Have you ever met someone who is living in total defeat? A man who has no hope? No identity? No purpose? One who is basically walking in failure? The truth is that as men we are all given the opportunity to walk in victory––if we choose. We are all given the keys to victory, but we have to choose to use them. The key that unlocks victory’s door is Jesus! His Word is the key to victory on Earth! Like Abraham, God has come to give us blessings. There are two parts to this blessing. First, the forgiveness of our sins and the assurance of our eternal destination. Second, our blessings on Earth! Without the first, we can’t have the second.
Everyone needs a Savior because we have all sinned, but we are all saved through grace. We’re reminded in Romans 3:23 that ‘all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’. We’re all messed up, but God provides the means for restoration. All we must do is accept the gift. Once we’ve accepted the gift, the second gift is how we unlock the blessings while here on Earth.
God wants to bless the children He made. (“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11). Yet, a lot of people have the key to the door of blessings and never use it. Learning God’s Word and abiding by it is the first step toward unlocking the door of blessings. John 15:7 states, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” When we abide, we unlock a door of endless heavenly blessings! In this case, God gives us responsibility. The blessings are waiting for us to use the key He provided.
Matthew 7:7-8 – Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
If we look at all God has accomplished, we’ll see that all He asked for is our participation. First, He provided His Son as a sacrifice for our sins. All we need to do is recognize we are sinners in need of a Savior! Second, He wants to bless us, and all we must do is step out in faith and be obedient! Faith and obedience are what opens Heaven’s floodgates. (“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing (James 1:22-25).”
As we consider every aspect of obedience, God is the one who provides the means to be obedient and He’s the benefactor of blessings found in the outcome. He provides the sacrifice and the means! In fact, if we take it one step further, He even gave us His Word, the instruction manual of obedience! As we learn and act on His Word which is His Will then he reacts! At the core of everything is God working on our behalf! At the core of everything is God working on our behalf —even at the core of tithing! God provides the funds for our tithes. When we tithe, He provides us with the means to do so!
As our faith and obedience increase, so do the blessings and responsibilities. He wants to bless us, and He wants us to participate in His work. But while He does all this, notice that He never forces Himself on us. His desire is for no one to walk in defeat.
1 Timothy 2:3-4 – For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Therefore, if you are experiencing defeat, fear, doubt, or uncertainty about your calling, keep in mind that God designed and created all parts of you. When you accept that, and accept that He is holding your blessings in His hands, your significance can be unleashed! If we walk in defeat, it’s our choosing—not His! He did the work and holds our blessings in His hands! All we need to do is accept the gift, seek him, and act on His will (“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33)!
If you doubt any of what’s in store for you, start with His word! The key has been handed to every one of us. All we must do is turn it!
Have a great week,
Steve Thomas