Kingdom success is completely different from our concept of success. It is backward.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3

“God, I need You. I am poor in spirit.” Can you pray that with me? Or are you doing alright on your own?

Why is an attitude of poverty important in the kingdom of heaven?

Personal poverty is crucial in God’s kingdom

It is for those who recognize their need for Him. If we don’t need God or we think we can do it ourselves He has nothing for us. However, if we admit we are needy, confess our need for God, and believe completely in His Son, Jesus, we will be born again and will be able to see the kingdom of God.

Who are the poor?

• Those who recognize their inability to be spiritual
• Those who see their spiritual abilities as poverty, worth nothing
• Those who admit to themselves and to God they are needy
• Those who embrace their inability to be spiritual
• Those who don’t try to hide it

Daily Poverty

Have you acknowledged your need? What is next?

• step aside and let God live through you acknowledging  you are incapable of doing the Christian life right or successfully on your own
• count yourself with your natural abilities to be dead, empty
• allow God to live through you every day, every minute

At that point God’s life and power  will invade your being flavoring every area of your life.

If we take those steps God’s spirit will empower our being, changing us to be like Him. When stressed, frustration and anger won’t come out. Rather it will be His characteristics – the fruit of His Spirit.

Kingdom success is available to those who admit they are spiritually poor in themselves. They lack the ability to be Christlike. It is beyond their means.

Let’s humble ourselves and admit we are the poor. Let’s admit our spiritual poverty, open wide our life to God, and allow Him total access. An abundant, amazing life awaits us.

Words to light your path this week

• Matthew 9:12-13 When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” NKJV
• Titus 3:5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit  NKJV
• Isaiah 64:6 but we are like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags;  NKJV
• Philippians 3:7-9 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith-ESV
• Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. NKJV

Prayer – Lord, help us to have the courage to take the first step toward an abundant life by admitting our need for You. Amen

Monday Morning Faith