The Apostolic Blessing

[0:00] Thank you for choosing to listen to today's message by Reverend Dr. David Entry. We know you will be blessed as you seek and serve God. We believe that this message will stir up a desire for more of God even as you listen.

[0:14] Be blessed. Father, thank you for the privilege to hear your word. We thank you for the opportunity to be blessed. We thank you for the opportunity to receive from you.

[0:25] Lord, put yourself into us and let us have an encounter with you. In Jesus' name, amen. Hallelujah.

[0:36] Praise the Lord. I want to talk about New Testament apostolic blessing. Blessings. I want to say blessings. When you read your Bible, when you read the Bible, in Genesis chapter 47, verse 7, Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob and set him before Pharaoh.

[1:01] And Jacob blessed Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to Jacob, How old are you? When Jacob met Pharaoh, what was the first thing he did?

[1:15] I can't hear you. I can't hear you. When Jacob met Pharaoh, the first thing he did was he blessed Pharaoh. He blessed him.

[1:25] Jacob, the first thing when he met Pharaoh, the first thing he did was he blessed Pharaoh. He blessed Pharaoh. Prior to that, you really didn't see anybody in the book of Genesis really blessing anybody.

[1:38] I will explain it. Some people got blessed. I will explain it. God blessed man when he created man. God blessed Noah when he came out of the flood.

[1:50] Blessed himself. Be fruitful and multiply. Genesis chapter 9. And God said to Abraham, Abraham, and he said, I will bless you. Right? And Abraham, as I told you the other time, we never saw it in the scripture, Abraham blessing anybody.

[2:05] We never saw anywhere in the scripture that Abraham blessed anybody. We saw rather Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the first amongst them to bless somebody was Isaac.

[2:17] Isaac blessed Jacob and transferred the birthright or the patriarchal blessing from God onto Jacob. But when he was blessing Jacob, he thought it was Esau.

[2:31] So he blessed accidentally. He blessed the guy by accident. Then Jacob shows up on the scene and starts living life, enjoying blessings, outsmarting people, using skill to progress in life.

[2:49] So Jacob went on from one level to the other, from one level to the other. But God's, watch this, God's purpose was to make him a blesser.

[2:59] Okay? To make him a blesser. When he called Abraham, he says that, and I'll bless you, and in you shall all the earth, the families of the earth be blessed.

[3:10] So I'll bless you and make you a blessing. So he blessed him. God blessed Abraham. And the purpose is for Abraham to be a blessing. So it transferred to Isaac and then to Jacob.

[3:23] So by the time Jacob's life was ending, from the beginning of his life, you never saw him blessing anybody. But when he met Laban, he didn't bless him. He wasn't blessing people.

[3:34] He was thinking of how he can get from them. Thinking of how he can get from them. Until he got to Pharaoh. Because by the time he got to Pharaoh, God has dealt with him so much.

[3:46] His flesh, his human strength has dwindled so much. Now, he has matured in God. So he has become full of God.

[3:57] You remember I taught you how God took away his wife he loved, Rachel. Or Rachel died. He lost Rachel. And then after losing Rachel, he lost Joseph.

[4:08] After losing Joseph, famine hits him. In the famine, he sent his ten sons. They came and they were even put in prison. So it's like he was losing everything.

[4:20] Then they came back and then they took the last son. So it's like from one thing to the other, God was breaking him. God was stripping him of himself from one thing to the other.

[4:31] So that he can become so matured in the things of God, in God, by just learning how to depend on God. Working with God for God to express himself to him.

[4:42] God couldn't express himself through Jacob when he caught him. When he left home. Because he was too much full of himself. So by the time God stripped him of all the important things around him, he knew how to depend on God.

[4:57] When he was told that your son Jacob is, Joseph is alive. He's in Egypt. He has sent us to come and pick you. He didn't go straight. He went to seek the face of God. He went and prayed.

[5:09] And God told him, go. So this man is now working with God so much that even though Joseph is now alive, he wasn't in a haste to go. Bible says that his spirit was revived.

[5:22] When he heard that Joseph was alive, his spirit was revived. And his heart. It's rather the other way. When we hear some stories and bad stuff, instead of our spirits being revived, it's our hearts that get revived.

[5:37] Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. Instead of our spirits. But when God takes you through a process, he brings you to a place where in any situation, you are always ready to operate by the spirit.

[5:53] That's what God did. Jacob. So when Jacob met Pharaoh, that's the first time he met Pharaoh. Do you know what he did? Genesis chapter 47 verse 7. He says that then Joseph brought his father Jacob and set him before Pharaoh.

[6:06] And Jacob, when he met Pharaoh, the first thing he says was bless you. That was not his language. The man has changed. He has changed. And that's what God wants you to be.

[6:18] What is blessing? Now, before I even talk about blessing again, he was blessing. Chapter 48 verse 9. Joseph brought his sons to come and see his dad.

