Loving Grace Ministries - Wayne Monbleau - Let's Talk About Jesus

What a wonderful world it could be, for the body of Christ, if we were all to appropriate our inheritance in Jesus Christ, as grateful children, new creations in our Messiah, and a kingdom of priests unto God (1 John 3:1, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Revelation 1: 5-6). For it is as we minister unto the Lord as priests, new creations and beloved children, standing before Him in the light of His presence, with our full attention and adoration upon Him, that our inheritance is best received, understood and applied.

We would truly be seeking first, and walking in “His kingdom and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33) even as our Savior has told us. This temporal world may be filled with overflowing tribulations for all, but the kingdom of God, which we are to seek after and in which we truly live, in the fullest sense of the word, is a wonderful world indeed, filled with Christ “Who is our life” (Colossians 3:4).

In a spiritual and practical sense the act of seeking after our inheritance in Jesus Christ enables us to enter into the reality of Jesus’ statement, “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). The kingdom of God, where Christ reigns supreme, is a wonderful world, filled with the light and life of Him, Himself.

It is our great privilege indeed to seek after His kingdom, for in our seeking we hone our awareness to God Himself and all He has accomplished. The light of God’s kingdom shines brighter and the tribulations of this world become dimmer as we proactively seek after, and live gloriously in, our inheritance in Jesus Christ. The peace we do have in Christ is Him, Himself, “for He Himself is our peace” (Ephesians 2:14) and our inheritance, as we are seeing, is all about Christ in the fullness of His Person and His accomplishments.

In this section, I would like to share with you a prayer of Paul’s that, I believe, will help you have the proper “spirit” and “eyes” so you may purely see and understand “the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.”

Our inheritance in Jesus Christ is so big, so wonderful, and so all-encompassing, that Paul felt he must interrupt his teaching regarding this inheritance, in his letter to the Ephesians, in order to enter into a prayer that the Ephesians (and we) would be truly able to know and comprehend “the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” (Eph 1:18).

It’s as if Paul understood that so much vast blessing must be spiritually realized or it might not be fully grasped, or even seen at all, because our inheritance is that huge in Jesus Christ! We certainly don’t want to “glaze over” or minimalize our inheritance due to a lack of understanding or failure to appreciate what God has given us in Christ. We absolutely need, and want, to be as fully aware as possible of our “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3).

"Ask God for the spirit and eyes to truly see your inheritance and He will grant you your prayer."

Coming out of verses 11 through 15, where Paul wrote about how “we have obtained an inheritance” that we would live essentially “to the praise of His glory” and that God has actually sealed us “in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise who is given as a pledge of our inheritance,” Paul then shifted gears at this point, so to speak, and began to go into prayer. Sometimes the truth of God’s salvation, presence and Person is simply so overwhelming that we either have to break into praise or fall on our knees in prayer, that we may honorably know and understand the very things that we have been given in Christ. This is what the apostle was doing at this point.

He wrote, “For this reason [because of the importance and significance of our inheritance in Christ] I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers” (Eph 1: 15-16).

When Paul heard about real Christians living in the real faith and love of Jesus Christ, He rejoiced. Paul gave thanks for He knew that this is what best reflects Christ to an unbelieving world and this is what best builds up the body of Christ “to the praise of His glory.” As He famously wrote in his first letter to the Corinthians, “Now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13). Even as Paul entered into prayer for these Ephesian believers, praise led the way, just as praise and adoration led the way when our Savior prayed.

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.” Ephesians 1:18

Having entered into prayer, notice that Paul did not pray that we would be given an inheritance, for we have already been given this inheritance in Jesus Christ. No. What Paul did do is he prayed for these Ephesian Christians (and for all Christians) that we would have the right Spirit and the right “eyes of your heart”so we may truly see, understand and live in “the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.”

Are you having any difficulty at all in being able to recognize or rejoice in your inheritance in Jesus Christ? Is there anything not clear about how your inheritance draws you ever closer to Christ, radiating and reflecting Him to this world in the process “to the praise of His glory?” Well, if there is anything not clear or difficult, then here is a perfect prayer to pray. Ask God for the spirit and eyes to truly see your inheritance and He will grant you your prayer even as you do behold your inheritance in Jesus Christ!

