“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”1

You can be truly happy

Here is an utterly new approach to living, one that results in joy instead of despair, in peace instead of conflict—a peace that the world does not understand and cannot have.

In the Sermon on the Mount, the emphasis is upon the internal, not the external. Jesus starts with what you are, not with what you necessarily know or do. So with respect to happiness, it is not “put on a happy face,” but “put in a happy heart.”

First of all, true happiness is found in humility. This is found by possessing a spirit of dependence, being “poor in spirit.”

Poor speaks of one who crouches and cowers, hence beggarly. He is someone who is dependent on others for support. In Matt 5.3, “The poor in spirit are those who consciously depend on God, not on themselves.” They are “poor” inwardly, having no ability in themselves to please God

2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

2 Chronicles 34:27 Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, saith the LORD.

Psalm 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

Isaiah 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

When your heart is humble, God gives you his all (his kingdom). I am talking about being humble to receive Christ, humble to depend upon Christ, humble to admit you are wrong and humble admit you are needy.

It is in humility of heart that you find true happiness.

- Pastor Stevens

  1. Matt. 5:3 [↩]