[6:29] And when he brought his sons, Jacob was very old. And then when he heard that Joseph's sons were there, Joseph said to his father. He asked them, who are they? He said, they are my sons whom God has given me in this place.

[6:43] And he said, please bring them to me and I will what? The guy's language has changed. When he met people, he wanted to bless them. That's what God wants to make of you.

[6:55] That when you meet people, you want to bless them. What is blessing? Let's go to verse 15. Verse 15. And he blessed Joseph and said, God, go before you. So this guy opens his mouth and his blessing that is coming.

[7:08] Blessings. Say blessings. What's blessing? Blessing is the outflow or the flow of God into people. The flow of God.

[7:19] See, God is flowing through you to people. The outflow of God. And God cannot flow and be a blessing to people without man. One. And normally, when we hear blessing, you know what comes to mind?

[7:34] When we hear blessing, usually we are thinking about how God is doing something for you, which you want according to the way you want it. And then two, when we hear blessing, this is what we think about.

[7:46] We think about acquisition of things. You've got a house. You've got a new car. You've got a new wife. You have got a new husband. The old one was so bad.

[7:57] You have got this. I've got a new job. So we define blessings with material acquisition that is centered around man. So something that happens for you or to you to make you fulfill what you want, to have it the way you want.

[8:15] That's how we talk about blessing. But blessing actually is not the genuine blessing of God. One, it's not man-centered. It's God-centered. What do I mean?

[8:25] When God is blessing somebody, he blesses the person for God's own purpose and his plan, not for the man's purpose and the man's plan. So I want us to come to the place where when we say, God bless me, what is on your mind is not another car.

[8:43] But what is on your mind is what God actually wants to do if you should even have a car. Does that? Does that? So you are receiving something, but it is based on God's agenda.

[8:55] So when you've been able to get a major contract, a bid, contract in millions, you are going to have huge profits.

[9:08] When the money comes, when you get the contract, the first thing that comes to your mind is, what's God's plan behind this? When it's a blessing, that means God has a plan for it. It will flow through you, but he has a plan in fulfilling his own agenda.

[9:23] Is that one getting what I'm saying? So genuine blessing is God-centered. And genuine blessing, especially in the New Testament, is not just about material things.

[9:35] So genuine blessing in the New Testament is not just about material things. In Ephesians chapter 1 verse 3, it says, blessed be God who has blessed us with all, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing.

[9:52] So if blessing is material, what's spiritual blessing then? God has blessed us, every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus, he has given to us. So in the New Testament, the strength or the focus of blessing is not just material acquisition, but it's something much more spiritual.

[10:11] The riches of Christ being dispensed into you to the extent that God becomes your enjoyment, your fulfillment. So if you find yourself anywhere in the world, whether there's water or there is no water, there is food or no food, money or no money, you are still blessed.

[10:32] And life becomes fulfilling. Because if blessing has to do with material things, then it looks like many people in Saudi Arabia are more blessed.

[10:43] More people in the world who don't serve God seem to be blessed than you who are serving God. If blessing is just the material things, then we will say people in America are more blessed than people in Nigeria.

[11:02] How about if people in Nigeria are crying out more for God and they are having this supernatural move of God. God is manifesting through them.

[11:12] They are having a great time in God. Which one is the blessing? Blessing is the outflow of God into man. And that can never happen. Watch this, this is very important.

[11:23] That can never happen outside of man. So God can only bless men through men. That's why Jesus Christ had to come as a man. Somebody say, I am truly blessed.

[11:34] I am truly blessed. If you say it, it will be according to your own confession. I am truly blessed. Say it again. I am truly blessed. In the Bible, I want you to understand, according to Hebrews chapter 7 verse 7, this is a nice text for us all to read so I can break it.

[11:52] Hebrews 7, 7. Let's see NIV. That's the one I want. I prefer this one. I prefer this one because I will explain what I mean to you.

[12:03] Let's all read it out from the screen. Let's go. And without God. The lesser person is blessed by the great. One more time. And without God, the lesser person is blessed.

[12:14] Oh, please. Louder. Let's go. Very loud. Let's go. And without doubt, the lesser person is blessed by the great. Who, from this test, who blesses? The greater.

[12:24] Who receives the blessing? The lesser. Then we have to find out who greater means. What greater means here and lesser means here. Because until we find out who is greater, it will make sense to understand who has the power to bless.

[12:38] A lesser person cannot bless. So when Jacob met Pharaoh, he blessed him. Pharaoh was then like the highest profile person in the world. But when Jacob met him, he was above him.

[12:51] But he was greater than him. Why? Because he was full of God. I like Hebrews 7, 7. But how about Matthew 11, 11? I like those kind of, you know, texts, quotations.

[13:02] Hebrews 7, 7, Matthew 11, 11. Can you see it from the screen? Is it okay if we read it together? Let's go. Let's read it out loud. Let's go. Lord, Jesus, I say to you, I hope to the Lord of women.

