Blessing
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 9963 |
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January 08, 2012 |
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 "Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers." (3 John 1:2)
While we receive cultivation as Christians on earth, each one of us has built work on the foundation of Jesus Christ. Therefore, the quality of the work constructed on the foundation of Jesus Christ will be different according to how earnestly we live by the Word of God and work for God's kingdom. Opening this New Year, 2012, I hope you will make up your mind again to receive blessings of your spirit and soul's prosperity and good health. I pray in the name of the Lord that by doing so you will finally reach the most beautiful dwelling place of all, New Jerusalem, which means true blessing
1. What is a true blessing?
The meaning of the word 'blessing' could vary from person to person. Most of the worldly people may think they are blessed when they have wealth, fame, and authority on top of clothes to wear, food to eat, and a place to live in as well as well-grown-up children. But how many are out there who can enjoy all of these things on this earth? Even if some seem to enjoy them on the outside, they are probably living with worry, concern, and anxiety inwardly. They also feel afraid of death. The greatest blessing above all others is to gain eternal life. It is to receive salvation and enter Heaven.
The Bible explicitly suggests the way to receive the blessing of eternal life. That is to accept Jesus Christ as Savior, revere God, and keep His law and commandments. God will repay such person with His blessings according to what each person's done and sown as well as the blessing of eternal life. He will not only reward him in Heaven, but also allow him to enjoy abundant blessing.
Today's scripture tells us the way to enjoy all those blessings even on this earth. It means, when your spirit and soul prosper, you can prosper in all respects and enjoy good health.
2. What is the blessing of our soul's prosperity?
A man was originally created with spirit, soul, and body. At first, Adam as a living being had spirit as a master, and his spirit governed his soul and body entirely. But after Adam sinned, his spirit died and his soul began to act as the master, instead. The soul in this case is ruled over by the enemy devil and Satan, the forces of darkness in this world. In other words, the enemy devil and Satan stain the heart of men through their souls, and instigate them to follow the worldly desires. As men are becoming stained with sins in that way, they suffer from all kinds of difficulties and hardship like tears, sorrow, pain, diseases, unhappiness, and death.
But God sent His one and only Son to the earth and opened the way for their spirit to revive. The Holy Spirit enters the heart of anyone who accepts Jesus Christ as his Savior, and revives his dead spirit. The revived spirit must keep growing. Even though the spirit is revived, the soul is still stronger than the spirit. It is because in the heart there is more of the untruth which is ruled by the enemy devil and Satan than there is truth.
Therefore, you should diligently obey the Word of God and put it into practice. You have to live in the truth and the light following the desire and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Then, the fruits of the Holy Spirit will be borne in your heart and your spirit will keep growing. Eventually the spirit will become stronger enough to defeat the soul that is governed by the enemy devil and Satan. In other words, you will follow the heart of truth guided by the spirit, not the heart of untruth guided by the soul.
Briefly, the 'soul's prosperity' indicates the state where spirit controls the soul and body as a master and they obey the spirit. Once your soul prospers in this way, you will instantly obey the voice and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Since the Holy Spirit knows everything, He will lead you to the most prosperous and blessed way. Such a person's business will be prosperous, or he will be recognized at his work. No matter what he does, he will be led to the way of prosperity.
As promised in Deuteronomy 28, such a person receives blessings when he comes in and goes out; he lends not borrows, and he becomes the head, not the tail. In addition, no diseases or infirmities can get into the one whose spirit and soul get along well. Diseases cannot enter into his body because he doesn't commit sin which is the cause of the diseases. Even if he gets sick through his own fault or carelessness, the diseases go away when he prays by faith. When your soul prospers in this way, everything will go well with you and you will enjoy good health.
3. The First 2012 Church Prayer Title
God has led the church members to become prosperous in spirit and soul since the start of the church. He worked, especially in 2010 and 2011, to let the members rapidly grow in faith and spirit. One with a prosperous soul can have confidence before God since his heart does not condemn him. He can pray with God-given spiritual faith. God the Father set His providence and has worked for you so that you can come into such a level of faith as well.
Now it is very natural to see individual members receive blessings in 2012. To the extent that soul prospers, blessings will follow in the New Year. Even if you haven't yet come into spirit, when you see those whose souls get along well are receiving blessings, then you will come to have assurance. Then, as your spiritual growth is accelerated, the number of men of spirit who receive blessings will also increase. As individual members receive blessings, blessings will overflow in the church.
That is why 'Blessing' is the first prayer title God has given to us in this year 2012. God wants us to give glory to Him seeing the overflowing blessings. It is also His word of promise given to all of us. Therefore, I pray in the name of the Lord you will reap fruit of blessings again and again and give great glory to God.
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