But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. (Matthew 6:27-28 KJV)

Before we’d close this Battle Cry for Believers series, I’d like to discuss the last topic on blessing challenge. We like to bless other people who do great things for us, such as family, friends, neighbors, or coworkers. But when we’d face our enemies, we may seem to be hard to give blessing them.

The word “bless” or “blessing” means “he act of declaring, or wishing, favor and goodness upon others. The blessing is not only the good effect of words; it also has the power to bring them to pass. In the Bible, important persons blessed those with less power or influence. The patriarchs pronounced benefits upon their children, often near their own deaths (Gen. 49:1–28). Even if spoken by mistake, once a blessing was given it could not be taken back (Gen. 27:33).” (Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary.)

If we look at Stephen’s death (Acts 7), he didn’t defend himself back to those who wanted to stone him to death. Instead, “…he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.” (Acts 7:60.) Wow! What a testimony of Stephen’s life. Even Stephen was about to die, he didn’t say anything or defend himself back to the radical Jews—just as what Jesus did when He faced the crucifixion.

Although this seems to be hard for us to grab on, we cannot do this with empty heart. We need to focus our mindsets to the way of Jesus. We cannot pass this challenge unless we’d maintain on God.