[13:15] There has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist. But he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than him. Do you know who is speaking here? Jesus.

[13:25] He said, I'm telling you the truth. Assuredly, this one is not wrong. Okay. Seriously. Assuredly, I, Jesus, I'm saying to you, amongst those born of women.

[13:39] Any human being. Because every human being is born by a woman. Amongst those born of women, there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist.

[13:50] Say greater. Greater. Who blesses? The greater. So he said, there has never risen one. There has no risen one greater. Ah. How about Abraham? Are you, Jesus, are you saying that John the Baptist was greater than Abraham?

[14:03] Yes, sir. Ah. Ah. Ah. But Jesus is the son of Abraham. Are you saying John the Baptist was greater than David? Yes, sir. But John the Baptist, they chopped his head off.

[14:15] But a small, young lady called Salome was dancing and pleased the king so much. I said, tell me whatever you want, I'll give it to you. Even to the, that girl must be a bad girl. She was able to dance so much that the king said, you see, whatever you want, tell me.

[14:28] After the half of my kingdom, I'll give you. I'm wondering what kind of dance that matter did. So, John, that's how John the Baptist died.

[14:40] And the mother told her, go and tell the king. He wants John, the head of John the Baptist. So the king couldn't, he didn't want to do it. But because he has vowed, he had to keep his word. They went and cut his head.

[14:52] He died. Short life. Jesus said, there's no man greater than Abraham. Abraham was killing kings. Going for war. Defeating kings. Abraham was wealthy.

[15:03] But he said, there's no one greater. Elijah? Yes, he was greater than Elijah. So we have to find out what constitutes or defines greatness so long as Jesus is concerned.

[15:16] Then once we find out what constitutes greatness so long as Jesus is concerned, that will help us to know who stands in the position to bless others. Why was John the Baptist greater than all of them?

[15:28] Because, I've said this before, a few times. Because Abraham pointed to Jesus. Isaac. All the great prophets.

[15:38] Moses said, there's a Jesus coming. Jesus is coming. Jesus is coming. We can see him afar off by our spirits. But physically, we don't know who he is. He's coming. Jesus is coming. So they were pointing to Jesus.

[15:50] Now, look at John chapter 1. John chapter 1 verse 31. All the great men in the old, they were pointing to Jesus. The great men God used in the Old Testament and all those times, they were great because of how God was flowing through them.

[16:06] And these guys, their main thing was pointing to Jesus. John. This is John. John said, I did not know him. Go to verse 30. This is he of whom I said, after me, John the Baptist talking, comes a man who is preferred before me, for he was before me.

[16:24] He said, there's someone. Someone is coming after me. But the guy coming after me is preferred before me because he was before me. And yet, he's coming after me. Even though he's coming after me, he was before me.

[16:38] And he's preferred before me. And he said, go to the next verse. I did not know him. You are coming to introduce someone you don't know. I did not know him. But he, that he should be revealed to Israel.

[16:51] Therefore, I came baptizing with water. So I'm baptizing water so that we will find him. Through baptism, we will find him. That's why you have to baptize him. Go to the next verse. And John bore witness saying, I saw the spirit descending from heaven like a dove and remaining upon him.

[17:09] Verse 33. Upon him. I did not know him. But he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, upon whom you see the spirit descending and remaining on him, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Ghost.

[17:23] So I don't know him. But there are some signs that will let me know that this is the guy. And, and, and I've been baptizing. So, John the Baptist. So, now, I'm John the Baptist.

[17:34] What do I do? I baptize. So you come. I put you under the water. In Jesus' name. Be careful you don't fall, okay? In Jesus' name. Oh, you're falling. Don't fall. I baptize you. And you are gone. He's baptized.

[17:45] Hey. I baptize you. Whilst I'm doing this, the one who sent me said, just baptize people. But the one who is the one before you, when it's time, the Holy Spirit will come upon the person.

[17:58] Upon the one you see the Holy Spirit coming, he's the one. The Holy Spirit. Oh. That's the Holy Spirit. Ah.

[18:09] He's the one. I've done my job. Wow. So, and the Holy Spirit remained. So, that is how he knew who the Messiah was.

[18:19] So he said, then John the Baptist was saying, before he said, behold the Lamb of God who takes our, verse 29, behold. So, in fact, from 33, let's read through.

[18:30] I'll show you something. Verse 33. I don't know him, but the one who said, he's like, when you see the Holy Ghost coming and repel, he's the one. Verse 34. And having seen and testified that this is the Son of God.

[18:42] Because he now can. So, do you know what John the Baptist did? He said, this is the Son of God. He stood here and introduced him to the world. This is the Son of God.

[18:53] Wow. And then look at 35. Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples and looking at Jesus as he walked, he said, behold the Lamb. So, walk.

