“…God [the]…Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, …HATH
BLESSED us with all spiritual blessings (wealth) in heavenly places
in Christ…” (Ephesians
1:3 KJV).
*
Remember
the word wealth is also defined as well-being.
Spiritual wealth (blessings) therefore, is
spiritual well-being. Spiritual wealth (blessings) is EVERYTHING that is needed
to make your inner, core being whole, prosperous, and healthy. “…All praise to God, the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, who
has blessed us with every
spiritual blessing (wealth) in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ…” (Ephesians
1:3 NLT).
Remember Jesus said,
“….they that be WHOLE need “NOT” a
physician, but they that are sick…..I am NOT come to call the righteous, but
sinners (those with a terminal illness) to repentance…” (Matthew 9:12-13
KJV). “…There is none
righteous, no,
not one:” (Romans 3:10 KJV).
“…ALL
HAVE SINNED (been born with a sin nature) …” (Romans 3:23). “…There is not a just man upon earth,
that doeth good, and sinneth not…” (Ecclesiastes 7:20 KJV). “…REPENT ye therefore, and BE CONVERTED, that your sins may be blotted out…”
(Acts 3:19 KJV).
“…The GOODNESS of God
(spiritual wealth) leadeth thee to repentance?”
(Romans 2:4 KJV). “…EXCEPT YE REPENT, ye shall all likewise PERISH…”
(Luke 13:3 KJV).God “….is … NOT WILLING that any should perish, but that all
should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9 KJV).
What, then, are the
spiritual BLESSINGS (wealth)? “…Before he made the world, God
loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and
without fault in his eyes.
God decided in advance to
adopt us
into his own family
by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do,
and it gave him great pleasure.
So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in
kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of
his Son
and forgave our sins. He has showered his
kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding
Christ—which
is to fulfill his own good plan.
And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring
everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on
earth. Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us
in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan. God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to
trust in Christ would bring praise and
glory to God. And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the
Good News that God saves you. And when
you believed in Christ, he
identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. The Spirit is God’s
guarantee that he will give
us the inheritance he promised and that he has
purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would
praise and glorify him…”
(Ephesians 1:3-8 NLT).
Just in case you missed
it, the verses above tell you spiritual blessings (wealth) are:
1.
God loves you. He has
“….loved [you]...with an everlasting love….” (Jeremiah 31:3 KJV).
2.
God chose you. "…You did not choose me but I chose you, and appointed
you….” (John 15:16 ASV).
3.
God chose you to be holy and without fault in
his eyes. “…ye shall
be holy
unto me: for I the
Lord
am holy, …” (Leviticus 20:26 KJV). “…he hath made us accepted in the beloved…”
(Ephesians 1:6 KJV).
4.
God adopted you into his family. “…God sent forth his Son…to redeem [us]….that we might receive the adoption of sons…” (Galatians 4:4-5 KJV). “…This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure…” (Ephesians
1 NLT).
5.
God poured out his
glorious grace (undeserved favor) upon you by purchasing your freedom and
forgiving ALL your sins. “…He is “SO” RICH in
kindness and GRACE that he purchased our freedom with
the blood of his Son and forgave our sins…”
(Ephesians 1:7 NLT). “….The exceeding RICHES of his GRACE in his kindness toward us
through Christ Jesus…”
(Ephesians 2:7 KJV).
6.
God revealed to you his mysterious Will in
regard to Jesus Christ. “…And
this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the
authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth…” (Ephesians 1 NLT). “….resulting in a true knowledge of God's MYSTERY, that is, Christ
Himself…” (Colossians 2:2 NASB). “…at .the name of
Jesus EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, of things in heaven and things in earth, and
things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ
is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11 KJV).
7.
God has given you an inheritance from him
through Jesus Christ. “…the Father… who
hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of
the saints of light…” (Colossians 1:12 KJV). “…they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance…”
(Hebrews 9:15 KJV).
8.
