Bishop Jakes - Potters House Jan 16 2011

The word blessed, like cursed, speaks to the end of the thing.

Jesus cursed the fig tree. It was fine at the time, but it was dead when
they came back.

Adversity causes you to measure the extent that you are blessed.

The Blessed Test

3 Don'ts and a Do

1. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly.

a. You have put yourself in a place of naturalness and not supernatural-ness

b. Romans 12:2 – be not conformed to this world. Do not move in
alignment with the world. Just because this world is going down, doesn't
mean you have to go down.

c. Be ye transformed – if I don't transform, I'm going to be frustrated.
Are your associations bringing out the worm in you or the wings in you?

d. Transformation starts on the inside- you are transformed by the
renewing of your mind.

e. Your mind becomes what it eats. You become what you read.

f. Faith cometh by hearing the word of God. It is easier to renew
anything than your mind. It's easier to change externals than it is to
change your mind.

g. It is hard to change sociological contexts. You may be a butterfly,
but if you are surrounded by worms.

h. It starts with your thinking and in how you process stuff. The mind
is the thing Jesus didn't save.

i. "Just another day the Lord has kept me…"

j. Your mind gives you options. Your mind is not saved, it's always
doing comparisons.

i. Your spirit is saved, your body will be, and your mind is being saved.

ii. Transformed- by the renewing of the mind.

k. You're not supposed to be walking in the course of this world. Just
because you can relate to the weakness doesn't mean you have to bow to
the mindset.

l. There is a spirit of disobedience. You don't need to convert what
you're tempted by.

m. Lust: fulfilling the lust of the flesh and the mind. The prodigal son
came to himself – I will arise and go where I'm thinking. You will
always go where you're thinking. So if you want to be transformed-
change what you are thinking. I will arise and go to my father's house.

n. But God. – Put a BUT in it. But God.

i. Who is rich in mercy.

2. Psalms 1: Nor standeth in the way of sinners.

a. Stand in the path, the way, of sinners. Don't adopt their ways.

b. Don't walk (action) and don't get in the ways (proclivity).

c. Don't develop the ways of the sinner.

3. Don't sit in the seat of the scornful.

a. Don't start hanging with bitter people. They always see the negative.

b. People who are scorned are dangerous. Because you didn't do what they
wanted you to do. They are scorned. Rejected people are dangerous. The
only thing that Saul had against David was that he was rejected.

c. Their logic is tainted by bitterness. If you get bitter you'll never
get better.

4. Do: In His law does he meditate day and night. He delights in Gods word.\

a. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of waters that
bringeth forth fruit in his own season. Timing.

i. There is a timing dimension to blessing. They that wait upon the
Lord. It's coming in due season.

ii. God is feeding what you shall be. It's coming.

iii. Whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

1. God cannot bless what you do not do. It's in your action.

2. When you underestimate the effort, you are shocked by the trauma and
run from the process.

3. It's not as easy as it looks- but God says if you do it, I will bless
you.

The Blessed Test- do you want it bad enough.

The doing that might bring bruising. The miracle- the blessing- was in
the doing.

Prove me.

The blessing is a reaction. If you do it- then I will react and pour you
out a blessing.

You're not waiting on God. God is waiting on you.

This is my year to work that thing.

The progress is in the process.

You have grossly underestimated what it takes to be successful.

God cannot bless what you will not do.

Hebrews: you think you can't make it? You have not tried unto blood. IF
you do what it takes, I will multiply it while you are doing it. It had
to multiply at the point of the breaking and not at the point of the
blessing. He had to be able to hold it.

This breaking is my blessing.