Counterfeit Authenticity

Ephesians 1:21–23 (NASB 95)

21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Examine / Explain

Paul recognizes Christ’s divinity at the end of his prayer for the believers in Ephesus. In verse 20, Jesus has all rule, authority, power, and dominion from the heavenly places. His name is a name for all eternity to display the perfect rule of heaven and earth. Everything, natural and supernatural, and His body of believers, has been placed under His subjection. He is the completeness and fullness of every believer.

How do I apply this to my life?

My mind instantly thinks of the counterfeiters of life. Satan takes everything that is around us, turns it into a counterfeit, and offers it to us. So that we look to be complete and fulfilled with a counterfeit savior, we get offered something less that looks like it is good and of God, but it will never measure up to the authenticity of the real thing. Jesus! Then, we begin to operate out of a false narrative of life and chase the wrong thing to ease life’s pain. As humans, we are always looking for the path of least resistance and the least painful way. We crave comfort at the expense of truth. We settle for temporary pain relief in sex, drugs, and rock and roll instead of working through the discomfort. A good example for me right now is my back. I strained it to the point it took me out for over a week because I overworked it. I was determined to get things done for the approval of others. I wanted my yard to look nice for friends, family, and strangers. It cost me. The chiropractor has been working me over this week. I had to work through the pain of adjustments and stretches to become well. The time, talent, and treasure sacrificed to be my better version seems expensive. But at the same time, what opportunity has been presented? Can I have a good attitude about my pain and keep my joy? Can I share the hope and joy that keeps me going even when the pain is great? My attitude fluctuated, but I believe my overall disposition was good. Make the best of it with the conversation of staff members. Attempting to have a spiritual conversation with the chiropractor. But, mission out on groups because it is so hard to get around. I wonder about the purpose of it. Not that God caused my back to go out, but what if there was an agenda to share the light of Christ with people amid the storm of life? He could definitely allow it. Or just that fact, life is life, and there are constant opportunities to share the good news of Christ, but our own pain keeps us paralyzed. Work through the pain. Keep your joy and hope even if the storm is raging.

What is my response?

Father, I know I am seen. I know I am loved. I know I fail and miss opportunities. Can I overcome my fears and the pain that I expect in rejection to share who You are? It’s crazy that we can become paralyzed with fear over something that might happen. My “may” get shut down for sharing the gospel, so we don’t. But during the shutdown, are we actually getting rejected? No! They are rejecting Jesus, not me. In our fragility, do we take it personally? Yes! The human mind can be the greatest or worst weapon ever! We can lie to ourselves, keep ourselves sidelined, combat the lies plaguing our thoughts, and pursue righteousness unwaveringly. Lord, how do I become constant in squashing the lies and thoughts that are detrimental to living my faith in You? Bravery? Boldness? Meekness? Your loving kindness? Self-preservation will trump all of these in a split second! I must lay my pride down on the altar daily! I must seek the authenticity of believing in the savior of the world. I must seek the authenticity of believing in MY savior. Amen!