THE POWER OF HOLINESS (2)
--- The 8 Great Blessings (Beatitudes) of Living In Holiness
In Matthew Chapters 5 to 7, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught about the Kingdom of God and character of the children of God.
In other words, these chapters teach us how to do God’s will and live in holiness.
In Matthew 5:3-12, Jesus taught on the 8 Great Blessings (or Beatitudes).
These 8 Great Blessings are given to God’s children whenever they walk in different areas of holiness.
The areas of holiness that bring about the 8 Great Blessings are as follow:
… Living in humility (MATTHEW 5:3)
… Living in repentance (MATTHEW 5:4)
… Living in meekness (MATTHEW 5:5)
… Living in hunger after righteousness (MATTHEW 5:6)
… Showing mercy to others (MATTHEW 5:7)
… Living with purity of heart (MATTHEW 5:8)
… Living as peacemakers (MATTHEW 5:9)
… Suffering persecution for the sake of Jesus (MATTHEW 5:10-12)
When we live in these areas of holiness, every blessing in the Kingdom of heaven will be released into our lives.
When we live in holiness, we will always live continually under an open heaven and be blessed to bless the nations.
1. The blessing of Living in humility---The Kingdom of Heaven belongs to you
MATTHEW 5:3
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
JOHN 15:5
5 I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
To be poor in spirit is to be humble.
To be poor in spirit is to acknowledge that without God, we can do nothing good, we can have nothing good.
In other words, to be poor in spirit or to be humble is to live in total dependence on God.
A humble believer will always live in total dependence on the word of God and on the Spirit of God.
When we live in humility, the Kingdom of Heaven is given to us.
We can receive every blessing of heaven today when we walk in humility.
In fact, all the 7 other Great Blessings are already received when we live in humility, living in total dependence on God.
2. The blessing of living in repentance---You will be comforted
MATTHEW 5:4
4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
2 CORINTHIANS 7:10
10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
The believers who mourn over their sins are those who show godly sorrow.
This leads to repentance.
And when we live in daily repentance, God will forgive us our sins and restore back to us His blessings.
He will comfort us in times of grief and sorrow.
He will turn our sorrow into dancing, and our tears into joy.
3. The blessing of living in meekness---You will inherit the earth
MATTHEW 5:5
5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
MATTHEW 5:39
39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.
To walk in meekness is to not return evil for evil, and not retaliating when we are attacked by evil men or are provoked by their wicked ways.
If we do this, we will inherit the earth.
Whatever losses we have suffered when we walk in meekness will be restored to us a million times over, such that the riches of the whole earth is given to us by God Himself.
4. The blessing of hungering and thirsting after righteousness---You will be satisfied
MATTHEW 5:6
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
[will be filled = will be satisfied, NAS]
MATTHEW 6:33
33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
To hunger and thirst after righteousness is to always put the will of God first in all areas of our lives and ministry.
When we obey God and always do His will, and long to see all men do His will, God will give us everything we need.
Our spirit and soul and body will be satisfied.
Our spirit will enter into God’s perfect peace (ISAIAH 26:3).
Our soul will find perfect rest when we do God’s will (MATTHEW 11:29).
Our body will be renewed like that of an eagle (PSALM 103:5).
5. The blessing of showing mercy to others---You will be shown mercy by God and men
MATTHEW 5:7
7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
MICAH 6:8
8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does Yehovah require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
God commands us to show patience, kindness, and help to the poor and needy.
He wants us to forgive and bless those who deserved to be punished.
This is showing mercy.
God in turn will cause His mercy and the mercy of all men to come into our lives.
We will reap what we sow, and live in continuous favour from all men, even when we make mistakes or fall and stumble at times.
6. The blessing of living with purity of heart---You will see God
MATTHEW 5:8
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
PHILIPPIANS 4:8
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.
God wants us to live with a pure heart.
He wants our thoughts and imagination to focus on the things of His Kingdom—on things that are true and noble, right and pure, lovely and admirable.
