BLESSABLE || Poverty of Spirit & Mourning
Luke 5:1-8 New King James Version
5 So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, 2 and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. 3 Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.
4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”
5 But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” 6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”
God BLESSES the Poor in Spirit
Matthew 5:1-4 New King James Version
5 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
What is Poverty of Spirit?
Greek Definitions
Poor - ptochos (G4434)
Reduced to beggary
Lacking even the basic requirement of wealth, influence, position, honor, etc.
Spirit - pnuema (G4151)
The vital principle by which the body is animated
The rational spirit, power by which the human being feels, thinks, and decides
The disposition or influence which fills and governs the soul of anyone
The source of any power, affection, emotion, desire, etc.
Matthew 5:3 Amplified Bible
3 “Blessed [spiritually prosperous, happy, to be admired] are the poor in spirit [those devoid of spiritual arrogance, those who regard themselves as insignificant], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now and forever].
Poverty of Spirit Is:
The confession that you’re spiritually empty
The understanding that there is always more to learn
The realization that what you still need to learn will always be more important than what you already know
Why Does God Bless the Poor in Spirit?
God LOVES to Bless What Looks like Jesus
Philippians 2:5-7 New King James Version
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
Philippians 2:5-7 New Living Translation
5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
6 Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
God LOVES to Give His Children the Kingdom
Matthew 5:3 New King James Version
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Luke 12:32 New King James Version
32 “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Poverty of Spirit is your very first step into the kingdom of heaven
Matthew 7:13-14 New King James Version
13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
You can’t even get past the narrow gate without it
“You must be this spiritually poor to enter”
“You must remain this spiritually poor to stay on the narrow path”
Some of us here today have allowed pride to puff us up and pull us off the narrow path
How is Poverty of Spirit Acquired? Encounter and Mourning
ENCOUNTER || Truth and Power
Only when you see the Lord rightly, will you see yourself rightly
TRUTH ENCOUNTERS - Supernatural, spiritual encounters with the truth of God’s word
Nehemiah 8:8-9 New King James Version
8 So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading.
9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep.” For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law.
POWER ENCOUNTERS - Supernatural, spiritual encounters with the manifest presence and power of God
Isaiah 6:1&5 New King James Version
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.
…
5 So I said:
“Woe is me, for I am undone (destroyed/cut off)!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King,
The Lord of hosts.”
Daniel 10:8 New King James Version
8 Therefore I was left alone when I saw this great vision, and no strength remained in me; for my vigor (splendor) was turned to frailty (ruin) in me, and I retained no strength.
MOURNING
Matthew 5:4 Amplified Bible
4 “Blessed [forgiven, refreshed by God’s grace] are those who mourn [over their sins and repent], for they will be comforted [when the burden of sin is lifted].
This is a spiritual mourning, a godly sorrow,
2 Corinthians 7:10 New King James Version
10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
When I say mourning I am not referring to natural sadness, depression, self-deprecation, low self-esteem, etc.
These things produce death; physical, emotional, interpersonal and spiritual
Godly sorrow is when we are broken over, mourn, and repent from our sin
Not over getting caught and receiving earthly consequences
WHAT DOES MOURNING LIKE PRACTICALLY?
1. Power Encounters: It can be an involuntary, emotional, and spiritual response to the manifest presence of God
You cannot help but fall to your knees, or on your face
You cannot help but cry out and weep before the Lord
This can also happen in the midst of truth encounters, but I have personally seen it more during power encounters
2. Truth Encounters: It can be an intentional, physical, and spiritual response to the Lord
Tears aren’t the goal, repentance is
You can intentionally drop to your knees or face before the Lord in recognition of your sin and need for forgiveness
You can intentionally fasting in response and repentance
Remember back to our corporate fast in January: fasting is an acceptable means of both humbling ourselves and repenting
Joel 2:12-14a New King James Version
12 “Now, therefore,” says the Lord,
“Turn to Me with all your heart,
With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”
13 So rend your heart, and not your garments;
Return to the Lord your God,
For He is gracious and merciful,
Slow to anger, and of great kindness;
And He relents from doing harm.
