Blessed are the poor…
The law of unintended consequences.
Think about that term. What Satan intended for evil, God worked to accomplish His plan. If you feel disadvantaged, remember, those circumstances which were meant to destroy you can be used to bless you. With God, poverty in any form is simply the gateway to abundance. We need to renew our mind to think like God.
The world has a way of making us feel totally defeated and without hope when we are going through bad times. We are made to feel ashamed, guilty, and we even feel that we deserve what we are going through. Some experience broken dreams, financial and marital failures, sickness, disease, fear of the future, loss of family members, and the list goes on. We might say, "If I had just done things differently, I would not be in this mess right now." We get into a grieving and even self-pity process that puts us into deeper despair, and depression. We try all kinds of remedies, but they all are short lived. We pray but it seems like God does not hear. Or worse, perhaps He did hear but won't fix our lives right away because of some fault of our own. We feel like God wants to keep us poor forever, or that He had designed us for mediocrity. However God has a totally different view! He says that being "poor" is the door through which we enter His Kingdom, His blessings, and His remedies. His goal for us is abundant life.
God loves to fill empty vessels. In 2 Kings chapter 4 the prophet Elisha told the poor widow to go borrow as many empty vessels as she could. All the empty vessels were supernaturally filled with oil, and when she told her son to go find another vessel he told her that there were none left. God did not run out of oil, she simple ran out of emptiness. Bring God your emptiness, admit it, be honest with Him, show Him your hunger and thirst and watch Him be God!
I like the following devotion by author Watchman Nee. "'If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king' (Daniel 3:17). How does the Church reach her goal? Only by travelling the pathway from pressure to enlargement, from poverty to enrichment. You ask: What do we mean by enlargement through pressure? When three are shut into a furnace and the three become four, that is enlargement through pressure. Some find a furnace rather close quarters for three, so they seek a way of escape; others accept the limitation, and in accepting it, make room for a Fourth. Not to let difficulties shut us out from God, but to let them shut us in to him, that is enlargement through pressure. Some, through pressure, reach God's end; others come to an end in the pressure. Some die in straitness; others, through straitness, find fullness of life. Some murmur when trials befall, finding in them only restraint, limitation and death; others praise God for the trials, and in doing so discover the pathway to enlargement, liberation, and abundance of life."
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3). The definition of "poor" according to Strongs Concordance is: "1) reduced to beggary, begging, asking alms, 2) destitute of wealth, influence, position, honour, 2a) lowly, afflicted, destitute of the Christian virtues and eternal riches, 2b) helpless, powerless to accomplish an end, 2c) poor, needy, 3) lacking in anything, 3a) as respects their spirit, 3a1) destitute of wealth of learning and intellectual culture, which the schools afford. (men of this class most readily give themselves up to Christ's teaching and proved themselves fitted to lay hold of the heavenly treasure)."
What if we are not poor?
I believe many Christians remain shallow and mistake their own strengths for God's blessings. Some people are very strong in will and intellect and have powerful emotions. The are often capable to defend against the trials in life that are meant to break down these very qualities of the old nature and the flesh. Their self-love and powerful souls are often capable to prevent the working of the Cross in their lives.
This idea is easily misunderstood. They would say that God is blessing them and that God does not bring trials and ordained sufferings. I would partially agree. God wants to bless us and He does not send things to hurt us. However I do believe in ordained trials and sufferings which are all meant to make us "poor in spirit" so that we may be candidates for God's true blessings. There are two kinds of prosperity. The first is based upon the world's system, which is graduation upwards. It utilizes the strength of the soul, the mind, will and emotions to survive and prosper. The second is based upon the Kingdom of God, which is based upon blessings coming from resurrection. However death is required prior to resurrection. When we receive a blessing from Kingdom principles it is eternal and cannot be compared with blessings from the world.
The following is quoted from Watchman Nee from his book The Release of the Spirit. "No life manifests more beauty than the one who is broken! Stubbornness and self will have given way to beauty in the one who has been broken by God. For example, consider Jacob in the Old Testament. We see how even in his mother's womb he struggled with his brother. He was subtle, tricky, and manipulative. But his life was full of sorrows and grief. As a youth, he fled from home. For twenty hears, he was cheated by Laban. The wife of his heart's love - Rachel - died prematurely. The son of his love - Joseph - was sold into slavery. Years later, another one of his dearly loved sons, Benjamin, was detained in Egypt. Repeatedly, he was dealt with by God, meeting misfortune after misfortune. He was stricken by God once, twice and thrice. Indeed, his whole history is said to be a history of being stricken by God. Finally, after many recurring dealings, the man Jacob was transformed. In his last few years, he was quite transparent. How dignified was his answer to Pharaoh! How beautiful was his end when he worshipped God leaning on his staff. How clear were his blessings to his descendants! After reading the last page of his history, we want to bow our heads and worship God. Here is one who is matured, who knows God so experientially. Several decades of dealings have resulted in the breaking of Jacob's outward man. In his old age, his life of brokenness is a picture of beauty.