[19:04] So, two disciples, come, wait. Go back. I'll baptize you. Mind your business. Come, two disciples. So, we are talking. We are talking. And Jesus, come and pass. As we talked, behold the Son of God.

[19:17] Oh, he said, this is he. Abraham said, he's coming. Isaiah said, he's coming. Elijah said, he's coming. Elisha said, he's coming.

[19:29] Isaiah said, he's coming. John the Baptist said, I present him to you. Who is greater? John the Baptist. So, Jesus said, amongst all the people, men born of women, no one is greater than John the Baptist.

[19:46] He's greater than all of them. Why? Because he stands here and he introduces Jesus. So, your greatness is always in proximity to Jesus.

[19:59] Greatness in the kingdom is defined by the measure of Christ you have in you. Does that make sense? When he says, the greater will bless the lesser. Greatness in the sight of God.

[20:11] Say, greatness in the sight of God has everything to do with how much of Christ you have in you. Now, watch this. Read the text again. Matthew 11, 11.

[20:22] I shall read the essay unto you. Amongst those born of women, there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist. But, he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

[20:34] Ah! So, none has been greater than John the Baptist. But when it comes to God's kingdom, not heaven. I'm not talking about heaven. God's kingdom is on earth. When we talk about God's kingdom, he is talking about the people of God.

[20:48] Who have been born by God, sanctified by God, and having Christ in them. He said, the least one amongst us is greater than John the Baptist. Why? Because John the Baptist said he's here.

[21:01] But the church brother said he's inside me. Philippians 121, he said, for me to live is Christ. I will leave him. I will leave him.

[21:11] How come someone who is introducing him is bigger than me? I carry him. I carry him. You saw him passing, but me, I pass with him. When I come, he has come. When I move, he's moving.

[21:23] Hallelujah! So, Jesus said, even the least born again Christian in church is greater than John the Baptist. You can bless people in a way that John the Baptist could not do.

[21:37] Now, back to the point that without controversy, the lesser is blessed by the greater. Now, we know what it means to be the greater. How much or the measure of Christ in you is what determines your grace.

[21:55] It's not your money. What gives me the right to stand here and speak over people is because of how much time I'm spending with Christ and being saturated with Christ.

[22:07] So, you come and sing. Singer, you are singing. Or preacher singer, you are singing. Preacher singer, you are singing. How much we will be blessed has everything to do with how much Christ is in you.

[22:21] It's not your voice. We don't bless with the voice. We bless with our relationship and the presence, the depths of what we are based on the presence of God we carry.

[22:35] Say the apostolic blessing. Is someone getting something? Yes. You must be an agent of blessing in your family. Yes. Blessing.

[22:47] Okay, let me show you about. I want to just draw your attention to two things and then we are done. The blessing, the Old Testament, in the Old Testament, it took the priests to bless. The first blessing in the Bible by a man who pronounced somebody blessed, do you know who he was?

[23:04] He was a priest. In Genesis chapter 14 verse 18, his name was Melchizedek. Melchizedek was the first priest to pronounce blessing on somebody.

[23:17] Then Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. He was the priest of the most high God, verse 19.

[23:28] And he did what? He blessed. So, hey, in the Old Testament under the law, blessing was committed to the priests. What was the job of the priest?

[23:40] The job of the priest was, listen to this. It's going to be a little bit technical, but it's simple. The job of the priest, man and God, there's a distance between man and God.

[23:52] The priest's job is to take man closer to God to bridge the distance. That is the blessing. Take man closer to God and end up putting man in God.

[24:07] So, the job of the priest was to, see, priests always go to God on the behalf of man. So, when the priest is blessing you, what he's doing is that the priest's job is to stay.

[24:22] What makes a priest a priest is how much time you have spent with God. He spends so much time with God, serving him and spending time with him.

[24:32] So, he captures so much of God. When he is blessing you, he's now beginning to reduce the distance, bridge the gap between you and God. So that God, you can catch God.

[24:45] And then once you catch God, you begin to enjoy the goodness of God around your life. It's very important. That's what the priest needs to do. So, that's, in fact, the Bible told, God told Aaron.

[24:58] Numbers chapter 6, verse 23. Numbers, Numbers chapter 6, verse 23. Numbers 6, 2, 3. Let me start from verse 22. And the Lord speak unto Moses, saying, Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel.

[25:20] Aaron and their sons, they are the priests. God said, Speak to him and tell him, This is how you shall bless the children of Israel. So, blessing was the responsibility of the priest.

[25:31] And then he says, This is how you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them, The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you.

[25:43] The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. They said this to them. Watch this. I like this. I like it. I don't want to. And then, and give you peace.

[25:55] Verse 27 said that. So, they shall put, that's Aaron, the priest. The priest shall put my name on the children of Israel and I will bless them. So, the priest carries something of gold that they are supposed to put on you.

