Oh how happy are the poor in Spirit

(Matthew 5)

3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

The word Blessed literally means "oh how happy". So Jesus literally said "oh how happy are the poor in spirit," somehow I don't think that the poor in spirit could be happy, mostly people who are poor in spirit and living in poverty can be very bitter. And being poor in spirit does not necessarily make them happy, yet Jesus said: "blessed are the poor in spirit."

Jesus is not talking about physical poverty here, notice that He said poor in spirit. This is in opposition to being proud, when a man comes in to a real confrontation with God. When you get to a true confrontation with God you result in to a poverty of spirit. A person who is proud and haughty has not yet had a true confrontation with God, for they don't see themselves as wicked and sinful.

(Isiah6:1,5) Isaiah writes, "And in the year that king Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting on the throne, high and lifted up, and his train did fill the temple...Then said I, woe is me! For I am undone; and I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell amongst a people of unclean lips" this is what happens when a man has a true encounter with God "Woe is me! I am undone"

Daniel, when he saw the Lord said, "My beauty was turned into corruption" (Daniel 10:8). When Peter had his confrontation he said, "Depart from me; for Lo, I am a sinful man" (Luke 5:8). The man who truly sees God sees himself in truth.

Jesus said we do err because we so often are comparing ourselves with others around us. And when I look at you, I don't look near so bad. When I look at your flaws and your faults I'd be, well, I'm not too bad. Look at them. But when I look at the Lord, that purity, that holiness, that righteousness, I say, Oh, God help me. Woe is me, I'm undone. That is what poverty of spirit is. It's a true evaluation of myself, not in the light of man but in the light of God, where I see the real truth about me and it brings me to that, oh God help me. I need help. The same thing that Paul said, "Oh wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from this body of death? (Romans 7:24)

That is the result from the true confrontation with God, and Jesus said happy is that person. Remember, this was the sermon on the mount. This message was not just for anyone, but for the disciples of Jesus. And in this generation I'll say it's the church, Christians, people who call themselves as children of God.

Jesus was telling us that you can't have the spirit of pride yet you say you are saved. Something about your spirit should change. When a Christian has a spirit of pride then you must know they haven't had a true confrontation with God. Why? Because you have realized that you are poor in spirit and you need God to comfort you and renew your spirit.

(Matthew 5:4): Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Happy are they that mourn. But having come to a real awareness of myself in the light of God, coming to that poverty of spirit, my heart is broken over my own condition. I mourn over my failures, over what I see of myself and in myself. But the promise of the Lord is: they shall be comforted.

As the Lord begins to minister to me, the power of his Holy Spirit and his strength, and i begin now to experience those victories of Jesus Christ in my life and that makes me indeed happy. But it doesn't come until you realize that you are helpless, powerless, you have no strength and ability. Then you cry out of your helplessness and you begin to experience the power of God in your life.