Each one of us has much of the same "Jacob-nature" in us. Our only hope is that the Lord may blaze a way out of us, breaking our outward man - breaking it to such a degree that the inward man may come out and be seen. This is precious! The is the way for those who serve the Lord. Only by this process can we serve the Lord, and only by this procedure can we lead men to the Lord. All else is limited in its value. Doctrinal and theological knowledge does not have that much usefulness. What is the use of mere mental knowledge of the Bible if the outward man remains un broken? Only the person through whom God can come forth is useful."
Jacob's name was changed to Israel (God prevails) when his thigh was broken in an all night wrestling match with the angel. The thigh is the strongest part of the body, the flesh. Jacob walked with a limp the rest of his life, but he was a warrior for God! Let us value our broken thighs and our limps!
The Kingdom of God operates on different principles than the Kingdom of the world.
The world operates on increase and upward promotion for the strong. The Kingdom of God works on death first and resurrection next, our weakness making room for God's power. Without death there can be no resurrection! James 2:5 says "Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?"
Jesus' self imposed weakness and poverty is what defeated Satan and set us free. 2 Corinthians 8:9 says, "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich." The victory over Satan was not accomplished by traditional war as some of Jesus' followers were expecting. The victory was accomplished by the greatest and most unjust suffering in history, the crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. A quick fix of our problems does not defeat curses and demons; only overcoming does.
In Mark chapter 4 Jesus was speaking to His disciples about how the Kingdom of God works as a seed. He said that the seed was the Word of God planted in the human heart, and that it would bear fruit. Notice He said that this parable revealed the mystery of the Kingdom of God, not one of the mysteries. "And He said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables" (Mark 4:11).
There is nothing more powerful than a seed. It contains an image and a "computer" model for what is it supposed to produce. It knows how much water and elements of the soil to absorb. A small acorn produces a huge oak tree. But first that acorn must die. From pressure to enlargement!
Jesus' death on the Cross is what produced life for us. "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain." (John 12:24).
The principle of a seed is that the hard outer cover must be broken or decomposed by being planted in the ground. The tribulation of decomposition is actually the prerequisite for life. Therefore we should not be surprised when we encounter difficulties in our lives. God is not bringing the difficulties, but He is using them in his seed process for our lives. When we are "poor," and when the world (or even some in the church) proposes that we are failures, we are actually standing in the front of the line for God's blessings!
Jesus gives great value to bruised people.
One of the prophecies about Jesus as written in Isaiah chapter 42 was, "A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth" (Isaiah 42:3). In those days a bruised reed referred to an object that had no value and should just be discarded. People would take reeds that grew near the water's edge, cut a piece of it, cut some holes in it, and thus they would have made a flute or a recorder on which they would play music. These instruments were very fragile and would bruise easily. Once they were damaged the owner would break it and discard it. It would be much easier to make a new one than to attempt to repair the bruised one.
The smoking flax was a wick from a lamp that was so worn out that it would no longer burn it would simply smoke. Therefore the owner would discard it and purchase or make a new one.
The prophecy says that Jesus would not do that. He would see a bruised person and see their value. He would see the prostitute, the tax collector, and see their potential. He would see the victims of divorce and failure, the financial failures, the moral failures, and instead of discarding them, He would heal them and fix them. He would see people who were burned out with trying to make their lives work and consider them the finest potential for His Kingdom. As a matter of fact, He felt that they had more potential for His Kingdom than the strong, proud and successful.
Reader, take hold of this concept! This is our God! He loves you as you are. If you have failed, if you have not been able to make life work, you have just the potential God wants. When you allow this to soak in, you will realize the love He has for you, and how valuable you are to Him. Knowing that God loves you just the way you are is the most powerful step in healing. A person will never really be spiritually and emotionally healed until the love of God towards them becomes their identity. If you are continually attempting to establish your identity by your work, your appearance, your ministry, your friends, or even by your spouse, you will most miserable. You need to know that Jesus the creator loves you in your poverty and sees great potential in you.
When we see the apostle John in Heaven we might expect him to identify himself in many different ways. He might say that he knew Jesus personally on earth, or that he wrote the Book of John, and the epistles of John, or that it was he who wrote the Book of Revelation. But I think he will simply tell us what he said many times in his writings, that he was simply one of His disciples whom Jesus loved. "Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved" (John 13:23).
Jesus treats poor people different than the rule keepers do. In Matthew chapter 12 Jesus states in verse 20 that the prophecy of the bruised reed and smoking flax is fulfilled in the stories told in that chapter. The stories therein include breaking the traditional law of the Sabbath so that people could be helped. One story had to do with the disciples plucking heads of grain from a field because they were hungry. Another story was about healing a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath. If you are a broken reed or a smoking flax, don't allow the rule keepers to condemn you, rather allow Jesus to heal you. Then go and find another bruised reed and another smoking flax and do the same for them. Jesus says that there are many beautiful tunes to be played on the reed and that the flax will burn again.
The rich young ruler.
