BLESSED (1)

“Then GOD BLESSED them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over…” – Genesis 1:28a

GOD would have Believers in Christ grow and walk in the revelation and reality of what it truly means to be BLESSED: ““Then GOD BLESSED them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Gen.1:28). This is the second mention of the word “blessed” in the Bible. The first refers to God blessing the newly created animal life in the sea and the air on Day 4 of creation: “And GOD BLESSED them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth” (v.22). However, God’s first recorded pronouncement upon humanity were Words of Blessings! That’s how essential Blessings are to Man, and why it’s vital to know what it means to be BLESSED!

The words ‘bless’, ‘blessed,’ and ‘blessings’ have entered into the common lexicon of not only Christianity, but society in general, so much so, that the depth of what they mean seems to have been lost on many folks. “Blessed” is a biblical, Christian, and spiritual word. However, it has been partially hijacked by popular culture. “Bless you,” “You’re blessed,” and “Have a blessed day” have become common greetings. As we begin the last month in this Year of HEARTS, HANDS and the BLESSED LIFE, the Lord who has shepherded us by “the integrity of His HEART,” guided us by “the skilfulness of His HANDS,” and used us to shepherd others in our families, careers, churches and ministries, has purposed to lead us to experience and enjoy the reality of the Blessed Life in Christ. This is our Month of LIVING BLESSED IN CHRIST!

It’s trendy even among unbelievers to describe themselves as “blessed,” usually in relation to attaining worldly status, fame, or temporal success, or accumulating wealth, fortunes, or luxuries. The common understanding of being blessed is to receive good things from God. In this sense, God’s blessings are universal: “for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Mt.5:44-45). However, His blessings are not limited to THINGS – material and temporal things! To be blessed includes having things, but there is much more in God’s Heart concerning being BLESSED! From His Agenda at the inception of humanity, to be Blessed includes: Fruitfulness, Multiplication, Filling and Subduing the earth (Expansion, Enlargement, Increase, and Impact), and exercising Dominion!

The Greek word often translated, ‘blessed’ – makarios, means ‘fortunate,’ ‘happy,’ ‘enlarged,’ or ‘favoured.’ Mary, the mother of Jesus, was “blessed among women” in the sense of being favoured by God (Lk.1:42–45, 48). The Lord Jesus used the same word in the Sermon of the Mount to mean: happy or blissful; an intrinsic sense of fulfilment that’s independent of circumstances. Regardless of what is happening to us externally, we are blessed when we’re fulfilled from within. God blessed humanity at inception and has continued to do so throughout history: “He created them male and female, and BLESSED them and CALLED them Mankind in the day they were created” (Gen.5:2). So, to be BLESSED is to be empowered to BECOME whatsoever God has ordained, purposed, and CALLED one to be in life and destiny.

God told Abraham: “I will make you a GREAT NATION; I will BLESS you and make your NAME GREAT; and you shall be a BLESSING. I will BLESS those who bless you; and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be BLESSED” (Gen.12:2-3). So, Blessed Abraham became all that God called him to become: A Great Nation with a Great Name, and globally and eternally impactful! In this New Month, the Lord will plant the Seeds of His Words in our hearts to become truly BLESSED – become all that He called us to be!