Did you know that THE BLESSING has been God’s intention for mankind all along?
God’s been trying to bless us since the day He created us.
He declared THE BLESSING over Adam and Eve when He said, “Be fruitful and multiply”(Genesis 1:28). In Hebrew, this scripture translates “to increase and have abundance in every way.”
As Kenneth Copeland explains, “The declaration, THE BLESSING…is the source of all any human being could ever need or desire forever. In Genesis 1:28, it includes all you could ask or think. It is the source of all human needs and desires. There’s not anything that THE BLESSING lacks.”
Can you imagine lacking NOTHING and having an exceeding amount of abundance in every area of your life? That’s God’s will for you (Philippians 4:19)!
Debts, demolished. Disease and sickness, gone. Finances? Rich and overflowing.
The Word says we should be bursting with wealth (hundredfold returns, an abundance of houses, land and businesses). We should lack nothing and have great peace (Proverbs 10:22).
You may be wondering…
How can I get THE BLESSING?
- Adam and Eve were declared to be blessed. They could have anything their hearts desired in the Garden of Eden. God only commanded Adam and Eve to be obedient in one area, which was not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17).
- God promised Abraham THE BLESSING should he choose to be obedient to Him. As Abraham obeyed God’s voice and His words, he increased and experienced great wealth and prosperity (Genesis 12:1-8).
- God gave Moses and the Hebrews commandments to obey, so they could experience an overflow of abundance in every area of their lives through THE BLESSING (Deuteronomy 28:1-14).
That’s right! To qualify for THE BLESSING, obedience is required. There are commandments, or prerequisites, we need to follow before we enjoy THE BLESSING (Psalm 112:1).
Now, you may be wondering…
What are the prerequisites to qualify for THE BLESSING?
Jesus set a list of prerequisites for believers to follow in Luke 6:27-37. If we are obedient to these prerequisites, the Word promises us we will walk in THE BLESSING, where our good measure expands into great abundance throughout all areas of our lives (Luke 6:38).
If you’re ready to stop struggling and start living in great abundance, follow these 4 Ways To Qualify for THE BLESSING.
1. Love Your Enemies
“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies and do something wonderful for them in return for their hatred.” –Luke 6:27 (TPT)
What does loving your enemies mean to you?
Would you refuse to criticize and gossip? Do nice things for them? Pray for them?
For Joseph, loving his enemies meant working diligently in Potipher’s house.
Joseph’s own brothers had betrayed him and sold him into slavery. He was a teenager who went from a loving home to being chained and alone in a foreign land. He was forced to work for complete strangers. Even so, he didn’t gossip about his brothers. He stayed silent and refused bitterness.
Joseph worked diligently while enslaved in Potipher’s house. As a result of Joseph loving all his enemies, THE BLESSING remained on him. Potipher recognized THE BLESSING that was on Joseph and promoted him, and the house prospered because of it (Genesis 39:1-8).
Why didn’t Joseph complain or demand to be sent home?
- Joseph knew he didn’t need to worry about avenging himself or seeking justice. He knew it was not his job to defend himself, it was God’s (Exodus 14:14).
- He knew the Lord was with him, and he would eventually be freed from slavery (Proverbs 11:21).
Many people think Joseph was blessed because he was a descendant of Abraham. But that’s not entirely accurate. Joseph’s obedience to God is what qualified him for THE BLESSING (Genesis 42:18).
Like Joseph, we must remember to obey God and His Word. If anyone persecutes us, we celebrate that the great I AM has our backs (Deuteronomy 32:4). This means that we never have to worry about qualifying or defending ourselves with others, regardless of what they say or do.
And since we don’t need to defend ourselves, we are free to love others as they are and where they’re at. Sometimes people are in very hurt places, and they need to see Jesus. And we need to see them through His eyes, no matter how they’re acting in the moment. That’s why we love our enemies.
2. Bless Those Who Curse You
“When someone curses you, bless that person in return. When others mistreat and harass you, accept it as your mission to pray for them.” –Luke 6:28 (TPT)
How did Joseph respond when accused of assaulting Potipher’s wife?
Joseph had been harassed over and over again by Potipher’s wife. When he refused to lay with her, she viciously lied about him. Potipher didn’t ask for Joseph’s side of the story. He sent Joseph directly to prison (Genesis 39:11-20).
At the same time, Joseph didn’t try to defend himself against Potipher, nor did he judge Potipher or his wife. Things were wrongly taken from Joseph, but he didn’t demand they be given back (Luke 6:30).
Instead, Joseph chose to continue in good works and to bless others, even if it was from prison.
Joseph understood that God must have a bigger plan than what he saw in that moment. It didn’t feel very good to go from running an official’s house to being confined in prison, but that didn’t stop Joseph. He continued to bless others in the prison, and as a direct result, he was eventually promoted to the second most powerful position in all of Egypt (Genesis 40-41).
God will promote you as you bless others (Psalm 75:6-7).
Why?
- It is an act of faith to bless and love others, even as they curse you (Hebrews 11:1.
- If you operate in bitterness, you’re responding to what’s in the moment. Instead, respond with your faith – and God’s Word. If your flesh wants to rise up, speak from 1 Corinthians 13:5.
