“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” (Eph. 1:3)

Do Christians know how blessed we are in Christ? Do we sit down to review our spiritual blessings in Christ? Are we aware of the riches we inherited in Chris the day we turned our lives to Him as Lord and Savior? Do we have any idea what that means?

The story is told of a street lady in Florida who died scavenging food everywhere. The police were surprised to find she owned treasury bonds and stocks worth over one million dollars. Apparently, she was a college graduate and a former business executive on Wall Street. Though she had invested very well and was rich, yet she died as a pauper. Unfortunately, that’s how many of us Christians are living. We are rich in Christ; yet, we live in poverty. If only we could know and appreciate our treasure in Christ!

Ephesians teaches us that God has, “blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). He has chosen, predestined and adopted us into His family through Christ Jesus (4-5). His grace has accomplished all these in Christ, according to His pleasure and will (v.7); and that’s why we can praise Him.

 Through Christ Jesus, we share in the riches of God’s glorious inheritance (v.18). As His children (Jn. 1:12, 13), God has endowed us with His Holy Spirit to keep and protect us till Christ returns for us (1 Thess. 4:15-17). Think about it. We carry in us the fullness of Deity, because we have been given fullness in Christ (Col. 2:9-10). Unbelievable, yet, that’s what we are! As if that were not enough, in His Eternal Will, we have been designated heirs of God, co-heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17). So, you and I, my friend, are filthy rich in Christ!

 Why then do we live like the street lady in Florida? Why do we think that the highest-paid athletes, oil Sheiks, and business tycoons, are richer than us? Why do we behave like children with a huge endowment fund, but cannot write a check? With Heaven’s Bank widely open to us, all we need is to know the diversity of our spiritual portfolio and our Father’s will.

For our needs, God is our Jehovah-jireh in Christ (Gen. 22:14). He is our Jehovah-rophe (Ex. 15:26), Jehovah-nissi (17:15), Jehovah-tsidkenu (Lev. 20:8) and Jehovah-shalom (Jud. 6:24). In Christ, God our Father is our righteousness (Jer. 23:5, 6; 1 Cor. 1:40). He is our Jehovah-rohi (Ps. 23:1) and Jehovah-shammah (Ezek. 48:35). Christ is all these to us because He is love (1 Jn. 4:16).

Christ is our Bread of Life (Jn. 6:35), our Light of the world (8:12), our Good Shepherd (10:14), the Resurrection and Life (Jn. 11:25), the Way, the Truth, and the Life (14:6), the true Vine (15:5), the Alpha and Omega (Rev. 21:6), and the Bright Morning Star (22:16).

 So, what else do we need? How can we say we are poor? Why should we continue to live as poor orphans – without hope and a future? Why don’t you brighten up today, claim your inheritance in Christ, and live with zest for the Lord?

Shalom