JANUARY 17
The covenant promises made by God to Abraham are not for everyone. They are only for those who have entered into the blood covenant with Jesus Christ by accepting His sacrifice for their sin. It is for those who have allowed God to circumcise their hearts and who bear the marks of change upon their lives. The promises are for those who obey God’s directives to step out by faith and claim His promises.
What is the covenant of Abraham of which we are heirs? They are promises that will enable us, like Israel, to reach our spiritual destiny. In Genesis 12:1-7, God promised Abraham that he would give him a land, make him a great nation, make his name great, bless him, and make him a blessing to others. God also promised to bless those who blessed him and curse those who cursed him. How does this apply to your life? God has promised to bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. When people rise up against you, you won’t need to defend yourself. God will deal with your enemies because you are walking in the provisions of this covenant. God has a spiritual “land”–a divine destiny for you. He has a specific plan for you, an expected end: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (Jeremiah 29:11). God wants to bless you so that through you, the nations (families) of the earth will be blessed. You are blessed in order to be a blessing.
In Genesis 13:15-17, God promised Abraham that the land–his inheritance from God– would be his forever and that he would pass this blessing on to his seed. While this has a specific application to the nation of Israel, it also applies to believers today. The inheritance God has given you is eternal, without end. No exclusions. No disclaimers.
Had Israel really comprehended the meaning of this covenant, they never would have turned back from entering their Promised Land.
God also promised Abraham that his heirs would be as the dust of the earth. Even if you are barren and without natural children, God wants to birth through you a spiritual seed that will reproduce throughout the nations. God declares over you:
Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord. Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited. (Isaiah 54:1-3)
Like Israel, God has blessed you so that you can bless a lost and dying world. What are you doing today to bless others? Is your life impacting the nations?