Blessed Are The Poor in Spirit

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
— Matthew 5:1–12

Each verse reveals where true blessedness can be found.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
— Matthew 5:3

To be “poor in spirit” is a consciousness of my emptiness.
Most of us don’t realize how spiritually poor we are.
It’s not our wickedness that’s destroying us, it’s our own perceived goodness.

1. Spiritual poverty is a necessity for salvation.

…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…
— Romans 3:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
— Romans 6:23

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved…
— Ephesians 2:1-5

2. Spiritual poverty is a necessity for spiritual growth.

3. Spiritual poverty is a necessity for being used by God.

Some of our greatest ministry will come from our weakest moments.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
— 2 Corinthians 15:19-20