OVERTAKING BLESSINGS

"And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God" -- Deut 28:2, NKJV

The Lord gave Israel strong incentives to provoke them to obey His voice and not depart from Him. He set before them both curses and blessings. Both were of unusual magnitude. Because the Law offered no grace, and did not require faith (Gal 3:12), the curses were more prominent than the blessings. Eighteen curses were read in the hearing of the people, offering them good reason to obey the Lord, walking in His ways (Deut 27:15-26; 28: 16-19).

The blessings promised by the Lord were mind-boggling. They were so extensive, one could not imagine them not being compelling to those hearing them. "Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out" (Deut 28:3-6). He promised He would "cause" their enemies to be "defeated" before their "face." They would come unified against Israel, but would flee seven different ways (28:7). In righteousness and faithfulness He promised He would "command the blessing" upon the people, their storehouses, and everything they set out to do (Deut 28:8).

God is fully capable of doing these things. You do not want to adopt a theology, or view of God, that makes such promises sound absurd. God is able to cause the blessing to overtake His people–to come from Him so swiftly and effectively they surpass the normalcy of life.

While the promises given to those in Christ Jesus are far superior those offered Israel, they still can work in the same manner–overtaking the people. Do not think this strange. Remember this word: "It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer" (Isa 65:24). That is being "overtaken" by a blessing! How about when the early church was being persecuted. With one accord, this opposed group lifted their prayer to God. It is written, "And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness" (Acts 4:31). That is being "overtaken" by a blessing!

Remember when Peter was imprisoned? Herod had just killed James. Seeing that it "pleased the people," he set about to do the same with Peter. That night, Peter slept between two soldiers, bound with chains, and with guards before the prison door. Suddenly, the angel of the Lord "stood by him." He struck Peter on the side, raised him up, and said, "Arise quickly!" It is written, "his chains fell off his hands." Putting on his garment, Peter followed the angel to freedom. He was "overtaken" by the blessing!

Blessings that "overtake" us are not expected. Circumstance seems to contradict their possibility. Sometimes our supplies run out like the widow's oil and meal, and we are ready, so to speak, to eat our last meal. Then, however, the blessing "overtakes" us, like it did that widow of Zarephath. The Lord sent a needy prophet to her, and sustained them both, together with her son (1 Kgs 17:9-20). They were "overtaken" by the blessing!

What a glorious aspect of the Kingdom: being "overtaken" by the blessing! On one occasion, when Paul was in prison, his dear fellow laborer, Epaphroditus, became sick. We are told he nearly died – until they were "overtaken" by the blessing. It is written, "For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow" (Phil 2:27). What blessed relief!

Child of God, do not rule out being "overtaken" by the blessing of God! If you are going to shut a door, do not let it be the one that leads to promise. Close the door on the world. Close it to doubt and fear. God is able to "open a door of hope" in the worst of valleys (Hos 2:15). He can "command" blessings that no force is able to countermand. Not even "principalities and powers" can stop the blessing from "overtaking" the saints. It can "overtake" them in a den of lions, a fiery furnace, or an impassable Red Sea. It can "overtake" Joseph in prison, or John on Patmos. In the midst of a storm, when the ship is about to be dashed upon the rocks and all life lost, the blessing can "overtake" the people of God. If you live by faith and walk in the Spirit, you cannot get where the blessing cannot "overtake" you. Look up, now, and hope in God!

PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank You for blessings that can dominate both time and circumstance.

-- Monday: THE NATURE OF SPIRITUAL LIFE, #2 --