Spiritual Blessings
Gordon Crook, PastorGrace Assembly, Wichita, Kansas
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:” Ephesians 1:3
There are five main points in this passage that I want to touch on.
Hath – already done - provisional
All God’s blessings are available
Blessings are spiritual
Blessings are heavenly
Blessings are in Christ
“Hath blessed” Past tense. Paul reminds us that God has already blessed us. Verse 4 clues us in on this point: “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world.” Before we ever existed, God had already chosen to provide salvation for us. While it is true that there are many blessings that God gives, His gift of salvation is the most important as it brings us into His family.
We sometimes seem to be waiting for the blessing that we think is coming if we just have enough faith or just do the right thing, or just live “right.” However, God has already blessed us. He had this provision prepared before the foundation of the world, in His Son Jesus.
In Galatians 3:8, we read; “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.” This was God’s plan from the beginning.
All of God’s blessings are available to His children. This is the most amazing thing. “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32.
So often, we are made to believe that God is doling out blessings very sparingly, and only to some that act a certain way, or know some secret code. For all of those that are God’s children, ALL spiritual blessings are available. We must lay hold of them, and we must be willing to allow God to show us His blessings. God always works in abundance.
The blessings are spiritual. That is, the blessing that really matter. Again, we tend to be concentrated on the natural blessings, money, jobs, fame, etc, but all of those things are passing. God always has our best interest at heart, and He knows that what we really need are the spiritual blessings.
“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18. It behooves us to pay attention, and appreciate the spiritual blessings and reduce our concentration on the natural blessings. I am thankful for both, but most amazed at the spiritual blessings that God chooses to bestow on us.
The most interesting part is that this blessing that is already ours, has eternal endurance. Everything that we might get from this world, will not last long, so if you are waiting for worldly blessings, maybe consider the value of the spiritual blessings you already have.
The blessings are heavenly. This is especially important to understand. You see, heaven is our eternal abode. It is there that we will spend eternity with our Lord. It might be hard to comprehend, but eternity is significantly longer than our earthly time. Remember those natural blessings? They are earthly and will pass away with this earth. We leave all of those behind when we go.
“And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:” Ephesians 2:6. We have been provisionally set in heavenly places. We, as God’s children, need to understand and lay hold of this truth. Our interests need to be heavenly.
What we will have on the other side (heaven) is the spiritual blessings in heavenly places. We will be glad there that we laid hold here of the heavenly blessings.
All of these blessings are in Christ Jesus. We never have and never will merit or deserve any of God’s blessings. They have been provided because of Jesus. “That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:” Ephesians 1:10. “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:” 1 Corinthians 1:30. “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us” 2 Corinthians 1:20.
I encourage you to understand and lay hold of God’s blessings today. Get into your Bible and learn what God has for you, and be prepared to yield to the work of the Holy Spirit who will make these spiritual blessings real in your life. Eternity may be closer than you think. There is no time to waste.
