Faith takes us into Blessing

One natural desire in the presence of God is to get blessing, but most of us haven't reached the threshold as expected.

The Context

Naomi's family is facing the tragedy of losing all the men in their families.

The Core Message

Due to a lack of faith, some of them left their land, but one woman came to that land by faith. Those who were expected to be close to God were going away, while those who were not expected came near to faith.

When knowledge and intellect took them to the land of destruction, she walked into blessing because of faith...

Two Elements

1. Knowledge
2. Faith

When we go by knowledge and not by faith, we don't get into our blessing.

Prophecy: Blessing in the Struggle

One blessing lies in the struggles and challenges we face, when we are able to realise and identify this. Don't run away because of trouble, but go towards it.

When we encounter challenges, we are advised to use our brains. Similarly, Naomi's family ran away from the famine using their brains.

Prophecy: Breaking the Pattern

If we don't realise our losses, why they happen, and cannot foresee them, this can become a pattern. In such a case, we must identify the reason and the steps we must take to break the pattern. We need to break it before it becomes a generational curse.

The greatest blessing in our life, family, job, relationships and finances must come from our faith in the Lord and not from our intellectual ability.

Our security for our life and everything must be based only on trust in God.

Naomi's Testimony

Naomi has a testimony to share. Just like her, we too have a blessed moment to speak of: the times when God showed His extraordinary favour in our wilderness.

Even if we ask Israel what their blessed time was, it was not the land of Canaan, but the time the Lord took them through the wilderness with daily manna.

Now Naomi decides to go back to her land. Oh Naomi, when she tried to hold on and stay back against His will! Whatever we are trying to hold on to that is not the will of God, let us throw it away and go back to the Lord.

Naomi was disheartened because she was late. But God has a [speciality], and first the Lord showed her.

The Lord can use the little that remains with us. It is sufficient for Him to restore everything that is needed to go into the plan and purpose of life.

Ruth's Decision (Ruth 1:14)

• Both daughters-in-law wept.
• Initially, both of them wanted to go with her.
• Then she spoke to them about the uncertainties in their lives if they went with her.

Someone who comes knowing the challenges will stay stronger than one who comes only for the blessing. It is always best to go with one who has faith rather than reasoning.

Both daughters-in-law had so many questions. They thought for a while and came back with their decision.

Among all the questions, there is one name that can fill all the gaps: God.

The first step of blessing is to write over all the questions and gaps: "I have a God who provides and cares", Jehovah Rapha and Jehovah Jireh.

When does God start providing? With one first step of faith.

Walking to Bethlehem

Naomi and Ruth walked together for around 80-100 km and came to Bethlehem carrying their baggage. Three lessons from the journey:

1. We must get rid of what is not meant to be in our life.
2. We must start walking. In our walk of faith there will be challenges, but we must go together in understanding. (After a short rest in Bethlehem, Ruth went straight to work.)
3. One Sunday and Thursday is not enough for blessing. It must be one perpetual time in the presence of God.

Don't take a break or stay back, because we must be in the genealogy of God. When people walked out of the Lord's promise because of their intellectual calculation, Ruth walked into the genealogy of Christ because of her faith.

Don't let your intellect stop you from taking the Step of Faith.