Walking in the fullness of God’s blessing by - Jim Elliot
Walking in the fullness of God’s blessing by - Jim Elliot
The first words God spoke to mankind in Genesis 1:28 were words of blessing. God’s will for all men, for all time, be blessed.
Everything Jesus taught for those who would walk in obedience to His word was about being blessed in order to be a blessing. If you’re not walking in the fullness of God’s blessing, you have little to offer others.
Here are three keys to walking in that full blessing:
First key, living under the Father’s delegated authority. A.W. Tozer said, “The Lord cannot fully bless a man until He has first conquered him. We must first surrender to God’s authority before we establish God’s authority.”
We honor God’s authority by respecting all delegated authority with our attitudes and actions. Living under God’s authority means blessing and long life according to the first commandment that came with a promise, Exodus 20:12.
It also means living without fear of those in authority. Your life of honor produces a clear conscience.
Finally, living under God’s authority means living with spiritual advantage. Submission to authority yields help, wisdom, counsel, teaching, prayer and encouragement.
The second key, living under the influence of the Holy Spirit. I call it, L.U. I. It’s interesting that after being filled with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, the Early Church was compared to someone drunk. Just as there is a path that leads to being physically drunk, there is a path to L.U.I.
The first step is being “filled with the Holy Spirit,” an EVENT. Acts 2:4 & 4:31 says everyone in attendance was filled with the Holy Spirit.
The second step on this L.U.I. path is being “full of the Holy Spirit,” a continual PROCESS. Jesus in Luke 4:1 was full of the Holy Ghost. Stephen in Acts 6 was full of the Holy Ghost that brought him wisdom, faith and power.
The final step on this path is “fullness,” a state of BEING. Ephesians 3:19 exhorts, “That you be filled with all fullness of God.” It means the needle never moves. You are under the control of the Holy Spirit 24/7. Through the Son we have life. Through the Holy Spirit we have fullness, abundant life.
The third key is living for Kingdom advancement. This fulfills the purpose of the first two keys. We primarily advance the Kingdom of God at least three ways. First, through the ministry of reconciliation, 2 Corinthians 5:18. We haven’t been called to condemn and divide people but resolve disputes between unbelievers and God.
Second, we advance the Kingdom by being Christ’s Ambassadors, 2 Corinthians 5:20. As Christians, we are his representatives to a world in which our Lord has vital interests. If God had no word for the people who surround us every day, we would have nothing to say. But He does have a word and He trusts that communication to us.
Finally, we advance the Kingdom by being dispensers of wisdom, 1 Corinthians 12:8. There is a Divine priority in every immediate moment of every day. Wisdom is knowing, knowing the difference between good, better and best. Wisdom is the intimate understanding and application of God’s Word.
The best way to experience life to its fullest is to live it for Him. Live it under His authority. Then, advance His Kingdom values every day where your attitudes, actions, words, and decisions reflect His glory.
“He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
The first words God spoke to mankind in Genesis 1:28 were words of blessing. God’s will for all men, for all time, be blessed.
Everything Jesus taught for those who would walk in obedience to His word was about being blessed in order to be a blessing. If you’re not walking in the fullness of God’s blessing, you have little to offer others.
Here are three keys to walking in that full blessing:
First key, living under the Father’s delegated authority. A.W. Tozer said, “The Lord cannot fully bless a man until He has first conquered him. We must first surrender to God’s authority before we establish God’s authority.”
We honor God’s authority by respecting all delegated authority with our attitudes and actions. Living under God’s authority means blessing and long life according to the first commandment that came with a promise, Exodus 20:12.
It also means living without fear of those in authority. Your life of honor produces a clear conscience.
Finally, living under God’s authority means living with spiritual advantage. Submission to authority yields help, wisdom, counsel, teaching, prayer and encouragement.
The second key, living under the influence of the Holy Spirit. I call it, L.U. I. It’s interesting that after being filled with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, the Early Church was compared to someone drunk. Just as there is a path that leads to being physically drunk, there is a path to L.U.I.
The first step is being “filled with the Holy Spirit,” an EVENT. Acts 2:4 & 4:31 says everyone in attendance was filled with the Holy Spirit.
The second step on this L.U.I. path is being “full of the Holy Spirit,” a continual PROCESS. Jesus in Luke 4:1 was full of the Holy Ghost. Stephen in Acts 6 was full of the Holy Ghost that brought him wisdom, faith and power.
The final step on this path is “fullness,” a state of BEING. Ephesians 3:19 exhorts, “That you be filled with all fullness of God.” It means the needle never moves. You are under the control of the Holy Spirit 24/7. Through the Son we have life. Through the Holy Spirit we have fullness, abundant life.
The third key is living for Kingdom advancement. This fulfills the purpose of the first two keys. We primarily advance the Kingdom of God at least three ways. First, through the ministry of reconciliation, 2 Corinthians 5:18. We haven’t been called to condemn and divide people but resolve disputes between unbelievers and God.
Second, we advance the Kingdom by being Christ’s Ambassadors, 2 Corinthians 5:20. As Christians, we are his representatives to a world in which our Lord has vital interests. If God had no word for the people who surround us every day, we would have nothing to say. But He does have a word and He trusts that communication to us.
Finally, we advance the Kingdom by being dispensers of wisdom, 1 Corinthians 12:8. There is a Divine priority in every immediate moment of every day. Wisdom is knowing, knowing the difference between good, better and best. Wisdom is the intimate understanding and application of God’s Word.
The best way to experience life to its fullest is to live it for Him. Live it under His authority. Then, advance His Kingdom values every day where your attitudes, actions, words, and decisions reflect His glory.
“He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
- Jim Elliot 1949