Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. (Eph.1:3-6)

The apostle Paul began his letter to the believers in Ephesus by immediately praising God for the things he has done for every believer.  He says first that, as a follower of Jesus, you have been blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.  As you read through Paul’s letter you will find the phrase “in Christ” in numerous verses.  Paul always reminds us that what we have is found only in our relationship with Christ. He quickly points out that because we are in Christ we have numerous spiritual blessings that rest in heavenly realms.  Paul isn’t saying that one day when we get to heaven we will receive these blessings that have been waiting for us there.  Although we will have blessing stored up and waiting for us, many of those blessings are available to us now.

The fact that these blessings are in heavenly realms doesn’t mean they are out of reach because the Kingdom of Heaven is within your reach (See Mt.3:2).  You are a citizen of heaven now (Phil.3:20).  The emphasis on the heavenly is that you have blessings and promises that no man can take away.  Not only that, the nature of your blessings are eternal – there is no expiration date like an old gift card or coupon. Your heavenly blessings are good whenever you need them.

Think of these spiritual blessings as heavenly resources that are accessible to you through faith in Jesus.  Of course, eternal life is huge but then so is the very presence of God living in you by his Spirit. The Spirit himself is willing to deposit in you power, health, wisdom, peace, joy, love, encouragement, intimacy with the Father, revelation, truth, and all kinds of amazing spiritual gifts such as mercy, leadership, administration, creativity, prophecy, tongues (your language for the spirit realm), knowledge, healings, and more.  Each of these blessings is available to you through faith and desire.  These spiritual treasures are for you now not just for after the funeral.  Because they are spiritual in nature they surpass all gifts and blessings available in the natural realm and you have access to the spiritual realm because you are spiritual.

Paul is also quick to point out that you were chosen.  If you ever participated in team sports you understand the power of being chosen.  You were chosen because the coach or the team captain saw value in you. He saw potential and greatness in you or you would not have been chosen.  He also saw desire and he knew that your desire to be on the team and to play well would drive you to do more and be more. God saw something in you and you were chosen. Not only were you chosen but you stepped up and accepted the invitation. The text goes on to say that you were chosen to be “holy and blameless in his sight.”  In many ways this is a mystery.  But Paul also tells us that “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God”(2 Cor.5:21).

Many of us feel our weakness and our tendency to sin.  We feel unworthy of the blessings of God.  By faith you must accept that God, in his foreknowledge, saw something in you that prompted him to choose you, make you righteous and wholly acceptable by the blood of his Son, give you standing in heaven and make the blessings of his kingdom available to you on earth.  When you feel unworthy, you are feeling your flesh but God relates to you through your spirit.  You see yourself through your flesh but God sees you through your spirit and your spirit loves the things of God even when you are unaware of it (see Rom.7:21-22).  In his sight you are holy and blameless.

That doesn’t mean we can live anyway we choose. We are also told, “because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Heb.10:14).  By the sacrifice of Jesus you have been given the standing in heaven of being perfect (sinless, righteous, pure) while he is making you holy.  God is committed to making you like Jesus.  He wants you to not only have a position of holiness but a condition of holiness as well. However, while he is doing that you can still come before him as a perfect son or daughter of God expecting his help and access to your spiritual blessings in time of need. (See Heb.4:16).

Paul then goes on to tell you that you were predestined before the foundation of the world to be adopted.  What in the world does that mean?  We’ll talk about that in the next blog. But in the meantime remember who you are in Christ. Think about it.  Chew on it. Start to speak it by faith and be blessed.