In this episode, Austin Gardner explores the often-forgotten practice of speaking biblical blessings. Whether you are a parent tucking your children in at night, a leader heading into a boardroom, or a spouse looking to strengthen your marriage, your words have the ability to create environments of growth or fear. Austin shares how to use Scripture to speak identity and destiny into the lives of those around you.
Key Takeaways:
The historical significance of the pastoral benediction.
Why simple words like "I believe in you" carry spiritual weight.
This is where we talk about God's grace and mercy that meets us and follows us even in our lowest moments and lifts us to hope again.
No matter what's been broken, here's love still heals.
So let's move from pain to praise together because surely goodness and mercy does follow me and pursue me all the days of my life.
Let's talk about how we can bless people today, how we can restore the biblical language of life, how we can speak blessing into people's lives.
All through the Bible, God's men, God's leaders, even parents are to speak blessing.
The patriarchs bless their children, the priest bless the nation, Jesus bless the examples, the apostles bless the church.
Yet today this practice has almost disappeared.
Scripture shows that blessing is a part of spiritual leadership.
God calls leaders to speak a word that brings encouragement and life and faith and hope and direction.
So for pastors, I challenge you to bless your congregation.
In Scripture, pastors and spiritual leaders frequently pronounce blessings over the...
One of the clearest examples is Hebrews 13.20.
Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead are Lord Jesus.
That great shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight.
Through Jesus Christ to Him be glory forever and ever. Amen. That's a pastoral blessing.
As the leaders speaking, God's word over God's work and favor over God's people.
For over 1500 years, Christian worship ended with a spiritual blessing called a benediction.
The pastor will lift his hands and say something like the grace of Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
And people left the service believing God goes with us.
We are to teach truth and strengthen the body of believers.
Blessing strengthens people to face the challenges of their life.
I want to speak blessings.
Parents bless their children.
The Bible repeatedly shows parents blessing their children.
One of the most beautiful examples is Jesus.
He took the children up in His arms and He blessed them.
He embraced them.
He laid hands on them and He spoke blessing.
Children need to hear words of life from their parents.
The Hebrews did that to speak identity and destiny.
Parents would speak over children.
God's protection and God's wisdom.
God's purpose and God's calling.
They still do it.
At least I read that they do it on Friday night just before Sabbath begins.
They speak over them.
He speaks of priestly blessing over them in number six.
That tradition was practiced for 3000 years.
Husbands and wives bless one another.
Marriage in the scripture has meant to be a place of life giving words.
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth.
But that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace under the hearers.
The word edifying means to build up.
Husbands and wives should speak words that encourage faith.
Strengthen love and promote peace.
That's who we are.
Many marriages slowly weaken not because of major conflicts,
but because encouraging words disappear.
Simple words like I believe in you.
I thank God for you.
I'm grateful for you.
Those words bring life into a relationship.
Encouraging words is one of the most powerful ways we communicate love.
Leaders bless their teams and communities.
Spiritual leadership extends beyond church and family.
Leaders influence people in the workplace, ministries and communities.
We should strengthen each other with our words.
Listen to this verse, you know it well, death and life and the power of the tongue.
They that love it shall eat the fruit of words, shape, environments.
Leaders who constantly criticize create fear.
Leaders who encourage build confidence and courage.
During World War II, Winston Churchill gave speeches that strengthen the courage of an entire nation.
His famous words included, shall never surrender.
Those words gave hope to millions.
Words can strengthen entire communities.
Spiritual leaders should use words that strengthen faith.
We should bless people with Scripture.
One of the most powerful ways is take one of the above verses and use number six.
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious unto thee.
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
Or end the peace of God which passes all understanding.
Shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Now the God, the Lord of peace himself, give you peace always by all means.
The Lord be with you all.
Those are powerful blessings that leaders can speak over people.
It still matters today.
So many times in modern cultures we use words that tear down people.
In social media and politics and public conversation, criticism, division, negativity,
and Christians are called to speak differently than that.
That your speech be always with grace.
Grace, fill words, create environments where people grow spiritually.
A teacher once told a struggling student, I believe you can succeed.
That one sentence changed the student's life.
And years later,
giving the confidence to continue blessings as that kind of power.
Leaders can begin restoring the language of blessing,
by doing several things.
Spirituals, they should speak blessings over the children before bed,
over their spouses before work,
over the congregation at the end of the service, over friends facing difficulty,
over new believers on their faith journey.
Blessing is simply speaking God's truth and hoping to God in someone's life.
The Bible shows us that blessing is not sentimental or weak.
It's a form of spiritual leadership.
Leaders bless people, they remind them of God's promises.
Strengthen their faith and encourage spiritual growth.
Second, that's the only 318.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all, amen.
2,000 years people have been saying that.
It reminds us of the grace of Jesus Christ.
Blessing reminds people that God's grace is still working in their lives.
I hope the last few days has blessed you and worked in your life like it has in mind,
because it's changed my life.
I want to be a blesser.
I want to bless people.
I want to say God bless you and I want to mean it.
And I hope you will too.
Thank you so much.
Share this with somebody else if you would.
God bless you.
Thanks for listening to Followed by Mercy with also Gardner.
If today's message spoke to your heart,
share it with someone who needs to know God hasn't given up on them.
