In Matthew 5:5-6, Jesus goes on from speaking about inheriting the kingdom of heaven & the promise of comfort when we mourn. In this passage, Jesus tells us that the meek will inherit the earth, and those who seek righteousness will be filled. To be quite honest, the concept of meekness has baffled me for some time. I have not understood exactly what it would mean to be "MEEK." I have heard that meekness is power under control, but wonder how this applies to daily Christian life.
Matthew 5:5-6 (NKJV)
5 Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
Today, as I studied the Word of God, I came across a description of meekness at www.blueletterbible.org. This is what it says:
Meekness toward God is that disposition of spirit in which we accept His dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting. In the OT, the meek are those wholly relying on God rather than their own strength to defend against injustice. Thus, meekness toward evil people means knowing God is permitting the injuries they inflict, that He is using them to purify His elect, and that He will deliver His elect in His time (Isa 41:17, Luk 18:1-8). Gentleness or meekness is the opposite to self-assertiveness and self-interest. It stems from trust in God's goodness and control over the situation. The gentle person is not occupied with self at all. This is a work of the Holy Spirit, not of the human will (Gal 5:23).
Meekness is accepting that God's plans for us are good, that this ways are higher than our ways, and not trying to defend ourselves, but rather relying completely on God to bring justice in every situation.
The promise that follows is interesting also...the MEEK shall inherit the EARTH. I don't know about you, but sometimes when I let God handle my situation, it doesn't always feel like I am inheriting the earth...more than I am being squashed under its feet. However, God made a promise and I believe His promises are true and trustworthy, so I need to start praying to become meek, and also to inherit the earth. I want to see God move in this area as I pray in faith for this promise to be fulfilled in my life.
In Matthew 11:29 (NKJV), Jesus says:
29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
This is an example of meekness in the person of Jesus. He is saying that He is gentle and lowly in heart. This is our example to follow, to walk, talk, and act like Jesus in all that we do.
In Matthew 5:6, Jesus talks about hungering and thirsting after righteousness. The Word of God tells us that no one is righteous, not one.
Psalm 143:2
2 Do not enter into judgment with Your servant,
For in Your sight no one living is righteous.
Romans 3:10
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
So what does it mean to hunger and thirst after righteousness?
To hunger in Greek is the word, "peinao", which means to hunger, to suffer want, to be needy, to crave ardently or to seek with eager desire.
Jesus is speaking of those who desperately want to be declared righteous before Him, even though none are righteous in His sight.
Romans 3:23
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Thirsting, on the other hand, is from the Greek word "dipsao" which means to suffer from thirst, and speaks of those who (in their thirst) painfully feel their want of, and eagerly long for, those things by which the SOUL is refreshed, supported and strengthened.
So this person who hungers and thirsts after righteousness would be someone who is very needy, craves, and painfully feels want for things that refresh the soul - spiritual support and strength.
Does that sound like you?
If this is you, the promise is that you will be filled with everything you need to be spiritually supported and strengthened.
The "righteousness" we seek is "dikaiosyne" - meaning to be in a condition acceptable to God, a state of being approved by God, integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking, feeling and acting; to be right or just.
I don't know about you, but I hunger and thirst after righteousness. I want to be filled, and according to the words of Jesus, I will be! I will be praying in faith for this promise to be fulfilled in my life. I believe this is a promise that I have received in my life daily for the past 6 years. I have hungered and thirsted for Jesus Christ, more of Him in my life, and my life has been radically transformed!
I pray this teaching blesses you all today in Jesus name.
Matthew 5:5-6 (NKJV)
5 Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
Today, as I studied the Word of God, I came across a description of meekness at www.blueletterbible.org. This is what it says:
Meekness toward God is that disposition of spirit in which we accept His dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting. In the OT, the meek are those wholly relying on God rather than their own strength to defend against injustice. Thus, meekness toward evil people means knowing God is permitting the injuries they inflict, that He is using them to purify His elect, and that He will deliver His elect in His time (Isa 41:17, Luk 18:1-8). Gentleness or meekness is the opposite to self-assertiveness and self-interest. It stems from trust in God's goodness and control over the situation. The gentle person is not occupied with self at all. This is a work of the Holy Spirit, not of the human will (Gal 5:23).
Meekness is accepting that God's plans for us are good, that this ways are higher than our ways, and not trying to defend ourselves, but rather relying completely on God to bring justice in every situation.
The promise that follows is interesting also...the MEEK shall inherit the EARTH. I don't know about you, but sometimes when I let God handle my situation, it doesn't always feel like I am inheriting the earth...more than I am being squashed under its feet. However, God made a promise and I believe His promises are true and trustworthy, so I need to start praying to become meek, and also to inherit the earth. I want to see God move in this area as I pray in faith for this promise to be fulfilled in my life.
In Matthew 11:29 (NKJV), Jesus says:
29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
This is an example of meekness in the person of Jesus. He is saying that He is gentle and lowly in heart. This is our example to follow, to walk, talk, and act like Jesus in all that we do.
In Matthew 5:6, Jesus talks about hungering and thirsting after righteousness. The Word of God tells us that no one is righteous, not one.
Psalm 143:2
2 Do not enter into judgment with Your servant,
For in Your sight no one living is righteous.
Romans 3:10
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
So what does it mean to hunger and thirst after righteousness?
To hunger in Greek is the word, "peinao", which means to hunger, to suffer want, to be needy, to crave ardently or to seek with eager desire.
Jesus is speaking of those who desperately want to be declared righteous before Him, even though none are righteous in His sight.
Romans 3:23
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Thirsting, on the other hand, is from the Greek word "dipsao" which means to suffer from thirst, and speaks of those who (in their thirst) painfully feel their want of, and eagerly long for, those things by which the SOUL is refreshed, supported and strengthened.
So this person who hungers and thirsts after righteousness would be someone who is very needy, craves, and painfully feels want for things that refresh the soul - spiritual support and strength.
Does that sound like you?
If this is you, the promise is that you will be filled with everything you need to be spiritually supported and strengthened.
The "righteousness" we seek is "dikaiosyne" - meaning to be in a condition acceptable to God, a state of being approved by God, integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking, feeling and acting; to be right or just.
I don't know about you, but I hunger and thirst after righteousness. I want to be filled, and according to the words of Jesus, I will be! I will be praying in faith for this promise to be fulfilled in my life. I believe this is a promise that I have received in my life daily for the past 6 years. I have hungered and thirsted for Jesus Christ, more of Him in my life, and my life has been radically transformed!
I pray this teaching blesses you all today in Jesus name.
PROMISE PRAYERS:
Father God, I thank you for making me meek. I know that I am not naturally meek, and it takes Your work in my life to make me this way. I pray for more meekness in my life, and that I might see the promise of inheriting the earth fulfilled in my life. I pray that I would decrease more so that You may increase in my life. Help me not to fight my own battles, but understand that You will bring justice when its due. I thank you for Your awesome promises and most of all, Your Salvation for me through the death and resurrection of Jesus. I thank You for daily grace in my life. I also pray God that as I hunger and thirst after the righteousness of Christ, the only way in which I will become righteous before you, I pray that you would fill my heart with spiritual support and strength daily. I thank You for these true and trustworthy promises. I give You all praise, honor and glory in Jesus name. Amen.
Your sister in Christ,
Sarah