God's promises to bless is real. You may believe it. You may not. But God wants to bless you. Numbers 23:19 says "God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?" If you believe God, then the God's promised blessing is for you.

God Blessed Man

In the beginning, God has proclaimed His blessings upon Adam and Eve. This was a reflection of His purpose of blessing His most loved creation - the man He created in His own image. Genesis 1:26-28 says

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

It was a wonderful beginning. Adam and Eve lived in the most beautiful place ever - the Garden of Eden. But then came the fall of man.

A Set-Back on God's Blessings

One day, the serpent tempted Eve to disobey the command that God gave

And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."

To cut the story short, Eve fell for it and so did Adam. As a result, they were banished from the Garden. Worst of all, their disobedience left a mark on all the human race - sin that brings death upon all.

However, the story of God's blessings did not end there. God took the initiative to restore those blessings. How?

God's Promise to Restore His Blessings

God's plan to restore His blessings involved an important covenant with a man named Abraham. The Lord said to Abram (the original name of Abraham) in Genesis 12:1-3,

"Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

In these verses, God promised to bless Abraham with land, posterity, prosperity and protection. Moreover, He said that through Abraham all peoples on earth will be blessed.

It is noteworthy to say that it was because of Abraham's faith and obedience to the call of God that God's promise to bless him, his descendants and all peoples became effectual. If Abraham did not believe and follow the Lord, the Lord will not consider him righteous and deserving of the promised blessings (Genesis 15:6).

The blessing that Abraham would become a great nation has been remarkably fulfilled in the increase of the Hebrew people as the dust of the earth and Ishmael's descendants. Abraham's name became great having obtained the title "Father of Many Nations" and a great man of faith. God's protection and blessings followed his descendants showing God to be faithful to His covenant with Abraham.

But how was it that the promised blessing was extended to all the peoples on earth?

Faith in Jesus Extended Abraham's Blessing to All Peoples

"If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Galatians 3:29)

Jesus, being Abraham's seed, came down to earth and redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through him. When we believe in Jesus and His saving work on the cross, not only do we become children of God (John 1:12), but we also become children of Abraham.

"Consider Abraham: He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: 'All nations will be blessed through you.'" (Galatians 3:6-8)

While the Hebrew people is the natural posterity of Abraham, all believers in Jesus, whether Jew or Gentile became Abraham's spiritual descendants. Praise God for the fulfillment of the promise "In you all the peoples of the earth shall be blessed."

How much do you want God's blessings?

The most important question now is how much do you want God's blessings? If you desire it that much then let these 2 passages be your guide to claim God's blessings.

• "For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess." Deuteronomy 30:16
  

Just as Abraham and all men of faith proved their love and loyalty to God by walking in faith and obedience, so we must do the same that the Lord our God will bless us.

• "He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit." Galatians 3:14
  

Believe in Jesus as Savior and Lord, without whom, we will not have any legal claim to the blessings through Abraham. What an amazing grace and privilege!

I pray that you might find God's promises to bless to be a reality in your life.