The difference between Blessing and Covenant

Genesis 17

We sometimes confuse our faith by affirming that it is enough to be blessed. Blessing can take many forms; it can be material; health and good fortune in every area of life. 

Abraham was speaking in Genesis 17 In the context of covenant.  He wanted to know from God if Ishmael could be included in the covenant that God was making with Him.

God said: no; but I will bless him.

When we look at that we can miss such an important rich opening in our understanding to the way things work in the spirit realm.

Why was not Ishmael included?
1. Ishmael was not included because he was conceived by natural means
2. He was conceived outside the covenant relationship of Abraham and Sarah.

When you consider that we in Christ were birthed by the Spirit in keeping with the New Covenant birthed by the application of that New Covenant by faith in Christ.  Our new birth had nothing natural about it. It was an act of the Spirit.

We were brought in via the covenant made between God the Father and Jesus.

So what God was trying to communicate was that the blessing that God was conferring on Ishmael was for this life. And in contrast the covenant conferred on Isaac was to form a holy nation which would bring forth the Saviour of the whole world for thousands of generations. Whilst blessing is good the covenant is so far reaching in its implication and consequence.

God is saying to us today not to confuse our focus. That we not content ourselves with the blessing. When we walk with God on the basis of covenant we walk in a greater measure of intimacy and greater measure of faith. 

Can we have access?

We have access into the deeper things of God via our comprehension of what we are being shown. When we desire greater things in God we also receive from Him greater doorways into the deeper realms. Therefore as we see in Galatians that we have access to the covenant of Abraham through Christ the only thing that is between us living on the blessing realm and the covenant is the application of our faith!

We must also walk not trying to “birth” things into being via natural efforts of our own but via the revelation of the Word; direction of the Spirit; and discernment of the times and seasons. 

That way we come into a greater level of harmony. We come into a greater knowledge and flow of where and how God operates.

Abraham was in a
1. Spiritual covenant: to walk with God
2. Geographical covenant: God gave him territory to have dominion and safety.

God extends to us covenant based on our desire to be intimate with Him applying our faith and grace through Jesus Christ.

What a privilege to live richly in the knowledge of Him!!!

Shalom.