Ephesians 1:20-21 (JDV)

Ephesians 1:20 He achieved this in Christ by raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the sky realms –

Ephesians 1:21 far above every priority¹ and authority, power and dominion, and every name named, not only in this age² but also in the one to come.

the right to restorePaul anchors the entire Christian hope in a single, immovable reality: the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Everything that awaits believers—every promise, every blessing, every glimpse of glory—flows from the fact that Christ has already been raised from the dead. His resurrection is not only His victory; it is the guarantee of the future that God has prepared for His people. When Paul speaks of the “glorious inheritance” in Ephesians 1:18, he is pointing to the destiny believers share with the risen Christ. What belongs to Him by right will belong to them by grace. Because He now lives in permanent, indestructible life, that same life will one day be theirs.

Paul goes even further. The very invitation to salvation is grounded in Christ’s resurrection and exaltation. Jesus does not call people to Himself from a position of weakness or uncertainty. He calls them as the One who has been raised above every ruler, every authority, every power, and every name that can be named. His resurrection enthronement is not merely a theological detail; it is the foundation of His saving authority. The One who summons people to faith is the same One who reigns over the entire created order.

This truth shapes the way believers pray for the salvation of others. Intercession is not an attempt to persuade a reluctant God or to overcome spiritual forces that might resist Him. It is an appeal to the risen and exalted Christ, whose authority is absolute. When praying for someone’s salvation, the confidence does not rest in human persuasion or favorable circumstances. It rests in the supremacy of Christ. He stands above every earthly hierarchy and every spiritual power. No influence—social, cultural, emotional, or demonic—outranks Him. He is, as the metaphor suggests, “her boss’s boss’s boss’s boss.” His claim on a human life is higher than any competing claim.

This does not mean that Christ forces faith upon anyone, but it does mean that no power can prevent Him from drawing, convicting, or reclaiming. His resurrection authority ensures that the gospel is never spoken into a vacuum. It is proclaimed under the rule of the One who has conquered death and now governs all things for the sake of His redeeming work.

Because Christ has been raised, the future of those who belong to Him is secure. Because He reigns, the prayers offered for the lost are grounded in unshakable hope. The risen Lord has both the right and the power to redeem, and He delights to exercise that authority in saving grace.

Lord, we present to you the unsaved of our streets, the lost in our families. You have a right to restore them to the Father’s care.