“Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”
—1 Pet 3:9

            Pastor Kerry Kirkwood was driving up to his church for a prayer meeting when he noticed a driver in a truck pulling up at the same time. As he walked into his church, the secretary told him that she would find out who the man was and let him know that the pastor was busy with a prayer meeting. As Kerry walked into the sanctuary, he felt a tug from the Lord to talk to the man.

            He went back and introduced himself to the man, and the man told him his name was Thomas and that he owned some adjacent land that he wanted to sell to the church. The pastor told him he was not interested, and out of nowhere, the man began to unload all his burdens to Pastor Kirkwood: "I was a pastor like you, but my church kicked me out because I had become wealthy through oil and they felt they needed a pastor who was full-time serving the church. They really hurt me."

            Then Thomas continued, "My daughter left the house over money and I have not seen her in a long time. On top of this, I had a young partner stab me in the back by leaving my company and taking some clients from me. Then I had a man who tried to break up my marriage. Pastor, I have had so many people mistreat me; I just hope they get what is due them." The man went on to speak very badly of all the people who wronged him.

            Pastor Kerry gave Thomas the scripture in 1 Peter 3:9 about blessing those who insult you and if you bless them, you would inherit God’s blessings. He explained to Thomas that our words act as a boomerangs and that what we say about people comes back to us, whether the words we speak are good or bad. He told him that if he wanted God to bless him, he needed to start blessing others with his words.

            He invited him into his church bookstore and gave him his series on the power of blessing. He told him to listen to the message and practice it. Thomas thanked him for the series and left.

            Less than 24 hours, Thomas called Pastor Kirkwood and told him, “Your teaching revolutionized my life. I never knew that if I cursed others, I was stopping God’s blessings from coming to me. So immediately I begin to bless my daughter. I asked God’s blessings on her and spoke every positive thing I could think about her. And today, my daughter called me up and asked if she could come home. It worked quickly.”

            He told the pastor he couldn’t wait to try this out on his old business partner.

            Later that week, he called the pastor and told him that blessing his partner worked, and that the partner called him and asked if he could see him. And when they met, the partner apologized for stealing his clients.

            Then he told the pastor that he is going to work at blessing the man who tried to break up his marriage. Thomas got so excited over the results in blessing others. Later he called Pastor Kirkwood and told him that God has done a miracle in his heart toward the man. He said to him that the man has not repented, but something better has happened to his own heart. He has such compassion on the fellow since he had started to bless him. And that was the biggest blessing.

Your Inheritance is Tied to Blessing

            If you will learn to speak blessings over everyone, you will inherit a blessing. “Because to this you were called, so that you may inherit a blessing.” There are many believers who struggle with inheriting everything Jesus purchased for them. They know that Jesus died for their sickness, yet they can’t seem to inherit the health that Jesus came to give them. I believe one reason could be is that they are not speaking blessings over others; instead they constantly curse their enemies.

            Others can’t pay their bills. They seem to always be behind in their bills. They claim prosperity, but prosperity eludes them. One reason could be is that they curse others instead of blessing them.

            Still others struggle in their businesses, while all along they curse their competition. You can’t expect God to bless your business when with your own mouth you curse other businesses.

            Have you wondered why your prayers go unanswered? It could be that you use your tongue to malign others and speak badly of them. God hears your words. You can’t assume that God will honor your prayers with your lips, while with the same lips you curse others.

            I know of many who can’t seem to get along with their family members, and the main reason is they curse them.

            Marita and her siblings could not agree on how to divide the inheritance of their parents. For months, the inheritance was tied up in disputes. Then Marita heard this teaching on blessing others and if you do, then your inheritance will come to you. She had a vision where she saw the words she and others were speaking to each other as being cobwebs entangling their inheritance. So being convinced that God was speaking to her, she changed her attitude toward her brothers and sisters and started to speak blessings over them. She said every positive thing she could ever hope God would do for her siblings. Within one week she received a call from her sister who told her that everyone has finally agreed to settle. Everyone got their inheritance, including Marita. The key to release the inheritance was speaking blessings over others.

Eulogy

            “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing.” The word “blessing” is the Greek word “eulogia”. It is the same word we get eulogize from. At a funeral people come to eulogize the decease. It doesn’t matter how un-saintly the decease is, everyone seems to have something good to say about him.

            Yet, when people are alive we often have very little good to say about them. For example, at a high school reunion people will ask about Bill and how he is doing. Someone says, “Oh, that rascal is still at it. He is up to no good.” Then someone ask about Frank. “Oh, that stinker, he stinks worse than ever.” Finally someone ask about Sam, “Oh, he died last year, bless his soul. He was such a good man.”

            When someone dies then we began the eulogy him; however it’s too late then. We need to eulogize people when they are alive, because by doing so, our words can be used of God to bring people into God’s perfect plan. Plus our words will boomerang back to us and cause us to be blessed too.

Speak by Faith

“By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future” (Heb 11:20). It was a common practice in biblical times to gather one’s children around the bed before the father died. He would place his hands on his children and bless them. I want you to notice that Isaac blessed his sons “by faith.” Too often people have trouble blessing others because they “see” such bad things in people. Yet, we “live by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor 5:7). You have to live by faith in the Word of God if you are to bless people. You cannot go by what you see and be able to bless others. You must take God’s promises for them and speak them over others, regardless of how they look.

This is especially true of your children. I am sure many reading this article have troubled children. You cannot bless them if you concentrate on their bad qualities. Instead you have to look at them through the eyes of faith. Here is a sample blessing you can say over your children:

(Child's Name), I bless your life as I know you will become a wonderful woman of God. I bless your mind to remain sound and for you to have wisdom and discernment in all decisions. I bless your body to remain pure until marriage and to be healthy and strong. I bless your hands and feet to do the work that God has ordained for you to do. I bless your mouth where words of truth and encouragement will flow. I bless your heart to remain loyal to God’s will for your life. I bless your husband-to-be and your future children’s lives with richness and unity. I love everything about you, [Child's Name], and I am proud to be your mother/father. You bless our family and your friends in so many ways.

            Isn’t this far more productive than cursing them?

            Emily had a dream that every little girl has, and that was to get married and have children. Well, the first half of your dream easily came to pass. She got married, but in the first year, she discovered that she was infertile. Her dreams of having her own children were crushed.

            She went to a seminar and the teacher was explaining the power of words, especially the words of parents. As Emily was listening to the teacher, she had an epiphany. She remembered when she was young that her mother would tell her emphatically, “Emily, you will never be a mother. You will never have children.” Emily realized that her mother cursed her womb.

            Emily also knew that Jesus came to redeem her from the curse of the law. The first thing Emily did was to forgive her mother. There is no point in trying to break the curses of others if you are resentful. So after forgiving her mother, she said out loud, “I break the words my mother spoke over me. I will have children of my own. My womb is healed.”

            Within fifteen days Emily got pregnant. Emily now has two children of her own.

The Blessing Challenge

            Words are powerful. The ability to speak words shows that we are in God’s image.

            The first thing God spoke to the human race was a blessing: “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it” (Gen 1:28). Notice that "God blessed them" so they could be fruitful. And like God, we have the power to bless others too.

            Are you having difficulty with curses in your life? Maybe it is because you are cursing others. It’s time to take the “blessing challenge.” Decide to bless others—not just the nice people—but even the people who insult you. And as you do you will experience God’s blessings in your life.