The MYTH of Being BLESSED

There is a MYTH and I believe I have seen and experienced it most in the black church, very likely because that has been my cultural experience. However, it is no doubt in every culture because we are human and sinful in nature.

The MYTH is that “A blessed person, is LOVED by God” therefore, we are compelled to live for the blessings and favor of God.” This is a MYTH because this doctrine causes us to only feel known by God when we feel “BLESSED” by him and of course, these blessings are in “tangible” ways.

This is a MYTH because when we peel back the lie to uncover the truth, we will discover that when we became Born Again, we were “INSTANTLY “blessed and highly favored of the Lord” and that is because we have been REDEEMED and RESTORED into right relationship with God. Therefore, we don’t need to seek God’s favor nor his blessing because we ALREADY have it!  One way to know that this myth has gotten a hold of our lives is when we personally think and feel this way about the blessings of God and consequently live a life of faith that exists to chase after God’s blessings.  Another sign that we are possibly living according to this doctrine is when we feel validated, approved or accepted by others through our material possessions.  Then, there’s the most telling sign that is hidden from others and it is when we feel unloved and abandoned by God when we feel like our lives are not blessed in visible and tangible ways or when we feel intimidated when we witness others being blessed in this way.

Let me be clear, we have enough scripture to substantiate that God will bless the believer’s life in tangible ways, I’m merely suggesting that it is not for the reasons we think. What we must consider is that God’s goodness rains on the just and unjust (Matt. 5:45) so tangible “blessings” in and of itself, are not as significant as we believe them to be.  So then, the question becomes, if we are already blessed and favored by God, then what are we seeking? Well God made it quite simple for us. We are merely seeking “TO KNOW THE WILL OF GOD AND TO WALK IN ALIGNMENT WITH THAT WILL” at any given season in our lives.

Before Jesus left this earth after his miraculous resurrection, he told the disciples that he was sending them an Advocate, a Counselor, a Guide which is called the Holy Spirit. (John 14:16)  Jesus said, “I will not leave you as orphans.” (John 14:18)  You see, Jesus left us with someone to care for us and guide us in his absence. So our walk of faith is a journey in a love relationship with Jesus, through the Holy Spirit in obedience to the Father which compels us to live life as Jesus did, in his purpose and power.  To walk by faith after the will of the Father, just as Jesus did. To walk by faith and not by sight to accomplish the vision of God that he sees for our lives…just as Jesus did. That’s it!  What is truly worth rejoicing is that we ALREADY have the love, blessing and favor of God to enlighten and empower this journey of faith! AMEN!

You see, WE ARE THE SEED OF ABRAHAM! (Galatians 3:29). That means everything else, all that we need to be all that God desires and envisions us to be, is in the BAG!  This is why we are “called” to be the light of the world and a city on a hill to the glory of our Father in heaven. What an insult this is if we boil all this down to mere earthly success. This is the great deception of the myth!

Whether we want to believe it or not, our greatest opposition is truly ourselves as we wrestle with our soulish nature that contains all of our sinfulness whereby the enemy taunts and tempts us to live out of our blind fleshly nature and passions. But praise God for when we became Born Again, his spirit now dwells within us. We have been empowered to live through our new spirit in God and to subdue the passions and works of the flesh. This is truly the only way to walk in the fullness of who we were redeemed to become in Christ.

This battle touches EVERYTHING in life yet it is not a battle we have not been already equipped to triumph and overcome. One thing is for sure, it is indeed the reality of our ongoing journey of faith…until Jesus returns. So let us walk it out purposefully and powerfully and in right alignment with God, so we can gloriously establish God’s kingdom presence on earth, just as it is in heaven.

2Corin. 10:3-5 NKJ

³ For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

⁴ (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

⁵ Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