Ascension Deficit Disorder

I came across a great phrase this week: “Ascension Deficit Disorder”

Ascension Deficit Disorder occurs when you forget that Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father. When Jesus ascended on high, he took captivity captive, and he gave gifts to men.

We often act as though the ascension never happened. If the ascension never happened, then we would be like the Chronicler's generation – a people without a king – a people without the Spirit of God.

Because if the ascension never happened, then the Spirit would never have been poured out. Paul says in Romans 8 that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. I often use that for the declaration of pardon, because that is such a great and comforting statement of our justification. Jesus has done what we could not do.

The ascension of Jesus to the right hand of the Father results in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the church – which means that the resurrection life of Jesus now continues in his servants – who now become children of God, with the life and power of the Son of God now present in you!

That's what 1 Chronicles 18-20 is all about! The message is that when David ascends the throne, then God gives victory to his people.