BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN THE SPIRIT
“For all these things my hand has made, and they are mine, says the Lord; but to this man only will I give attention, to him who is poor and broken in spirit, fearing my word.” (Isaiah 66:2 BBE)
Every kingdom or nation has a peculiar set of values, principles, constitutions or standards that guide and govern the mindsets and lifestyles of its citizens.
Therefore, when the Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to set up His spiritual Kingdom in the hearts of those who would acknowledge, believe and receive Him as their Saviour, Lord and King, He had to clearly spell out the peculiar values, principles and standards of His Kingdom.
The Lord Jesus spent a quality time with His first set of disciples to teach and explain, to express and demonstrate, and to infuse and inculcate in them the peculiar values, principles and standards of His kingdom that must rule and direct, guide and govern their thoughts, words, emotions, conducts, actions or lifestyle.
A summary of the peculiar values, attitudes, standards, mindsets, precepts and principles of God’s kingdom was perfectly spelt out, explained and taught by the Lord Jesus Christ to His disciples as the Discourse, the Beatitudes or Sermon on the Mount.
Christ spent the rest of His days on earth to practically express and demonstrate to His disciples the peculiar lifestyle of His Kingdom.
In a sharp contrast to the values, standards, attitudes and mindsets of this world, the Lord Jesus taught that “Blessed are the poor in the spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5:3 NKJV).
The truth is that nobody loves to be poor in any sense of the word, for the poor in this world are despised, oppressed, victimized, denied justice, stigmatized, and deserted by their friends and relations.
Solomon writes, “All the brothers of the poor hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him! He may pursue them with words, yet they abandon him.” (Prov. 19:7 NKJV).
Sadly, even in our churches today, the poor are looked down upon, treated with disdain, and made to feel as worst sinners or outcasts among God’s people.
However, God’s priceless, inexhaustible and unlimited provisions or resources are readily accessible only to those who approach God as poor in the spirit – those who acknowledge their human limitations, deficiencies and weaknesses.
God always sends away empty those who approach Him as rich or full; but He fills the poor or the hungry with good things!
“He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.” (Luke 1:53 NKJV).
“For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring.” (Isa. 44:3 NKJV).
The Laodicea’s church was severely rebuked and corrected by the Lord because she thought and said, “I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing…” (Rev. 3:17 NKJV).
Undoubtedly, God delights in our prosperity and has richly given us all things to enjoy in Christ (Psa. 35:27, 1 Cor. 3:21, 1 Tim. 6:17).
However, God would not have us to be so rich, full or satisfied to the point when we think we have no need of Him anymore. Regrettably, like the Laodicea’s church, the Church today is claiming to be “rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing…”
Although the early apostles of Christ were men highly anointed, yet they sought to be filled again and again by the Holy Spirit. They were men with insatiable hunger and unquenchable thirst for God.
In spite of Apostle Paul’s abundant visions and revelations of the Lord Jesus Christ, yet his constant longing or heart’s cry is: “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.” (Philip. 3:10 NKJV).
Although Paul was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words which he said is not lawful for a man to utter, yet he passionately states, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.” (Philip. 3:12 NKJV).
Paul never had enough of the revelation knowledge of Christ!
This is what it means to be poor in the spirit!
Beloved, in God’s kingdom, it is only those who constantly acknowledge their weaknesses as mortal men and choose not to trust in or depend upon themselves, but continuously trust in God or depend upon God that will constantly and continuously draw from God’s resources.
Until a sinner acknowledges or accepts that he is spiritually and morally bankrupt, and that he cannot save himself by any means, and then chooses to put his faith in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour; he cannot draw from God’s mercy and receive God’s free gift of eternal life.
Friend, having become born-again through faith in Christ Jesus, you must maintain an attitude of “a poor in the spirit” – continue to acknowledge your human weaknesses and limitations, putting no confidence in the flesh, but always seeking to grow in the grace and revelation of Christ Jesus and depending on the Holy Spirit.
Paul admonishes, “As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.” (Col. 2:6 NKJV).
Therefore, don’t be so rich or full in the spirit that you no longer have no need for God in your life. It is only the poor in the spirit that will always have unlimited access to the inexhaustible riches, graces or resources of the kingdom of heaven.
The Lord Jesus teaches, “Blessed are the poor in the spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5:3 NKJV).
God only gives attention to the poor in the spirit, not to the rich in spirit!
God said through Isaiah, “For all these things my hand has made, and they are mine, says the Lord; but to this man only will I give attention, to him who is poor and broken in spirit, fearing my word.” (Isa. 66:2 BBE).
Prayer: My Dear Holy Spirit, stir up a fresh and insatiable hunger in my soul today for revelation knowledge of Jesus Christ, in Jesus’ name. Amen.