New Hope For Life Ministries > Messages > Being Poor in Spirit
Being Poor in Spirit
newhope
February 10, 2019
- Matthew 5:3
- Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven
- God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for Him (NLT)
- Those who are poor in spirit are extremely fortunate and well off.
- It is when we acknowledge our need for the Lord that He is able to work in our lives
- Acknowledging our need for Him is also a prerequisite for inheriting the fullness of God’s kingdom.
- Righteousness, peace joy in the Holy Spirit
- Being poor in spirit means that we can be used fully and extensively by God.
- What does someone who is poor in spirit look like?
- Humble
- 1 Peter 5:5-7
- Let God give you grace
- Let God exalt you in due time – that is at the proper time
- Let God take your cares
- Luke 14:7-11
- Choose the lowest places. Let the Lord come and move you up to a higher place.
- When we choose to exalt ourselves and take the best, He will allow us to be humbled and brought lower.
- Matthew 6:1-4
- Don’t perform good works seeking attention and glory – do your deeds in secret.
- The Lord will reward you
- Philippians 2:3-4
- Put the welfare of others above yourself.
- Consider what other people need, not just what you need.
- John 17:17-19
- Sanctify means to make holy.
- Understand where your holiness comes from.
- Matthew 16:24-25
- Lay down your desires and your ways of doing things and instead follow Christ – that is take up His ways.
- Take up your cross – the duty and responsibility you have towards Christ; no matter how hard it may be.
- Romans 12:16
- Don’t think you’re too good to associate with anyone.
- Don’t think that you know everything – there is always something new to learn.
- John 15:12-13
- The greatest love we can show for one another is to lay down our lives for one another.
- This doesn’t necessarily mean a physical death, but it means putting our own needs and desires aside for one another.
- Looks to serve others
- 1 Corinthians 9:19-23
- Paul used his freedom in Christ to serve others in order to bring them to Christ.
- Mark 10:45
- We should take Jesus’ example – He did not come to be served but to serve.
- He came to lay down His life for others.
- Rejoices in sharing the sufferings of Christ
- 1 Peter 4:12-19
- Rejoice if you are counted worthy to suffer as a Christian
- If we are persecuted as Christians, it means that the Spirit of the Lord & His glory have come upon us.
- We are to glorify God during these times of persecution
- 2 Corinthians 1:3-5
- When tribulations come, we can look to the Lord for our comfort.
- As He comforts us, we should also comfort one another
- Wise in the things of God
- 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
- The most important thing to know is that Jesus is the Son of God, He came to earth as a man, was crucified and resurrected.
- Be careful about speaking with eloquent words filled with natural wisdom – that exalts the speaker, not the Lord.
- Ephesians 5:15-17
- Time is finite – don’t waste it; understand the Lord’s will and put time and energy into that.
- 1 Timothy 4:16
- Keep a watch on how you live and teach.