It is a blessing to start off poor. Jesus never said that we would stay that way. If Jesus came to bring good news to the poor, then good news must be that they do not have to stay poor forever. However we need to start there in order to really be blessed. Blessings are a derivative of suffering, or being "poor." The Rich Young Ruler is a good example. "Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God'" (Matthew 19:23,24). I can personally testify that each time I become "poor" in some area of life, that is when I experience the Kingdom of God for that area.
Jesus spoke this to his disciples after his encounter with the Rich Young Ruler. This man "had it made." He was rich, young, in strong authority like a governor or magistrate. He was also a very religious Jew who prided himself on keeping the laws. He was not suffering, however he did have a longing in his heart for more. The issue I want to bring to your attention is the contrast that Jesus made between the rich and the poor.
The disciples were confused by the encounter with the Rich Young Ruler as recorded in Matthew chapter 19. They thought he was the example to be followed. Jesus went on to explain the principle of the Kingdom of God to His disciples by telling them a parable story, recorded in Matthew chapter 20.
Let us take a peek into what Jesus was telling these disciples in this parable. He was comparing "rich" and "poor" people and their privileges.
Matthew 20 says,
1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.
2 Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3 And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
4 and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went.
5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.
6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?'
7 They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.'
Obviously the landowner hired the strong, young, and qualified workers first. Wouldn't you? Notice however, that the weak did not give up. They stayed in the marketplace waiting for someone to hire them. There must have been another group of people who were on the streets begging, or even laying in bed sleeping.
Perhaps these weak people had some sort of physical handicap. Perhaps they were just poor in circumstances. Maybe they were too old. Perhaps they had a negative attitude towards themselves and life. But one thing for sure, they were the "poor in spirit."
8 "So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.'
9 And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius.
10 But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius."
The weak people who worked for only one hour received the same compensation as the strong ones who worked all day. They also received their compensation first. Remember that this parable is about the Kingdom of God. Therefore I submit that the wages, or the reward paid, is the functioning of the Kingdom of God in the practical daily lives of those who qualify. We don't have to wait to die to live in the Kingdom of God. We are only pilgrims on this earth, we are actually citizens of the Kingdom of God. Why not enjoy the benefits now?
We are candidates for God's power operating through His Kingdom when we reach the end of own resources. Kingdom living is Word living; it is living in real-time contact with Jesus through the Holy Spirit. My family and I are living testimonies of this truth! "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22).
Here is the point. Those who qualify as being weak or poor in the world's standards will live in the foretaste of the Kingdom of God now, on this earth, before they die! Hebrews 6:5 says, "and [they] have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come." Some people like the Rich Young Ruler may experience the Kingdom of God, but only after they die (I hope he did). The last will be first and the first last. By the way, this parable in no way endorses being lazy or asking for handouts. I believe these poor people had the discipline of staying in there, and hoping beyond hope!
Continuing in Matthew chapter 20,
11 "And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner,
12 "saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.'
13 But he answered one of them and said, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?
14 Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you.
15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?'
16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen."
Jesus was talking about God's grace. God just wants to show us that He is good. He favors those who are down in circumstances. His solution was not to make them dependent upon something on this earth; His solution was to give them entrance into the Kingdom of God. The weak people in the parable in Matthew 20 were the desperate ones who needed to be rescued. The master came and he had them participate according to their own ability, which apparently was not very much. However he did not pay them according to their ability, he paid them according to his goodness and grace.
Look at this picture. The rich man in the picture became rich by his own power. Which position would you rather be in? The response of many people would surprise you!
Which position would you rather be in?
This picture describes the faithful overcomers. They must stand for a long time, they have little power, but they have an open door.
"And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, 'These things says He who is holy, He who is true, He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens: 'I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.'' Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown." (Revelation 3:7,8,11).
It is not a blessing to stay poor.
"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). God wants His blessings to overtake you. Being poor is only a blessing to the extent that it is a starting point, but it is not the end. In Matthew chapter 6:25-34 Jesus was exhorting people not to strive and worry about temporal blessings such as what to eat and what to wear because that was not His design for His children. That is what the Gentiles do (Gentiles means those people who have no blood covenant with God). He said, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things (that Gentiles labor for) shall be added to you" (Matthew 6:33). As we pursue the overcoming lifestyle, we should expect God's blessings to overtake us from our backsides, that is to say as a surprise. They are not something that we are pursuing, they are something that are pursuing us as we seek Him.
The Cross of Jesus Christ can be appreciated by the poor.
The Cross of Jesus Christ and the resulting blood covenant is the way God answers the desperation of people. The knowledge of the Cross is hidden for those who are desperate enough, poor enough, to seek for it, receive it, and walk in the truth of it.
These next few chapters are going to focus on the Cross of Jesus Christ and the blood covenant that it represents. Why? The Cross and what happened there is the pivot point of all human history. What happened at the Cross is designed by God, the Creator, to answer every human need, of every culture, tribe, nation, race and people group.
The Cross and the blood covenant are the answer to every human cry of desperation. Nothing has been left out. It does not matter how bad your situation is. It does not matter if you are a victim, if you are the perpetrator, or if you made a mess of your own life. The Cross left nothing out.
Its remedy is absolute!