Matthew 5:1-2 “Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.”
Jesus commenced His Sermon on the Mount by teaching The Beatitudes, that those who experience each of eight stated Christlike traits would be blessed, and how. The Beatitudes also provide a perfectly sequenced biblical path to healing and forgiveness. We will focus on the first two, as they establish a powerful foundation within us for this sacred pursuit.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”, the first Beatitude. Kyle Miller explains that “poor in spirit” refers to genuine humility, possessing an awareness of our own spiritual poverty. It lays to rest our self-reliance and self-assurance, and instead points to God as our strength.
A poor spirit stops us short of elevating ourselves above others. It governs our tendency toward pride and removes a tremendous weight from our shoulders by giving judgement back to God. It is a supernatural trait bestowed upon us only by the Spirit of God.
In and only by experiencing a poor spirit – or authentic God given humility, can we become enabled to experience true “mourning” spoken of in the second Beatitude, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted”. Jesus is referring to mourning all sin, including our own, and the visible manifestation of sin in our divided world.
A poor spirit corrects our hearts and vision when observing our loud and broken world. We mourn rather than condemn, and we press on through pain and division equipped to bestow grace and forgiveness upon others, who we see as our equals before God. We mourn rather than become angry and imprisoned over wrongdoing.
Our natural inward and outward response to sin and wrongdoing is replaced by a supernatural response of love, forgiveness, and grace, born of the Holy Spirit. We foster God’s unity in the world and enable healing. Our own transformation is propelled. Heaven celebrates.
This is the power of Biblical truth. It is transformation. Experiencing a poor spirit, and truly mourning sin, are acts of God that brings us closer to the point where we reflect Jesus, and ultimately experience healing, forgiveness, and the peace He desires for each of us.
Stop. Breathe. Pray. Go to God. Forgive. Be forgiven. Seek healing. Break Chains. Reflect God.
Scriptures:
Matthew 5:1-12 1 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them. He said: 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Philippians 2:1-9 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Luke 6:35-36 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.