Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1:28
We know from Scriptures, such as the one above, that God intended for man to be blessed — as can be expected of a loving Father. Even us earthly fathers, fallible as we are, love to see our children doing well.
The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it. Proverbs 10:22
The very first thing God did after He created Adam and Eve, was to bless them. This is no small matter! Note though, that this blessing is spiritual as they received it before they existed in bodily form. All through Scripture we see God pointing the way to blessing; if only we would follow his ways, goodness will be a part of our lives.
If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land… Isaiah 1:19
As soon as Adam disobeyed the Lord, the blessing that he enjoyed departed, and curse took its place. But God, in His great love and mercy toward us, opened a Way that leads back to the blessing:
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10
Even while we live in a world that is cursed, we have commandments that unlock God’s blessing for us. These commandments separate us from the world, who will not obey the Lord. The Bible gives us many principles that lead to various blessings, and we must find and follow them – a good reason to be a student of the Bible! This is the good news of the gospel.
Ignorance of God’s guidelines keep us frustrated, sick, poor and miserable, no matter how much we love and appreciate Him. Ignorance opens the door to disobedience, that, in turn, leads to the curse that is upon the world. And don’t forget, the devil himself is the god of this world and he goes about lying, stealing, killing and robbing everybody as we have seen in the verse quoted above. (See John 10:10)
But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4
It is quite possible to be obedient in one area of life, and disobedient in others. This is probably one of the most important blessing blockers, and it often opens doors to doubt in the hearts of believers. Although Scripture is rich with the promises of God – everyone of them releasing blessing – people tend to look at their faith failures, and allow doubt take root in their hearts. Instead of rather searching the Scriptures for possible areas of disobedience – whether out of ignorance or knowingly – they turn against the sound principle that they applied, yet without the desired results.
Let’s look at a few to illustrate this point.
We know from Isiah 53 that God wants us to be healthy, because Jesus took our sicknesses and diseases upon Himself on the cross so that we should be healthy.
…how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Acts 10:38
“…they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Mark 16:18
Believers that face health challenges know to have hands laid on them, but if healing doesn’t manifest immediately, some turn around and confess that it either doesn’t work for them, it is not God’s will for them, the one who laid hands on them had no faith, or some other reason. While this might be the case, other reasons may exist.
Ill health can be caused by many things, such as a poor diet, lack of exercise, too much or too little sleep, unhealthy environment at work or at home, bad habits such as drinking or smoking, drugs, etc. The list is very long. If hands are laid on you for healing while any of these exist in your life, you will continue to be sick even if you received healing.
The Bible is equally clear about God’s desire for His children to be blessed financially. In both the Old and New Testaments He gives advice on how to live a life of abundance.
And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. Deuteronomy 8:18
But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7
Our part is to understand God’s heart, that He desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ as Saviour. That is the ultimate goal of the New Covenant, and all of God’s promises are aligned with it. We follow up on that belief by our giving, in faith, believing that it will lead to the establishing of God’s covenant on the earth.
Passive faith never accomplishes anything, for faith is action – taking practical steps in accordance with your faith. There is a promise attached to the activation of our faith, as the verse above indicates.
Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine. Proverbs 3:9-10
Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. 2 Corinthians 9:1-10-11
The promises are plentiful, but while we focus on them, believing God will honour His Word, it is equally important to observe proper and wise financial principles in the governing of our finances.
You cannot simply give money away because the Bible teaches us to be generous; there is much more to it than meets they eye. There is the goal of God’s covenant to keep in mind, and we need to check our hearts – especially concerning material things. Yet, even while carefully observing all of these, sound financial management and wise business practice is of great importance.
Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. Proverbs 24:3-4
God gives us His promises so that we may have something to guide our faith, but He also gives wisdom to make wise decisions concerning every area of our lives. So, instead of claiming the failure of God’s Word to manifest in your situation, rather search your heart to see if there is a failure of wisdom on your part. It is possible that there are a few mistakes in your past that continue to rob you of some good things in the Lord. A single foolish decision in your personal history can send you in the wrong direction, causing you to miss God’s blessing on your life.
There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. Proverbs 14:12 & 16:25
Faith is for the day of adversity, you don’t need it when all is well. It is when you stand with your back against the wall that you turn to the eternal word that God spoke, knowing that He is able and willing to bring it to pass. He spoke it because He meant it; His promises are declarations of His love for us, something that we can hold onto when there is nothing else. Be sure to acknowledge His love for you by responding to it in a way that brings joy to His heart.
Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24
