Double Portion of Blessings

“Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even today do I declare that I will render double unto thee” Zech. 9:12 What kind of blessing is this? It is a double portion of blessing. When is He going to give that? Today itself. While shopping people are offered - buy one you get one free. It is like a double portion of blessing. Similarly God gives a double portion of blessing. Many have the desire to get double portion of blessings. God is commanding that blessings today itself. May this promise be for us this whole month. In II Kings 2:9 we see Elijah giving Elisha through the mantle double fold blessings. Prophet Elijah asked Elisha what he wanted before he was taken into heaven. Elisha asked for double portion of blessings from Elijah. Just as he asked it was granted to him. He gives that blessing to Elisha. God gives that blessing when we earnestly and desiringly ask of him. Elisha did miracles twice as much as Elijah did because of this double portion of blessing. Similarly the Lord will also command double fold blessings to us when we ask of Him. What kind of double portion of blessings will we receive, and what has God kept in store for us? We are going to meditate today on what are all the double portion of blessings we will receive from Him. 1. Strength upon Strength They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God Ps. 84:7 Strength upon strength is the double portion of blessing that God gives us. It is not recorded in this verse just strength but strength to strength. Everyone in this world do have strength, but God promises us strength upon strength. As a sign for this blessing in vs.6 we read they shall overcome the valley of Baca or the valley of tears. We have to pass through this valley. When we go through this we shall not stumble because God has given us strength upon strength. This valley of tears will be changed. The worldly people also go through this valley but they are unable to pass on even half the way the reason is God is not with them but we can pass through because He gives us strength upon strength. In Acts 1:8 we read, But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. But ye shall receive power. The Spirit of the Lord gives us this blessing. Every time we worship him the spirit of the Lord comes down. He gives us this blessing. It is recorded when the power of the Holy spirit comes we will be witness all through the world. The Lord has called us to shine forth and be witnesses all over the world. Even to the uttermost part of the earth even where no human beings are living. We should not be wearied of what happens to us. There are still much more that we need to be accomplish. God has given us this command for us to obey, and he gives us strength upon strength to do it. 2. Grace upon Grace “And of his fullness have all we received and grace for grace” John 1:16 We have received grace upon grace because of his fullness. Whatever plan and purposes God has kept for us that He will execute and fulfill it in our lives because of his fullness. Have we committed ourselves totally for his plan and purpose to be fulfilled in our lives? When we do his will perfectly then His grace will increase in our lives daily. His grace is sufficient for us in our lives. In II Cor. 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in your weakness.” When Apostle Paul speaks about grace he speaks about it in fullness. We are indeed weaker vessels or human beings. Without his grace we cannot stand or walk successfully. But he makes us complete with his grace. His gracious hand was with us all through and even in the days to come he will lead graciously. Has anyone undergone trials and temptations like Job? When we think about him our sufferings are nothing. He was happy and never did he curse God though his wife discouraged him to curse God and die. He knew one thing – God would be gracious to him though his trails increase. As much as your trials are increasing even so will his grace abound and sustain us. We are special in the sight of the Lord and therefore He gives grace upon grace. This is the double portion of blessing. 3. Joy upon Joy “For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.” Phil. 2:27 In this passage he says God had mercy upon me lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. Then in that case what there will be joy upon joy instead of sorrow upon sorrow. Evil will never harm us. He had mercy upon me. In other words he had compassion on me. We need to praise him because we have a good God. What is said in Phil 4:4? “Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice” Why is he emphasizing on rejoicing? Because people need to know that they should rejoice in the Lord. That is the reason he repeatedly said rejoice in the Lord. There are laughter clubs to make people happy. They say that laughter is the best medicine. But they are short lived. But he gives us eternal happiness. Being holy doesn’t mean that we should be serious. But we should rejoice in Him because that is all about holiness. Face is the index of heart. Therefore there must be happiness over happiness or joy upon joy. 4. Glory upon Glory “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” II Cor 3:18 There are many stages in this. We need to go from glory to glory step by step. Our desires should be to become like God. Many people believe that only after death they receive the image of God. But even while we live here on earth we are going from glory to glory fulfilling the perfect will of God. That is the deeper experience spiritually. In those days because His glory covered Adam and Eve there found in the image of God. But the image that they lost through sin Jesus through his death gives us or covers us with his glory. On the day of judgement it is said that the meekness and patience of Jesus will be weighed with that of ours. Only if we pass that test we will be allowed to enter into heaven. If any one ask us what is the reason for us living in this world, our answer should be that we want to become like him and receive his image. We need to receive the image of God and thorough that we should be glorified. We must be transformed in His image. Spiritual growth is going from glory to glory. We need to pray, Lord glorify me. Giving us his image let him glorify us. This is transformation. Let transformation be in every part of our life. The nature of Jesus – how many of us have been perfected in his glory? How many of us have taken steps to grow in that? Let him give us that glory and transform us because the coming of the Lord is drawing nigh. Before that his glory is going to change us. Let us pray that God will give us the experience of all these four points. May God lead us in these experiences.