EPHESIANS 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
Some people think that the term “spiritual blessing” refers to only non-visible and intangible blessings like peace and joy. To them, God’s promise of “every spiritual blessing” excludes the tangible blessings of health, provision, a healthy marriage and so on. They say things like, “Don’t expect God to remove this tumor because our blessings are only spiritual. You’ll be healed when you get to heaven anyway.”
Do you know what the word “spiritual” here means? In the original Greek text, it is pneumatikos, which in this context means having properties and characteristics belonging to the Spirit of God. So if you have the pneumatikos blessing of health, for example, it means that it is of the Spirit of God, and therefore does not depend on your exercising or dieting. Not that I’m saying to not exercise or diet, only don’t do it only to attain good health. Do it because you know you feel better when you do.
The same goes for the pneumatikos blessing of provision. It is of the Spirit of God and does not depend on our toiling seven days a week or monitoring the stock market closely. We’re blessed when the job we have is a pleasure to go to and doesn’t control our every waking hour.
You must believe that you have received every pneumatikos blessing, and you will find yourself enjoying blessings that are eternal, just as God is eternal, and of a quality that only the Spirit of God can give!
What are eternal blessings? I think first and foremost is to believe in His Son, but broken down in simpler terms, it’s to spend time with your family and friends. Enjoying your life because you know you are free from the power of sin and death. Sharing love with others brings joy to the Father’s heart. We love because He first loved us.
So what do you think about the majority of time? Is it love for others or is it worry and fear? I believe we become what we think about the most. In our thoughts roots are formed. Are they roots of love or fear?
If our thoughts are the root then our words are the fruit. Loved filled thoughts produce healthy words that bless. Fear filled thought produce death.
Are you fearful about your job or health? What you fear will come upon you.
“For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.” Job 3:25. Job feared for his sons lives because of their actions and speaking his fears caused that very thing to manifest in his life. Before he could speak his fear he had to be consumed internally by it.
What consumes your thoughts? “I’m approaching 55 and my dad died of a heart attack at 55. I hope that doesn’t get me too.” Every little pain in your chest becomes the precursor to your greatest fear.
Child of the Most High God, do you not know that you’ve been born into a new family? Does your Heavenly Father have heart problems? Does Jesus? If they don’t have any problems then why do you expect it?
Even the world knows you get what you expect. Only most of the time it’s not good they expect but bad. “Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it.” Haven’t you heard that before? Does that even sound remotely positive to you? Why would I have to be careful of what I wish for if it’s something good I want?
I like the definition of hope in the bible. It’s a confident expectation of good. The worlds version of hope is, “I hope I get this or that but you never know.” Don’t we?
As a believer we are told over and over again the good we can expect from our loving Father. But even believers read about the good and say I hope He will, but really what they’re saying is I don’t think He will, at least not for me. Maybe someone else is more deserving.
Wake up child of God! None of us deserve what the Father gives us but we get it anyway. What a great system! All bought for the price of one life, Jesus Christ.
Don’t waste what Jesus paid for. Turn your hearts, and thoughts, towards His goodness and mercy. Look up, not around. Take your eyes off the things that are only temporary anyway and fix them on the eternal blessings of God.
Jump into the river of “great expectations”. If the trees along the bank are thriving then the river of love and everlasting life you swim in is the cause.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
Some people think that the term “spiritual blessing” refers to only non-visible and intangible blessings like peace and joy. To them, God’s promise of “every spiritual blessing” excludes the tangible blessings of health, provision, a healthy marriage and so on. They say things like, “Don’t expect God to remove this tumor because our blessings are only spiritual. You’ll be healed when you get to heaven anyway.”
Do you know what the word “spiritual” here means? In the original Greek text, it is pneumatikos, which in this context means having properties and characteristics belonging to the Spirit of God. So if you have the pneumatikos blessing of health, for example, it means that it is of the Spirit of God, and therefore does not depend on your exercising or dieting. Not that I’m saying to not exercise or diet, only don’t do it only to attain good health. Do it because you know you feel better when you do.
The same goes for the pneumatikos blessing of provision. It is of the Spirit of God and does not depend on our toiling seven days a week or monitoring the stock market closely. We’re blessed when the job we have is a pleasure to go to and doesn’t control our every waking hour.
You must believe that you have received every pneumatikos blessing, and you will find yourself enjoying blessings that are eternal, just as God is eternal, and of a quality that only the Spirit of God can give!
What are eternal blessings? I think first and foremost is to believe in His Son, but broken down in simpler terms, it’s to spend time with your family and friends. Enjoying your life because you know you are free from the power of sin and death. Sharing love with others brings joy to the Father’s heart. We love because He first loved us.
So what do you think about the majority of time? Is it love for others or is it worry and fear? I believe we become what we think about the most. In our thoughts roots are formed. Are they roots of love or fear?
If our thoughts are the root then our words are the fruit. Loved filled thoughts produce healthy words that bless. Fear filled thought produce death.
Are you fearful about your job or health? What you fear will come upon you.
“For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.” Job 3:25. Job feared for his sons lives because of their actions and speaking his fears caused that very thing to manifest in his life. Before he could speak his fear he had to be consumed internally by it.
What consumes your thoughts? “I’m approaching 55 and my dad died of a heart attack at 55. I hope that doesn’t get me too.” Every little pain in your chest becomes the precursor to your greatest fear.
Child of the Most High God, do you not know that you’ve been born into a new family? Does your Heavenly Father have heart problems? Does Jesus? If they don’t have any problems then why do you expect it?
Even the world knows you get what you expect. Only most of the time it’s not good they expect but bad. “Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it.” Haven’t you heard that before? Does that even sound remotely positive to you? Why would I have to be careful of what I wish for if it’s something good I want?
I like the definition of hope in the bible. It’s a confident expectation of good. The worlds version of hope is, “I hope I get this or that but you never know.” Don’t we?
As a believer we are told over and over again the good we can expect from our loving Father. But even believers read about the good and say I hope He will, but really what they’re saying is I don’t think He will, at least not for me. Maybe someone else is more deserving.
Wake up child of God! None of us deserve what the Father gives us but we get it anyway. What a great system! All bought for the price of one life, Jesus Christ.
Don’t waste what Jesus paid for. Turn your hearts, and thoughts, towards His goodness and mercy. Look up, not around. Take your eyes off the things that are only temporary anyway and fix them on the eternal blessings of God.
Jump into the river of “great expectations”. If the trees along the bank are thriving then the river of love and everlasting life you swim in is the cause.