The early Christians believed that when Jesus ascended into heaven he had been installed and exalted as King, reigning as Lord of all. Today, it's more tempting to view Christ's kingship as only symbolic—as we treat contemporary British monarchs. With sin and suffering, pain and brokenness, evil and injustice all around, how dare we proclaim that Jesus is reigning now? So we push his kingship off into the future when he returns.

In The Unseen Real: Life in the Light of the Ascension of Jesus, Dr. Stephen Seamands explores the ascension of Christ, not as it relates to the past or the future but to the here and now.

The ascension means that Jesus is King and humanity is exalted. He is always personally present with us and gives us power to rule over our enemies. We have been called to join Him in his on-going ministry of intercession and in his mission to the world.

The ascended Christ invites you to an ascension-shaped life. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne (Rev 3:21). This book can help you discover what that means.