Let’s look at these three provisions of God in a bit more detail.
Belonging: “The hope to which He has called us.”
God the Father has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought into the Kingdom of Light. (Col 1:13) He has made us His dearly loved, deeply cared for children. (Col 3:13) He has called us to be part of His family, part of the church universal, part of the church local, part of a human family, part of His plan to redeem the universe, part of His movement of history towards the end of time where we will be called into eternity to a rich, sinless and personal relationship with Him! That is belonging! There is nothing we as believers or anyone else can do to lessen that declaration of God that in Christ we belong! That is security in the ultimate call to belong!
Worth: “the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,”
In God’s estimation we are incredibly valuable. Who are we to argue against that? He granted us worth in what He did. He created us in the image of Himself. He chose us before the foundation of the world. He purchased us by the shed blood of the Lamb. He worked out all the details to adopt us into His eternal family. The Lord Jesus thinks we are so valuable that He intercedes for us every day, the Holy Spirit prays for us continually.
God has given us great value. We stand as Princes and Princesses, destined for an eternity of fellowship with the King of the universe, the most important Being that ever has been and ever will be. And He says we are of immeasurable worth to Him, the riches of His inheritance. There is no greater worth that we can imagine or have. No one else has any authority to tell us otherwise. We honor and exalt Him by believing and accepting the worth He imputes to us.
Competence: His incomparably great power for us who believe
The fact is, in our natural, sinful selves we are weak and incompetent. Jesus said, “apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5b). But through Him, we can do all things (Phil 4:13, Eph 2:10).
How great is the power God gives us? It “is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.” Immeasurable, infinite, unending, incredible, unimaginable, beyond conception.
This is the Power that raises the dead, that is far above every authority this world has ever seen, that is endless, undefeatable, incomparable–and ours as a gift.
The primary means of using this power is faith expressed in prayer (John 15:7). Everyone can access that. His power is also released in praise (2 Cor 12:9,10, Psalm 50:23). Every believer can do that. God is fair in giving all His children the same access to His great power.
Then He gives us spiritual gifts to utilize this power in every day life. He gives us competence and then works with us to develop it. Are we willing to appropriate that power and use it? Do we believe His promise?
Taking up what God has given.
Since these truths are outside of our natural thinking and feeling, the first way to begin appropriating God’s gifts is to internalize the truth about them: memorize Paul’s prayer in Eph 1:16-21, and pray it for yourself—as well as for others.
Then every time those negative thoughts come, (“You are nothing! You can’t do anything right! You are worthless,”) bring out the Sword of the Spirit, and use it in prayer. Here’s an example of how you can do this.
“No, this is not true, God says that He has given me the hope of belonging, ultimate worth in being His child, and competence in the incomparable power He has offered me. I praise you Lord God, King of Glory, Creator of all, that I belong to you, that I am valued in your sight and that you have equipped me in your power to live for you in might and majesty as your child! Be gone Satan, you are the loser! Christ is the Victor and I choose to believe Him!”
Praise God often for these gifts of belonging, worth and competence. Live in them, minister out of them, bring Him glory with them.
