Mathew 5:4 reads, “blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted.” This mourning here refers to a deep remorse for sin, your sins and the sins of others. Mourners don’t try to tame or make excuses for their sins. They know that sin displeases God so in humility they bring it to Him with a desire for change. When I am grieving, comfort is something that I long for because it gives me hope. Jesus promises that those who mourn over their sins will be comforted. A part of that comfort is His forgiveness of sin. 1 John 1:9 lets us know that “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” When I stay in that place of being deeply grieved about sin, I also have the promise of eternal life. Revelation 21:4 reminds us that, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” What a sweet promise for an everlasting comfort for those who mourn.
It saddens me because we live in a day where sin is embraced and even celebrated. We have become masters at packaging and accepting the very thing that God detests. We are dancing in a time that we should be mourning. What would happen if we had more mourning over sin, would the power of God not manifest as He promised? Would we not see more captives being set free? God did promise in 2 Chronicles 7:14 that He would hear the prayers of the mourners and comfort them through forgiving their sins and healing their land. I think it is time we started mourning, don’t you agree?
Be Blessed,
Anika
PS-Click on this link to read about the previous beatitude, the poor in spirit.
Mathew 5:3 says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” This is a scripture that on the surface doesn’t seem too appealing. Who in their right mind would want to be poor? But that’s just it, in the kingdom of God, we must lose our mind and gain the mind of Christ. Poverty of spirit means to be fully aware of your need for God. In other words, the poor in spirit realize that without God, they are spiritually bankrupt. There is an utter dependence and desperation for God’s presence. The poor in spirit wears humility as a fragrance because they are fully aware that they are nothing without God. This is the total opposite of what the world tells us we should do and be. In this world, we are told that we can figure it out on our own, we are strong and smart enough. We are applauded for our independence and our ability to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps. However, the poor in spirit shun this worldly mindset and without shame they cry out for the more of God.
This poverty that Jesus is referring to is one that leads you to a richness that money could never buy. Those who are poor in spirit has the kingdom of heaven as an inheritance, and that my friend is true prosperity. The kingdom of heaven refers to the reign and rule of God, both now and in the time to come. How powerful is that?! Jesus says that when I am poor in spirit and acknowledge my need for Him, I have access to this reign and rule…it’s my inheritance! This then gives me power over the enemy and guarantees me the victory EVERY SINGLE TIME, regardless of my circumstance.
My question for you is, are you poor enough?
Be Blessed,
Anika
Let me just put this out there from the beginning, waiting on the promises of God can be hard. REALLY HARD. Waiting can be hard for many reasons, BUT God is not to be blamed for any of them. In our humanity, we can be fickle and waver in our trust of God, not because he isn’t faithful but because at times we lack faith. God has taught me a few lessons on how to wait for His promises to manifest and as mentioned in this post, I wanted to share them with you. This of course is not an exhaustive list. I pray these points bless and encourage you as you wait.
How to wait on the promises of God
1. First identify what the promise is, not what you want it to be, but what God has spoken. We hear the personal promises God make to others and we may try to claim those promises for ourselves. We then become frustrated when they don’t come to pass. So, let me get this right, you are mad that God didn’t give you what He didn’t promise…think about that one. It is imperative that we take the time to truly discern what God is saying to us. Once we know, then we stand and wait with great expectation.
2. Don’t Fill in the blanks in areas that God has remained silent (dates, location, etc.…). Sometimes God makes us promises and we then take it upon ourselves to set a timeline and plan out scenarios for when and how the promise should manifest. It is so important for us to not speak where God is silent as we wait on the promise. Don’t put words in God’s mouth, this will only lead to frustration and confusion. You can’t force the hand of God to make the promise play out at the time and the way you think it should. Be patient. He is God, you are not. Don’t let your impatience cause you to run ahead of God. Impatience always leads to a bigger mess. For a quick refresher on this point, read the story of Hagar and Sarah. Enough said.
3. As you wait, have your spiritual eyes and ears open for ways that God is confirming that He is going to fulfill the promise (dreams, prophetic words, visions, etc.). God is just so sweet to me. For years, I have been waiting on certain promises to manifest. Just when I become weary in waiting He sends me a “hold on I am going to do it” sign. As of late, I have been more aware of those signs, but I wonder how many I missed in the past because of my complaining and doubt. If we are not spiritually in tune and get caught up in complaining and doubting, we can miss the ways that God sends confirmation.
4. Feed your faith for the promise. Simply put, get your daily dose of faith by getting in the word to be reminded of the faithfulness of God. Focus on scriptures that highlight His faithfulness. Don’t know any? Google the term “scriptures on the faithfulness of God.” No excuses. Read bible stories of those who had to wait on the promises of God. I also encourage you to remind yourself of your own testimonies, the times He delivered on what He promised. The faithfulness of God is not what should be on trial as we wait. Instead we should cross examine our doubts.
5. Don’t let what you see or don’t see cause you to doubt. Listen, we are called to walk by faith and not by sight. Many of us know this scripture but we seem to do the opposite of what it says in the process of waiting. Many of us have seen God move in miraculous ways. However, we quickly get spiritual amnesia and doubt that He will do what He has promised. God has given us enough proof that He is trust worthy. For the record, He is not pleased when we doubt, because He has shown us otherwise. Read God’s response to the children of Israel doubting after they saw so many miraculous signs in Numbers 14: 11-12 for a fresh reminder.
