03/07/22

 Leviticus 26:3-13 says You shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD. If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them, then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. Your threshing shall last to the time of the grape harvest, and the grape harvest shall last to the time for sowing. And you shall eat your bread to the full and dwell in your land securely. I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid. And I will remove harmful beasts from the land, and the sword shall not go through your land. You shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. Five of you shall chase a hundred and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand, and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. I will turn to you and make you fruitful and multiply you and will confirm my covenant with you. You shall eat old store long kept, and you shall clear out the old to make way for the new. I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves. And I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect. 

The above verse tells us about the terms and conditions to appropriating the blessings of God. God has His own part to play and we have our own part to play. The first thing is to believe in the price that Jesus paid for us. This is important because what you believe is what you become.

The second thing is that we should recognize that God has already empowered us. Stop having a victim mentality, God has given us power as seen in Luke 10:19. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. 
 
The third thing is sacrifice. In Hebrews 9:6-9 the bible says these preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing (which is symbolic for the present age) According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper. So you can see the importance of sacrifice. Also in Psalm 50:5 the bible says "Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice! So we need to make a sacrifice and sacrifice doesn’t mean killing of animals or offering blood sacrifice but it’s a sacrifice of praise as seen in Hebrews 13:15. Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. At all times we should bless the Lord in-spite of the challenges we face. Stop holding grudges against God, whether or not you feel He didn’t answer your prayers yet, still praise Him.

Another level of sacrifice that is acceptable to the Lord is the sacrifice of your time, resources and anything that improves God’s house. This is seen in Hebrews 13:16 which says Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. So, whatever you do for God, He will not forget your labour of love. In Romans 12:1-2, the Bible says I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of you mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. The greatest sacrifice is keeping your bodies holy, living right for God.

Jesus was slain to give us power, blessings, riches and so much more; it is called the great exchange. 2Corthinans 8:9 & Isaiah 53:5 confirms this. For you know the grace of our LORD Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.