Let Me Introduce You To The True You

Read Ephesians 1:1-23

“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.”
(Ephesians 1:3)

Thoughts… What amazing spiritual wealth we possess! Paul says that since we have come to know Christ, we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing that heaven has to offer—right now! Not someday; not when we get to heaven; but right here and now.

What are those blessings? Paul enumerates them here in the first chapter of Ephesians:

1. I am a saint
2. I am in Christ
3. I am faithful
4. I have every spiritual blessing
5. I have been chosen by God
6. I am holy and without blame
7. I have been adopted by God
8. I am accepted by God
9. I’ve been redeemed and forgiven
10. I abound in His grace
11. I have knowledge of His will
12. I have an eternal inheritance
13. I’ve been sealed with the Spirit
14. I am guaranteed my eternal inheritance

Do you see yourself that way? Do you see yourself as a saint? Do you see yourself as holy and blameless? Do you see yourself as God’s chosen, adopted and accepted child? Do you see yourself as faithful? Are you experiencing all of those spiritual blessings in your life right now, or settling for so much less?

I think most of us, in truth, settle for so much less than what God has already made available to us in Christ. C. S. Lewis said it this way:

“We are half-hearted creatures, fooling around with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

Fortunately, we can change the way we think and how we perceive ourselves and begin to act according to our new identity. How? By learning to see ourselves as God sees us.

According to these verses in chapter one, this list of 14—what I’d call spiritual birthmarks—is how God identifies you, and how you must begin to see yourself.

I want to give you an assignment. Copy the list of 14 to a 3×5 card and tape it to your mirror, your dashboard or computer terminal and read it aloud to yourself, at least once a day, for 21 days.

When you look into a mirror, you see yourself as you see you. When you look into your mirror and see yourself along with these 14 identifying characteristics, you will see yourself as God sees you. And I think you will like what you begin to see—God certainly does.

But you say, “I don’t really feel like any of those!” So what! Who said it was based on how you feel? You say, “But I don’t deserve any of those things!” You’re absolutely right! You don’t deserve a one of them.

All those wonderful things GOD declares to be true of you are the result of GOD’S doing, not yours. You are a saint by HIS will. HE chose, adopted and accepted you. It was because of HIS good pleasure and purpose and by HIS power. It was HIS calling, inheritance, love. HE predestined you, redeemed you and forgave you.

If you were to take a sneak peak at chapter 2, you would see that all this was done by HIS grace, because you are HIS workmanship. In chapter 3, it is GOD who is able to do more than you ask or imagine according to HIS power working in you.

Do you see the pattern? All of these spiritual blessings are up to God, not you.

So the question now is, will you begin to believe what God has declared to be true of you?

I hope you will, because if you will, it will change your life for the better!

Prayer… Father, thank you for all those spiritual blessings that are mine in Jesus Christ. These are now my spiritual birthmarks. This is how you identify me, how you see me. Now, Lord, give me the vision to see myself as you see me.

One More Thing… “When you understand and believe God’s truth about you, it will lead you to think healthy thoughts about you. Healthy thoughts will produce healthy emotions, and healthy emotions lead to right behavior. Right behavior results in the righteous life that God has promised to bless.”