Living The Blessed Life: Enjoying The Blessing

 

Living The Blessed Life

Enjoying The Blessing

Enjoying God's Blessings

1 Timothy 6:17

"Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;.."

Why do we all want to be blessed? Why is it that we do not want to be cursed? The blessings brings pleasure while the curse brings displeasure. No one wants to live in displeasure or discomfort. Many people move in the direction of more pleasure. We all want to see better results from the things we do. This is the sign that we all want to be blessed and not cursed.

Does Good wants us to be blessed? Talking about enjoyment, does God approve of all enjoyments? 

"Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;.."

It is clear from the scripture above (and many others) that God wants us to enjoy life according to His provision. In fact, God's provision comes because of the blessing. He gave and we are to enjoy what He gave. What He gave is not to cause us pain. When He gives a command, we are to obey because by obeying, the blessings comes. He knows all things and He has our interest at heart. He does not add sorrow to the blessings. So where does the pain and discomfort comes from? The enemy of every good thing that God has made is fighting the blessings and also fighting everyone that is blessed. He counterfeits the blessings and gives us the wrong impression about God. For many, sin attracts the curse, for some lack of understanding drives away the blessing and attracts the curse. Wrong motives, backsliding, moving in the direction of more pleasure without restrain etc.

"Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;.."

High-mindedness, putting trust in the wrong places, all of these can cause pain. It is not enough to be blessed it is more better is to be blessed and to stay in the blessing. God can bless a man and he becomes financially rich and as he enjoys the blessing, he forgets about God. He may become highminded and gradually starts trusting in the riches than the One who gave the blessing. Pleasure may grow to the extent that he cannot think straight, all he thinks about is pleasure which can attract a curse.

"Charge them that are rich ...be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;.."

The enjoyment God is talking about here is the one that the blessed will stay with Him while enjoying the blessing. This is where a line is drawn because we are given the liberty to make choices. At anytime, we choose to either continue with God or not. How will you feel if you were God and you blessed a man or a woman because s/he was faithful then because of the blessing, s/he becomes unfaithful? Would you not think of withdrawing the blessing? Either the blessing will be withdrawn or it turns to displeasure and becomes useless. God is love, He wants us to be blessed and to enjoy the blessing while we stay within certain boundaries. 

A moment to look at the curse. Being cursed results to unnecessary waste, discomfort and pain, moving in life without direction, confusion, sickness and disease, untimely death, living long life without enjoying the benefits, putting in much and getting very little.

Deuteronomy 28:41

"Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them; for they shall go into captivity."

This is not enjoyment. This is a curse. Your children are to take care of you in your old age. Even if you have enough to take care of yourself, your children are to give you some form of moral support. You are to enjoy them. You are to see your success replicated in them if possible, at a higher dimension. The curse will not allow that.

Isaiah 65:22

"They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands."

Did you notice how the prophet describes the blessing? He said that building a house (or anything buildable) and someone else enjoying it, is not God's plan. You are to enjoy God's provision. If you are in the blessing, you will enjoy what God enabled you to build.

"...they shall not plant, and another eat:..."

You have not enjoyed what God enabled you to plant? Watch out, it is not God's plan. You are either in a curse or the devil is playing a pranks on you. He does not want you to enjoy the blessing. He wants you to be in the curse. Do something about it! God will help you out of the trap of the devil. God through the prophet told God's people that they were to enjoy His provision.

"...mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands."

This is what God has to do in your life. He does not want you to go too far in either direction. Too far in one direction, you are in the curse while too far in the other direction, you are blessed but you are not in the blessing satisfying pleasures of sin.

Hebrews 11:25

"Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;..."

Staying on track is God's plan. Ready to go any length with God is His desire. While you enjoy the blessing, do not satisfy the sinful nature. If all you do is to eat and drink all kinds of food to gluttony or drunkenness, you are out of the plan. There should be a time for fasting and prayers. If you are to indulge in all kinds of sexual pleasures outside marriage because the money can pay for all the pervertion, you are out of the plan. If you use the blessing to suppress and victimize those who are helpless, then you are out of the plan. Stay in the plan.

Do not feel guilty being blessed and enjoying the blessing. Enjoy the blessing but stay within the boundary.

Ecclesiastes 2:24

"There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God."

If it is from the hand of God, enjoy it and let others enjoy it from you. Be a source of blessing to others while at the same time, you are holding on to God. Whatever is making you to stray and not to enjoy God's provision, God will step in for you if you will ask Him for the help. Sickness and disease will not stop you. We command sickness and disease to go in Jesus name. The voice of the devil will not stop you from enjoying God's blessing. We silence the voice of the devil in your life in Jesus name. Lack of understanding will not stop you. The right knowledge shall come to you in Jesus name. Sin will not stop you. The righteousness of God is your covering.

If you are the only one enjoying the blessing in your location, you may attract persecution. People are uncomfortable when they see someone is different among them. That is why you sometimes see the blessed suffering in the hands of others because they cannot explain how they become blessed. Your blessing must find a way to reach others so long as God will be glorified. Good leaders must make it their plan that the people they lead are blessed so that no one single person stands out as odd. Peaceful soceity is a sign of the blessing. A curse society is a sign of leadership failure at a particular level. A blessed soceity is traceable to leadership faithfulness and effectiveness.

Acts 24:2

"And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence,..."

Tertullus was trying to find fault with Paul before Felix so he praised the good qualities of Felix so that he can be heard. One of the qualities of Felix he praised was the ability to keep the society peaceful.

"... by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence,..."

The quality of leadership that keeps the society peaceful is commendable by the good and the bad alike. We wanted our social to be blessed. We want to see progress in such a way that no one will have an excuse. We want to enjoy God's blessings knowing that it came from doing what was right and that God is glorified.

Pray:

Father, whatever is not making me to enjoy Your blessing, today I drop it off my life. I turn away from sin, sinful pleasure, unfaithfulness and anything that is not in line with your will. Thank You for the blessing. I will enjoy it in accordance to Your will. This I pray in Jesus name. Amen!