The New Normal - People of Blessing
7-25-2021
Pastor Phil Derstine
Our Blessing Mission
· Genesis 12:2 “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you. I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.”
· God’s Covenant with Abraham, passed on for Generations, to Jesus, and US!
· Both to RECEIVE a blessing and to GIVE a blessing!
· People of Blessing - Called of God to neutralize the curse that is on earth.
· Sin brought the Curse… Salvation brings the blessing!
· Blessings come from God and produce GOOD - Curses come from devil and produce EVIL
· “Blessing” 430 times in Bible vs. “Curse” 160 times
The Priestly Blessing
· Numbers 6:22-27 "The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them."
· I Peter 2:9 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”
· Blessing (n): 1. The act or words of a person who blesses. 2. The invoking of God’s favor upon a person.
WHO are we to Bless?
· The Lord, our children, our spouse, our friends, even our ENEMIES!
· Luke 6:28 “Bless them that curse you and pray for them which despitefully use you.”
· I Peter 3:9 “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”
· Colossians 4:5 "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil."
HOW do we Bless?
1. A Blessing must be SPOKEN
· Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue…”
· James 3:10 “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.”
2. A Blessing is spoken in FAITH
· Hebrews 11:20 “By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. (21) By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph..”
· Faith is SPEAKING and ACTING like something has changed before it changes!
3. A Blessing requires meaningful TOUCH
· Mark 10:16 “And He took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.”
· Mark 16:18 “They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”
4. A Blessing must be followed by ACTION
· James 2:17 “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”
· Five Ways to Bless Others (B-L-E-S-S Acronym)
B - Body (health, strength, protection)
L - Labor (job, business, income)
E - Emotional (joy, peace, hope)
S - Social (home, marriage, family, friends)
S - Spiritual (salvation, faith, more grace)
