God wants you to live in the blessed realm. It brings great joy to Him to bless you. God has created each of us for His blessings. We need to do our best to internalize this message. We are being raised up and positioned to receive God’s best - His blessings - the abundance of His goodness. When we understand this, life takes on a new look - a new perspective.
Nobody taught this like Jesus taught it. Jesus came into the world at a time when very few had any connection with God. Most had learned to live life accepting that life was what it was, seldom looking for anything more than what they were dealt. Although their hearts cried out for something better, in their minds something better was not to be a reality. Then enters Jesus! He comes offering hope, healing, joy, good news, freedom from oppression, and an introduction into the realm of the kingdom of heaven. All of a sudden life’s focus begins to change. Maybe there is a chance of being blessed. Maybe there is a better life. Maybe Jesus does have something to offer. Possibly God has favored Jesus and He has come to make it known.
Suddenly the possibility of the blessed life is staring them in the face. How cool is that? Really cool! And it is what we can know today. Jesus has come to reveal to us the blessed life. He’s come to introduce it to us, and to have us walk in it. Here is what He taught regarding it.
Blessed (happy) are those who realize it’s not about them, but about others. Jesus taught us what it was to give one’s self away. His attitude and actions were completely selfless. Jesus said I didn’t come to be served, but to serve. I’ve come to give away what God has given me. That which I have was given me to enrich the lives of others. Jesus never saw His life to be about Him. It was always about what God wanted to do through Him. How He could introduce God’s favor and goodness to those who were otherwise blinded to it.
I’m convinced the greatest joy Jesus felt when He walked this earth and conducted ministry was when He saw individuals connect with the favor of God. A person is healed and Jesus is filled with joy. An individual is set free from demonic activity and Jesus celebrates God’s goodness. A rigid cold body lies lifeless, but at His word life re-enters it and Jesus praises His Father. Blind eyes are opened and Jesus celebrates with the now sighted person. Spiritual blinders come off those held in the devil’s grip and Jesus says “YES!” I don’t know that Jesus knew any greater joy than when He was giving the blessed life away. Why? Because it wasn’t about Him. It was about others.
We easily get trapped thinking the blessed life is about us, to be enjoyed by us, for our own personal purposes. When we think this we’re missing the point. And as a result missing a good portion of the blessings God so freely pours out. The greater joy is in seeing others get equally blessed – maybe even more blessed. You have no doubt seen others overcome by the Spirit, or overtaken with holy laughter. When Christians live with this kind of joy it makes the world wonder what’s up.
Jesus taught we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. What would make us shine brighter than to be possessors of the blessed life - only to freely give it away? What would create a greater thirst in individuals than for us to salt our sphere of influence with the blessings of God? No wonder Jesus was so popular and people came from the towns and villages to see Him. No wonder people brought their sick and diseased to Him. He was giving away the blessed life so they could connect with God. And He told us to do the same. Jesus said, “Don’t hide your light under a basket. Let it shine for the world to see. Do it, so that men may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
God wants you to be a good steward of the blessed life. He wants to practically drown you in His blessings, but for good purpose – to bless others. Part of the reason we are to carry the blessed life is to help others connect with God, however when we think it’s all about us – for our consumption – we miss the whole purpose of the blessed life, and surrender much of it because we are less than good stewards of it. Jesus understood it. He said, “Freely you have received; freely give what you’ve received to others.” We need to understand that God gives us – showers us – with the blessed life when we learn to be good stewards of His gifts. Listen, give it away. Give yourself away. The less you own of yourself the more God will bless you and use you.
Secondly, the blessed life comes as we get hold of the character of God. The blessed life reflects God’s character. It proves you are a child of God. Every one of the characteristics Jesus talks about in the Sermon on the Mount are a reflection of God’s character. God is saying if I could just automatically shape you, this is what I’d make you. Blessed are the poor in spirit, the meek, and those who mourn. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, and the pure in heart. Blessed are the peacemakers - those who want God’s best and His richest blessings poured upon others. Blessed are those who endure persecution for the cause of Christ while at the same time forgive, pray for, and bless their enemies. Jesus said these are those who are most happy. These are those who experience the ultimate well-being and distinctive spiritual joy that fills those who are part of the kingdom of God.
Here’s what I gather from this; blessed is the individual who becomes consumed with God’s character so that God is lifted up and exalted in all things. The best thing we can do – the greatest place we can be – is aligned with the character of God. When our character reflects God’s character life is enjoyable; stress is gone; peace dominates; the cares of the world don’t consume us. We become productive. We impact others for Christ. God rules our life; and all things come into perspective. It doesn’t get any better than that.
However, the moment we set ourselves up for that, what happens? The flesh rises up and tries to rule us. The flesh doesn’t want to be surrendered to God. It doesn’t want to take on the character of God. As a result, if we give into it we give up the blessed life. It’s why Paul challenged us to crucify the flesh daily. It’s why Jesus challenged us to hunger and thirst after righteousness. It’s why He said we are to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness so that once we have done this, all these other things can be added to us.
Once we have captured God’s heart and His character, the blessed life can be rightly discerned. We possess it rightly. And we realize it ours to advance God’s kingdom. There is one purpose for the blessed life – to advance God’s kingdom. That’s what Jesus did. He lacked for nothing of value as He walked this earth – and all He had He used to advance the kingdom of God. If you had a double- portion of the blessed life would you use it to advance God’s kingdom? What if you only had a single portion, would you still use it to advance God’s purposes? That’s how you know whether or not you’ve captured the character and heart of God.
Notice the progression. Once you’ve come to the place of capturing God’s heart and knowing it’s not about you but about others look at the benefits of the blessed life. Jesus said, for these they shall know a different side of life. Here’s what they gain. Theirs is the kingdom of heaven. They shall be comforted. They will inherit the earth. They will be filled. They’ll be shown mercy. They will see God. They will be called sons of God. Great is their reward.
Is there anything in that other than the blessed life? Anything which places us at odds with God? Anything that strips us of God’s best? No, just the opposite. This indicates that within the blessed life we have a favorable position before God. God’s blessings are bestowed upon us. God’s hand is stretched out toward us. Consider that God opens the doors to His abundance and says you shall inherit the kingdom of God. Consider that it says we shall see Him. Consider that Jesus said we will be filled, and comforted, and receive mercy. That’s some cool stuff. That puts me in a place and position to know God’s best.
Look at this carefully because some of this is eternal, and some is for this life, and some for both. Being filled is for this life; being comforted – for this life; inheriting the earth – for this life; receiving mercy – for this life; seeing God – for both this life and the life to come; being called sons of God – for this life and eternal life; greatly rewarded – in heaven.
I don’t know how you see, but I see that as having the best of both worlds. God wants to bless me here, and He wants to bless me in heaven. He wants to bless you here and bless you there. That’s life, and it abundantly. Jesus said He came to give life and it more abundantly; this is some of what He is talking about.
Paul writes (1 Cor. 2:9), “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” And Paul prays for us saying, “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:14-22)
There is no greater entrustment of power, authority, and responsibility than that which we gain when we are visited with the blessed life. Recognize what you have, and use it for God’s glory; so that men may see your good deeds – men might see your blessed life - and praise your Father in heaven.
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