poor in spirit

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3

In my early days, I was taught that this Scripture told us to be humble. That humble people experience the Kingdom of God. But when one starts to study the Greek, one reads nothing about being humble. Instead, it speaks about those who are spiritually in poverty. Those who are in spiritual bankruptcy. They have the kingdom of the heavens at their disposal.

A slightly different meaning then being humble.

The human heart has difficulty in understanding the basis of the Kingdom of God. To recognize oneself as spiritually bankrupt in the western civilization is a rare occurrence. We are a people surrounded by wealth. We are overly stimulated by the media. We eat three meals a day with snacks between. We sleep in air-conditioning homes in the hot summer and heated abodes in the winter. Our lives are blanketed in material prosperity. How can anyone be spiritually poor?

In Revelation 3:17-20, Jesus is speaking to the Church in Laodicea. He warns them that they think they are rich and need nothing. They do not recognize their spiritual condition. They confuse the outer world as a picture of their interior heart. Instead of being spiritually rich, they are poor. What must they do to change? Repent. Accept Jesus into their home and build an intimate relationship with him. Break bread together. Become friends. HE will share his life with you. And you will share your life with HIM.

When you reach the point you are beaten, busted, and broken, you view the world slightly different. Where your identity has been shifted out of you, you feel empty. Where you have nowhere to go. No purpose. No meaning for living. Nothing to live for. Then you may have reached the point of spiritual bankruptcy. You are at the doorway of the Kingdom of God.

God’s Kingdom awaits you. HIS government rules the heavens and earth. Your acceptance of Jesus as your Lord opens HIS generous grace upon you. When you have nothing to offer HIM, but your surrender, you are in. You are then welcome to participate with HIM and HIS work. HIS favor is yours to experience. HIS wisdom. HIS discernment. HIS servants. All are at your disposal. Your life then becomes rich as you join HIM. HE shares HIS wealth with you. HE shares himself with you. He shares HIS entire Kingdom with you.

Yes, when you have reached the point you have nothing to give him, you then understand his love for you. You come to realize what his vicarious life has done for you. HE died for you before you even knew him. HE knew you before your parents were even born. And HE will give you a life more than you can even phantom. He covers your sins. He closes his eyes to your stupidity. He laughs at your incompetency. He cries in your pain.

HE knows more about you than you do. HE knows your potential. HE knows you.

You are blessed when you recognize your spiritual poverty before him. That is when HE and HIS Kingdom become more real in your life. When HIS Spirit has your approval to complete the work HE started in you. When you can participate with HIM under the umbrella of HIS Kingdom in your corner of the world. That is when you will truly know how blessed you really are.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

^{Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler}

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“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3 ESV

Who are the poor in spirit? Are we not taught to be rich in spirit? Isn’t those who have a positive attitude, an assurance of confidence, and strong self-esteem the model we are told to desire? Is this not the spirit we are told will make us happy? Did Jesus get it all wrong?

Some people believe that if one is poor in material goods, than one is also poor in spirit? Is this true? Others say that poor in spirit is simply humility in action. In Revelation 3:17 the writer addresses those in the church that have all the dressings of success but don’t realize that they are living in spiritual poverty. Who then are the poor in spirit?

When one begins to walk with the Lord, one slowly begins to realize the vast difference between the teacher and student. One quickly attains that the Teacher is the Master and the student is the pupil. When the student compares oneself with the Teacher, one humbly acknowledges that they lack or fall far short of the many qualities related to holiness. When God’s love and grace is demonstrated into one’s life, one begins to realize how far below the measuring bar one sits.

One soon begins to pray and ask God for the fruit of His Spirit to grow within themselves. Yet even as the fruit begins to bloom in one’s life, one is always comparing themselves with Jesus. In that comparison one is always coming to the reality how poor one is when compared with the vast riches found in Christ.

When one compares themselves with their neighbor, one is easily blinded to their spiritual immaturity. It is easy to feel or think one has arrived to the highest level of spiritual maturity when one compares the self with the devil. Yet when one compares themselves with the real measuring scale of Jesus Christ, one quickly repents and admits one’s state of poverty. It is only through the Spirit of Christ that one inherits the richness of His Kingdom. It is only through Christ, that one truly experiences the treasurers of the Kingdom of God.

So when one can honestly admit how poor they are when comparing themselves with Christ, and how needy they are for a living, deep relationship with Christ, then one can also begin to experience the fruit of Kingdom living now and the hope of Kingdom living for eternity. It all begins when one realizes how poor they truly are when compared with the Incarnate Triune God.

Rooting For You in Christ!