How to Live a Blessed Life
(7/15/10)
There are many promises in Scripture for great blessings upon believers. Many of us have studied and claimed the promised blessings of prosperity and abundance in Deut.28. We are to be the head and not the tail, above and not beneath. Paul told the Philippians that God will supply all our need according to His riches in glory (Ph.4:19).
There are promises of health (I Pe.2:24; Ps.103:3). There are promises of wealth (II Cor.8:9; 9:6-10). There are promises for long life (Ps.91:16, Eph.6:1-2). There are promises of wisdom (Jas.1:5; Col.2:3) and there are promises for guidance (Rm.8:14; John 14-16). There are promises of supernatural power (Mk.16:15-20; I Cor.12-14) and there are many other promises given to us in Scripture by our Creator.
Not only that. He promises to bless us beyond anything that we could ask or think. I don't know about you, but I can ask and think pretty big. Yet, He promises to exceed that!
"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us" (Eph.3:20)
Why do so few Christians walk in these blessings? What does the New Testament teach us about how to receive these blessings as reality in our lives? Jesus told us this.
"But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you". (Mt.6:33)
Seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness, then He'll add all the "things". If you look at the context, you'll see that Jesus specifically instructs us to NOT seek the "things". But He tells us to seek His Kingdom and to seek His righteousness. Seeking the "things" will leave us dissatisfied and lacking, always wanting more. I would much rather trust Jesus to provide the things according to His riches in Glory (Mt. 6:33; Ph.4:19).
But what does it mean to seek His Kingdom? How do I do this? The Young's Literal Translation uses the word "reign" instead of "kingdom". Seek first the Reign of God and His righteousness. The Kingdom of God is the Reign of God in your life. Think of it like this: Kingdom comes from two words - King and Dominion. To seek the Kingdom of God is to seek the Dominion of the King in your life. It is seeking to have Him reigning in your life. It is giving up your own personal control over your life and surrendering it to the King, allowing Him to reign and have dominion in you. It is throwing away your personal plans and goals. It is surrendering and yielding to His divine plan for your life. It is learning to rest and yield to His authority completely.
What does it mean to seek His Righteousness? I used to think that this means I need to seek to live a righteous life. That isn't what it is saying at all. Jesus wasn't telling us to seek our own righteousness, but to seek His righteousness. We need to seek a greater awareness of what it means to be identified with our Lord Jesus Christ in His righteousness.
II Corinthians 5:21 states, "For he (God the Father) hath made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." This speaks of Christ's imputed righteousness. Our sins are placed upon Christ and His righteousness is placed upon us. This is a reality that is true as far as God is concerned. We are JUSTIFIED in the eyes of God, just-if-I'd never sinned. Seeking His righteousness is seeking to rest in this reality.
The blood of Jesus takes our sins away forever (I Peter 1:18,19). This is true righteousness, and it is found ONLY in Christ Jesus. We are commanded to seek HIS righteousness if we want to obtain the Kingdom of God. "But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" (I Corinthians 1:30). Seeking His righteousness is learning to rest in this truth.
Keeping that thought in mind, think about this statement from the 23rd Psalm.
"Surely Goodness and Mercy will follow you all the days of your life." (Ps.23:6)
First let me point out that the word "follow" could've been translated "chase". God's Word is telling us that goodness and mercy will chase us and overtake us. Notice He doesn't tell us to follow and chase after goodness and mercy, but they will follow and chase us. If you chase after goodness and mercy, you will continue to be disappointed and dissatisfied. Even if you attain a level of goodness and mercy, it'll never be enough.
So instead of seeking after goodness and mercy, seek the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness of Jesus. Follow Jesus Himself. He states that He walks in front of His sheep (Jn.10:4). As we follow Him, Seeking to yield to His reign and dominion, conscious of His righteousness within us, not only goodness and mercy, but health and abundance (Mt.6) will follow us and consume us.
