DOING THE WORD: THE AUTHENTIC PATH TO GOD’S BLESSING & APPROVAL

James by the Holy Spirit in James 1:25 (talking about hearing and doing God’s word) said But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty (God’s word) and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer; but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in all his deed. 

Here you see the bible call doing the word of God, 'work'. Just saying “amen” to the “prophecies” being spoken on you does not work it, you must be a doer of the word for the word to work in your life therefore junk presumptions and/or laziness and get to work.

Now, if the doer of the work (word) is blessed, it follows that the non-doer of the work (word) will not be blessed (at least, not of or by God). Take notice that if this is not so, James here will not warn and encourage us to be doers of the word. 

The blessing of God only follows the doer of the word. Do not forget that the book of James was written to the church, believers, you and I. 

Someone may say “I know believers that are not doing the word like that and they are blessed”. I assure you that this assertion can only be based on a lack of understanding of what God’s blessing is. We need to understand what being blessed by God means in His kingdom. 

A blessed man in God’s kingdom is that man through whom God expresses Himself to bring the purpose of redemption to pass in his life as well as the lives of others viz-a-viz salvation, deliverance and victory over sin and Satan, the world and so forth. 

The measure or indication of God’s blessing in a man’s life therefore is in how much God (after having worked in the man’s own life), is able to reach out (by His life and power) through the man’s life to other men to save, deliver them from and give them victory over the powers of darkness.

God’s blessing or the blessing of the kingdom should not be measured through carnal indices or material things, e.g how much physical possession you have or how much money or how much control over men you have in this world. These may be what is referred to as being blessed in the world but not so in God’s eyes or in His kingdom.

Carnal and material things have their places but they do not serve as indices or measurement of God’s blessing or fruitfulness in the kingdom of God. 

Whatever can satisfy the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life should never be a measure or indication of the blessing of or approval of God in His kingdom.

The blessing of the kingdom is measured only through things of eternal value. How much God’s life is being expressed through your life for your benefit and the benefit of others unto the fulfillment of the purpose of redemption.

The purpose of redemption is the fulfillment of destiny for everyone that believes and destiny is conforming to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29). 

After you got born again, how many people are getting born again through your life? How many people are receiving the gift of the baptism of the Holy Spirit through your life? How many lukewarm and backslidden Christians are becoming restored and serious with their relationship with God through your life? How many believers are growing spiritually through your life? 

How many people are receiving encouragement to move on and be who God wants them to be through your life? Are you delivered from trouble, sicknesses, diseases, spiritual attacks, bondage and oppression through your prayers and faith?  How many people have been saved from trouble, sicknesses, diseases, spiritual attacks, bondage and oppression through your prayers, faith and counsel?

Make no mistakes, God’s blessing which comes by doing the word is not measured by carnal things or indices, they are not measured by material possessions but by how much the life of God in you is being expressed both for your benefit and then through you for the benefit of others (to know God and to do His will). These only come by being a doer of God's word.

I know this may upend your theology but it is true. Nowhere in the entire New Testament will you see the term “blessing” in relating to God and His Kingdom referring to material or carnal things.

God said in Isaiah 55:8 that my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. The ninth verse says for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. You must understand that the judgment of God is not fashioned after the judgment of man.

So take these away, that:  

• The blessing of God (result of the working of God’s power in a believer’s life) comes by doing God’s word, by being a disciple indeed
• Material possessions (things of this world) are no indices for measuring God’s blessing in a believer’s life but rather the life and power of God working in the believer’s life and through the believer’s life to bring the purpose of redemption to pass in the lives of others also
• Nowhere in the New Testament is the term “blessing” (in relation to God or His Kingdom) used in reference to material or carnal things. 

We will see more of why carnal things are not an indication or measure of God’s blessing in a believer’s life in the next part. 

Meditate on these things, give yourself wholly to them, that thy profiting may appear to all (1 Timothy 4:15).

Pastor Gboye Omolayo is the Resident Pastor of Church@Allen, Allen TX, USA. He is a prolific writer and preacher who believes the efficacy of the word of God and the potency of the works of the Holy Spirit are still available to the Church today, as were at the Church’s infancy. He is the publisher of this blog.