14 Who knows if He will turn and relent,
And leave a blessing behind Him—
Fasting afflicts the flesh and weakens pride
THE BLESSEDNESS OF MOURNING
1. Just as tears cleanse our physical eyes, godly sorrow and mourning cleanses our spiritual eyes
Sometimes the only times we see rightly is when we are mourning
“You don’t know what you have until it's gone”
My surprise mourning - Raquel’s surprise birthday party for me with the guys
2. God hears those who mourn and cry out to Him
Hagar and Ishmael - Genesis 21:14-21
Nineveh - The book of Jonah
Hezekiah - 2 Kings 20:1-6
Ahab - 1 Kings 21:27-29
3. God receives mourning as an acceptable sacrifice
Psalm 51:17 New King James Version
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart—
These, O God, You will not despise.
4. God comforts those who mourn
Matthew 5:4 New King James Version
4 Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.
Comfort - parakaleo (G3870)
To call to one’s side
To address and speak to
John 14:26 New King James Version
26 But the Helper(Comforter), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
God Will NEVER Bless Pride
What is Pride?
Pride - Ga’a (H1342), Ga’on (H1374), Hyperephanos (G5244)
To rise up, grow, be exalted
Exaltation, majesty, pride
Believing and showing one’s self above others
Pride Is:
The lie that you have grown full
The deception that you have less to learn
The delusion that what you already know is more important than what you still need to learn
If poverty of spirit is being reduced in God’s sight, pride is being increased in your sight
God Will NEVER Bless Pride, Because God HATES Pride
Proverbs 6:16-17a New King James Version
16 These six things the Lord hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
17 A proud look,
Proverbs 16:5 New King James Version
5 Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
Though they join forces, none will go unpunished.
1 Peter 5:5 New King James Version
5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for
“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”
James 4:6-7 New King James Version
6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:
“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”
7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Isaiah 14:12-15 New King James Version
12 “How you are fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations!
13 For you have said in your heart:
‘I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation
On the farthest sides of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High.’
15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol,
To the lowest depths of the Pit.
God HATES Pride, but BLESSES Poverity of Spirit
Psalm 138:6 New King James Version
6 Though the Lord is on high,
Yet He regards the lowly;
But the proud He knows from afar.
Encounter , Mourn, and Receive His Blessing
Luke 5:1-8 New King James Version
5 So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, 2 and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. 3 Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.
4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”
5 But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” 6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”
Simon’s Lowly Entry into the Kingdom
Praise God that pride did not keep him out, but poverty of spirit and mourning led to his entrance, comfort, and so much more. I pray that God in His mercy would do the same for all of us today.
Four Signs You’re Operating in Pride
1 . PRIDE Knows Everything
The proud are unteachable - Simon wasn’t pressing in to listen to Jesus’ teaching, he was off to the side washing his nets
“This applies to them, not me”
“I already know this”
“This isn’t relevant for my calling”
Pride is the #1 marriage killer because it refuses to die to itself, thus it kills the relationship
2. PRIDE is Shallow
The proud cannot go deep with Holy Spirit because they are unwilling to go low with Jesus - “Launch out into the deep”
Going low in their encounter with Holy Spirit and mourning
Psalm 42:6-7 New King James Version
6 O my God, my soul is cast down within me; Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan (descender/death), And from the heights of Hermon (sanctuary), From the Hill Mizar (smallness). 7 Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; All Your waves and billows have gone over me.
Pride REFUSES to be undignified, even in the presence of God
Going low in service to another
Matthew 20:25-28 New King James Version
25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. 26 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
“I already did my time (serving)”
I will serve the Lord only if it brings me attention, praise, honor, etc.
I will serve only if I can serve in the way I want to, or feel called to serve
3. PRIDE is a One-Man-Show
The proud never ask for help - Simon had to ask for help from two brothers
Pride has to do it all by itself, even if the nets are breaking and the boat is sinking
These two brothers he asked for help ended up becoming his closest friends and colaborers in the kingdom
Pride will keep you from deep kingdom relationships
4. PRIDE Won’t Repent
The proud are NEVER wrong and REFUSE correction - Simon knew better than Jesus about fishing, “we have toiled all night and caught nothing”
“I’ve tried that already, I am doing that, that won’t work, my situation is different
You just don’t understand my heart
The proud are UNWILLING to repent - Simon dropped to his knees before the boat sunk
Don’t go down with your ship in pride,
Luke 5:9-11 New King James Version
9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” 11 So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.
