritually rooted issues that keep us from walking in health and wholeness. Gain applicable tools to become more free from what is hindering you. Become equipped to have more fruitful relationships. Learn how to develop an overcoming heart that refuses to quit and war effectively for God!

100% Success in Prayer Have you ever been discouraged by unanswered prayers? This is far from what God intends for His people! Kevin Zadai offers you the key to seeing your prayers answered: accessing your dual citizenship in heaven and earth! According to Scripture, we inhabit both the natural and heavenly realms at once. The secret to answered prayers is listening to the words spoken in heaven and releasing them into your life. These are prayers that God always answers! Many believers experience defeat in their prayer lives because they have neglected this supernatural secret. But Praying from the Heavenly Realms invites you into heavenly visitations with Jesus, where answered prayers are expected and supernatural results are the norm! Learn how to: Cultivate spiritual soil that produces breakthrough, miracles and answered prayers. Access supernatural answers from the throne of God. Develop an experiential relationship with Jesus through heavenly visitations. Unlock the mystery of living from the heavenly realm and infuse your prayers with power and authority! Learn to echo the words spoken in heaven, and see your prayers answered like never before!

There is nothing redundant in God’s Word. Men write books and very frequently pad them in order to give quantity as well as quality, but there is nothing like that in the Bible. God’s words are tried—“as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times”—and therefore we may well give our most careful attention to every item and every expression used. What is the outstanding theme of the Epistle to the Ephesians? It opens up the truth of the privileges and responsibilities of the church as the body and bride of Christ. It brings before us our position as believers who have been quickened, raised, and seated in Christ in heavenly places. There are very remarkable similarities between certain Old Testament books and New Testament Epistles. The Epistle to the Romans, for instance, corresponds to the book of Exodus; the letter to the Hebrews is the counterpart of Leviticus; and the Epistle to the Ephesians is the New Testament book of Joshua. In Joshua we have the people of Israel entering the possession of their inheritance. In Ephesians believers are called to enter now by faith into the possession of that inheritance which eventually we shall enjoy in all its fullness. We are far richer than we realize. All things are ours, and yet how little we appropriate! It is said in the prophecy of Obadiah that when the Lord returns and His kingdom is established, the people of Israel shall “possess their possessions.” This is a challenge to us. Do you possess your possessions? Or are your heavenly estates like castles in Spain about which you dream, but never really possess? I trust the Spirit of God may lead us into the present enjoyment of our inheritance in Christ. For our purpose the Epistle may be divided very simply, without breaking it up into many portions that would be difficult to carry in our memories. We shall divide it into two parts, the first three chapters giving us the doctrine, and the last three, the practical outcome; the first division gives us our inheritance, and the last, the behavior that should characterize those who are so richly blessed. Often that is the divine order of Scripture: instruction in the truth first, practice in accordance with the truth afterwards. H.A.I

The NIV is the world's best-selling modern translation, with over 150 million copies in print since its first full publication in 1978. This highly accurate and smooth-reading version of the Bible in modern English has the largest library of printed and electronic support material of any modern translation.

The Knowing the Bible series is a resource designed to help Bible readers better understand and apply God's Word. These 12-week studies lead participants through books of the Bible and are made up of four basic components: (1) reflection questions help readers engage the text at a deeper level; (2) "Gospel Glimpses" highlight the gospel of grace throughout the book; (3) "Whole-Bible Connections" show how any given passage connects to the Bible's overarching story of redemption, culminating in Christ; and (4) "Theological Soundings" identify how historic orthodox doctrines are taught or reinforced throughout Scripture. With contributions from an array of influential pastors and church leaders, these gospel-centered studies will help Christians see and cherish the message of God's grace on every page of the Bible. The letter to the Ephesians is a source of great encouragement, clearly proclaiming the mystery of the gospel and the supremacy of Jesus while applying that theology to practical living. Made alive in Christ, believers have received a bountiful inheritance and lavish blessings from God, fueling us for holy living. In this study, Eric Redmond opens our eyes to Paul's teaching about God's astonishing grace—grace that enables us to walk in love, holiness, and wisdom as we become imitators of Christ.