6. Don’t become so obsessed with the promise that you forget about the promise keeper. This is a subtle one. It is easy to make an idol of the promise and forget that the one that deserves our worship is the promise keeper. God sometimes delays the promise so that we can learn that He is enough. Let me tell you, once that promise manifest, you are still going to need God. The promise in and of itself is not what brings ultimate satisfaction, only an ongoing relationship with God can do that.
7. Shift your perspective and celebrate the fact that the process is meant to perfect you, not destroy you. In the process of waiting we learn lessons that positions us to possess the promise. Getting the promise prematurely can prove to be detrimental. You are not as ready as you think you are for the promise. Calm down, sit in class, be an attentive student and take notes so you can pass the final exam. Every lesson in the classroom of waiting is intentional, don’t miss it! Stop whining and start thanking God for perfecting you.
8. PRAISE AS YOU WAIT! My praise is a bold declaration that I believe I will see what has been promised. Praise when you don’t feel like it. Praise louder than your doubts. Praise beyond your disappointment. Praise to strengthen your knees that have become feeble while waiting. Praise to magnify God. Praise because He who promised is faithful!
As mentioned above, this is not an exhaustive list, these are just some things I have learned as I wait on God. How do you wait on the promises of God? Leave me a comment below, I would love to hear from you.
Be Blessed,
Anika
In Mathew 4:12-16 we read that after hearing about John the Baptist’s arrest, Jesus went and lived in Capernaum. The scripture states that this move from Nazareth to Capernaum was a fulfillment of what was said through the prophet Isaiah. According to this source, there was a 730 years gap between Isaiah and Jesus. In other words, Isaiah spoke what was to come and it took 730 years for that word to be fulfilled. Yes, it took a long time, but the word from God spoken through the prophet DID COME TO PASS! The light did shine through the darkness! What an encouragement for those who feel like they are in a dark place and they are waiting for the light to shine through, they are waiting for a new day to dawn. They are waiting for the fulfillment of what God has spoken.
What word from the Lord are you waiting to be fulfilled? Are you second guessing, are you growing weary in the wait? Continue to stand in faith and obedience as you wait for the promise to be fulfilled. Don’t let the passing of time cause you to lose hope. Be encouraged, God is faithful.
Be Blessed,
Anika
P.S.-Stay tuned as I share some things that you can do as you wait for the word of God to be fulfilled in your life.
Many of us try to rebuke the devil in our strength. We then become frustrated and puzzled when he doesn’t move. We wonder why we are powerless and give in to every temptation that comes our way. I am no stranger to the above scenarios. However, as I mature in the Lord, I have learned that submission unlocks the power of God, which in turn gives me the ability to resist the devil. It is also important to note that whomever you worship is the one you are submitted to. This is clearly demonstrated in the last temptation Jesus faced in Mathew 4. The devil tries to get Jesus to worship Him in exchange for all the kingdoms of the world. Jesus rebukes the devil, tells him that we should worship and serve the Lord and Him only. Mathew 4:11 lets us know that the devil left Jesus and angels came and ministered to him. It was Jesus’ submission and worship to the father that unlocked the power that gave Him the ability to resist the devil successfully! This verse confirms what is written in James 4:7, that we are to submit to God, resist the devil and He will flee. Take note of the order in the above verse. First you submit to God, then you resist the devil and THEN the devil flees. We are rendered powerless when we don’t follow the preceding order.
Below are some scriptures that tell us we are to submit to God and also who God wants us to submit to here on earth. Keep in mind that we cant say we are submitted to God, if we neglect to submit to those He tells us to on earth. For example, as a wife, I can’t say I am submitted to God if I am not submitted to my husband. I encourage you review the below verses and ask the Lord to show you the areas in which you may be unsubmitted.
Be Blessed
Anika
Hebrews 13:17 (NLT)
17 Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.
1 Peter 2:13-14 (NLT)
13 For the Lord’s sake, submit to all human authority—whether the king as head of state, 14 or the officials he has appointed.
Romans 13:1-3 (NLT)
Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. 2 So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished.
Ephesians 5:22-24 (NLT)
22 For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. 24 As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.
Colossians 3:18 (NLT)
Instructions for Christian Households
18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord.
The children of Israel missed the purpose of the wilderness. It was meant to perfect them and not destroy them. When they were delivered from slavery, God led them to the wilderness. They weren’t meant to stay there forever, it was in preparation for the promised land. In Deuteronomy 8:2-3, God explains through Moses the purpose of the wilderness. It was to humble them, to test what was in their heart and to see if they would obey God. They weren’t prepared to possess the promise, they had to go through a spiritual detox if you will. The first generation REFUSED to let the wilderness perfect them. They CONSTANTLY complained, lacked faith, refused to obey God, created idols and in many ways flat out rejected God! Time revealed that the real wilderness was in their heart!
If we get the promise when we still have a wilderness heart, the promise will prove to be a curse instead of a blessing. The state of our heart towards God will determine our ability to possess and rightly steward His promises. What has been your response when going through a wilderness season? Do you see it for what it is and praise God for perfecting you and preparing you? Or are you like the children of Israel and constantly complain and refuse to allow God to perform surgery on your wilderness heart? A promise is on the other side of the wilderness, I encourage you to submit to the process!
James 1:2-4 NLT Dear brothers and sisters,[a] when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.