How to receive your blessings

It is very important to know that we are blessed under the new Covenant. However, some people will argue that if it true then how come they are not seeing it? How come the word seems not to be manifesting in their lives? How can we receive the things God has given to us? We will discuss at length in this article.

Deu 2:24 KJV Rise ye up, take your journey, and pass over the river Arnon: behold, I have given into thine hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land: begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle.

The word ” have given” in Hebrew is “Nathan” and it means: to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be.
So, as far as God is concerned, in the mind of God it was already a done deal. He has bestowed that man’s land to them.
The same principle is shown when they got to Jericho:

Jos 6:2 KJV And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.

The same word ,”I have given” which is “Nathan” is used in this place also. That is in the mind of God, it was a done deal. He had given Jericho to them.
The same principle in the new testament. First God give things unto people and then asked them to go after it because it is theirs.

2Pet 1:3 KJV According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

Eph 1:3 KJV Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Based on what Christ has done for us we have become partakers of the inheritance. We are joint heirs together with Him and we are even heir of God.
There is God’s part which is “I have given” by grace and there is Israel’s part which is ” and ye shall” or in Deut “contend”
Now it won’t be automatic, they have to believe it. If they believe then they should rise up, pass over river of hindrances and contend with the man in the battle. Believe is a verb.

Jas 2:20 KJV But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

The only thing that will show that they believe is to back it with action for James said faith without work is dead. Evidence of their faith ad trust in what God said is to step out and contend for their land. It is theirs now, that man is a transgressor, he was trespassing.
The outcome of the battle was already determined. They were going into the battle knowing fully well they are winning. What a fight.

There are things that belongs to us, that are our inheritance, that are our rights in the kingdom, they have been bestowed, given, by God by grace, but in order for us to posses them, we have to contend for them, and we have to receive them.
That is our responsibilities. It’s no longer God’s responsibility. Some people say ‘if God want me to have it He will give it to me’. What they don’t know is that God wants them to have it more than they wanted it because it will bring glory to his name.

Joh 14:13 KJV And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

Unbelievers will through their testimony come to Jesus, it will make their lives better and as Jesus put it that their joy may be full.

Joh 16:24 KJV Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

Under the new covenant, we are called to fight and contend but not with the devil. Devil has been defeated by Jesus, and Jesus gave his victory. He didn’t need it. He has always been the Lord. He fought on our behalf. His victory has become our victory.
If you are fighting the devil, you are in a wrong fight, come out of the ring.
So we are called to fight the good fight of faith.

1Tim 6:12 KJV Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

Because Jesus gave them to us the thief wants to steal, kill and destroy what has been given to us.

What is the good fight of faith?
It’s a fight to bring or compell or force our rebellious circumstances to align with the word of God.
It is the fight to receive what He has given to us.
The word of God determines what should happen to us and how we should be, how our finance should be how our home should be, how things should go with us, if our reality and circumstances is contrary, then we fight the good fight of faith.
The good fight now is to receive what belongs to us.

There are about three Greek words for receive and we need to learn them in order to appreciate how to receive what God has given to us by grace.

Lambano: Total KJV Occurrences: 270times

Rom 5:17 KJV For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

I will give elaborate definition of the word “lambano” in order for us to understand it’s importance.

The Greek word used for “receive” here is “lambano” and according to Thayer lexicon, it means: to take, to take with the hand, lay hold of, any person or thing in order to use it, to take up a thing to be carried, to take upon one’s self, to take in order to carry away without the notion of violence, i,e to remove, take away, to take what is one’s own, to take to one’s self, to make one’s own, to claim, procure, for one’s self, to associate with one’s self as companion, attendant of that which when taken is not let go, to seize, to lay hold of, apprehend, to take by craft (our catch, used of hunters, fisherman, etc.), to circumvent one by fraud, to take to one’s self, lay hold upon, take possession of, i.e. to appropriate to one’s self catch at, reach after, strive to obtain, to take a thing due, to collect, gather (tribute), to take, to admit, receive, to receive what is offered, not to refuse or reject.