[26:10] And it bridges the gap between you and gold. Now, did you notice that the blessing is in threefold? Verse 24. Look at verse 24. The Lord bless you and keep you.

[26:20] 25. The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious unto you. That's second fold. Are you noticing that? 26. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and be gracious unto you.

[26:31] That's the blessing. It's threefold. The pattern of the Old Testament blessing is threefold. The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious unto you.

[26:45] The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Threefold. Threefold. God the Father. God the Son. God the Holy Spirit. God the Father. The Lord bless you.

[26:56] God the Son. The Son. Be gracious. The Hebrew word for gracious means to stoop down and help somebody. To stoop down. Who was the one who stooped down? Came down to help us.

[27:07] Jesus. Stoop down to help somebody. The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up his countenance.

[27:19] Somebody's countenance represents his expression. Somebody's face represents his presence. So lift up his countenance and give you peace. He expresses himself around you and give you peace.

[27:31] The Holy Spirit is our peace. He's our comforter. Threefold. You always, listen. You always need that. I was. That a career. Baba. The Trinity is not for doctrine.

[27:43] No. The Trinity is for dispensing of God into man. God's. Baba. Shedetaya. God's. This is very deep.

[27:55] God's way of dispensing. Of putting. When I use the word dispense. I suppose you understand it. Share himself. Or put himself. Into created humanity. It requires the Trinity.

[28:08] The Trinity is there because of God's plan to dispense himself into man. It's not for doctrine. So. The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious unto you.

[28:20] The Lord lift up his countenance. That's what the priest is supposed to do. How many of you are aware that in the New Testament we are priests? Every born again believer. Every. The least one in the kingdom is still a priest.

[28:32] Revelation chapter 5 verse 10. Revelation chapter 5 verse 10. Is it okay if we all read it from the screen?

[28:45] Alright. Let's go. Let's read. Okay. Some of you will say. But what has that got to do with that?

[28:55] Look at verse 9. And they sang a new song saying. You're talking about the lamb. You are worthy to take the scrolls and to open its seals. For you have. You were slain and have redeemed us.

[29:06] Who redeemed us? Is it not Jesus? You have redeemed us. You are redeemed us to God by your blood. Out of every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. So you see.

[29:17] Redemption has not got to do. It has not got anything to do with race. Has not got to do. Anything to do with gender. Has not got anything to do with social classes. All those things don't matter when it comes to redemption.

[29:28] God saves anybody who believes. So it says. You have redeemed us to God by your blood. Out of every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. Watch this. Verse 10. And have made us kings and priests.

[29:41] So the redeemed are priests. So the priests. If you are redeemed in your family. You must learn how to bless your family. Bless them with the presence of God.

[29:52] I tell my family members. My siblings. I tell them. Because of my presence in the family. God is here. Things cannot just happen. Satan cannot reign.

[30:04] Because I carry God. When I go to my mom. Anytime I see my mom. I bless her. Because I'm a priest. He said. Tell Aaron and sons. Tell the modern church.

[30:15] Bless people. Your company should feel blessed because of you. Amen. Lepan said to Jacob. I've learned by experience.

[30:26] That God has blessed me because of you. And so I can see the results. The effect of the blessing. But the blessing itself. Is God showing up. Or breaching the gap between man and God.

[30:39] Do I have a priest in the house? Yes. Do I have a priest in the house? Yes. Remember Jesus said. Whatsoever you bind on earth. Is bound in heaven. Whatsoever you loose on earth. In fact he said.

[30:50] To whosoever sins you forgive. Is forgiven. That's a serious one. I think Matthew 18. 18. Downward somewhere there. He said something like that. Very serious. Whoever sins you.

[31:00] Remit is remitted. That's how powerful. The kingdom people are. You are an agent of blessing. Amen. Amen. Yeah.

[31:12] It's a good place to clap and shout hallelujah. Shout hallelujah. Hallelujah. Shout hallelujah. Hallelujah. We are blessed.

[31:24] Amen. So the more Christ you have, the greater you are. The less Christ you have, you have the lesser you are. Because we are to bless people.

[31:35] And so the greater you are, the more you can bless. And greatness has not got to do. Being a priest in the New Testament has not got to do with theological training.

[31:45] Has not got to do with the clergyman. You are ordained. You are, you can be ordained, but still, you don't carry the blessing to Paul. Because you are not close to God.

[31:56] You are not spending time in God's presence. You are not spending time with him. For him to saturate you with himself. That you become so transformed, saturated, filled with God.

[32:06] When you open your mouth, God is beginning to flow. That's the work of the priest. So it's not you sleep and wake up and think, okay, I'm blessed, I'm blessed, I'm blessed. Spending time with God.

[32:19] Hallelujah. Amen. Hallelujah. Amen. All right. So a priest is someone who is soaked, saturated with the living Christ by spending time in his presence and bringing one into him.

