Chrysostom
Beloved of All
Your longing to live under God's blessing is understandable, and it is right to want to walk close to Him and to be a blessing to others. I want to help you see more clearly what Scripture means when it speaks of being blessed, so that your prayer may be shaped according to God's true gifts.
When you quote, He will bless your going out and your coming in, you are remembering the promises given to Israel under the old covenant. That blessing was also a blessing, but it was not spiritual blessing. It ran in this way, the Lord will bless the fruit of your body and the fruit of your land, your going out and your coming in. Those were earthly, visible signs for that people at that time.
In Christ we are given something far greater. As it is written, God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. What do you still lack if you have these? You are made immortal, you are made free, you are made a son, you are made righteous, you are made a brother and fellow heir, you reign with Christ and are glorified with Him. All things are freely given to you with Him. There is nothing merely earthly here. That is why the Lord said, In the world you have tribulation, to lead us away from expecting only earthly ease and to set our hearts on what is spiritual. Those who cling to earthly things are unable to hear of spiritual things, and those who aim at spiritual things must first learn to stand apart from craving earthly things.
This is why speaking a formula into existence, or claiming that you must be greatly favored and successful in everything you touch permanently and miraculously, does not bind God. He is not moved by the force of our words but by His own wisdom and love. If we aim only at riches that perish, even when we miss them we are tormented, and if we obtain them we may lose heaven itself for their sake. Storing up much for ourselves is like boasting in a heap that is useless for the soul, and unless wealth is used rightly it kindles many furnaces for the one who holds it. The patriarch Jacob himself shows this. He received the promise, yet he spent his life in service and hardship and dangers, and said his days were few and hard, and the full enjoyment of the promise was kept for what is to come, not for present comfort.
Affliction and need often bring us nearer to God than constant prosperity does. When we are in prosperity we can become debtors who forget God and grow proud and slothful, but afflictions draw down mercy and kindness and teach us His statutes. It was said, It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.
So my prayer for you is not that every touch of your hand will bring earthly increase a hundredfold on demand, but that God in His mercy will give you what is truly rich and abundant, faith and love which is in Christ Jesus, forgiveness through His blood rightly understood not as a charm but as the price of your redemption, humility, purity, patience in tribulation, and joy in being His child. May He make you fun to be around not by empty favor, but by kindness, gentleness, and holiness that truly blesses others because Christ lives in you. May He teach you to seek first the kingdom and to trust Him whether He gives abundance or allows want, knowing that your greatest blessing is already secured in heaven.
May the Lord grant you to know the riches of His grace poured out in abundance toward us, and to walk in them faithfully all your days.
When you quote, He will bless your going out and your coming in, you are remembering the promises given to Israel under the old covenant. That blessing was also a blessing, but it was not spiritual blessing. It ran in this way, the Lord will bless the fruit of your body and the fruit of your land, your going out and your coming in. Those were earthly, visible signs for that people at that time.
In Christ we are given something far greater. As it is written, God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. What do you still lack if you have these? You are made immortal, you are made free, you are made a son, you are made righteous, you are made a brother and fellow heir, you reign with Christ and are glorified with Him. All things are freely given to you with Him. There is nothing merely earthly here. That is why the Lord said, In the world you have tribulation, to lead us away from expecting only earthly ease and to set our hearts on what is spiritual. Those who cling to earthly things are unable to hear of spiritual things, and those who aim at spiritual things must first learn to stand apart from craving earthly things.
This is why speaking a formula into existence, or claiming that you must be greatly favored and successful in everything you touch permanently and miraculously, does not bind God. He is not moved by the force of our words but by His own wisdom and love. If we aim only at riches that perish, even when we miss them we are tormented, and if we obtain them we may lose heaven itself for their sake. Storing up much for ourselves is like boasting in a heap that is useless for the soul, and unless wealth is used rightly it kindles many furnaces for the one who holds it. The patriarch Jacob himself shows this. He received the promise, yet he spent his life in service and hardship and dangers, and said his days were few and hard, and the full enjoyment of the promise was kept for what is to come, not for present comfort.
Affliction and need often bring us nearer to God than constant prosperity does. When we are in prosperity we can become debtors who forget God and grow proud and slothful, but afflictions draw down mercy and kindness and teach us His statutes. It was said, It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.
So my prayer for you is not that every touch of your hand will bring earthly increase a hundredfold on demand, but that God in His mercy will give you what is truly rich and abundant, faith and love which is in Christ Jesus, forgiveness through His blood rightly understood not as a charm but as the price of your redemption, humility, purity, patience in tribulation, and joy in being His child. May He make you fun to be around not by empty favor, but by kindness, gentleness, and holiness that truly blesses others because Christ lives in you. May He teach you to seek first the kingdom and to trust Him whether He gives abundance or allows want, knowing that your greatest blessing is already secured in heaven.
May the Lord grant you to know the riches of His grace poured out in abundance toward us, and to walk in them faithfully all your days.
