"God bless _________" That's a common phrase in our church culture. It might come in the form of a prayer asking God to bless the efforts of...the results of... protection of actions...whatever. A thought here...
When you ask for God's blessing, you should probably take a moment and see you are even asking something that God might do. Is that program/project/person/organization in line with God, recognizing God's authority and trying to glorify God with all efforts of everyday decisions?
When you ask for God's blessing, you should probably take a moment and see you are even asking something that God might do. Is that program/project/person/organization in line with God, recognizing God's authority and trying to glorify God with all efforts of everyday decisions?
If not...you may have wasted your time asking, because God isn't blessing that.
God blessings come when there is recognition, submission and alignment with His Word and direction, not just because we ask for them.It's not because He just was amicable today or you "caught Him at a good time". God tries to tell us this when we are instructed to ask for anything "in My name" and you will have it.
Sometimes, I wonder if we think asking for God's blessing on something goes like this. We just do what we want to do, then submit a request to God like a purchase order and cross our fingers hoping that God will benevolently and, in some cases, arbitrarily grant success to whatever we ask Him to get behind, because He likes us and we asked for it.It doesn't work that way.
When God blesses something, it means that God approves of it and the direction of it. He wants it to move forward because it will bring glory and praise to His name, making disciples who follow Jesus back to Him. It's not the ask or simply the faith, but why are you asking and what are you asking God to put His "stamp of approval" on.
God's blessing is not always in numerical success. In fact, sometimes, God will allow temporary success to expose the true purpose of the thing, ultimately leading to its downfall or a clear delineation from His direction to be seen, so that those who follow Him won't be a part of it. I don't think that it's clearly done to humiliate or to weaken, but to stay on the task of His mission to make disciples and bring glory and praise to Himself.
If the Holy Spirit doesn't move your heart to answer these in the affirmative by giving you peace, then THESE are the very areas that you need to focus your prayer on, BEFORE you pray for God's blessing.
If God would not approve, pray for them to submit to His will.
If they don't recognize God's direction, pray for a change of heart to follow Him.
If they do not submit to God's authority, then pray for them to humble themselves, recognize their position relative to God, begin to ask God for what they should do and to obey the direction.
If people will do that, God's blessing will surely follow.
God's blessing is not always in numerical success. In fact, sometimes, God will allow temporary success to expose the true purpose of the thing, ultimately leading to its downfall or a clear delineation from His direction to be seen, so that those who follow Him won't be a part of it. I don't think that it's clearly done to humiliate or to weaken, but to stay on the task of His mission to make disciples and bring glory and praise to Himself.
The next time you feel impressed to ask for God's blessing on some event or organization or person...ask these questions.
Is what I am asking for blessing on, something that God would approve of?
Is what I am asking for blessing on, something that recognizes God in its direction and actions?
Is what I am asking for blessing on, something that is submitting to God's authority or is it trying to act on its own authority?
If the Holy Spirit doesn't move your heart to answer these in the affirmative by giving you peace, then THESE are the very areas that you need to focus your prayer on, BEFORE you pray for God's blessing.
If God would not approve, pray for them to submit to His will.
If they don't recognize God's direction, pray for a change of heart to follow Him.
If they do not submit to God's authority, then pray for them to humble themselves, recognize their position relative to God, begin to ask God for what they should do and to obey the direction.
If people will do that, God's blessing will surely follow.
