How to Rest and Sit Firmly
ICS Daily Devotions
Ephesians 1:3-7, 13-14 (NKJV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace,…In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
To be confident while seated at the right hand of Christ beside the Father, we need to know what spiritual blessings belong to us. They allow us to rest and sit firmly.
These Scriptures contain some important doctrinal truths regarding our position in Christ. Our union with Christ and being found hidden in Him are the highest spiritual truths concerning the Christian life. This blessing comes from God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Heavenly Father was pleased to have Jesus Christ become sin for us so that we can have redemption through His blood and the forgiveness of sins. God had planned before the foundation of the world that we would have this position.
The Scriptures revealed to us:
It is the Father’s pleasure to adopt us as sons and daughters by Jesus Christ.
He made us accepted in the Beloved, which is the only way to be accepted by God.
In Him, we have redemption through His blood and the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.
Having believed, we were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which guarantees our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession.
In Him, we are seen as righteous, holy, and blameless.
This is our identity, so this is how we should choose to behave in this world, and if this is how God sees us in Christ, we should choose to act according to how God sees us in the spiritual realm. This is the best identity you will ever have on earth and in heaven.
John 8:32 (ESV) And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Lastly, if God has gone to such extent to restore His relationship with us, blessed us with all the spiritual blessings in the heavenly places, and made us seated with Christ far above all principalities and powers, we can be convinced that God is not the source of our sufferings, no matter what form of tribulation it may be.
Sermon Series: STAND!
