Receiving the Blessings from God Today
I would like to talk about receiving the blessings from God. We often hear people say, “God bless you” or when a person sneezes we say, “Bless you.” There are some of you here today who feels that you are not entitled to God’s blessings because of what you have done. Some of you here feel abandoned, feeling less bless and you feel cursed by someone. Others try to talk you out that you are not blessed.
There are those who say they are bless but their life portray a different appearance. What are the blessings from God that we must receive today?
Rebekah (‘to tie firmly’) was given the promise from the Lord that the younger son in her womb would be blessed than the older son. Her first born was Esau who later became a good hunter and the younger son was Jacob who was described in the Scriptures as a peaceful man.
The promise blessing was to be given to Jacob but Isaac was about to bestow it on his favorite son Esau. He asked for a “savory” meal or “venison” soup from Esau so that he can give him his blessings. Upon hearing this Rebekah couldn’t accept that Esau will be given the blessings because she believes the Lord promised it to Jacob, her favorite son.
She wasted no time and begins concocting a plan to disguise Jacob as Esau and prepared the meal so the blessings might be given to Jacob.
Jacob, a peaceful man, obeyed his mother’s scheme because he receives that he is chosen, he is strong, and he is destined to receive the blessings from God (Gen 25-27). Rebekah couldn’t wait for the Lord’s instruction. As a result Jacob must be exiled in order to preserve his life from an angry brother Esau.
Friends, God’s blessing is a promise to those who hear His voice and obey His voice. Deut 11:26-27, today if you obey the commandments of the Lord, blessings will be given to you. We received not only material blessings but also spiritual blessings because it was a promise to us.
1 Pet 2:9, “But you are a chosen generation, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that you should show the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
The phrase “that you should show praises of Him” means “that you should show blessings of Him.” When we are blessed we give praises. More blessings more praise. When praise goes up the blessings come down. More praises means less stress. God’s blessing is a promise to those who obey Him. Jacob obeyed his parents and the promised blessing was given to him.
I would like to show you the four pathways where Jacob received the blessings from God.
The first pathway to blessings is the path to Bethel. Jacob was sent away, alone, afraid and one night he had a dream. Gen 28:10-22, it was an awesome dream. He saw the angels of God ascending and descending in a ladder to heaven. God was with him. God didn’t forsake him.
Bethel is a land of love for God is love
Jacob received the blessings in Bethel – The land of love (1 John 4:7-8). This is the message in Bethel, Matt 5:44, “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”
The word “bless” here is ‘eulogeo’ which means to serve with praise and to do so with love especially to our enemies. We bless our enemies because we receive the blessings from God. God reminded Jacob to love his brother Esau.
It was high noon of March 4, 1861, the 16th president of the United States of America was about to be inaugurated. The secessionist Confederate States of America were about to wage a civil war. The crowd of more than 10,000 people intently watched the great and kindly man draw his inaugural address from his inside coat pocket and addressing them, “Fellow citizens of the United States” talking to them in a heart-to-heart fashion for 30 minutes.
He then concluded, “We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory stretching from every battle-field, and patriot grave, to every living heart and hearthstone, all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.”
We received the blessings when we are in Bethel-the house of love. After leaving his family, Jacob, a blessed man and a prosperous one, was faced with grim and distressing news. Esau was organizing four hundred men to meet him. He was afraid. He remembered the promise and the blessings from the Lord. He made a strategy to divide his people into companies. He reasoned that just in case Esau attacks one company the other could escape.
Jacob prayed in Gen 32:9, Lord you have blessed me now save me. After his earnest prayer he prepared gifts for his brother as a peace offering. He shared the blessings to his brother who hates him and asked for forgiveness.
Friends, love beget love. Forgiveness begets forgiveness. And instead of sword, arrows, and spears, kisses, hugs, and embraces were received by Jacob. Friends, when God blesses you even your enemies will respect and love you.
The next pathway to blessing is in the path to Haran-the land of prosperity. Jacob worked diligently and honestly in his uncle’s house. Laban attempted to cut his wages, make him work long hours and deceive him. But Jacob did well that his prosperity multiplied.
Haran is the land of prosperity
The good we do that benefits others will return to us as to prosper our families. 1 Pet 3:9, “Not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult, but giving blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.” The word “blessing” here is ‘eulogia’ which gives us the idea of using our resources to benefit others. We bless others by doing something that benefits them and we receive the blessings from God.
Jacob was blessed for his uncle Laban gave him opportunity to work his way up. When God blesses you prosperity in life and in health will follow you. You cannot put a good man down when God blesses him. Haran is the land of prosperity. Jer 30:17, the Lord says, “I will restore health to you when you obey me.”
Jabbok is a land of Victory.
The third pathway to blessings is the path to Jabbok-the land of victory. Gen 32:22-28, “Now he arose that same night and took his wives and his two maids and his eleven children and crossed the ford of Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream. And he sent across whatever he had. Then Jacob was left alone and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob’s thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him. The he said, ‘let me go for the dawn is breaking.’ But he said, ‘I will not let you go unless you bless me.’”
When God bless us we are more than conquerors, we are over comers, and we are victorious. We receive victory in the land of Jabbok when we stay in faith. We receive victory when we let go of the past and embrace the present. We receive victory when we are determined to cross the finish line. When the Lord blesses us we are victorious.
Shechem is the land of Security
The fourth pathway to blessings is the path to Shechem-the land of security. Jacob settled in Shechem-the land of security. When the Lord blesses us we are not only placed in path of financially security but he will put us in an environment of spiritual security.
Shechem is where Jacob safely came to build the altar and give a tribute to a victorious God who blesses His people.
Ps 37: 3-4, “Trust in the Lord and do good and He will secure you in the land and cultivate faithfulness.” Shechem is the land of security. When we obey the Lord we will be on our pathways to blessings.