From Faith Failure to Faith Fulfilled – (Eph. 1:11-13)

In light of the work of Christ on Calvary, you SHOULD be blessed, radically so. If you are not blessed in various areas of your life, there are reasons that can be addressed to see change come beyond all your expectations. This message is titled “From Faith Failure to Faith Fulfilled – The Way Forward to See the Blessings of God Come in Your Life!” The Word of God reveals profound truths about the inheritance available to every believer through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It’s a message of divine intention and boundless grace, yet it also calls for our active participation. This post explores the depth of God’s provision and the crucial role our faith plays in experiencing His abundant blessings.

[Eph 1:11-13 KJV] 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13 In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

The Promise and Our Part

In Ephesians 1:10-12, Paul vividly describes the inheritance obtained for you as a believer through the work of the Cross and the shedding of the blood of Christ in your behalf. The language is powerful, emphasizing God’s pre-ordained plan, established even before the world’s foundation. The ultimate purpose, as stated in v. 12, is that you “should be to the praise on His glory.” Whose glory? The glory of Christ. This means God’s design is for you to be such a clear recipient of the Cross’s work that even unbelievers would be compelled to praise God for His evident love and immeasurable sacrifice on your behalf, and by extension, on behalf of all believers. The extent of God’s manifest blessing in your life is truly God’s primary witnessing tool to share the gospel with those around you.

It is important, however, to acknowledge that despite expressing the radical blessing and favor of God secured for you on the Cross, Paul nonetheless uses some tentative language when it comes to the degree you will experience these benefits Jesus paid for you on Calvary. The wording in v. 12 is weighty: that you “SHOULD” be to the praise of His glory; it doesn’t mean you WILL BE to the praise of His glory. In other words, the blessings are there, but your participation in those blessings is yet to be determined—by your faith or lack thereof. God made the provision. Jesus paid the price—but there is your part to play, as the remainder of v. 12 points out, reading “that we (you) should be to the praise of His glory WHO first TRUSTED in Christ.” It doesn’t just happen; there is your part to it as well.

This is a crucial understanding because even seasoned lifelong believers sometimes adopt an attitude, saying, “Well, God knows what I have need of, and if He wants to bless me, He will…” Not exactly. Luke 17:20-21 says that the kingdom doesn’t come with observation. You have to do something, and that something has everything to do with your faith: building your faith, standing in faith, walking in faith, and looking with expectation and confidence for the blessings of God predicated by the suffering of the Cross to show up in your life as you take what some call “faith’s corresponding action.” Most believers know nothing about this. They simply wait for something good to happen without realizing that posture is a recipe for disappointment.

God’s plan is that your life be a reflection of the resplendent, overarching blessing of God on this side of heaven. Paul’s wording, however, emphasizes that in spite of all the preparation of God and the carrying out of the work of Christ—you may or may not, even as a believer, experience the blessing. It SHOULD happen but will not necessarily. And it isn’t for everyone. It is only for those, as the verse points out, who “trust” in Christ. That word trust is worth looking into. The word “trust” in this verse is a compound word in Greek, meaning to “trust in full confidence and joy—in advance of the answer coming into manifestation.” It’s easy to praise and rejoice after the prayers you are praying are answered—but God’s way of doing things calls upon us, upon you, to joyfully and expectantly trust in God’s faithfulness in advance of the answers you so desperately need. This is the walk of faith.

Even in the Old Testament, faith was spoken of and declared by the prophet Habakkuk to be the basis on which we aspire to see God’s goodness manifest in our lives:

[Hab 2:4 KJV] 4 Behold, his soul [which] is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

Notice the verse here portrays an ongoing inner conflict between the supremacy of your soul and its perspective and expectations, and your faith. The soul (mind, will, and emotions) operates and responds to the world you can see, to conditions around you. The mind worries, the emotions get weighed down in fear, and the will searches out and makes decisions not fueled by faith but by fear—running to the doctor before trusting in God for healing, reaching for the credit card to pay a bill before asking and trusting God to provide, and many other examples. God wants you to live by faith. It is your faith that connects with the supply that Calvary and the sufferings of Jesus made available to us, from matters as weighty as going to heaven when you die, right down to the most minute problem you may be dealing with.

You SHOULD have a life so blessed that those around you witness God’s glory and give praise for His goodness. But if your faith is not online and active—if you are allowing worry, doubt, fear, sin, and sorrow to have supremacy in your life—then people will look at you and say, “He’s no different from us; if that’s a Christian, I want no part of it…” That isn’t God’s plan, and He isn’t putting the pressure on you; He’s asking YOU to put pressure on the promise, on the expectation of the goodness of God. This is what Jesus referred to in Matt. 11:12:

[Mat 11:12 KJV] 12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

If you are going to move from the suggestion that God’s blessings “should” show up in your life to the goodness of God actually detonating in your life, you are going to have to learn to deal with pressure, contradictions to God’s promise in your life with a militant faith—believing and expecting IN ADVANCE that you are going to come out of the furnace of affliction you are in without even the smell of smoke on your garments!

Review and Reflection

We’ve explored the incredible truth that God’s plan for believers is to be conspicuous beneficiaries of Christ’s sacrifice, so much so that our lives would bring Him glory. However, this blessing isn’t automatic. It requires our active faith, a confident trust that anticipates God’s provision even before it manifests. The conflict between our soul’s natural inclination towards fear and our spirit’s capacity for faith is central to experiencing God’s full promise.

Call to Action

1. Cultivate a Faith-Filled Mindset: Actively choose to believe God’s promises, rather than succumbing to worry or doubt.
2. Practice Anticipatory Trust: Learn to praise and rejoice in God’s faithfulness before you see the answers to your prayers.
3. Take “Faith’s Corresponding Action”: Don’t just wait for blessings; engage in actions that align with your belief in God’s provision.
4. Confront Soul-Led Responses: Identify areas where fear, worry, or emotions dictate your choices and intentionally choose faith-driven responses.
5. Embrace “Violent” Faith: Understand that accessing God’s kingdom blessings often requires a militant, unwavering faith that presses into His promises despite opposition.

Concluding Prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank You for the magnificent inheritance You have secured for us through the work of the Cross and the precious blood of Jesus. Forgive us for the times we have limited Your blessings through our lack of faith or passive expectation. Strengthen us, Lord, to cultivate a robust and active faith that trusts You in advance of the answer. Help us to put pressure on Your promises, to take faith’s corresponding actions, and to live lives so evidently blessed that Your glory is praised by all. May we truly be to the praise of Your glory, for the honor of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

#blessings, #faith, #Ephesians, #GodsPlan, #ChristianLiving, #Inheritance, #TrustInGod, #Prayer, #SpiritualGrowth, #Habakkuk