[32:34] Now, so the Old Testament pattern is, as I told you, is threefold. And the priestly blessing brings us into God. Now, let's look at it. As I finish a roundup, let's look at the New Testament pattern of blessing.

[32:47] Thank you, Jesus. The New Testament pattern of blessing. Before I even go to that, let me so, Barakadashi. Thank you, Jesus. Now, in Romans chapter 15 verse, I like this text so much, anytime I read it, it blesses me.

[33:00] The apostles, the apostolic blessing, the priestly blessing brings man to God, to be with God. How about apostolic blessing?

[33:12] The apostolic blessing comes to man with God. That's a higher dimension. So in Romans chapter 15 verse 29, Romans 15, 29, listen to how Paul posts it.

[33:27] Paul says that, but I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. See, my coming is bringing the blessing on me.

[33:38] See, I know when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. So when I come, the blessing has come. I'm coming in the fullness of the blessing. That's the apostolic blessing.

[33:50] And so when he finished writing the letter or the epistle of 2 Corinthians, Corinthian epistle, normally they finish it by saying bless you or stuff like that. See how he defines his book about blessing.

[34:02] 1 Corinthians or 2 Corinthians chapter 13 verse 14. We say it in church often. That's that. This is the apostolic blessing. All right, let's all read it together. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit.

[34:18] Amen. Amen. That is the apostolic blessing. It comes. The grace. Did you see the trinity there? Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is grace. The love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

[34:32] In French, it's sante spirit. In Latin, it's spirit de sante. The grace. Watch this.

[34:42] This is the three aspects of the New Testament blessing. But it's the same thing. God is love. Okay. When God is expressed, it's grace.

[34:53] Grace. Grace is God expressed. Okay. That's Christ. God expressed. So it talks about the Lord bless you and keep you. God will protect you. Go ahead.

[35:03] First Peter chapter one, verse five. First Peter chapter one, verse five talks about how we are kept by the power of God. First Peter one, five. Who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

[35:18] God is the one who keeps us. God will keep you. See, so when we talk about the blessing, blessing has everything to do with God keeping you. I stand here and tell you, God will keep your health.

[35:31] Amen. He will keep your family together for you. He will help your marriage and keep your marriage. Shout hallelujah. Hallelujah. John chapter 17, verse 11 and verse 15.

[35:43] Verse 11. Now I am no longer in the world. That's Jesus talking. But these, my disciples, are in the world. And I come to you. Jesus said, I'm coming back home. Holy Father, keep through your name those whom you have given me.

[35:59] God is the one who keeps us. Look at verse 15. I do not pray that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil one. Shout, I am blessed.

[36:11] I am blessed. This is not talking about material possession. A blessed man. A blessed man. This man is a millionaire. Amen. He has so much money.

[36:23] He has cars. He has properties all over the world, including Dubai. And it's a Shells Island. He has everything. He's blessed.

[36:34] And he was on a plane. He chose not to fly private. Just commercial. And he was in first class. And this man, too, from Lagos, trying to go to Dubai to go and see if he can get any business.

[36:46] He came to UK. And he is sitting economy. Watch this. But this man is someone who is blessed by God. Or who operates under God.

[36:57] Operates. So he may not have order. But he's sitting there. Even the little food is having wonderful time. And this one is, he can't order any food, but he's troubled. And then tabula.

[37:08] The guy is struggling. The blessed man has all the money, but he doesn't have the peace. The plane, if there's an ISIS member or Islamic fundamentalist on the plane, the plane, if it will not blow up, it's not because of his money.

[37:24] But it's because of his blessing. If I were you, I would scream, I am blessed. I am blessed. Why are you so worried?

[37:38] Because others have a better job than you. Oh, my God. Job has a lot to do with your brains, your contacts, qualification, who likes you.

[37:49] And so, because I don't have the qualification. Now, she works in the bank. I don't have the qualification to work in the bank. If I try, I force, and they give me a job there, I'll be somewhere low, low, low, low, low, because I can't rise in the bank.

[38:04] So, maybe the only opportunity is banking, and that's what I can do. So, I'll take the low grade like that. Because I'm not trained to do so. I'll be cleaning the floor or sitting, going to send the letters, signing for delivery and all that.

[38:20] It's still a job. But she, we are all in the same church. I'm her pastor. She comes to the office, everybody gets up, and I can't even see it. The one who manages me is managed by someone who is managed by someone who is managed by someone who is managed by someone who is managed by someone who is managed by this one.

[38:34] So, if you don't take care, you think that, ah, she's blessed. She is more blessed than me. But the blessing of God has to do with who God, who has God, and God is keeping.

[38:56] It says that bless them, and the Lord bless you. That's God keeping you. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God. I'll go a bit into that in a minute. And then when we talk about, ah, the God bless you and keep you, he will lift up his countenance upon you and be gracious unto you.

