June 30, 2007

• The Shifting Blessing

  We were so blessed this past weekend to have Pastor Emmanuel Eyim-Danquah speaking at our church. Every time he comes we are abundantly blessed. I did take some pictures of him and of the worship in our church, but my husband has not downloaded the camera yet, sigh. So here is a picture from the last time he was here.

  

  Pastor Emmanuel Eyim-Danquah,
  Christian Restoration Ministries Intl.
  19255 NE 3rd Avenue
  Miami, Fl. 33169

  (305) 655-1923  

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  The Shifting Blessing

  God is about doing new things that we haven’t seen before. First God speaks, then He sends His prophets ahead. Before Jesus was born, John the Baptist and other prophets spoke about His coming. God’s word will go forth and bless us.

  Genesis 48:1-5 Now it came to pass after these things that Joseph was told, “Indeed your father is sick”; and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. And Jacob was told, “Look, your son Joseph is coming to you”; and Israel strengthened himself and sat up on the bed. Then Jacob said to Joseph: “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, “and said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a multitude of people, and give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.’ And now your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.

  Genesis 48:13-22 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near him. Then Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn. And he blessed Joseph, and said:   “God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has fed me all my life long to this day, the Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; let my name be named upon them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.” Now when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; so he took hold of his father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. And Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.” But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.” So he blessed them that day, saying, “By you Israel will bless, saying, ‘May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh!’ ” And thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh. Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers. “Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.”

  The blessing is shifting from someone in the church tonight, from one level to another level. God is seeking to promote you.

  God knows us by name. Regardless of how we feel or what our circumstances are, God will release fruit. The Word of God comes and blesses us.

  In Israel (who used to be called Jacob before he wrestled with the Man) the blessing was transferred from the parents to the children and grandchildren. It is important to remember that, as parents, we are to speak blessings over our children.

  Why were Jacob’s people so blessed, it was because God came to Abraham. God blessed Abraham by speaking, and before the manifestation of children came, God told Abraham that He was going to make him a great nation. It was spoken.

  It was more than mere words spoken over Abraham, it was the blessing of God, and that blessing bore fruit. Abraham blessed Isaac, and Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau. The blessing is passed down from father to son. Esau was the first born and Jacob the second, but the father’s blessing passed to Jacob, Esau despised his birthright.

  Remember, when Jacob (heel snatcher) was not acting as God wanted him to act, God called him “Jacob.” When he acted in line with God’s will, God called him “Israel.”

  When God prophesies, open your spirit and drink in the blessing. When the blessing comes on  you it takes away all the years of trouble and can change your life permanently.

  When your life turns around you then become a beacon of life to the world, and people see the light of God flowing through you. You may have been a nobody who people despised, but when God blesses you, your situation changes. God’s mercy comes toward you and shines through you.

  Don’t let the enemy attack you with with the past, show him his future. God forgave us and put our sins into the sea of forgetfulness.God wants to bless us and change our destiny.

  When Jacob/Israel was about to die he called his children to him to bless them, Joseph took his to sons to His father. Manasseh was the older and Ephraim was the younger. Joseph situated the boys so that the oldest was by Jacob’s right hand and the younger was by Jacob’s left hand. Jacob was tired and laying on the bed, but when the boys were brought to him ISRAEL strengthened himself and sat on the bed.

  In Genesis 32 Jacob wrestled with a Man (God) until the breaking of the day. Jacob refused to let go until he received a blessing. The Man asked him his name, and Jacob answered, “Jacob” having to admit to being a heel snatcher. God told him, verse 28 And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed.

  God is going to change our name, and bless us. People will identify you with a blessing.

  Jacob now had a new name, Israel. The old Jacob had a sinful nature, and practiced deceit. But Israel obeyed God. Jacob is the carnal man, Israel the spiritual self, and when we see these names in the Bible we know how he is acting – obedient to God (Israel) or fleshly (Jacob).

  Pastor Danquah asked us if we were Jacobs or Israels to our spouses. Do we come to church and put on our Israel nature, then get into the car and go home and become a Jacob?

  So Israel strengthened Himself to put blessings on the children. The Spirit of the Lord is ready to bless you.

  Jacob was old and blind, and could not see well, so Joseph made sure to put Manasseh by Jacob’s right hand for Manasseh is older, and Ephraim by Jacob’s left hand. To Joseph’s distress Jacob crossed his hands and put His right Hand on Ephraim’s head and his left hand on Manasseh’s. When corrected by Joseph, Jacob told him that he knew what he was doing.

  Pastor Danquah pointed out to us that there are always people who are ahead of us while we are still struggling. But God can put us in front, he can shift the blessing.  This has nothing to do with what you feel, a word of truth is spoken to your heart and setting you ahead. God can set you ahead.

  When Jacob gave Ephraim the blessing people may not have understood why he received the blessing over his older brother. It is not important that people know why he received the blessing, it is known to God. God has a reason and God’s will is sovereign. Pastor Danquah told us that in three months he is looking forward to coming back to our church and hearing the testimonies of all the blessings that have shifted.

  Jacob INTENTIONALLY put his hand on Ephraim’s head. God also is intentional about the time when He is releasing the blessing.

  Genesis 48:20 So he blessed them that day, saying, “By you Israel will bless, saying, ‘May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh’ And thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh.

  God has a set time to come to individuals to bless them. The anointing of the Lord means that there is a life transformed for good. Be open to the release of Grace from God.

  We need to wait for the time when God blesses us. While waiting, don’t complain, just stay in Him.

  Pastor Danquah then spent time praying over people, blessing all who were in attendance. It was an anointed time. I love seeing lives transformed before my eyes as the power of God moves through a person. We do serve an awesome God!!!!

  Have a blessed day.

  Heather

  • 2:12 am
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