God Bless You Sermon 5: Applying The Blessing

A. INTRODUCTION

1. Definition: To bless a person is to add value or prosper them.

2. Review:

a. God wants to bless people.

b. God uses His people to bless others.

c. We must be blessed before we can bless others.

d. God has a formula to bless others.

e. A person has added value when blessed.

B. THE FORMULA FOR BLESSING: FROM THE BLESSING BY GARY SMALLEY AND JOHN TRENT

1. A meaningful touch.

a. Kiss. “Come near now and kiss me, my son” (Gen. 27:26).

b. Hug. Remember when your mother hugged you?

c. Touch head. “Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim’s head . . . and his left hand on Manasseh’s head” (Gen. 48:14).

d. Holding. “And He (Jesus) took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them” (Mark 10:16).

2. A spoken message.

a. The Levitical blessing. “Saying unto them, the Lord bless thee . . . and they shall put My name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them” (Num. 6:23-27).

b. Spoken blessing. “By faith Isaac blessed Jacob” (Heb. 11:20). “By faith Jacob . . . blessed both the sons of Joseph” (Heb. 11:21).

c. The influence of the tongue. “The tongue . . . therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men” (Jas. 3:8-9).

d. Your words represent your whole life.

WHY WE DON’T PRAISE

1. It will take away their motivation.

2. It inflates their ego.

3. We feel uncomfortable.

4. We don’t mean it.

5. They know it without our saying it.

6. Our parents didn’t praise me.

7. They will take advantage of us.

3. Attach “High Value” to the one being blessed.

a. To value something is to give it high importance.

b. Blessing in Hebrew means, “to bow the knee.” When you bow to someone, you show they are important.

c. Putting “10s” on their forehead is giving them a goal and expectation in life.

d. Use words to remind/predict their potential.

e. Use word pictures, i.e., _____________________________. Judah is a young lion, strong, aggressive, winner (Gen. 49:9). Joseph is a fruitful vine, producer, bless others (Gen. 49:22).

4. Picturing a special future for the one being blessed.

a. Israel had a special future, “Isaac blessed him . . . let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee; be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother’s son bow down to thee” (Gen. 27:28,29).

b. Your blessing is to bring out the best in them.

c. Do not restrict their future. Just as water cannot rise above its source, children will not rise above expectations put upon them.

d. Our expectations must be consistent with our past actions to them.

e. Our expectations should reflect our present and future commitment to them.

5. An active commitment to fulfill the blessing.

a. You must do something. “If a brother or sister is naked or destitute . . . and you say, ‘God bless you,’ but do not give them anything . . . what good is that?’” (James 2:15-16, ELT).

b. Share what God gives you. Jacob was blessed, “May God give you the dew of Heaven” (Gen. 27:28). Later he blessed his grandsons, “The God who has been my Shepherd . . .” (Gen. 48:15).

c. A blessing is their best interest. “He (Jacob) blessed them, everyone with the blessing appropriate to him” (Gen. 49:28, NASB).

d. Become a teacher of those you intend to bless. “Train up a child in the way he should go” (Prov. 22:6).

e. Become a student of those you intend to bless. You must know their nature, dreams, potential, and spiritual gifts.

C. THE AREA OF BLESSING

“If you will fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all His commandments . . . the Lord your God will set you high above (others) . . . influence. All these blessings will come upon you . . . you will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country, locations. The fruit of your womb will be blessed, children; and the crops of your land, job; and the young of your livestock, pay raise . . . blessed shall be thy basket, salary; and your kneeling trough, place of work; you will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out, daily activity. The enemies who rise up against you will be defeated, protection; they shall come at you in one direction, but flee from you in seven directions, victory. The Lord will send a blessing upon your barns, retirement . . . the Lord will establish you as His holy people, spiritual rest . . . the Lord will grant you abundant prosperity, happiness” (Deut. 28:1-11, ELT).