The Eight Beatitudes in the Bible – Part 2: Their Meanings and Applications
The Beatitudes in the Bible are the first of five discourses Jesus gave during His Sermon on the Mount. They reflect the nature and assignment of every Kingdom citizen. Jesus spoke of the truth of God’s blessings as outlined in Chapter 28 of the book of Deuteronomy; blessings released into our lives when we operate within God’s covenant.
To be clear, the nature of the blessings listed in both Deuteronomy and Matthew are not to be read through legalistic eyes, but through a softened heart that is willing to operate in the spirit of supreme blessedness.
Haven’t gotten a chance to read Part 1?
“The Eight Beatitudes in the Bible – Part 1: The Key to Living Supremely Blessed”
Click HERE to read it now!
The Beatitudes in the Bible are attitudes that are to reflect our covenant relationship with the Father.
The eight Beatitudes of the Bible give depth and revelation for a generation that is open to understanding and seeking God’s Kingdom first.
The Beatitudes in the Bible provide a backdrop for all Believers to work out their salvation and to respond in faith to the new identity, purpose, and assignment given to each as a member of God’s family under the protection of the covenant relationship.
The Beatitudes list the restored nature and desires we, as Believers, have in Christ and the spiritual attributes we are learning during our journey of faith. As we grow closer to the Lord, He reveals more knowledge and understanding of how to activate each of these blessings into our own lives.
The key to living a life of supreme blessedness, which is the nature of the Beatitudes in the Bible, involves…
- Seeking God’s Kingdom and His righteousness first
- Allowing the Holy Spirit to operate in your life
- Humbly responding to the responsibility and assignment you’ve been given
The Beatitudes and Their Meanings| The Character of Kingdom Citizens
As we discussed in Part 1, every Believer has struggled with the question, “How do I make a shift from my old way of living into living in my new identity in Christ?”
To help us come into alignment with God’s will for our lives, let’s take a more in-depth look at the eight Beatitudes of the Bible in Matthew 5 to understand how to apply them to our lives.
The Beatitudes in the Bible | Matthew 5:1-12
“And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying…”
Beatitudes in the Bible | Matthew 5:3
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
What It Means…
- When your human spirit is poor, the Holy Spirit has more room to fulfill you. If you are full of yourself, little room is left for the Holy Spirit to operate in your life.
Applying It…
- If you have experienced loss or tragedy, call on the name of the Lord. God is saying, “If you want to be rich in me, and when you need Me the most, call upon my name and I will show up in My fullness.”
- Approaching the Lord with a humble spirit leads to answered prayers in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Beatitudes in the Bible | Matthew 5:4
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
What It Means…
- Jesus is not speaking here of casual sorrow but of a deep, intense state of grief and mourning over your sin and the sin of the world. You mourn because you understand how much sin grieves God’s heart. Sin has taken blessings from you, and there is a sense of mourning once you realize what has been stolen.
Applying It…
- There is supernatural power in a humble and contrite spirit. We will all experience a time of mourning over what sin has taken away from us. The enemy wants to condemn you, but God gives you freedom. Fight the condemnation. Understand there is a personal and spiritual reason for the season in which you were saved—praise God for that season and His mercy, and He will comfort you.
Beatitudes in the Bible | Matthew 5:5
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”
What It Means…
- In our culture, meek is often used in conjunction with weak. The word meek in Hebrew is a description for those who have self-control and emotional intelligence. Meekness is a balance of self-control, humility, and emotional strength.
Applying It…
- Control your emotions, and you will have control here on the earth. Satan tricks you into losing your inheritance by tempting you to lose your emotions and self-control. If you struggle with your emotions, begin actively praying for self-control. Ask the Spirit to activate that spiritual fruit within you.
Beatitudes in the Bible | Matthew 5:6
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”
What It Means…
- This is a hunger that is not satisfied by a spirit of settling. It is a longing for the manifestations of God’s promises in your life. It is hunger for what is right, in alignment with God.
Applying It…
- Cut off the spirit of lack and poverty, hunger and pray for God’s will to be manifested. Praise Him for who He is, what He has done and will do.
Beatitudes in the Bible | Matthew 5:7
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”
What It Means…
- When you sow mercy, you receive mercy. The Hebrew word for “mercy and kindness” is hesed.
Applying It…
- Sow mercy when presented with the opportunity. This is what places you in a position of power and authority—not earthly authority, but divine authority. Forgive those who have attacked you. Even when you don’t feel like sowing mercy, step out in faith because there will come a day when you need the return of mercy.
Beatitudes in the Bible | Matthew 5:8
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
What It Means…
- Being pure in heart is twofold. Literally, it portrays the idea of straightness and clarity, having internal morals that align with God’s heart. Secondly, it is the idea of an undivided heart—one that embraces and is devoted to God and the covenant relationship.
Applying It…
- The further you go through the process of sanctification, the more you ask God to give you the sight and wisdom of the true nature of the heart. He will begin revealing places that need His light. You might think, “Okay, I’ve dealt with this issue,” and then it returns.
The Lord says, “I’ve loved you and empowered you before, and I will do it again. This isn’t the exact same issue. You’ve asked Me to give you a pure heart, and I am taking you higher. Give me your struggle, repent of this problem, and let me get you to the next level.”
The Lord doesn’t reveal impurities to harm us. He reveals them to promote us.
Beatitudes in the Bible | Matthew 5:9
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”
What It Means…
- This blessing isn’t just for those who live peaceful lives; it is also for those who actually choose to operate in the spirit of peace. They are the ones who bring about peace and reconciliation to those around them.
Applying It…
- We have been given the assignment of reconciliation. “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,”—2 Corinthians 5:18
We operate in this spirit of peace by walking as sons and daughters of the King. Actively seek God’s heart to break down walls of separation between people. “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,”—Ephesians 2:14
Beatitudes in the Bible | Matthew 5:10-12
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
What It Means…
- When you are persecuted for righteousness—accused of something negative that you did not do—promotion is on the other side. Supreme blessedness awaits. The persecution is like a trumpet sounding before the promotion. The enemy knows God has blessings waiting for you, so he will always bring persecution ahead of them.
Applying It…
- When persecution presses in, the Bible tells us to “rejoice and be exceedingly glad.” Now, we understand this is easier said than done, but the point is to do it! Even when you don’t feel like singing praises, praise anyway. Look beyond your circumstances and understand a great reward is waiting. Stay in the Word and learn to sing praises, because this is the fabric of your victory.
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