Blessed Is She Who Believes: A Word of Encouragement

Happy New Year!

I wanted to post something deep and profound for the New Year, something extraordinary.  I waited…..but didn’t feel led to post anything.  I was perplexed why the Lord didn’t give me some tidbit, some nugget, some word of wisdom to share on my blog and social media accounts.  I resigned myself to continue waiting as I don’t like to post for the sake of posting.

I forgot about writing a blog post and simply opened my bible to reread Luke 1:30, a verse I’d been meditating on for a few weeks, when my eyes fell on this beauty:

Luke 1:45

“And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

I’m sure you remember the story.  The angel Gabriel recently visited Mary and told her that she would give birth to the Savior.  Mary went to visit Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist, and as soon as she spoke the baby in Elizabeth’s womb leaped.  Elizabeth spoke the words in Luke 1:45 to Mary.

And today the Lord is speaking those words to His daughters.

Believe God

All of us are believing God for something we believe He told us.  2017 is the year in which those things will begin to manifest in the lives of those who believe Him.

I want to make a distinction here for a second.  There’s a difference between believing IN God (in a god) and believing God.  Many people say they believe IN God, yet what they’re actually believing in is some higher power.  Perhaps they’re believing in the universe or nature or even themselves.

That’s not what I’m talking about.  I’m talking about not only believing IN the one true God, but believing Him.  You take Him at His word.  You trust His word.

The word “Believe” in Luke 1:45 means (among other things), “to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in…” (see Strong’s Numbers G4100).

Typically, we act upon things that we believe are true.

• You have confidence the brakes will stop your car, so you use them.
• You think (to be true) the chair will hold you, so you sit on it.
• You have faith the Lord is blessing you with a home, so you start the process to secure a mortgage.

Hence, when we believe something to be so, we act/react accordingly.  Has your belief in God resulted in action?

A Great Performance

Luke 1:45 says you are BLESSED when you believe (“of God; are confident in God”).  Blessed means happy, but it also means fortunate or well-off.  Blessing is ours when we BELIEVE God.  Why are we blessed?  Let’s look again at what Elizabeth told Mary:

“…for there shall be a PERFORMANCE of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

Performance is defined as, “a completing, a perfecting, fulfillment, accomplishment, consummation, perfection,” (see Strong’s Numbers G5050).

God is going to complete, perfect, FULFILL, the very promise that He spoke to you.

• If He promised healing, you will be healed.
• If He promised joy, you will have joy.
• If He promised reconciliation, it will be yours.
• If He promised you a business, start planning and preparing now.

Whatever He told you will be performed (fulfilled, accomplished) if you BELIEVE Him.

Therefore, let me encourage you.  Walk in humility, faithfulness, and thanksgiving this year.  Stay attuned to God’s voice.  Let Him lead you in wisdom.  When we do these things, we will be able to say with Mary:

“…My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior…For He that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is His name,” (Luke 1:46, 47, 49).

As you enter 2017, BELIEVE God – His nature, His attributes, His grace, His mercy, His favor.  Move beyond simply believing IN Him.

Believe Him.

Believe God….and have a blessed and prosperous 2017.

~Aretha