God claims you as his own. “…Because YOU BELONG to him…” (Romans 8:1
NLT). “…Now those who BELONG TO Christ
Jesus…” (Galatians 5:24 NASB).
9.
God gave his Spirit to you as a guarantee of
eternal life through Jesus Christ. “…God has given [you] HIS Spirit as
PROOF that [you]… live (are
alive) in him and he [dwells]…in
[you]…” (1 John 4:13 NLT). “…Jesus
Christ is in you…” (2 Corinthians 13:5 KJV). “…The GIFT of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ ….” (Romans 6:23 KJV).
Spiritual wealth is not as valued by some
as material wealth. Material wealth is temporary, but spiritual wealth is
eternal. “…The poor man
died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man
also died and was buried. In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far
away and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried out and
said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip
the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in
this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your [temporary,
earthly]…life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being [eternally]…
comforted here, and you are in agony…”
(Luke 16:22-25 NASB).
Most people, even believers,
value material wealth and mainly focus on temporary goals. Others value
spiritual wealth and mainly focus on eternal goals. Still others see the value
of both material and spiritual wealth and focus on temporary and eternal goals
in the right order. “…Seek ye FIRST the
kingdom of God, and his righteousness….” (Matthew 6:33 KJV). “…Take no thought, saying
What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Where withal shall we be
clothed? …your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things…”
(Matthew 6 KJV).
Let’s look at some of
the spiritual wealth (blessings) again that God has given you in detail. Number
1: God loves you. “…God SO LOVED the world, that he GAVE his
only…son….” (John 3:16). “…Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that HE LOVED US...” (1
John 4:10 KJV). “We love, because HE FIRST LOVED US…” (1 John 4:19
ASV). Therefore, God “…SPARED NOT his own Son, but
delivered him up FOR US ALL…” (Romans 8:32 KJV). “…God SHOWED HIS GREAT LOVE FOR US by sending Christ to die for
us while we were still sinners…” (Romans 5:7-9 NLT). “…God is LOVE…” (1
John 4:4-8 KJV). “…There is no greater
love than to lay down one’s life…” (John 15:13 NLT). He
has “….loved [you]...with an everlasting love….” (Jeremiah 31:3 KJV).
Number 2: God chose you. . “…HE CHOSE US in Him before the foundation of the
world…” (Ephesians 1:4 NLT). "…You
did not choose me but I chose you, and appointed
you…” (John 15:16 ASV). “…ye are a chosen generation…”
(1 Peter 2:9 KJV). “…You
are the LORD God, Who chose Abram …and made a covenant with him…”
(Nehemiah 9:7-8 NASB). “For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto
himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth...”
(Deuteronomy
7:6). “But you are a chosen people…” (1
Peter 2:9 NIV). “…The God of our fathers hath
chosen thee…”
(Acts 22:14 KJV).
Number 3: God chose you
to be holy and without blame. “…ye shall
be holy
unto me: for I the
Lord
am holy…” (Leviticus 20:26 KJV). “… I AM HOLY…” (1 Peter 1:14-16 KJV). And, “There is none holy as the Lord…” (1 Samuel 2:2 KJV). “…be holy, because I
am holy…” (1 Peter 1:16 KJV). “…Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all
filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting
holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1 KJV). “…that
we might be partakers (participants)
of his holiness...”
(Hebrews 12:10 KJV). “…Be IMITATORS of God,
as beloved children…” (Ephesians 5:1 NASB). “…he
hath [also]… made us accepted
in the beloved…” (Ephesians 1:6 KJV). “….that we would BE HOLY AND BLAMELESS BEFORE HIM…” (Ephesians
1:4 NLT). “…And the God of peace himself sanctify
you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without
blame …”
(1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 KJV). There is, “…now
NO
condemnation (blame)…in
Christ Jesus…” (Romans 8:1 KJV).
