The Bible has led us to meditate on four great men of God –Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph, in all there is a common denominator, all were tremendously blessed by God.
Abraham came as a stranger to Canaan and God prospered him (Genesis 13:1-2). Isaac sowed even in times of drought and reaped a hundredfold (Genesis 26:12-14). Jacob arrived in a robe at Padam-Aram and returned enriched (Genesis 30:43; 32:13-16). Joseph came to Egypt as a slave and ended up as ruler of all of Egypt (Genesis 41:37-41).
When God promised Abraham that he would bless him, he believed it (Genesis 15:1-6).
· When God told Isaac do not go down to Egypt stay here and I will bless you, Isaac also believed him (Genesis 26:1-3; 12-14)
Jacob also believed God when he appeared to him at Bethel (Genesis 28:10-22)
Joseph knew that the dreams he had were from God and he believed him (Genesis 37:5-11)
What word have you received from God? What promise has God given you? How have you received him? Are you believing God?
Many of God’s promises take time to be fulfilled, but no matter the time, God says: they will be fulfilled. Many of the promises are like a process, like the fruit of a tree – but in the end, the one who waits on God eats the promised fruit. He never tires of believing and waiting on God…
Habacub 2:3 “Though the vision will take yet a while longer, it hastens towards the end, and it will not lie; Although it will take time, wait for it, because it will undoubtedly come, it will not take long. (If you want to read more about believing, you can read the Article Faith)
II. They obeyed God and were blessed by God
Believing demands obedience and obedience impels us to move from one level to another, from one way of life to another… from one state to another… It is not enough to receive a word and say that one believes it, NO, faith is manifested by actions (James 2:18).
Abraham had to leave his land and leave his relatives in order to receive God’s blessing. What things has God asked you to do and leave behind?
Isaac when God told him to sow, he sowed, although many may have called him ignorant or crazy… the result was phenomenal (one hundred for one, for every seed he sowed he reaped a hundred)… Perhaps you have thought about changing cities for work…
When God told Jacob to return to the land of your birth, Jacob did not think twice (Genesis 31:13); If someone has left the place that belongs to him, he has moved away from God or his house, today God tells you: “come back…”
In order to see God’s promise fulfilled, Joseph had to prove by his obedience his faith in the dreams that God had given them… Potiphar’s woman…
Result: God fulfilled them and blessed them tremendously. (You may also be interested in: The Test of Our Faith)
III. They honored God with his goods, they did not deny him anything and they received God’s blessing
IV. They did not let anyone embitter their lives and they were blessed by God
V. They lived apart for God and received blessing
I personally believe that God has purposes for us (Isaiah 55:6-13). If God says “I am going to bless you” and you cling to that word, believe God and keep walking in obedience to him, rest assured that God will keep his word… (You may be interested in reading: Holiness Befits Your Home)
prophetic prayer:
Genesis 27:27-29 “See, O God, the smell of your children, like the smell of the field that you have blessed; give them, therefore, from the dew of heaven, from the fatness of the earth, abundance of wheat and new wine. May their enemies serve them and bow down to them, may those who curse them be cursed and those who bless them be blessed.