by Kevin Forlong - When you hear the word “blessing” or “blessed” what picture does it conjure up in your mind?
Is the blessing of God spiritual or material?
The overriding message of the Bible is that God is knowable and desires a personal relationship with each person. The objective and outcome of that relationship is that each person who responds and walks in relationship with God will be the recipient of His blessings.
The blessing of God is primarily spiritual but it flows from the spirit realm and touches every part of your life - spirit, soul and body. It affects your values and mindsets. That blessing affects your marriage and relationships, your health and your finances. When the blessing of God comes on a person every aspect of their life and future comes under divine influence.
I remember years ago when I was considering leaving a career in the corporate world to take the pastor’s role in a small church, I was asking the Lord to guide me in the decision. As I prayed, the Lord simply said to me that whatever I chose to do He would bless me in it. The bottom line is this, that if we choose to walk in submission and obedience to Him, His blessing is automatically forthcoming.
The very first thing God did after creating Adam and Eve was to bless them – Genesis 1:28. He blessed them and gave them a mandate. In the Kingdom of God, blessing is attached to purpose.
Now the LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you... I will bless you... and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:1-3.
You are blessed to be a blessing.
The greater the blessing you receive, the greater the blessing you can be.
The blessing of God is not deserved and cannot be earned or negotiated for, but it can be received by faith through the grace of God. By definition the word “blessing” according to Dictionary.com means “the invoking of God’s favour on a person” ... “a favour or gift bestowed by God thereby bringing happiness”. Strong’s Concordance of Bible Words says, “to cause to prosper, to make happy, to bestow blessings on, to confer benefits on”.
The life story of Joseph is a wonderful example of how blessing or favour works in someone’s life. Joseph was blessed by his father as he was given a special multi-coloured coat. It was a gift expressing his father’s love for Joseph.
The garment Joseph received is a picture of the blessing of God coming on the life of His children. The Heavenly Father’s favour carried Joseph through the challenges of his life. Even in slavery or prison that favour worked and caused him to rise to the top and eventually Joseph was catapulted from prison to being Prime Minister of Egypt.
The blessing is a real thing, it works. Favour is alive. It is not static but it is dynamic, it cannot be seen with the natural eye but it is a living, moving, spiritual reality that has a life all of its own. Blessing causes you to succeed when it looks like you should fail.
This blessing means that no weapon formed against you will prosper. It means you don’t have to fear and you don’t have to fight. It means you cannot be beaten, you cannot be overcome. The blessing means that if you will walk with the Lord, God will fight for you; God will help you on your life’s journey.
Blessings
Kevin Forlong
Kevin Forlong is a visionary and pastor with over 40 years of experience in both church and corporate leadership. He’s passionate about bringing wisdom and insights that empower and inspire people to reach their full potential.