Dechomai
and it means: to take with the hand, to take hold of, take up, to take up, receive, used of a place receiving one, to receive or grant access to, a visitor, not to refuse intercourse or friendship, to receive hospitality, to receive into one’s family to bring up or educate, of the thing offered in speaking, teaching, instructing, to receive favourably, give ear to, embrace, make one’s own, approve, not to reject
The KJV translates Strong’s G1209 in the following manner: receive (52x), take (4x), accept (2x), take up (1x).

to take with the hand: , Luke 16:6f; Luke 22:17; to take hold of, take up, Ephesians 6:17; Luke 2:28.

to take up, receive;
a. used of a place receiving one: , Acts 3:21,

Aihreomai
It means: to take for oneself, to prefer, choose, to choose by vote, elect to office, accept, + be amazed, assay, attain, bring, X when I call, catch, come on (X unto), + forget, have, hold, obtain, receive (X after), take (away, up)
Philippians 1 : 22 But if I live in the flesh, this the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose [αἱρήσομαι – hairēsomai] I wot not.
2 Thessalonians 2 : 13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen – heileto] you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
Hebrews 11 : 25 Choosing [ἑλόμενος – helomenos] rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season .

Differences?

Lambano is probably objective or active, to get hold of; whereas Dechomai is rather subjective or passive, to have offered to one; while Aihreomai is more violent, to seize or remove.

The Greek word they use for receive most of the times in the New Testament actually is lambano, and it means to take by force, make something yours. The devil knew its yours but many of us don’t know that they are ours, that they have been delivered unto us, we are still asking God for it, we are still begging and pleading, appealing to His mercy, sowing seed for it instead of receiving what is ours.
One of the ways to receive is through intense prayers.

Case study

Col 4:12-13. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in

The Greek word used for “labouring fervently” is “agonizomai” and according to Thayer it means: to enter a contest: contend in the gymnastic games, to contend with adversaries, fight,metaphorically to contend, struggle, with difficulties and dangers, to endeavour with strenuous zeal, strive: to obtain something.
It is from that word the word “agony” comes from. Agony means: Violent contest or striving.Extreme pain.

Luke 22:44 Being in an agony he prayed more earnestly

(Bible) The sufferings of Jesus Christ in the garden of Gethsemane.
So whe Paul says Ephaphras was “always laboring fervently for you in prayers” – He is saying “striving.” Greek: “agonizing.” The word denotes the intense desire which he had for their salvation; his fervent, earnest pleading for their welfare.

He was not even striving in prayers for them to get good job, get married, have children, established flourishing business, etc. But that they will be established in the faith. Sometimes we need to set our priority right.
Even Paul desire that believers will join him in prayers:

Rom 15:30-32 KJV 30 Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; 31 That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints; 32 That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.

The word “strife together” is “sunagonizomai” and it means: to strive together with one, to help one in striving. to struggle in company with, that is, (figuratively) to be a partner (assistant): – strive together with.
Paul wanted the people to unite with him in earnest prayer. The word “strive” denotes intense “agony” or effort, such as was used by the wrestlers in the Greek games; and then the “agony,” or strong effort, which a man makes in prayer, who is earnestly desirous to be heard.
The use of the word here denotes Paul’s earnest desire that they should make an “intense” effort in their prayers that he might be delivered.

Intense prayer made for Peter

Act 12:5 KJV Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

The Greek word used for the compound word “without ceasing” is “ektenes” and it means: stretched out, metaphorically intent, earnestly, assiduously. Strong concordance has it defined as: intent: – without ceasing, fervent.
I used to think that they prayed continuously without stopping from morning to night. Bible is not talking about the length or duration of their prayers but that word is an adjective that describe a noun. Bible tells us the manner of their prayers.
The English definition of the word “intent” is A purpose; something that is intended. E.g: (legal) The state of someone’s mind at the time of committing an offence.
Synonyms: (something that is intended.
In order words, the mind was focused on why they were praying in unison and with purpose.
The word fervent means: Exhibiting particular enthusiasm, zeal, conviction, persistence, or belief. Having or showing emotional warmth, fervor, or passion., Glowing, burning, very hot.

2 Peter, 3:10: But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

In order words instant and earnest prayers were made for Peter because he was a desperate situation. If care its not taken, he may die like James.

paul travail for the Galatian church.

Gal 4:19 KJV My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

ASV My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you—
As their conversion to God had been the fruit of much labour, prayers, and tears. Paul means that he is for the second time laboring and distressed for the Galatian converts, with the same anguish which attended his first efforts for their conversion.

Sometimes before you see things happening, you will have “mother’s pain”

Job 8:11 KJV Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?

Summary
There are things that gentle, quite, devotional prayers will get answer to but the following places shows how to receive with focused, purposeful and fervent prayers. It is travailing. We have to contend sometimes with the demonic realms to let go of what is ours, we have to break the forces of darkness blocking what is coming to us and blocking people that God has sent to us. This is one of the ways we receive God’s blessing.