Number 4: God adopted
you into his family. “…God
sent forth his Son…to redeem [us]….that
we might receive the adoption of sons…” (Galatians 4:4-5
KJV). “…This is what he wanted to do, and it gave
him great pleasure…” (Ephesians 1 NLT). “Having predestinated us unto the
adoption of children
by Jesus Christ to himself, according
to the GOOD PLEASURE of his will…”
(Ephesians 1:5 KJV). “…For ye have not
received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, ‘Abba, Father…’”
(Romans 8:15 KJV). “…For we know that the
whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now…..waiting
for the adoption,
to wit, the redemption of our body…”
(Romans 8:22-23 KJV).
Number 5: God poured out
his glorious grace (unmerited favors) upon you by purchasing your freedom and
forgiving ALL your sins. . “…He is “SO” RICH in
kindness and GRACE that he purchased our freedom with
the blood of his Son and forgave our sins…”
(Ephesians 1:7 NLT). “…God, in
his grace, freely makes us
right in his sight.
He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from
the penalty for our sins…” (Romans
3:21-26 NLT). “…Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin
(that separates me from God)?
Thank God! The
answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord…” (Romans
7:14-25 NLT). “….The exceeding RICHES of his GRACE in his kindness toward us
through Christ Jesus…”
(Ephesians 2:7 KJV). . “…The life of the flesh is in the blood …it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the
soul…” (Leviticus 17:11 KJV). Jesus said, “This
is my blood of the covenant…” (Matthew
26:28 KJV). “…This cup is the new covenant in my blood …which
is poured out for you…”
(Luke 22:20 ASV). “…For Christ also died
for sins ONCE for all, the
just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God,
having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit…” (1
Peter 3:18 NASB). “This is my blood of the covenant, which
is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins”
(Matthew 26:28 KJV). “…Bless the Lord, O MY SOUL …Who forgiveth “all” thine
iniquities…” (Psalms
103 KJV). “….We have …the forgiveness of sins, according to the RICHES of his
grace…” (Ephesians 1:7 KJV). “…the Son of man HATH POWER on earth to
forgive sins…” (Matthew 9:6 KJV). “…If we
confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness…”
(1 John 1:9 KJV). “Create in me a clean heart, O God…”
(Psalms 51:10-19 KJV). ). “…I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more…"
(Hebrews 8:12 NIV). His “…love
covereth a multitude of sins…” (Proverbs 10:12, 1 Peter 4:8
ASV).
Number 6: God has revealed to you his
mysterious will in regard to Jesus Christ. “…And this is the plan: At the right time he
will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in
heaven and on earth…” (Ephesians 1:9 NLT). “…Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his GOOD PLEASURE which he hath purposed in himself…”
(Ephesians 1:9 KJV). “…it is GIVEN unto you to
know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven…”
(Matthew 13:11-12 NASB). “….resulting in a true knowledge of God's MYSTERY, that is, Christ
Himself…” (Colossians 2:2 NASB). “…The MYSTERY that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now
disclosed to the Lord's people…” (Colossians 1:26 NIV). “….the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to
the revelation of THE MYSTERY which has been kept secret for long
ages past…” (Romans 16:25 NASB). “…by revelation there was made known to me THE MYSTERY… when you read you can understand my
insight into THE
MYSTERY of Christ… to bring to light what is the administration of THE MYSTERY
which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things…” (Ephesians
3:3-4, 9 NASB). “….attaining to all the
wealth ….resulting in a true knowledge of God's MYSTERY, that is, Christ
Himself…” (Colossians 2:2 NASB). “…praying …that God will open up to us a door
for the word, so that we may speak forth THE MYSTERY of Christ…” (Colossians 4:3 NASB).
“…God willed to make known what is the
riches of the glory of THIS MYSTERY …which is CHRIST IN YOU, the hope of
glory…” (Colossians 1:27 NASB).
