A Personal Letter

There are many Scripture passages which emphasise the supreme exaltation of Jesus Christ.

“He [God] raised Him [Jesus] from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” (Eph. 1:20-23)

“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name.” (Phil. 2:9)

When He had by Himself purged our sins, [He] sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.” (Heb. 1:3-4)

Peter says of Christ after His resurrection:

“...who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.” (1 Pet. 3:22)

Through these and other scriptures every believer understands by faith that Jesus Christ is not merely risen from the dead; He is also ascended and glorified at the Father’s right hand. However, the believer who receives the baptism in the Holy Spirit receives with it a new kind of direct, personal evidence and assurance of Christ’s exaltation in power and glory at the Father’s throne.

Often when a loved one leaves us on a journey to some new destination, we urge him, “Be sure to send us a letter to let us know you have arrived safely.” When the letter arrives in the loved one’s own handwriting, postmarked with the name of the city of destination, we know with full assurance that he is in the very place he told us he would be.

So it is with the baptism in the Holy Spirit. For the disciples on the day of Pentecost – and for every individual believer who receives the same experience – it is like a personal letter from Christ. The postmark on the letter is “Glory,” and the message reads: “I am here, just as I said, at the seat of all authority and power.”