Seven Spiritual Blessings
Part 7
An Inheritance
Foundational Text: Eph. 1:3-14
Text: Eph. 1:11-13
Intro: We have been looking for the past couple of weeks at spiritual blessings
- These are blessings that we overlook many times
- The reason it is so important for us to recognize and apply these spiritual blessings to our lives is because we are spiritual beings
We looked at our first spiritual blessing Holy and Blameless
- The only way the devil can lay claim to us again is to tempt us or entice us away from God
- He can not come in and get us he has to draw us out
Our second spiritual blessing we looked at was predestined adoption
- We were not an after thought in the mind of God
Then we looked at redemption
- We were ransomed
- Bought with a price
- We were hopelessly lost with no way out then Jesus came and purchased us
- We were also redeemed for a purpose, to help others see that same light
- We now have purpose in life a reason for living
We looked at wisdom and understanding
- He has also given us understanding or spiritual common sense
- This is the ability to be more than just a hearer of the Word
- It is the ability to put the knowledge of God to use in our lives to fulfill His will and purpose for our lives
Last week we looked at the mystery revealed
- The word of God comes alive after salvation
- Before it was nothing more than a dead book
- Now it has living truths for our lives
- No matter how many times you read it you find something new and relevant
Read foundational text:
Ephesians 1:3-14 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
10 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:
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Our focus tonight is going to be on Vs 11-13
Let’s look at it again
Ephesians 1:11-13 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
I. The Inheritance
One of the greatest blessings that God has given us is the inheritance or rather the privilege of becoming his inheritance or heritage
- The moment we are saved we become the heritage of God
The dictionaries first definition of heritage is “something somebody is born to”
- The status or character acquired by being born into a particular family or social class
- Or something passing from one generation to another
- Property or land that is passed on to an heir
When we are saved we are born into the family of God
- We become the heirs of God
- We become His inheritance
The bible says we are “joint-heirs with Christ Jesus”
Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; …
We receive the greatest inheritance of all
- We become the heirs of God
But the great blessing here is not what many of you are thinking it is far greater
Many are thinking “O yes” we get
- Heaven
- Streets of Gold
- Pearly gates
These things are all good but they are only the side benefits
The real blessing is that we become the heir of God
- We become His greatest possession
- When we are saved we are made the very heritage of God
- We are made into His possession
God gives us the ability to live forever
- He gives us eternal life
- We the believer become the inheritance of God
Just as your children are your heritage
- They are your greatest possession
- We value them above all else
- We would not trade them for anything (at least not until they become teenagers)
- We love them and would do anything for them
Our greatest spiritual blessing is the fact that we become the heritage of God we become His children
- We become the most treasured and precious possession to God
Isaiah 43:1 …Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
II. Fear not
The great blessing in becoming the heritage of God
- His children is that He will look out for us
- He will provide a covering for us
- And because of that we have nothing to fear
We have a heavenly father
Do you see how this plays out?
- We have someone to go to
- Someone who will hear all our problems
- Someone who has all the answers
ILL. Remember when you were young how you looked up to your dad
- Nobody was better than him
- Nobody could whip him
- We used to say, “my dad can whip your dad”
- Our dad was the best
- He had all the answers
- We thought he was the smartest greatest person alive
- And we had nothing to fear when we were with him
Sometimes as we grow older the allusions of our youth fade
- The image we hold of our fathers begins to diminish
- Some may even grow to dislike their earthly fathers
Me I still think my dad is one of the greatest men alive
- I may know now that there are other fathers who could probably whip him
- There are other fathers that are probably smarter than he is
- But in my eyes he is still the best
Regardless of what we think of our fathers now when we were little we all (for the most part) thought they were the greatest
The greatest spiritual blessing of all is that when we get saved we have a father just like that
- He is the greatest
- No one can whip our heavenly father
- No one is smarter than Him
We have someone we can run to when things get bad
- We have someone who will listen to us
- Who wants to hear all our problems
- Someone who will always be there for us
- Someone who can chase the boogieman out from under our bed (or the tucome, colored equal to boogie man in S.A.)
- Someone who can pull the devil off our backs
We have someone to go to!
We have nothing to fear!
Josh 1:9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
We have a heaven father that will never leave us or forsake us
Heb 13:5-6 …for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
A heavenly father that will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can endure
1 Cor 10:13 …God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
III. Prayer
We have a grate spiritual weapon in prayer
This is what we are talking about
This is what prayer is
It is taking your needs, trials, and afflictions to your heavenly father
You have heard me say it before Prayer is talking to God just like I am talking to you.
One of the greatest reason people go through such difficult times in there Christian walk is that they refuse to pray
- They never take their needs to God
- They never spend time on their knees taking the problems of their life to there heavenly father
- That is what a father is there for
- He can answer your questions
- He can met your needs
- He can bring you through the difficulties of life
Prayer is a great spiritual weapon if we would only use it
From the beginning you have heard me say that God has blessed us with these spiritual gifts so that our spirit might be strong and we would be able to make right spiritual decisions.
Can you imagine how many difficulties of life you would have been able to miss or avoid if you would have just stopped to pray about it first
- If you would have simply took it to God
- Took the time to ask Him what to do
The problem is pride Just like a child we begin to say, “I can do it myself”; “I don’t need any help”
If we would simply humble ourselves and pray we can have the victory
James 4:6-7 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
ILL. The son of an Indian chief had reached the age when he had to prove he was a man. Part of the testing required him to spend a night alone in the forest inhabited with wild animals. All through the night the wild animals gathered around the boy, growling and snarling. If he ran away, he would fail the test. Even though he was frightened, he was determined to stay.
Finally the dawn began to break, and the night shadows began to disappear. The animals slunk away. As the boy began looking around in the morning light, much to his surprise he saw his father stationed behind him with an arrow fixed in his bow. Unknown to the boy, his father had been there all the time to protect his son from harm.
My Favorite Illustrations- Hobbs
We have a heaven father that watches over us
- He is there to meet every need
- We just need to draw close to Him
- Close to Him in prayer
Ps 145:18-20 The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.
19 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
20 The LORD preserveth all them that love him…
Isa 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
