God’s Kingdom is predictable. It has spiritual laws, principles, patterns:

• Seek and you will find
• Forgive and you will be forgiven
• Believe and you will receive
• Give and it shall be given unto you

God has a spiritual pattern of Empowerment & Blessing that we ALL need to understand.

REVELATION—

Showing / Speaking / Matt. 13.16; 16.17

Peter is blessed because he has received revelation:

• Lk. 10:21-24 - Jesus reveals God’s character, will, direction, or guidance to little children (humble, teachable, willing to receive).

• Could be personal / corporate (we will bless families)

TRANSITION: The ot has no separate word meaning ‘obey.’ ‘Obey’ translates the Hebrew ‘to hear’ [1]

ACTION

(faith/belief)—Hearing/Doing – Lk. 11.28; Matt. 24.45-46

• We believe/ trust God – Abraham BELIEVED what God said We step out—OBEY – Jn. 13.17 “If you know these things, blessed are you IF*  . . . you DO them.
• 1 Pt. 1.2; Rom. 1.5 – You have been chosen FOR OBEDIENCE to Christ & sprinkling
• Discern – what KIND of Action: sometimes for prayer. God may show you a fault, your action must be led of the Spirit, not your personality

e.g. Shy, you might ignore, shelve, tell someone else; Bold, you might confront . . .

• God ALWAYS responds to our obedience – Hab. 2.1-2; Gal. 3.5 - credited as righteousness * Until you obey, there is a gulf between you and God – Heb. 10.36-39

UNCTION— Enjoying /anointing

Empowerment – Jam.1:25

• Supernatural Results – Lk. 1.45
• power
• signs & wonders

Blessing

• Changed lives
• Evangelistic anointing
• love; compassion
• He empowers us: AFTER WE STEP OUT, not before –
• Leads to more revelation

REVELATION— This is a matter of Stewardship: Mk. 4.21-25; Lk. 8:18; 16.10 - Bible says: Faithful w/ a little gets more

Illustrate from:

NT - Simeon – Lk. 2.25-

v. 26 - Revelation – It had been revealed to him

v. 27 - Action – - Moved by the Spirit, he WENT . . .
v. 28-29 – Unction – blessed and  ready to depart

v. 35 - Revelation – prophesies to Mary about her own soul

Where are you in the cycle of Blessing and Empowerment?

• Has He called you apart to HEAR from Him as He shares Himself or His will for you?
• Is He moving you to ACTION
• Has God called you to TRUST Him for something or to STEP OUT?
• Has He granted you UNCTION for the task or assignment ahead?
• Have you passed through all these and are ready to HEAR greater things?

[1] Achtemeier, P. J., Harper & Row, P., & Society of Biblical Literature. (1985). Harper's Bible dictionary. Includes index. (1st ed.). San Francisco: Harper & Row.