Count your blessings, name them one by one, is a hymn that helps us to focus on the blessings of God. When we are asked to give thanks, our minds quickly go to things we have achieved, and we thank God. Nothing is wrong with that. However, some blessings are ours, not because of who we are or what we have done, but because of who God is. Our God is God of grace, mercy, and love.
These blessings of grace, mercy, and love are often overlooked and, if we are not careful, are easily forgotten. These essential blessings of God, if we can remember them, will enable us to begin living a joyous life. Since we do not contribute in any way to these blessings, our gratitude is due to God alone. These blessings are far more valuable than the ones we attribute great importance to. In the book of Ephesians 1: 3-14, we will discover together some of the great blessings the Triune God prepared for His children. The book began with the spiritual blessings of believers.
God’s spiritual blessings
The Bible says, “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.
God’s spiritual blessings are the antidote to sadness, depression, and so many other situations of life that make us feel bad. If we are in this world, there will always be pleasant and unpleasant situations. However, if our spirit is anchored in God’s spiritual blessings, we will live a victorious life when facing unpleasant situations. Our spirit will be united with the spirit of God, enabling us to receive His blessings. However, if we are unaware of these blessings, we will continually wallow in self-pity, whining, complaining, and grumbling as we go through life. We are born by God through Jesus Christ to praise Him because we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ. What are these spiritual blessings in Christ?
- The first blessing is God’s choice of us to be holy and blameless – verse 4,
“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight…”
Think of this for a moment. God chose us before the foundation of the world to live with Him. We were chosen in Jesus Christ, despite our flaws, rebellion, and shortcomings. He set us apart for Himself to be holy and blameless. When you count your blessings, remember to praise God for choosing you to be holy and blameless in His sight.
- The second spiritual blessing is adoption into the family of God – verses 5-6
It is often said, ‘family is everything.” It is pretty standard for family members to support one another, offering love and a sense of belonging. It is a common thing to hear people boast of their family’s heritage, especially if they come from a prestigious family. And people who are not born with a silver spoon in their mouths may feel inferior. But there is a family that is far prestigious and blessed. It is a family of flawless love and support. This family is the family of God. It is a safe place to belong to. God ordained from the foundation of the world that we be adopted as children into this family of God because we trust in Jesus Christ. It is a family of love without flaws. We are born of the Holy Spirit into the family of God. No one is inferior in this family. We are saved to enjoy a warm relationship with our Heavenly Father through the LORD Jesus Christ. We did not contribute to this miracle in any way. Thank God that you belong to the family of God, which supersedes the earthly family.
- The third spiritual blessing is deliverance from the devil – verse 7
When you are afraid, remember you have been saved. Every human is born as a prisoner of war of the devil. A prisoner of war cannot free himself. But the Blood of Jesus redeemed us from the captivity of the devil. Jesus paid the ransom. We are free from the penalty of death. We are no longer POWs (prisoners of war). If you are in Christ, you are delivered, ransomed, and redeemed. These blessings cannot be received outside of Christ but in Christ. Thank God for Jesus the Deliverer, the Redeemer, who set you free from the hands of the devil.
- The fourth spiritual blessing is divine wisdom – verse 8
Wisdom means knowing and understanding the truth. When we are in Christ, we are capable of seeing and knowing the truth. We are capable of knowing what to do. We know the direction to take. We can solve the day-to-day problems of life through the divine wisdom that is available to us through our union with Christ. Thank God for making His wisdom available to you.
- The fifth spiritual blessing is knowing the mystery of His will – verses 9-10.
The mystery of His will had been hidden for ages until God was ready to reveal it to man. In Christ, we have access to the miracle of decoding this mystery. What is the mystery? Everything is brought together under the authority and glorification of Jesus Christ.
- The sixth spiritual blessing is God making us His heritage – verses 11-13.
God is sovereign. Since He is on the Throne, we can rest assured that no storm or turbulence can frustrate the plan of God for our lives, no matter how hard the devil may try.
- The seventh spiritual blessing is the seal of the Holy Spirit – verses 13-14
At conversion, the believer is given the Holy Spirit as a down payment, as a guarantee that the believer belongs to God. The Holy Spirit is the perfect assurance that a believer is redeemed and has His name written in the Book of Life. Therefore, if you are a believer, you have been sovereignly chosen by God to trust Him because you heard and believed the message of truth. Because you believed the gospel, you are sealed with the Holy Spirit. You have been chosen to display the glory of God. Let us therefore bask in the praise of His glory. Praising the LORD and counting our blessings that cannot be quantified because of our union with Christ.