[39:13] He's talking about Jesus Christ becoming your enjoyment. He said we are complete in him. That's it. Amen. Shut up and bless. Shut up and bless. You went for an interview, didn't get the job, it's because you are blessed.

[39:27] God is keeping you. Amen. Change your definition of blessing. Amen. Amen. For some reason, you may not have, you know there are people, some of you here, you don't end so great, but you live so peaceful.

[39:44] All your bills are paid on time. Look at Carys, we are a blessed church. We are blessed. We, we, the apostle said, I am coming in the fullness of the blessing of the Lord Jesus Christ.

[39:57] The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. The love of God and the fellowship. The grace, so, please thank you, be seated. The love of God is, when it's expressed, God is love.

[40:12] When it's expressed, it's grace. Grace is God expressed. It's the same thing. And then once God manifested, once it's expressed, dispensed into us and we begin to receive, that's the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

[40:28] So, it's the same thing, but as it manifests. So, when you are enjoying the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, it's actually grace. It's actually grace. It's the love of God. And this whole thing is called the blessing.

[40:42] The blessing is that God dispensing himself in Christ by the Holy Spirit into us. For him to be, for us to be saturated with him.

[40:52] For him to be our everything. So, whether you have pain in your foot or not, Christ is your everything. Amen. Whether you have a job or you've lost a job, Christ is your everything.

[41:04] There are people who lose job and their fellow work colleagues are confused. You remember when you lost your job? When they sat you down, they asked you, sorry, we have to let you go.

[41:15] And you are smiling, looking at their faces. And they said, are you not worried? Shout out, I am blessed! Amen! Since people can leave you, when you are blessed, your life never goes.

[41:29] Because the blessing is the triune God becoming your enjoyment and your everything. Don't let the house you haven't purchased be the reason you should be depressed.

[41:47] When you have God. Please, work so hard, it will practically be a suicide mission if your bosses or if your employer wants to release you or them.

[42:12] Because you are indispensable. Because you are indispensable. He goes, visa doesn't have what it takes to define your future. If you are blessed. Bible says that he stayed in the same land of the famine.

[42:24] And God blessed him that year. He almost migrated. He was going to Egypt. Then America. America. I'm sorry. America.

[42:36] America. Go to hell. Don't move to America. Stay here. Doesn't matter. Things look bad here. Stay here. I will bless you. Why are you running away to?

[42:50] Have you sought the face of God? You want to go and live in Scotland? Because it's a bit hard in London. Have you sought the face of God? You may find out that it's harder in Scotland. Do you remember it says, the blessing of the Lord maketh rich.

[43:06] And add no sorrow. Proverbs. Proverbs 10 or 10. The blessing of the Lord maketh rich and has no sorrow. Some of you know people who are comfortable financially, but they are so stressed to their teeth.

[43:20] You have such a pretty. Come, come. Let me. You have. You have. You have a pretty woman here. You are walking from the cinema. And you are going, but.

[43:32] You are so stressed. You are so stressed. Because you can't get on. You are always arguing and quarreling. Issues.

[43:42] Contentious issues. Her mother is now attacking you. That you don't have character. You, because of her, you and your mom has fallen out. And now she's fighting your mother.

[43:52] And you are confused. You are confused. He's not a blessing. He's not a blessing. And you just want to look at you. Oh, look at the woman he's got. He's blessed. Who told you that's a blessing? Look at the man he's got.

[44:04] The man has bought a house in Mayfair for her. A house. If he took those things, if that's blessing, some of the princesses and the royals who have died wouldn't have died.

[44:16] So why do we define blessing as just what you are saying? It's the peace of God. May the Lord bless you and keep you.

[44:29] God is keeping somebody. God is keeping somebody here. I said God is keeping somebody here. God is keeping somebody here. He's keeping you and your family. Keeping you and your marriage.

[44:40] Keeping you and your job. Keeping you and your health. Keeping you and your children. God is keeping you. Shout hallelujah. Hallelujah. Amen.

[44:53] I am blessed indeed. I am blessed. Blessed be God. Ephesians 1.3.

[45:05] I'm ending now. Finish. Blessed be God. Let's all go. Let's go. Blessed be the Lord. Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Who has blessed us.

[45:16] Every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ. Once you are in Christ, every spiritual blessing. Every spiritual blessing. So it doesn't matter what comes your way.

[45:27] You are sailing through because you are blessed. The blessing of the New Testament and the actual true blessing of God. One, remember, it's not a human-centered materialism.

[45:40] But it is God-centered spiritual atmosphere. Blessed us with every spiritual blessing. And then these things translate into what must be translated into depending on the plan of God.

[45:55] Because it's not about what I want. It's about his plan and his program. But it's a joy. Am I speaking the truth? It's a joy to have children. It's a joy to have them.

[46:07] It's a joy. But not having them doesn't mean you are not blessed. Sister, not being married. Some of your contemporaries have been married a long time ago.

