Identity #Ten: Life Changing Access To Special Place

For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
Ephesians 2:18 (Paul)

Earth Bound Access

In my life time, I learned that having access is a very empowering thing. Some of you who are geekish can find access, via your computer or technological skills, to accomplish things that could only have been imagined just a few years ago.  When I served on a commanders battle staff in Special Operations, as a Wing Chaplain, those of us with rank, skills and position, were allowed into this highly secretive place to view world conditions. I have to tell you some really life changing decisions were made in that place where only a few of us had any access at all. As a deputy Command Chaplain, just one decision I would make, in ARPC's Command Chaplain section, changed over three hundred lives in one day... not to mention their families. Access to that position in that place became important to me, and others as well. Only a few had access.

Only One May Enter

Under the Old Covenant, which was a shadow of the eternal one to come, a system of sacrifices had been set up for the High Priest to prepare himself to be the only one who could enter into the holiest of holy place in the tabernacle, if he did not prepare himself, he could die entering into the presence of God in that place. And he was the only one allowed to do so each year. Entering in to God's presence was a sacred and even scary situation. No one, and I mean absolutely NO ONE, could do the job of the high priest. No one was allowed to enter into the presence of God except for this one set apart human being. He went there on "The Day of Atonement to atone for everyone of God's people's sins. 

Jesus Opened The Door To All Who Will Come

On THE day when Jesus atoned for everybody's sins... or the sins of the whole world, once and for all, and when his body was torn apart and he bled out on the cross, something really powerfully strange happened: The gigantic curtain, that kept everyone out of the holiest place, as big and thick and strong as it was, was torn in two, from the top to the bottom. He died and the curtain was torn apart by the very hand of God! The writer of Hebrews makes it clear that now, all who turn from their sins to the Great High Priest, Jesus, by faith, have gained precisely the miraculous thing that had never been done before. You and I now had, and we still have, access to the holiest place where we can actually hold a prayerful conversation with the Almighty Himself.  We have it through Jesus, and we have it by the power of The Holy Spirit. This is one main reason we Christ-Followers pray our prayers "In Jesus name."

In other words, Jesus is indeed, "The Way" to our Heavenly Father, by the Holy Spirit. And he is THE Truth and the very giver of life. Absolutely NO ONE can go to the Father except through him. But any who would come to Jesus - and through Jesus - can freely go into the Father's place. The invitation is yours and mine today. Come on in!  For we are identified as the people of God who have access to God. With this access, we can pray prayers that change lives, and that can change the whole world! Receive your access gladly. Don't take this identity lightly. Present your family, friends, associates and neighbors, anyone who request prayers of you, and anyone the Holy Spirit leads you to pray for,  to the Almighty God. Do this because it's who you are; therefore, fulfill your destiny, and don't "just" pray, but be who God has called you to be!

SoJourner