Matthew chapters 5 to 7 record what has become known as the Sermon on the Mount, which includes the Beatitudes.
These writings are the foundation on which everything else in the New Testament is built upon.
The teachings of Jesus are the foundation stones that Paul and the other writers of the New Testament used as the basis on which they built and taught.
The Sermon on the Mount is a profound exposition of Kingdom principles or requirements.
In other words, if we are to enter Kingdom relationships and Kingdom power, the building of these requirements into our lives as a lifestyle is essential.
If you want to be truly blessed, these “beautiful attitudes” need to become a part of who you are.
These Kingdom Laws are what the King requires of those who wish to become joint-heirs with Him in the Kingdom.
Unless these qualities of the Kingdom are part of us, we are just as Paul puts it, “sounding brass and a tingling cymbal,” and our so-called Christianity is just a mere ghost of what God intended it to be.
So often the main emphasis in the church today has been on gifts, power, authority, success and the like, while the true foundations have not been laid properly in our lives which ultimately results in barrenness and frustration, and a profound lack of truly knowing God.
The problem we have with our relationship with God is one of incompatibility, things in our soul that are not like Him, which makes a relationship with Him difficult.
Jesus came not just to redeem us, but to reveal the Father to us.
Jesus, during His time on earth, demonstrated the heart of God, which is revealed in the Sermon on the Mount.
We need a fresh look at our perception of true Christian values.
It is who we are that determines what we do, not the other way around.
The Sermon on the Mount lays out who we are to become. There is a growing realization among many Christians today that our priorities have been somewhat lacking.
In our desire for recognition and glory, we have fallen short.
The Sermon on the Mount brings the cross once again into focus; it is about dying to self, and through death and resurrection we become filled with the qualities required to live in Kingdom reality.
Dying to self speaks of the exchanged life. We trade our sorrows for His joy, our shame for His glory, our weakness for His strength…etc.
Dying to self speaks of no longer living independently, but together with Christ. He becomes our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification…etc.
Colossians2: 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete( to fully supply, to make full) in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
What we need, Jesus becomes to us; he fills us with himself, and then lives through us.
GALATIANS 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
There are 8 qualities of spirit in the beatitudes.
1-broken spirit
2-penitent spirit
3 mild tempered-gentle, humble spirit
4 hungering, thirsting spirit (strong desire) for righteousness
5 compassionate and merciful spirit
6 pure (clean) spirit
7 spirit of wisdom and reconciliation
8 longsuffering and forgiving spirit
Mathew 5:3 blessed (fully satisfied, happy) are the poor (utter helplessness) in spirit, for theirs is (to be) the kingdom of heaven.
When we are weak, then we can become strong, being filled with the Lord’s strength.
Matthew 5:4 blessed is they that mourn (sorrow) for they shall be comforted (Holy Spirit healing pain).
Matthew 5:5 blessed are the meek (humble) for they shall inherit the earth (reign with the Lord). “Meek,” indicates an attitude of quiet, reverent, and humble submission to the will and purpose of God.
Mathew 5:6 blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness (justice, equity) for they shall be filled.
Mathew 5:7 blessed is the merciful (compassionate) for they shall obtain mercy.
Mathew 5:8 blessed is the pure in heart for they shall see God.
Mathew 5:9 blessed is the peacemakers (ministry of reconciliation) for they shall be called the children (sons-mature) of God.
Mathew 5:10 blessed are they which shall be persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
These are the qualities of spirit that are manifest in the kingdom. We become broken and contrite before the Lord, becoming totally dependent upon him. We receive the gift of repentance so that we begin to think like the Lord. We humble ourselves under the hand of the Lord and he exalts us to become co-workers with him in the establishment of the kingdom. We are continually filled with the Spirit so that we become like him. We walk in love toward those who are outside the kingdom. We are cleansed from all unrighteousness as we walk in the light. We enter into the manifestation of the sons of God teaching others how to do the same. We become longsuffering to all those who reject us and the Lordship of Jesus over their lives.