What's Blocking Your Blessing

What's Blocking Your Blessing?

Author: Pastor Sandy Banks – 3/6/2011

Summary:

The blessing is the empowerment to prosper or excel in every area of your life. Even though a Believer has already been blessed by God through Jesus Christ, he or she can still reap the results of the curse by being disobedient to God and His Word. In order for the blessing to manifest in your life, you must know how to connect with it. Faithfulness and obedience are blessing connectors and are keys to withdrawing the blessing that God has deposited in you. When you obey God, rest in His Works, and have faith, you position yourself to experience the blessing overflow. However, a Believer can create a platform for the curse to operate in his or her life through disobedience. If you are experiencing what looks like a curse in your life, even though you are born again, evaluate the cause, repent and begin obeying God consistently.

Scriptures: Deuteronomy 28:1-14 Deuteronomy 11:26-28 Deuteronomy 28:15, 23

A. The blessing has already been deposited in the life of the Believer. Jesus has already blessed you. (Ephesians 1:3)

1. Jesus has redeemed mankind from the curse through His death and resurrection. (Galatians 3:13-14) a. The curse of the law was poverty, sickness and spiritual death. 2. Every Christian is a recipient of Abraham's blessing (v. 29). a. The blessing is not the house, the car, the money or the job; the blessing is an empowerment to have success in every arena of life. 1) It's an anointing.

1 2) The house, the car, the money and the job are the result of the blessings. 3) When Esau wanted to kill Jacob, it was not over the birthright, it was over the blessing. 3. You are an heir of the promise of the blessing because of the covenant God made with Abraham. (Galatians 3:29). a. Examine how God blessed Abraham. (Genesis 12:2-3, AMP) 1) Abrams makes it clear to the King of Sodom that God is the Source of his blessing. (Genesis 14:18-24, AMP) 2) Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. (Genesis 13:2, KJV) b. God desires the blessing to come upon you and overtake you. (Deuteronomy 28:1-2, KJV) 1) There are 14 verses regarding the Blessing. c. The blessing of the Lord makes you rich and he adds no sorrow with it. (Proverbs 10:22, KJV) 1) David’s blesses Mephiboseth. (2 Samuel 9:1-13, KJV) B. All Christians have the blessing inside of them, but sometimes they don't see the results of the blessing because they are operating in a curse. a. A curse is an empowerment to fail. b. If you are experiencing failure in your life, examine what the cause may be or in other words, you need to consider your ways. (Haggai 1:5-7, KJV) c. If you are not seeing the results of the blessing in your life, something is blocking it. d. A curse is a blessing blocker. 1) The heavens over your head will be brass and the earth under you shall be iron. (Deuteronomy 28:23, AMP) e. A curse does not come without a cause. (Proverbs 26:2, KJV) f. Are you giving problems and misfortune a reason to be present in your life? 1) My experience shows that those who plant trouble and cultivate evil reap the same. (Job 4:8, TLB) 2) God will always show you where you have gone wrong and the need for repentance. (Job 36:7-9)

2 g. No one can curse what God has blessed, but a blessed person can set a foundation for a curse to operate in his or her life. (Numbers 23:8, 20). 1) Disobedience can open the door to the curse and is a blessing blocker.

C. Obedience is a key to releasing the blessing. 1. Obeying God's commandments will activate the blessing (Deuteronomy 11:26-28; John 14:21). 2. The commandments that you are to follow, as a Believer, are to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:34-40). a. When you refuse to obey the commandment of love, you obey selfishness. b. Operating in selfishness will give place to the curse, or empowerment to fail, in your life. c. The blessing is blocked when you remain selfish. 1) Your prayers will even be hindered. d. If you obey the commandment of love, the blessing will be able to flow in your life and God can restore what needs to be restored. 3. When you walk in obedience, the blessing will come on you and overtake you. (Deuteronomy 28:1-2, 10-12, 15). a. The God of suddenly will show up on your behalf. b. Others will see the blessing on your life. 1) God wants to use your life to provoke the unsaved to jealousy. c. When you serve and obey God, you will spend your days and ultimately your years in pleasure and prosperity.

D. Your consistency is the key to your breakthrough. 1. Lord of the Breakthrough. (2 Samuel 5:10, 12, 17-20, AMP) 2. When the enemy shall come in, like a flood the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him. (Isaiah 59:19, KJV)

3 E. There are four areas of disobedience that will block the blessing in your life. 1. Making other things a priority in your life instead of God. 2. Living an ungodly lifestyle that accepts the world's standard of compromise. (Titus 2:12) 3. Holding on to unforgiveness and being in strife with others. a. Christians must walk in love (Ephesians 5:1-2). 4. Not honoring God with your finances. a. Anyone who steals is under a curse (Zechariah 5:3). b. You should regularly set aside money with which you honor God. (1 Corinthians 16:1-2) 5. If you are not experiencing the blessing, don't blame the devil- examine yourself.

Scripture References:

. Ephesians 1:3 . Galatians 3:13, 14, 29 . Proverbs 26:2 . Numbers 23:8, 20 . Job 4:8 . Job 36:7-9, 11 . Deuteronomy 11:26-28 . John 14:21 . Matthew 22:34-40 . Deuteronomy 28:1, 2, 10-12, 15 . Titus 2:12 . Ephesians 5:1, 2 . Zechariah 5:3 . 1 Corinthians 16:1, 2