**Daily Devotional** **September 15** *8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) - Eph 4:8-10 (KJV)* This is talking about Jesus, and it shows us that Jesus, when He died, went into the lower part of the earth to the place called Paradise, or Abraham’s bosom, and he took all the Old Testament saints that were in there, and led them into heaven. In the Old Testament days, those that believed in God, and that God counted their faith as being righteousness, were not able to go to heaven, but were sent to Paradise (Luke 23:43) to wait for their redemption by the sacrifice of Jesus. The gifts that Jesus gave to man, were the gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers (Ephesians 4:11). Before Jesus ascended into heaven after His resurrection, He first took the Old Testaments saints to heaven out of Paradise during the 3 days and nights He was physically dead (Luke 24:6-7), then He came and was resurrected from the grave. Because Jesus fulfilled all things that the Father sent Him to do, Jesus was given all power and authority in heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18). Now He is sharing that power with us who are born again, as we are one with him, and His Spirit lives inside us (Galatians 4:6). All those that are born again, make up the body of Christ, the church, and we have been given this same power that Jesus has, so that we can do the works that He did, and commanded us to do (John 14:12). Thank you Lord for sharing such power with us who believe in you. Devotional by Pastor Joe W. Green, www.infinite-faith.com