[46:17] But it doesn't mean you are not blessed. There's no indication they are blessed more than you. No, I never, never, never. Your level of blessing has everything to do with the Christ. Amount of Christ in you. It's that Christ in you, the hope of glory.

[46:29] Because he has already blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. Yes, I may not have a car yet. Or I may even never own a car. But I'm certainly blessed.

[46:40] My house is blessed. My food is blessed. My children are blessed. When I move out, I'm blessed. When I come back in, I am blessed. I am not stressed. I am blessed. I am not stressed.

[46:51] I am blessed. Because I will praise under an apostolic blessing. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. The love of God. And the fellowship of the Holy Ghost.

[47:02] Be with you always. Now and forevermore. That is the blessing. Shout out bless. Bless. Bless.

[47:14] Bless. Bless. Hey. Never feel sorry for me. Because I am in the plan of God. Can't fight.

[47:28] As long as my life is moving in a God-centered direction, I am not pitiful. It doesn't matter what you have around you. If you are not moving in a God-centered direction, you are very miserable.

[47:42] Listen. Your future is uncertain. Listen. Your tomorrow is like you are gambling with your tomorrow. Because God cannot guarantee protection for your tomorrow.

[47:54] Because he only works based on his purpose. Not based on our wishes. I am blessed. I want you to do me a favor.

[48:05] Go to three people. Look at them straight in the eyes. Tell them, look, I am blessed. Come on. Come on. Come on. Get up. Get up. Get up. Get up. Get up. Go to three people.

[48:17] Tell them, look, I am blessed. Ten to three. One. looking at the bless lady they are looking at a blessed gentleman they are looking at a blessed father i am a blessed mother i am a blessed father i am a blessed employer i'm a blessed employee i'm a blessed worker i'm a blessed taxpayer i am a blessed man i am a blessed woman a blessed man i may not have a certificate i am so blessed i may not have a good job i am so blessed i may not have a fastback account i am so blessed i may not be married yet i am so blessed i may not have children yet i am so blessed i may not have plenty hair i am so blessed i may not have nice legs i am so blessed i am the place of the lord because the grace of our lord jesus christ the love of god and the fellowship of the holy ghost is always with me i am so if your definition of blessing has to do with man's comfort then being in prison is very far from blessed but actually because he was blessed that's why he had to be in prison he was in prison because he was blessed why why was he in prison because that was god's route to the throne so so long as others were concerned we got rid of him but so long as god was concerned yes i've got my son he's following my program he's following my program he's following my program he's following my program when you got an exam and your your tutor ask you to come for two days you and your friends yeah he's students he's taking you somewhere away to serious intense crash course and that's one of the best tutors in the world and you are you are gone preparing you are just dead in some of your friends oh they are attending the other one's baby shower a bridal party a brother you couldn't come and they say look at you look at you because they know you know sometimes you finish university first degree and your contemporaries have gotten jobs and you are doing your masters and so you are not working and they have changed the castle soon they have moved into a nice neighborhood so soon there are some nice studio flat or one bedroom flat or one bedroom house or something and you look at it but you know what you comfort yourself you know that if i finish this course i will i will be the landlord of a properties like this and so because you are watching because you are on course you don't get stressed because of what others have more than you because the course is not based on what you have the course is based on the the course you have there is a course you have to follow and once you give yourself to the course you are not in a rush you are not god has got a course for your life some of your friends already some are some are wearing nice stuff in town some are wearing batty riders you have a lot you have even better ones than them and your legs are nicer than them but because you are coming to church you can't just be wearing those things you know what i'm saying and they make you feel like i ask for you every day church and we are going we are going to ayana we are going to abida we're going to chill out we're going to have some party and we will be dancing we'll have some drinking we haven't found look at you you they tell you

[52:23] your life is boring because you are going to church look at them they say your life is boring look at them you think our lives are boring we are enjoying life we are enjoying god we are having fun you are worried because of your lifestyle you are worried but because we walk under blessing the things they think we should be worried about they get worried about them but we are some of you your family members some friends are worried more worried about you because you go to church and you are praying more than you are worried about those situations you are living in a state your circumstances around you look um uh unfortunate and yet you are so peaceful and they don't understand it i am sorry may he lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace in the midst of the storm jesus was sleeping on a pillow in the middle of the storm they said wake up wake up don't you care we are perishing he was so restful it looked like he didn't care why because he was in the center of god's plan and he was enjoying god he was a blessed man he nothing could threaten his life every way i am i am blessed my children are blessed their schooling is blessed so shall he be for you we thank god for using the servant reverend dr david entry to share this awesome word if this message has blessed you in any way please spread the word by sharing it and send us an email to amen at caris.org remember to stay connected with us on facebook instagram youtube and twitter for regular updates on what god is doing here at caris ministries stay blessed