One of the main functions of the priests in the Old Testament was to proclaim the blessing of the Lord on the people and to bless them. In the New Testament we see how Jesus loved to bless the little children and how Paul often pronounced a blessing over those ministering with him. To bless others and to be a blessing to people should be an integral part of every believer’s character and conduct.
The Bible states more than 50 times that God blesses us so we can be a blessing to others. There are many ways in which we can be a blessing to others. We can give gifts, or we can help people in need, in trouble, in pain or in sickness. We can also be a blessing to people by showing them gratitude, love, compassion and patience – all of these are fruit of the Holy Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-26).
The priests … shall step forward,
for the LORD your God has chosen them to minister
and to pronounce blessings in the name of the LORD.
Another way to bless others is to speak words of blessing over them in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The passage in Deuteronomy 21:5 explains how the priests were chosen to minister to God and to pronounce blessings in His name. When we pronounce a blessing in the name of the Lord, it is not only we who are blessing others, but it is the Lord blessing! Proverbs 10:22 explains this well: The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it. These verses show us that it is possible to cultivate a lifestyle of blessing in our walk with the Lord. Following are some practical guidelines to help you start blessing others first thing in the morning and throughout the day!
Suggestions of people you can bless
- Family: Your spouse, children and/or parents and extended family.
- Workplace: Your boss, manager, colleagues, companies that your company does business with, all cleaners and administrative personnel, caretakers of the building etc.
- Church: The pastor and his family, leadership in the church, all the different projects and ministries that flow from your church’s activities.
- Neighbourhood: Your immediate neighbours, those down the street, small businesses in the area, business owners etc.
- Society: Pray God’s blessing over personnel working in hospitals, security services, social justice services, civil and judicial activities, community upliftment project managers, police, emergency responders, members of the Civil Service, etc.
- Education: Ask God to bless the personnel at schools in your area, the pupils at these schools and their families.
- Economy: Pray God’s blessing over farmers practicing different forms of farming, those involved in transport – air, road and sea. Bless those involved in managing the natural resources of the country – renewable and non-renewable resources. Also, everyone working in the import and export departments, foreign investors to our nation, the stock exchange, banking industry.
- Government: Pray God’s blessing over the president and his office, all members of parliament, premiers, provincial and local government across the country.
Blessings from Scripture for prayer
Here are some examples of how to turn a passage into a prayer of blessing. Search the Word for more passages that you can use to pray a blessing over others.
Tell Aaron and his sons, this is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.” So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them. (Numbers 6:23-27)
Blessing: Father, I declare Your Name over my wife: bless and protect her today. Lord, make Your face shine on her and be gracious to her. Father, answer her prayers and give her peace.
Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request. (1 Chronicles 4:10)
Blessing: Father I pray for my pastor/minister: that You will bless him abundantly, that You will enlarge his territory, let Your hand be with him and keep him from harm so that he will be free from pain.
“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.” (Genesis 12:2) I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies. (Genesis 22:17)
Blessing: Father, as You blessed Abraham, bless me and my family. Bless us so that we can be a blessing to the people in our city, our country and to the ends of the earth.
Worship the LORD your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. “I will take away sickness from among you.” (Exodus 23:25) “If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God.” (Deuteronomy 28:1-2)
Blessing: Father, bless our nation. Have mercy on us so everyone will turn to you. Bless us, keep sickness away from us and give us food and water.
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. (1 Peter 3:9)
Blessing: Today I choose to bless all my enemies and the enemies of the Church. Be gracious to them and may they see your mercy. Give to them even more than they deserve.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. (Ephesians 1:3)
Blessing: Father, blessed are You. Bless our congregation and Your church in our country with all the blessings of the Holy Spirit, who is in heaven, in Christ Jesus.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:14) The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. (1 Corinthians 16:23)
Blessing: Father, I pray for my wife/husband (my congregation, the church, the spiritual leaders, any specific believer, etc.) May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with her/him/them.
To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (Jude 24-25)
Blessing: Father, I bless all spiritual leaders and spiritual workers (and any specific believer) in Your Name: that You will keep them from falling and that they will enter into Your glorious presence without fault and with great joy. To You, the only God, our Saviour, to You belong glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord before all ages. Now and forever more. Amen.
