Are You Blocking Your Blessings?

Are You Blocking Your Blessings? By Mark E. Baker


We all want to be blessed by God, we all want to be successful. Now!

We want to be blessed by God, but sometimes we don't know, or want to do what we need to do to receive those blessings. We want it now. We want shortcuts, easy answers - " the quick fix."

The only way to be successful in your Christian walk is to do it God's way. How do you know God's plan? It is found in His Word. God's Word is full of the blessings that are ours as joint heirs with Jesus. (Romans 8:17). We as believers need to get into God's Word and learn what our inheritance is in Christ.

Psalms1:1-3. Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.

The Psalmist says "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly or stands in the paths of sinners." Stop a moment and think! Who do you get advice from? Who do you go to when you are worried or upset? Is it your unsaved friend at work, your mother who is not living right, or maybe a neighbor who is not right with God?

If you are taking advice from the ungodly, that is what you get - ungodly advice! You are getting the world's view on things, the world's answers. The "its all right if it doesn't hurt someone else" attitude.

Is this what you really want?
Lets look at the next verses, the Psalmist tells us how to be blessed. We are to delight ourselves in the Law or Word of God. Webster's Dictionary defines delight as great joy or pleasure. We are to take great joy or pleasure in the Word of God! Get into God's Word, read it, study it, meditate on it, ask God to give you understanding of what you are reading. (Ephesians 1:17).
If you are having problems, go to God for the answers.
James 1:17. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;"

After you seek God, if you still need advice, go to someone who knows Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Go to your Pastor, a Christian counselor, a trusted Christian friend. Ask them to pray with you. Talk over your problems with them, then pray and consider their advice.

Matthew 18:19. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.

The agreement on earth of two believers carries a lot of weight with God. God honors his Word! If you pray and agree according to His Word He has to answer it.

Numbers 23:19. God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?"

"Isaiah 55:11. So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

Peter wrote to the Believers in Asia Minor to cast all their cares on Jesus.

1 Peter 5:6-7. therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."

Notice two things here, first Peter tells us to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God. We are to humble ourselves before God. Humble means to be respectful or deferential , to be lowly or unpretentious. We are to be respectful of God our Father, We are to be lowly and unpretentious, not puffed up or haughty. When we go to God in humility and love, He will honor His Word. He loves us and wants nothing but good for us. If you have problems or worries, "cast your care on Him, for He cares for you." Webster's defines casting as to "throw forcefully!" We are to forcefully throw our cares on Him, and not take them back. When you cast something off, you are throwing it away, you don't dig back through the garbage and get it back. No! You threw it away because you didn't want it. The same thing is true of our problems. We can take them to our Heavenly Father and give them to Him. He will then exalt us and show us the answers.

Obedience to God's Word and to His instructions always brings blessings.
" "Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God: Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out."

When we know God's Word and His ways, and are obedient to walk in them, We will be blessed!
We will be blessed where we live.
We will be blessed in our children and family.
We will be blessed in our jobs.
We will not want but He will provide all our needs.
We will be blessed when we come and when we go!
God wants to Bless you! If you will only let Him.

Do you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Do you want to be a joint heir with Christ?
If so, I urge you to pray the following prayer.
Dear Heavenly Father,
I come to you in the name of Jesus.
Your word says, "...him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" (Jn.6:37),
So I know You won't cast me out, but You take me in,
And I thank you for it.
You said in your Word, "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved"
(Ro. 10:13).
I am calling on Your name, So I know You have saved me now,
You also said, "...if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation"
(Ro.10:9,10).

I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
I believe He was raised from the dead for my justification.
And I confess Him now as my Lord,
Because Your Word says, "... with the heart man believeth unto righteousness..." and I do believe with my heart,
I have now become the righteousness of God in Christ.
(2 Cor. 5:21),

And I am saved! Thank You, Lord!
Once you do these things you will receive the Blessings God has planned for you!
You will be as the Psalmist says:
Psalms 1:3. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
The following is a list of positive confession, you can make for your life daily, based on God's Word.

Cut them out and tape them up where you can see them each day. Speak them over your life everyday to affirm your blessings in Christ. God will honor His Word!

Positive Confessions
The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. My God will supply all my needs according
to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Psalms 23:1, Phil. 4:19).

I have the mind of Christ and hold the thoughts, feeling and purposes of His heart.
(1 Cor. 2:16).

I do not fret or have anxiety about anything. I do not have a care.
(Phil 4:6, 1 Peter 5:6-7).

I fear not for God had given me a spirit of power, of love and of a sound mind.
God is on my side! (2Timothy 1:7. Romans 8:31).

I let the Word of God dwell richly in me! (Col 3:16).

Say these confessions every day! So that you can get them into your spirit and renew your mind with Gods Word and prove that you Are blessed!
I was raised Catholic, and was born again at the age of 17. I received God's call into ministry at the age of 19 and began to prepare for ministry. I graduated from Rhema Bible Training Center in 1979. The Lord has called me to teach. My desire is to help all that are seeking to come into a deeper understanding of what God has done for us through Christ Jesus and I have started a web site for this purpose called The Olive Branch; Please visit us for more free studies and resources to help you on your journey. Mark Baker http://www.olivebranchministries.us Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_E._Baker   Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/325740



Find us on Facebook: