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“Blessed” is one of those church phrases that gets thrown around a lot, but sometimes we as Christians aren’t exactly sure what it means. Since the song, “The Blessing,” by Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes and Elevation Worship has gained traction in the Church, it’s inspired me to revisit what the Bible says about the topic of blessing.

 What Are God’s Blessings?

“Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things He does for me.” (Psalm 103:2)

I also appreciate the way the New International Version puts this verse: “Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all His benefits.”

Both in Scripture (Ephesians 1:3) and in the English dictionary, you’ll find blessing defined as a “benefit.” God’s blessings are His benefits towards us. God’s blessings are the good things He does for us, whether in our spiritual life, circumstances, provision of practical needs etc.

Psalm 103 lists some of God’s blessings as His forgiveness of our sins, his healing of bodies, and His love for us. Some other ways God’s blessing can look: God might give you supernatural peace in the midst of a chaotic situation. He might provide miraculously for a financial need. He could set you free from an area of sin you’ve been struggling to overcome for a while. He could restore a broken relationship in your life. Those are all expressions of God’s blessings.

God Blessing Us

When God works in our lives it enriches us in some way or meets a need. Sometimes He even gives us gifts–things that may not be needs necessarily but mean something to us–simply as an expression of His kindness. (Matthew 7:7-11)

We have the privilege of praising God for the good things He does in our lives, just like we praise Him for His name, or character, as we see in Psalm 103:1. Both elements are important in our praise of God.

Sometimes Christians struggle with talking about God’s blessing, especially when related to material things or finances, because a false teaching labeled as the “prosperity gospel” misuses the concept of God’s blessing.

Now, the Bible does speak about prosperity. (We just need to understand that term biblically.) And there are many popular Christian ministries that get wrongly labeled as prosperity gospel teachers simply because they believe God wants good things for us or believe in supernatural healing etc.

However, genuine “prosperity gospel” teaching exaggerates the concept of blessing by saying if you follow Jesus you will be healthy, rich and happy all the time and never have any problems. It shames Christians who experience trial, telling them they’re doing something wrong or lacking in faith, and that’s why they’re “not blessed.”

On the other hand, it would be equally a false teaching to say that God wants us to be sad, to suffer and to lack provision for our needs all the time, or that every time trial or suffering happens in our life it was caused by God. We learn from God’s Word that He wants the best for us. He loves to bless us, care for us and fill our life with good things.

We also learn from Scripture that trials are a part of life in this world, even for followers of Jesus. (John 16:33) But when we do walk through trials, Jesus is with us, He helps us, and He works good out of the hard things we go through. He finds ways to manifest His blessings in our lives even in the midst of hard times, not only when things in life are going smoothly.

So, what’s the balance?

Biblically, I don’t think it’s wrong to say “God blessed me” when referring to material things or success or opportunities–things like that. And I don’t think it’s wrong to ask for or appreciate God’s blessings. I think the problem comes in when we equate God’s blessing in our life with material things only.

Similarly, we get off track when we pridefully believe that our circumstances or what we have in our lives indicates that God favors us more than another person. If we understand the concept of blessing according to Scripture, however, it’s a beautiful and significant part of life in relationship with God.

Us Blessing Others

 “Whenever you enter someone’s home, first say, ‘May God’s peace be on this house.’ If those who live there are peaceful, the blessing will stand; if they are not, the blessing will return to you.

(Luke 10:5-6)

Here’s how we apply the concept of God’s blessings to our prayer lives and the words of encouragement we speak to others. Let’s start with prayer.

We start by diving into the Bible. What does God’s Word say about His character that He reveals and expresses to us? What does His Word say about His promises, His truths, the ways He says He will work on our behalf? With that foundation, you and I can pray and ask God for His blessings in our lives and the lives of others–in general or relevant to specific situations we might be facing.

I’m always so encouraged by the promise in 1 John 5:14-15 that if we pray according to God’s will, He hears and gives us what we ask for. And I’m thankful that He’s given us His Word and His Spirit to guide us into truth and help us to do exactly what this verse says–pray according to His will. (2 Timothy 3:16 // Romans 8:26-27)

Another thing we see in the Bible, though, is the concept of God’s people speaking blessing over one another in the name of the Lord. We see it in the Old Testament in passages like Numbers 6:22-27, where we find the priestly blessing Aaron spoke over the people of Israel. (This is the passage that inspired the song “The Blessing.”)

We also see it in the New Testament letters where the apostle Paul and others would begin or end their letters to the believers with pronouncements of blessing. (For example: Ephesians 1:2, Ephesians 6:23 // 2 Corinthians 13:14)

You and I can speak a blessing over someone by saying things like, “the Lord give you His peace at all times and in every situation, in the name of Jesus.” (2 Thessalonians 3:16) Or, “may God equip you with everything you need for doing His will, in the name of Jesus.” (Hebrews 13:20-21)

If we speak phrases that are in agreement with God’s character and with the truths and promises of His Word, God will uphold that blessing and perform in that person’s life what we declared over them. I believe God honors it when we speak words of blessing over each other in Jesus’ name, led by His Spirit, and in agreement with His Word.

With biblical context for what blessing is, I hope it takes on a richer meaning for you in your prayer life and encouragement of others just like it has for me.

Let’s Talk: Did you learn anything about the concept of blessing in the Bible that you didn’t know before? Discuss this post in the comments below.

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