Ephesian 1 Message
- Michael Smith
- Sep 14, 2008
- Series: Ephesians
Eph 1 Truths
michaelsmith 9.6.08
How do we become willing to trust God at a new or deeper level?
Often times we believe we are inadequate and feel unsure when presented with opportunities to trust God at a new level, because we listen to lies about who we are.
When we accept lies concerning who we are, it can be very effective in damaging our sense of value and worth. Because the lies speak not about our behavior but of our value and worth as a person.
Because we lack assurance of who we are, we are not willing to trust God.
By faith we must choose to believe God's word concerning who we are. However the temptation is to believe the lies concerning our identity, which manipulates us to stay in a controlled managed environment because it's less risky. Its safe and as a result we sadly become intrenched in religion rather then a exciting spirit filled walk.
The children of Israel by accepting a lie saw themselves as grasshoppers in their own eyes, they saw themselves as unable and inadequate when they were presented with an opportunity to trust God at a new and deeper level.
As a result of their accepting a lie they missed a opportunity, to experience an exciting adventure in a new and wonderful land. Instead they ended up doing religion in the wilderness till they all died off.
We must not allow ourselves to be robbed of the opportunities of new levels of trust, which are presented to us by God. And we allow ourselves to be robbed through believing and accepting lies concerning who we are in Christ.
In the book of Ephesians God speaks directly to our worth and value and how it can only come from Him and in Him. In fact we really cannot walk or stand in Christ until we accept and believe God's love for us and what God's word has to say about who we are in Him.
Our value and worth is not based on anything we can do, or should do, or what we have ever done, or not done. It is a free gift from God. And by trusting in that free gift by faith, we become assured of Gods love and faithfulness to us.
But how can we believe or trust someone we do not know?
2
We develope assurance, confidence and a certainty in God through abiding in Christ.
Accepting and believing God's love for us comes only from abiding in Christ.
By abiding we bcome assured in who we are which dispels insecurity and inadequacy. For until we are grounded in God's love through abiding we can not walk in the assurance of God's love.
What it means to "abide in Christ" Lord willing is the next message.
For now though, we are looking at what "is" God's position toward us, so we are encourage to abide in Christ all the more.
The first few chapters of Ephesians establishes a foundation of who we are in Christ. And as we accept by faith who God say's we are, we are able to stand and walk in the spirit as discussed in the latter chapters of Eph.
So lets look at what our Father say concerning who we are in Him.
Read, Eph 1 and some of 2
To continue understanding Eph 1 we can seek the meanings of words like "predestined" etc. and then allow the Lord to reveal Himself and His love concerning us through revelation by His spirit.
For instance "predestined" means,
• determine in advance by divine will
How does that effect my relationship with Christ and who I am in Him.
Our part is to cooperate with the Holy spirit by abiding in Christ. And as we abide in Christ we begin accepting and believing what Eph1 says concerning who we are.
For now lets summarize what Ephesians say's about who we are in Christ.
