Living in Light of our Inheritance Through the Power of the Holy Spirit
By Rachael K. Adams
– Homeward Bound Series – Rachael’s Story –
In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory.
Ephesians 1:13-14
My first job out of college was as a community liaison for the government. I was responsible for a large region, and I had a long list of contacts in various communities across the eastern part of the state. With so much to learn, I was assigned a veteran liaison to train me for the first several months. Each day Emily and I spent significant time together in our rental car, traveling from city to city.
Though I didn’t realize it initially, I was receiving much more than training for my new job. I looked up to Emily professionally, but before long, I also began to look up to her spiritually. She became the mentor I didn’t know I needed. I had a daily passenger-seat view into the way she lived out her faith—her countenance, choices, and character consistently aligned with the Word. I quietly observed her listening to Christian music, bringing Scripture into conversation, sharing godly wisdom, praying before meals, working hard, and loving people. While I had a salvation moment as a preteen, Emily opened my eyes to what having an active relationship with God actually meant. She helped me to realize I could encounter him personally each day, not just in eternity.
Eventually, the time came when I had to start traveling without Emily, but I now had the assurance of a new companion. God took the driver’s seat and I joyfully remained in the passenger seat. Slowly, the behavior Emily had modeled became my behavior. Over time, I too found myself listening to Christian music, bringing Scripture into conversation, sharing godly wisdom, praying before meals, working hard, and loving people. I’m so grateful for this encounter with her during that season of my life. Though Emily likely didn’t realize the positive impact she had on me when our lives intersected, God certainly knew what he was doing when he placed us together for those few months. He knew how much I needed her example.
Because my encounter with Emily changed me, all the people I’ve encountered since that training nearly two decades ago have also been impacted. Many people have been touched because she was an ambassador of Jesus’ love—and an encounter with Jesus changes everything both now and forever.
I wonder if, like me, many of us have an understanding of salvation and the forgiveness we receive when we make the decision to believe in Jesus, however we aren’t living in the light of our inheritance now. We’re simply waiting to obtain the eternal riches one day in heaven with Him. We’re allowing ourselves to be rescued by the gospel and rest in the security of heaven, but don’t know who we are and what we have been given as His children today.
As God’s family, we are heirs to our Father’s estate. Because God knew we would need His help living as His heirs, He sent the Holy Spirit as the deposit to help us (Ephesians 1:14). Each time the Holy Spirit reminds us of His teachings, convicts us of sin, restrains us from selfish behavior, and prompts us to love, we see the evidence of His presence in us. The realization that we are empowered by a supernatural source confirms we can be fruitful now because of the fruit of the Spirit living inside of us (Galatians 5:22).
Living in light of our inheritance means we receive and respond to God’s generous gift. I pray we never take these treasures and privileges for granted because we did nothing to earn or deserve them, while also realizing the responsibilities that come along with being a part of His family. God has important work for us to do. The purpose of His will is that all people come to know Him and receive this inheritance (Ephesians 1:11). These riches are to share, not to hoard. There is a never-ending supply of God’s great blessings, so we can be generous to others as He has been generous to us. We are tasked with giving away this inheritance so others might also become heirs and a part of His family. We can only be effective and fulfill this mission by relying on His power through us.
With this mindset guiding our attitudes and actions, may we realize what Jesus meant when He prayed, “thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).” Because we know at the point of salvation our eternity began. Let us not leave our inheritance for heaven, but live in the light of all we’ve been given now so that others can, too.
Author of A Little Goes a Long Way and host of The Love Offering podcast, Rachael Adams hopes to help women realize their God-given purpose and significance. She and her husband, Bryan, run a family business and farm in Kentucky with their two children, Will and Kate, and two dogs. Her work has been featured on Crosswalk, iBelieve, Today Parenting, and YouVersion. Connect with her by visiting rachaelkadams.com, by searching @rachaeladamsauthor on social media, and by tuning in to The Love Offering podcast every Tuesday on your favorite listening platform.
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