Positioning yourself to be Blessed

 

  1. Introduction

Gen 12:1-4      The Great Commission – 1st time made known in the Bible.

(a) Top line:                 “I will Bless you”                                (What Abraham received)

(b) Bottom line:           “You will be a blessing – all families of the earth”  (What God received)

·         Gods desire is for people he can work through who will partner with Him to fulfil his purpose – bless the nations of the earth

·         Gods intention to Abraham required a response – a commitment from him

·         Gen 12:1         Get out from your country, your kindred, and your fathers house

·         A commitment to (a) Let go.  Security.  (b) To Trust God  (c) Walk in obedience

·         Gods’ promise of blessing was intergenerational and intentional.

·         Blessing = Supernatural favour of God on every aspect of your life.

 

  1. How do you Position Yourself for Blessing

Not just one thing you do – it is a lifestyle of following Christ.

 

(i)         Personal Faith in Jesus Christ

·           Eph 1:3   He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ

·           Gal 3:13-14         Blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles through Jesus Christ

·        Sin has separated man from the presence and power of God

·        Christ’s death on the cross broke the power of sin, of satan and every curse.

·        : 26     You are all children of God by faith in Jesus Christ.

·        To come into blessing you must be born again – receive Christ as Saviour.

 

(ii)          Separation from Sin

·          Rom 6:23                        The wages of sin is death

·          Sin is breaking the Laws of God

·          Sin separates us from the source of blessing

·          Ps 1:1      Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly.

To position self for blessing we must be willing to separate

(a)     From personal sin (Acts 3:26 – Blesses you in turning you away everyone of you away from his sin)

(b)    From destructive influences – counsel of ungodly, way of sinner.

·              A conscious decision to separate from those practices that offend the Holy Spirit.

·              “Cheap grace” – person wants blessings, benefits of God without changed lifestyle.

·               Grace is not permission to sin but empowers us to obedience to God.

 

(iii)      Meditation in the Word of God

Ps 1:2      But his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his law does he meditate day and night.

·              Delight = 2656  = pleasure, valuable thing, something to be deserved

·              Meditate = 1897 = to ponder, imagine, revolve in the mind, talk

·              Meditation on the Word of God enables it to enter your inner man

·              Meditation is a key to building and developing your inner man.

 

(iv)      Obedience to the Word of God

Luke 11:28       Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.

·              Hear = to be able to hear; to understand what is said, to consider what is said

·              There is a strong connection between commitment to obey and ability to hear.

·              Must first commit to obedience then the Holy Spirit gives further revelation/insight.

·              Matt 13:9-13       Whosoever has – more shall to given

·            Knowledge and insight was given to the disciples – who chose to obey

·            Those who have no heart for obedience – what insight they have are taken away.

·            When you continue in sin, then you lose insight and drift further away.

·              Jn 14:21-24         He that has my commandments and keeps them is he that loves me.

·            Loving Jesus = Hears his word and obeys them.

·            Result is manifestation of the person and presence of God.

 

(v)        Faith – Putting Trust in the Lord

Jer 17:7           “Blessed is the man that trusts in the Lord…”

·              Trust = 982 = to be confident, be secure, to go for refuge, to lean upon.

·              Faith is the key that gives access to all the blessings of God

·              Rom 5:2  “By whom also we have access by faith into this grace…”

·            Faith = trusting, and speaking and acting on what God says.

= take a risk upon the character and reliability of God

 

(iv)      Commitment to Building the Church

Ps 84:4    Blessed are they that dwell in your house

·                The Local Church is the Body of Christ – the expression of Heaven on earth

·                Our attitude to the local church = Or attitude to Christ the Head

·                Neglect of the Local church removes us from place of blessing

·                Hag 1:9-10 You looked for much and lo it came to be little.  Why?  Because of my house … and you ruin every man and humankind.

·                Broken relationships in the local church hinders and removes blessing 1Cor11: 13 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you

·                Ps133: 3 Brethren dwell in unity – Lord commands the blessing

 

(vi)      Embracing the Great Commission

·                Mt 28:18-20           Go – make disciples of all the Nations

·                Lo it will be with you

·                God’s desire is to bless the nations – save and prosper people

·                When you embrace God’s purpose then begin to access the river of God’s blessings and favour (Ezel 47)