Learning to be blessed

In Matthew 5 we begin the "Sermon on the Mount" that is quoted so often but seldom seen as the blessings of the New Covenant that compare with the blessings Moses gave Israel in Deuteronomy 28. Jesus came teaching the Kingdom of heaven. Mark 1:14-15 (New Living Translation) 14 Later on, after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, where he preached God’s Good News. 15 “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” This was a new concept for which they had been prepared by John's message of repentance. God sent John to prepare the way for Jesus' ministry. Luke 7:29-30 (New Living Translation) 29 When they heard this, all the people—even the tax collectors—agreed that God’s way was right, for they had been baptized by John. 30 But the Pharisees and experts in religious law rejected God’s plan for them, for they had refused John’s baptism.I don't know if the people realized that Jesus was speaking the language of a new covenant. Even the thought of a new covenant would be alien to those whose identification was so much a part of the Abrahamic covenant and the Law of Moses. Jesus did not mention a "new covenant" until His final Passover. But the people marveled at His teaching "because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law." (Matthew 7:29)

Why do I say it is covenant talk? Let us look at His words. They are not boldly covenant language but they meet all the requirements of covenant expression. There is the promise and the requirement listed together. Matthew 5:3 (King James Version)"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
How do we receive the kingdom of heaven? A covenant response of being poor in spirit. Have you ever met a person so strong in their spirit you could not carry on a reasonable conversation? They know everything or at least have an opinion about everything. No matter what you say there is an argumentive answer. When the soul is uppermost it feeds the spirit of a person. Strong opinions with strong feelings become a part of one's spirit. This is why in order to come into God's rest the Word of God is necessary. Hebrews 4:11-12 (New Living Translation)11 So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall. 12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Jesus said to let His Word abide in us. The Word of God will cut between the soul and spirit to set the spirit free to be taught by the Spirit of God. You can then begin to take every thought into captivity to the obedience to God. Your own opinions can be brought down to allow God's Word and thoughts to be your guide. You become more and more as a little child learning the ways of the kingdom of God. Mark 10:15 (New Living Translation) "I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” The poor in spirit that is used here is simply one who has become as a little child to learn at the feet of Jesus in humility and hunger and trust in the Holy Spirit to guide into all truth.

To become poor in spirit there must be an understanding of what contaminates a spirit. There is a process. First, something comes into your mind. It can be a thought Satan puts there, it can be something you have been around so much you just think that way, it can be a verse of Scripture that you have read or heard or it can be your thoughts about something a person did to you. If that thought is dwelt on continually it begins to generate feeling. If that feeling is dwelt on it begins to be an emotion. If that emotion is acted on it now has entrance into your spirit. Continuous expression to that gives your spirit an identification. If it is anger and revenge over an action or hurtful word, the next time something happens to you, there will be an immediate reaction because anger is in your spirit. This same pattern works with God's Word. When His Word is meditated on and emotion is generated and the Word is acted on, it gets into your spirit. When the Spirit reveals another Scripture to you, there is immediate reaction because faith has been generated in your spirit.

You have the choice to make your spirit "poor" in the ways of human nature and "rich" toward God.