Are You Prepared For God's Blessing

 

I am sure that all of us have been praying for the Lord's blessings on us. We all want to be blessed by the Lord. We all want to be successful. While I believe that God wants to bless His children, I also believe that God wants to teach you how to fight. For you to be successful you have to fight for it. God wants you to be tough and diligent. 2 Samuel 22:32-36 "For who is God, except the LORD? And who is a rock, except out God? God is my strength and power; And He makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places. He teaches my hands to make war. So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have also given me the shield of your salvation; your gentleness has made me great." It was God who teaches our hands to make war. We are created to conquer. It is not God's intention for us to be lazy. There is no way you can receive what God has for your life without you fighting the obstacles and challenges that block the way to your promised land. You see that is why people who procrastinate never accomplish anything in life. Because procrastinators are looking for ways to reach their goals without going through struggles. There are various tests that you will have to pass before the Lord releases your blessings into your life. Let me tell you what God's blessing means.

1. Blessing means responsibility. Are you a responsible person? Can God depend on you? Abraham was a very dependable man. God said in Genesis 18:17 "And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing?" God wants to bless you, but understand, the more you have or own, the more you are responsible for it. People who have no car have no need for gas. To be honest, being blessed is hard work. Everything God gives you requires maintenance. God gave man the garden, but he still had to work it.

2. Blessing means stewardship. Many people think that God bless them to keep for themselves, but let me tell you today, no matter how much God blesses you, you must know that you are not the owner you are just the steward. Luke 12:48 states, For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required; and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

3. Blessing means humility. Many people have not received their blessings from the Lord because they are haughty. They are arrogant. I know that you can say that there are many arrogant people out there that are rich. But let me tell you there is a difference between been blessed and having excess money. A man of God said, "A rich man without Christ is a poor man with excess money." If you are always weeping over rejection and misunderstanding, if you are always upset over who doesn't accept you into their circle anymore, then you better get used to it. As the LORD blesses you people will criticize you and you will face rejection. We need to become like David who said in Psalm 27:5, For in the time of trouble He shall hid me in his pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall he hide me; He shall set me up on a rock. This is the place where we find solace in God from the bombardment of criticism of cynical people and the pressures to perform. This takes humility.

4. Blessing means serving. A person who is blessed in deed has no problem serving others. He realized that he must affect others with his life and his substance. Jesus says whosoever wants to be the greatest in the kingdom of God must be the servant of you all. Matthew 20:26 "Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant."

5. Blessing means modeling. When you are blessed God wants you to be good role model to other people. As Christians we are blessed and we are to be role models to people around us. Paul says in Philippians 3:17 "Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us as a pattern." You see many people are watching you. They want to be like you. When you are truly blessed of the Lord, you will be impacting other people's lives by your example. That is why the Lord wants you to be blessed.

6. Blessing means compassion. A truly blessed person has compassion on other people. He knows that he was blessed because the Lord has compassion on him/her.

7. Blessing means faithfulness. The reason God keep blessing some people is because they are faithful in little things. You need to be faithful to receive more blessings from the Lord. Luke 19:17 "And he said to him, "Well done good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities." When you are faithful in little, then God will entrust you with more.

8. Blessing means honesty. A truly blessed person knows the importance of giving. Pr. 21:6 "Getting treasures by a lying tongue is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death." If you get rich through deceit, the Bible says death can result from it.

9. Blessing means giving. A truly blessed person knows the importance of giving. Pr. 21:13 "Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be heard. Pr. 19:17: "He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD. And he will pay back what he has given.

10. Blessing means patience. Some people struggle with patience deficiency syndrome. Unless you are patient you cannot handle wealth. You see when God blesses you then you will have to deal with the problem that goes with wealth. Do you remember that wealthy people always have people around them, some waiting for them and others waiting on them. You need patience to be able to manage your wealth. If you are not patient, then you will destroy yourself and others. Galatians 6:9 "So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time." (Living Translation)

11. Blessing means thankfulness/appreciativeness. Some people have difficulty appreciating little things. Let me remind you that when you are thankful of little things then God will give you more. The man who was given one talent was not appreciative. He therefore did not receive wisdom as to how he can make good use of the one talent he had.

You see it is much easier to manage poverty than to manage blessing, especially earth blessing. Now I want you to ask yourself these questions to be able to know if you are ready for God's blessings.

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1. Are you a worshipper? Exodus 23:25 say "So you shall serve the LORD your God and he will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you."

2. Are you a thither? Malachi 3:10-11 say "Bring the tithes into the storehouse, And try Me now in this," "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field," Says the LORD of host.

3. Are you obedient? 1 Samuel 15:22 says "So Samuel said: Has the LORD has great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.

4. Are you a meditator? Joshua 1:8 says "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success."

5. Are you a sluggard? Proverbs 20:4 "The lazy man will not plow because of winter; He will beg during harvest and have nothing."

6. Are you realistic or full of fantasy? Proverbs 28:19 "He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough!

Prepare yourself to receive God's blessing. You are born to soar like Eagles, don't hang out with turkeys.

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