On a recent mission trip, I heard the pastor close his prayer by saying, “We release the blessing of Jesus over you.”
That one little sentence woke up my heart and held my attention the entire trip. Every person I had the opportunity to pray for or with, I would pray, “I release the blessing of Jesus over you.”
We are sons and daughters of the light. We have the powerful, one of a kind opportunity to stand in the truth of who God is. We have access to the hand and face of the Almighty God. And amazingly enough, we are meant to confidently rest in that awareness for his glory and for our joy.
We know who he is and we know whose we are, so we can courageously pray and release the favor of Jesus over others.
Who are you blessing?
As God’s children, we have a unique position and a daily miracle to take part of. We have full access to his throne. We are covered with the blood of Jesus and have his righteousness within us.
Christ has given us permission to teach, encourage, intercede, heal, serve, adopt and care for one another. He has commissioned us to bless.
Are you living a life of blessing?
So often this little word, “blessing” is relegated to a trite response or a greeting. I like to think of “blessing” as a sacred word – one to use carefully. It’s a noun we must access the throne room for. It’s an adjective our Savior lived and has breathed into each of us.
We are bestowed blessing, we live blessing and we share blessing.
Does your missional living and your focus on God include releasing blessing over others?
When we extend blessing to another, we transfer the help, protection, happiness, favor and approval of God onto that person. Blessing is not something we create or take credit for – it’s a gift we steward.
We give blessing and we receive blessing in a lovely kingdom rhythm. Another word for blessing is thanksgiving or eucharisteo.
Ann Voskamp explains). He took the bread and knew it to be gift and gave thanks. Eucharisteo, thanksgiving, envelopes the Greek word for grace, charis. But it also holds its derivative, the Greek word chara, meaning “joy.” Charis. Grace. Eucharisteo. Thanksgiving. Chara. Joy.”
We invoke, share and partake in the grace-joy-thanksgiving of the Father. This is the sweetest and truest blessing lived and shared in dark times and in light times.
We release the blessing of Jesus over our friends, family, neighbors and the world, and then we wait with earnest thanksgiving in anticipation of a miracle.
“Eucharisteo—thanksgiving—always precedes the miracle.”
– Ann Voskamp