- When you bless others, you are trusting that God will work everything together for your good (Romans 8:28).
- God has called us to a faith-filled, greater life. We reach out for our future eagerly, never looking into our past and becoming bitter (Philippians 3:12-14).
If you’ll be like Joseph and unshackle the chains of offense, reach for your future, and seek to bless others regardless of their actions—you’ll walk in THE BLESSING, too!
3. Be Merciful
“Overflow with mercy and compassion for others, just as your heavenly Father overflows with mercy and compassion for all.” –Luke 6:36 (TPT)
What did Joseph do when his brothers—who sold him into slavery years ago—came begging for food in the midst of a famine?
He blessed them! Joseph had been promoted to the second most powerful man in Egypt. He could have had his brothers arrested and beaten. Then he could have ordered someone to retrieve his father, Jacob. But he didn’t. He gave his brothers a chance to redeem themselves. Compassion for others is what promoted Joseph in Egypt, and that same compassion allowed the Lord to restore his family (Genesis 45:5-20).
Are you allowing the Lord to restore the things you’ve lost?
What would you like restored in your life? A relationship? Your finances? Your ministry?
As you are merciful and compassionate to others, it allows the Lord to restore what you’ve lost. We are representatives of the Kingdom. We’re to be merciful and compassionate while we’re here on earth (1 Peter 3:8-9).
It’s why mercy is a prerequisite to walk in THE BLESSING. As we are merciful toward others, we are practicing what He teaches us in the Word, and in turn, He is with us (Philippians 4:9).
As Brother Copeland says, “God shows Himself among the merciful…because He knows that the merciful of heart will never use His wisdom to hurt nor to injure nor to cause calamity, but will use it for deliverance. And just like Jesus, they’ll go to any length to get to the mercy because it’s the mercy that sets people free.”
As you walk in mercy, you’ll walk in THE BLESSING. You’ll have immense wisdom and shine your light in this dark world with an overflow of joy, peace and prosperity. The Word says THE BLESSING brings an anointing and abundance into all areas of our lives, no matter where we are or what we need (Deuteronomy 28:1-14; Proverbs 10:22).
4. Forgive Freely
“Jesus said, ‘Forsake the habit of criticizing and judging others, and then you will not be criticized and judged in return. Don’t condemn others and you will not be condemned. Forgive over and over, and you will be forgiven over and over.” –Luke 6:37 (TPT)
Judgment is a habit that will pull you – and others – down fast. The quickest way to kick the habit of judgment and walk in forgiveness is to put your faith to work. Kenneth Copeland suggests that when you’re getting ready to judge someone, speak forgiveness immediately.
You can say something like, “Father I forgive that person right now. I receive Your mercy and grace in the Name of Jesus! I always walk in Your peace and love. Thank You, Lord!” (Luke 6:35).
Praise Him, speak His Word, and let His glory arise out of you. You will be surprised how quickly the sin of judgment will leave, and you will be able to walk in forgiveness consistently, just like Jesus.
And just like we’ve been forgiven in Christ, we are to extend forgiveness to others. We are in the Body of Christ and are supposed to be tenderhearted, forgiving and kind. In fact, the Word says we walk in great power when we walk in forgiveness, becoming righteous and producing wonderful results (Ephesians 4:29-32; James 5:15-16).
Kenneth Copeland often tells a story about Starr Daily, author of the book Love Can Open Prison Doors. Mr. Daily was a hardened career criminal who came to Jesus in solitary confinement. It was in prison where he learned to walk in forgiveness and love.
In that same prison, there was a mean, old lifetime criminal on his deathbed. Starr said he had to try very hard not to hate this old man—He was just that ugly to people.
One day, the man called Starr over and said, “Come help me; I’m sorry I’ve been so ugly to you.”
Starr was excited, thinking God was finally working on this man. As Starr approached, the man took his old hickory cane from underneath his bed and whacked Star’s shins, laughing hysterically.
The old man kept up this trick for some time. But Starr did something unexpected. Just as it says in the scripture above, he chose to forgive this man, over and over again. As Starr did this, he felt more and more love toward him.
One day, the man called Starr over again. Starr thought another beating to his shins was coming, so he approached slowly and kept his distance.
He got up near his bedside and the old man said, “Son, I’m so sorry. I’ve treated you like a dog. But what you got, boy, is real. Do you think there’s any way that Jesus would have me?”
And Starr led him to the Lord. The brightness of God came on this old man’s face just moments before he passed away. Praise God! Walking in forgiveness never fails because God’s love never fails.
Starr Daily was later released from prison with $10 in his pocket during the Great Depression. With only a fifth-grade education, Starr rose to become a respected and well-known Christian author and speaker. THE BLESSING is tangible, and it is real!
As you grab hold of these 4 Ways To Qualify for THE BLESSING, you’ll stop struggling and start living in great abundance. Remember, THE BLESSING has been God’s will for you all along. Follow Jesus. Follow His Word and walk in obedience. You will see THE BLESSING become a reality quickly and effortlessly. There’s no more lack, only love, peace and great prosperity!
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