Number
7: God has given you an inheritance FROM him through Jesus Christ. “…In whom also we have obtained an inheritance,
being predestined according
to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his OWN
will…”
(Ephesians 1:11 KJV). “…the
Father… who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of
the saints of light…” (Colossians 1:12 KJV). “…they
which are called might receive the promise of
eternal inheritance…” (Hebrews 9:15 KJV). “…that ye may know….what the
riches of the glory of his inheritance “IN” the saints…”
(Ephesians 1:18 KJV). “…God willed to
make known what is the riches of the glory …which is CHRIST IN YOU,
the hope of glory…”
(Colossians 1:27 NASB).
“…Like a will that takes effect
when someone dies, the new covenant was put into action at Jesus’ death. His
death marked the transition from the old plan to the new one, canceling the old
obligations and accompanying sins, and summoning
the heirs to receive the eternal inheritance that was promised them. He brought together God and his people
in this new way…” (Hebrews 9:16-17 MSG).
An inheritance usually
refers to property and goods that heirs receive AFTER a person dies.
God’s spiritual
blessings are the gifts and favors that heirs (believers) receive as a result
of Christ’s death on the cross. “…Knowing
that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of
the inheritance…” (Colossians 3:24
KJV). “…To open their eyes, and to turn
them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive ….[an]…inheritance among them which are
sanctified by faith that is in me…”
(Acts 26:18 KJV).
The inheritance is the spiritual
blessings promised to believers. “… I commend you to God, ….and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified…”
(Acts 20:32 KJV).
Number 8: God claims
you as his OWN people. “…. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of
redemption…” (Ephesians 4:30 NLT). “…for
I the Lord …have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine. …” (Leviticus
20:26 KJV). “…Because YOU BELONG to him…
“ (Romans 8:1 NLT). “…Now those who BELONG TO Christ Jesus…” (Galatians 5:24 NASB).
And finally number 9: God has given you
his indwelling Holy Spirit, which is a guarantee of eternal life. “…God
has given [you] HIS Spirit as PROOF that [you]… live (are alive) in him and he [dwells]…in [you]…” (1 John 4:13
NLT). “…God has sent
forth the Spirit of His Son (The WORD) “INTO” OUR HEARTS…”
(Galatians 4:6 NASB). “ …The Spirit of God dwelleth in you…”
(1 Corinthians 3:16 KJV). “…Your body is the temple of the
Holy Ghost which is in you…” (1 Corinthians 6:19 KJV). “…God hath said, I will dwell in them…” (2
Corinthians 6:16 KJV). “…the Spirit of God dwell[s]… in
you…” (Romans 8:9 KJV).
“…Jesus Christ is in you…”
(2 Corinthians 13:5 KJV). AND “…Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life…” (John
6:47 KJV). “…The GIFT of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ ….” (Romans 6:23 KJV). “… the FREE gift of God is eternal
life through Christ Jesus our Lord…”
(Romans 6:23 NLT).
God DOES and HAS blessed HIS
people with spiritual wealth, which are spiritual blessings such as gifts, and
favors.
Wealth, of any kind, refers to
well-being. Spiritual wealth
(blessings) “is” spiritual well-being.
“…who has blessed us with every spiritual
blessing (wealth) in the heavenly realms …”
(Ephesians 1:3 NLT).
Spiritual wealth (blessings)
is GIVEN to God’s people to make them whole, prosperous, and healthy. “…who has blessed us with every
spiritual blessing (wealth) in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ…” (Ephesians
1:3 NLT).
The Old hymnal “It is well with my Soul” expresses the attitude of spiritual well-being.
Therefore, “…All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing (wealth) in the heavenly
realms because we are united with Christ…” (Ephesians
1:3 NLT).
“…Bless
the Lord, O MY SOUL: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O MY
SOUL, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who
healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who
crowneth thee with lovingkindness
and tender mercies;
Who satisfieth thy mouth
with good things;
so that thy youth is renewed like the
eagle's. …bless the Lord, O MY
SOUL…” (Psalms 103 KJV).
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