The Poor in Spirit

The Way Back Home | Part 1

The Poor in Spirit

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. He said: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:1-3

the Beatitudes: “beatus” [latin] - blessed

“makarios” [Greek] - happy, flourishing, fortunate

Jesus radically redefines the meaning of the blessed life.

“It’s an upside-down kingdom where leaders are servants, neighbors and enemies are loved, humility is exalted and the first shall be last… The way of Jesus is countercultural. It is upside-down and inside-out—a kingdom, where weakness is power, power is weakness, and suffering leads to glory.”

Dr. Preston Sprinkle

“poor in spirit”

• Being able to acknowledge with humility our utter dependence on God
• “to realize your need for Him” (NLT)
  “When you’re at the end of your rope” (MSG)

Jesus says: the kingdom of heaven BELONGS to the poor in spirit.

God’s mission is to bring bits of heaven to earth now, using our lives – empowered by the Spirit – to reflect His glory.

How can we develop a posture of poor spirit?

Stay hungry

• • Poverty of spirit should be our daily attitude because we need Jesus

Stay consistent

• • It’s with time, effort, and discipline that we will begin to see our lives fundamentally change and fruit being produced

When we are in poor spirit, dependent on Jesus, our lives begin to reflect God’s Kingdom Glory.