The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

“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.

I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse, and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:1-3

We had been married for four years and we were desiring to have children. 

It seemed like every woman I knew was getting pregnant, except me. 

It was hard to release this dream to God and trust His timing.  

In the summer of 2005, my husband and I were visiting my parents in Tucson, Arizona, and decided to attend a conference my parents had attended and spoken highly about called Ancient Paths. It was designed to teach the Biblical roots of familial blessing and the spiritual impact blessing has on generations, both past, and future. Being a young couple with a desire to start a family, and start it off right, this was definitely an attractive learning experience.  

The conference turned out to be not only a valuable learning experience, but a life changing one as well. In fact, that very weekend we conceived our first child. The prayers of blessing spoken over us in our small group time were answered powerfully by a mighty and faithful God that weekend- the God of all generations!  

But what is the act of “blessing” you might be asking? Put simply, it is God using a human to impart His message and image of identity and destiny to the heart of another person. (Craig Hill, The Power of a Parent’s Blessing: See Your Children Prosper and Fulfill Their Destinies in Christ)

In Hebrew culture, a father’s blessing had cultural, socio-economic, familial, and spiritual impact that would have a ripple effect for generations to come.  

A Jewish first-born son knew how much his father’s blessing determined the prosperity of his future. So much so that in the Bible, Isaac’s son Jacob betrayed his twin brother and deceived his blind father in order to receive this firstborn right. (Genesis 27) And Esau, the firstborn twin who foolishly sold his birthright for a bowl of stew, later realized the devastation he had brought upon himself and begged and pleaded for his father to bless him as well.

Unfortunately, his cries were too late, for the blessing was irrevocable. He was so angry over such a great loss that he plotted to murder his own twin brother. And if you follow the generational line of both brothers, Jacob’s line expanded greatly and prospered but Esau’s line met ruin.  

Blessing holds great power to impact a person’s identity and destiny. 

Identity asks the question “Who am I?” and destiny asks the question “Why am I here?” (Hill) In Genesis, God promised that all people would be blessed through Abraham’s family line. And the seed of Abraham – Jesus Christ – is the greatest blessing we have ever received.

Even Jesus depended on the blessing of His Father to fulfill His destiny. After Jesus was baptized, the Spirit descended on Him and a voice from heaven declared, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”(Matthew 3:17) If Jesus didn’t enter His destiny of preaching, healing, and ultimately dying on the cross without His Father’s blessing, how crucial is it for us to impart blessing in our families so that each of us can live out our God-given identities and destinies?

If your parents are no longer living or you unfortunately don’t have a good relationship with them, you can still receive the impact of blessing from your Heavenly Father. The Bible tells us in Romans 8:16-17 that we are all children of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ.  As you read God’s word, allow the truth of who He says you are and the fulfillment of every promise He has made assure you that your life is a gift and it has a purpose that God established before time began. 

Here is where the body of Christ can step in as spiritual fathers, mothers, and mentors to bless the next generation.

Everyone needs to know their identity and destiny in Christ and to know the plans God has for them to give them a hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)  Just like through Abraham, where God first established the critical importance of blessing, we can continue the powerful practice of blessing in our families, relationships, and churches today.  

Here’s how to begin:

1.  Start with selecting a verse or passage from the Bible that speaks to the person’s identity and destiny as a child of God.
2.  Highlight their personality, strengths, talents, or godly characteristics they demonstrate on a regular basis.
3.  Speak to their potential and what you envision for their future.
4.  Give thanks to God for who they are to you.
5.  Pick a designated time (like before the start of a new week) or a special occasion (like a birthday) to speak the blessing.

Reclaiming The Power of Blessing Together, 

For more extensive teaching on the blessing and practical steps to establishing the practice of blessing your own family, I would highly recommend Craig Hill’s book The Power of A Parent’s Blessing.  Craig goes into great detail in his book about the importance of creating a culture of blessing in our modern Western society. You can find it on Amazon HERE.

Another great resource that’s written in a 40-day reflective devotional style is Blessing Your Spirit by Gunter & Burke. Each word is written as God the Father speaking blessings directly over the reader and this book has brought great healing in my life.  You can find it on Amazon HERE.

Also, feel free to reach out to me valeriem@reclaimedstory.com with any questions or for examples of how my family and I have incorporated blessing at critical times in our children’s lives. 

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