Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. Ephesians 1:3
A friend of mine who came from an underprivileged home and who did poorly in school joined the army when he was a teenager and spend many years as a soldier. Although he never rose far in the ranks, he had a good record in the service, and was always happy that he had chosen the military as his career. I asked him one day if he had ever regretted his decision to join the army. No, he had no regrets. He told me that when he first joined, he was given good shoes and clothing to wear, the first he had ever received. He was given good meals and a warm place to sleep. He had thrived on the hard work of basic training, and had enjoyed the companionship of his fellow recruits. As far as he was concerned, the army was the best thing to ever come into his life, and he appreciated all the things he had received. He was like a good Christian, appreciative of the blessings of his position.
When our text tells us that God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings, it reminds us that our salvation has brought us into a position of rich privileges, possessions, and promises. We were certainly living in underprivileged conditions before we were saved, deprived of hope and direction, without comfort and facing well-deserved wrath. How refreshing in our early days as a Christian to appreciate that our sins were gone, that Heaven was our home, that the Holy Spirit was within, and that our Heavenly Father loved us and desired all that was the best for us. The appreciation for our new position ought to have grown in the years since then as we have enjoyed the spiritual blessings that we have received. The spiritual blessings are not special powers or abilities that are reserved for a few individuals among the saints. No, they are blessings that God would confer on all of those who are His.
So, how do we receive and access the spiritual blessings that God has blessed us with? There is only one primary requirement: our salvation. No unbeliever is capable of receiving or appreciating these spiritual blessings. But every child of God can lay hold of these blessings, because we are qualified to do so by the new birth. As His children, we are expected to obey Him and keep His commandments, maintaining a close relationship with Him. By daily prayer and meditation on His word, we access His presence and learn His purposes. This close relationship with our Lord allows us full access to all of the spiritual blessings that are ours through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The better we get to know our Lord, the better we will appreciate His spiritual blessings. -Jim MacIntosh