Let’s take a look first at what Paul specifically prayed concerning our spirit. He prayed,“that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him” (Ephesians 1:17). Hallelujah, this is a prayer to be filled with and guided by the pureness of the Holy Spirit Whom, Jesus said, “will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you” (John 16:14).

In this case, the Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus as He takes of Christ’s inheritance and discloses it to us - “He will take of mine and will disclose it to you.” However, even in order for this to happen, we must first know that we need God’s Holy Spirit to be mightily impressed upon us so we may truly desire and be directed towards “a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.” That is, we need to be completely convicted that we need to be completely directed to Christ, Himself. In a true biblical fullness of the Holy Spirit, it will always be Christ, Himself, Whom we pursue after.

"We need to be completely convicted that we need to be completely directed to Christ, Himself. "

When we desire to walk in the pureness of God’s Holy Spirit, we obediently “fix our eyes upon Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2) for Jesus said of the Holy Spirit, “He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you” (John 14:26). This is the pure and simple “spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowl-edge of Him”- understanding that Christ, Himself, is the supreme object of our lives, worthy of all our attention, devotion and action. Seeking after “a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him” is like shining a huge light upon the door of our inheritance and the key to enter in - and it is all “in Him,” in Christ Himself - that’s the revelation. That’s the wisdom. Christ Himself, first and foremost always in all things.

A benefit, or a result, for us in this prayer of Paul’s, also expressed by Jesus concerning the Holy Spirit, is “He will testify about Me, and you will testify also, because you have been with me” (John 15: 26b-27). Even as we desire, pray after and are granted this “spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,” the very Holy Spirit Who brings us into this wisdom and revelation, testifying of Jesus to us; this is the same Holy Spirit Who will come out through us, allowing us, as Jesus said, to “testify also” for we too, because of the “spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,” will have been with Jesus! Praise His Holy Name! Living in your inheritance with “a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him” is a dynamic way of being with Jesus that you will definitely want to testify about.

It is important for us to recognize our own Savior’s specific teaching concerning the Holy Spirit. In this current religious world, dominated more by people’s feelings, impressions and convictions, we need to be living in and guided by the rock solid, 100% pure teaching of the Holy Spirit. We don’t want to be misled away from Christ by somebody else’s spirit. We need to be led, in all things, unto Christ, in simple obedient harmony and agreement with our own Savior’s revealed truth concerning the Holy Spirit.

In addition to acknowledging and being in agreement with Jesus’ declared ministry and purpose of the Holy Spirit, as we consider Paul’s prayer let us also see that Paul specifically prayed that we, we ourselves, would have this “spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.” It is not only the Holy Spirit, but our own spirit must be transformed by the Holy Spirit so we may always firmly, joyfully and without wavering be filled with wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. Certainly in this posture of spirit, we will be best equipped to realize “the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.”

As we learn to live each day with “a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,” it will always be Christ Himself in Whom we are enriched even as we seek after Him. Our heart, soul, mind and strength are completely towards Christ Himself in this discipled and blessed life. This direction of spirit constantly brings us into an ever deepening awareness of “Christ Himself, in Whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2: 2b-3). We need “a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him” because truly,“all of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” are in Him. Once again we see that as we live from the center, the center where Christ holds all things together, we are in the right place, with the correct spirit, to recognize and be reinvigorated by our inheritance and treasure that is Christ Himself.

First Paul prayed that we may have the right spirit, “a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.” With our spirit rightly guided towards Christ and filled with God’s Holy Spirit, Paul then continued, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened” (Ephesians 1:18). It’s as if Paul’s first prayer, for our spirit, was to point us in the right direction, Christ Himself, so that when we do spiritually open our eyes we may see what it is that God wants us to see - Christ Himself. “A spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him” will always direct you to Christ, for true wisdom from God and revelation from God brings one into the knowledge of Christ.

When you do open your eyes, the inner spiritual eyes of your heart, Christ is Who you will see for God has pointed you, in spirit and in truth, to Him. Some folks may have their eyes open but their spirit is not pointed in the right direction. If we will live in accordance with this prayer, we will first seek after “a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.” Then, in that spirit, may the eyes of our heart be enlightened. May light pour into us, in Jesus’ name, enlightening us in Jesus Christ, more fully filling us with the glorious image that is Him, Himself. This is a true “eyes of the heart” enlightenment.

To be continued in Wayne's next installment.

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