When we live with a pure heart, we will see God.
We will see God in His glory and goodness.
We will see his miracles, signs, and wonders in every area of our lives.
God’s presence and blessings cannot remain in those with impure hearts.
7. The blessing of living as peacemakers---You will be called a son of God
MATTHEW 5:9
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
ROMANS 12:18
18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
God wants us to always make peace with other believers who have a dispute with us by using Matthew 5:23-24 and Matthew 18:15-17.
And God wants us to share the Good News of the Kingdom of Heaven with all men so that they can have peace with God.
In this way, God and man will acknowledge us as true sons and daughters of the living God.
8. The blessing of suffering persecution for the sake of Christ---The Kingdom of Heaven belongs to you and your reward is great in heaven
MATTHEW 5:10-12
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
When we live in holiness, we will be persecuted (2 TIMOTHY 3:12).
In fact, persecution for the sake of Christ is a sign and proof that you are living a godly and holy life.
And therefore, the blessing is the same as that given for humility---you are given all the Kingdom of Heaven as your inheritance today.
You will be blessed with every blessing you need in all areas of your life and ministry today.
And your reward will be great in heaven, a reward waiting for all who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness.
9. Decreeing the Decrees of Heaven
In Jesus' name, I declare and decree that .....
1. By God’s grace, I will daily live in humility so that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to me.
(MATTHEW 5:3; JOHN 15:5)
2. By God’s grace, I will daily live in repentance, so that I will be comforted by God in my grief and sorrow.
(MATTHEW 5:4; 2 CORINTHIANS 7:10)
3. By God’s grace, I will daily live in meekness, so that I will inherit the earth.
(MATTHEW 5:5; 39)
4. By God’s grace, I will daily hunger and thirst after righteousness, so that my spirit and soul and body are satisfied.
(MATTHEW 5:6; 6:33; ISAIAH 26:3; MATTHEW 11:29; PSALM 103:5)
5. By God’s grace, I will daily show mercy to others, so that I will be shown mercy by God and man.
(MATTHEW 5:7; MICAH 6:8)
6. By God’s grace, I will live daily with a pure heart, so that I will see God in His glory and goodness in my life.
(MATTHEW 5:8; PHILIPPIANS 4:8)
7. By God’s grace, I will daily live as a peacemaker, so that I will be called a child of God.
(MATTHEW 5:9; ROMANS 12:18)
8. By God’s grace, I will rejoice and be glad when I am persecuted for the sake of Christ Jesus, because God gives me the Kingdom of Heaven today and great is my reward in heaven. (MATTHEW 5:10-12; 2 TIMOTHY 3:12)
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A TESTIMONY
"God gave me the wisdom to bring down the loud noise from my neighbours’ apartments upstairs and downstairs during the Covid 19 lockdown”
SISTER AAA:
"During the Covid 19 lockdown, the noise levels coming from my neighbours’ apartments became very loud and unbearable.
The noise from the apartment upstairs was like that of a cinema in my home.
The noise from the apartment below was like that of a nightclub.
“The noise was so bad that I could hear everything the people did upstairs and downstairs, and so loud that I could not even hear my own prayers.
“I prayed and declared and decree that the noise will subside, but nothing changed.
The Holy Spirit asked me to talk to the neighbours upstairs, to request them to tone down their music and conversation, and they obliged, and I was relieved.
“For the neighbours downstairs, the Holy Spirit directed me to blow the shofar for 7 days, and declare that the nose from them will be silenced, just like how the walls of Jericho fell when Joshua and His army blew the shofar around the city for 7 days.
“As I played the recordings of the blowing of the shofar, I kept declaring that Yeshua reigns over all, including over myself, my neighbours, and the place that I live in, and that His peace will fill my home.
“I put on shofar recordings throughout the day and night in my apartment for 7 days.
After the 7 days, a miracle took place, and the noise from below my apartment subsided.
“To God to the glory for His great deliverance and great mercy!!!”
Shalom.