If you don't ask the Holy Spirit, you won't know what God freely says is yours, this year. 1 Corinthians, Chapter 2, says the Holy Ghost tells us and reveals to us the things freely given to us by God. Think about that. In Ephesians 1, Verse 3, it says now God has blessed us with every blessing in heavenly places, in Jesus Christ. That's a wonderful scripture, and people read it and say: isn't that nice. What he's saying is this; everything you have need of for a blessed life has already been given. You don't have to beg for it. That's the difference between that Old Testament prayer, and a New Testament position of a believer. We now are blessed because everything we have need of is available through relationship with Jesus Christ, and you and I have received the spirit of God. We are connected to Christ. We need to learn how to access the realm of heaven, the realm of faith, to be able to receive things God has for us.
He has already provided for every area of your life. The question is not whether God has blessed you or not. The Bible tells us, He's already made blessing available. The key is whether you can arise inside in faith, and access it through prayer and believing prayer, otherwise you end up - and here's one of the challenges around Jabez prayer. Remember it is from the Old Testament, they didn't have the Holy Spirit in them. They were crying for the blessing of God. You and I live in the day when we are already blessed - that's why you can get up everyday and say: I am blessed! [Sings] I am blessed every day of my life, I am blessed. When I wake up in the morning, when I lay my head to rest, I am blessed, I am blessed! - see, you can do that every day. Otherwise you wake up in the morning, say oh dear God, another day, what a hangover. I was up too late last night. [Laughter]
You choose what day you're going to have. You choose to believe God - I'm blessed. You know, be a great way to start every morning rising up, saying I'm blessed. Sing the song, I'm blessed. We'll sing it at the end if we can pick it up. Sue can hum it, you'll get it by the end of it I'm sure. It's such an easy song isn't it? I am blessed, I am blessed. Every day of my life I am blessed, when I wake up in the morning, when I lay my head to rest, I am blessed. I am blessed! Well now if you're blessed, a blessed person will behave and speak and act and think in certain ways. They'll speak and act like a blessed person, not a poor person see? So how can I get that overflow into my life? Well very simple; I need time in the presence of God, meditating in His provision. You meditate in the Word, you begin to picture it, roll it over in your mind and heart, beginning to embrace it, like you see it. Then you welcome it into your heart, you meditate on it - this is mine. I have this. Thank You Lord - until you begin to make it real in your life.
See, the things of heaven come into the earth when we meditate, and faith rises in our heart. Then it comes a point were suddenly it's a revelation to us, and it's ours. Then it begins to flow into our life, so without a life of prayer, you can't see blessing manifest. Prayer, then we've got to act like blessed people. So another aspect of it is, not just time in the presence and meditating in the word, it's beginning to declare it. Declare it. That's what that song is, it's a declaration song, and often Christians seem to have prayers that are always asking God for stuff. The Bible says: He knows what you need, He's already given it to you. Reach out and dare to believe it's yours. I am blessed! I am blessed! I am blessed! Oh, I am a blessed person. Who are you? You're a blessed person. Who am I? I'm a blessed person, oh I'm blessed. My God is with me. He is blessing me. Everything I put my hand to, God is with me. Even when I goof up, God is helping me - I even learn from the goof up, and become better. Oh, I can't lose! Come on, that's the kind of mentality to be thinking, otherwise you live scared of making a mistake.