Then Jacob called together all his sons and said, “Gather around me, and I will tell you what will happen to each of you in the days to come” (Genesis 49:1).
As an old man, Jacob had to live with a lot of memories and many regrets. He must have remembered the fierce rivalry with his brother Esau and the way he tricked his father Isaac and received the blessing that Isaac had intended to give Esau. Now Jacob had twelve sons of his own to bless. He called them all together and spoke to each of them.
A blessing is not a blessing until it is spoken. What we say to our children about their character and their future has amazing power. We need to create special times when we speak words of blessing into our children’s lives, but we also need to remember that every word we say to them builds or tears down the blessing we are constructing in them. We can consciously build blessings into our kids’ lives from their earliest days.
If we read Jacob’s blessings, we see that they weren’t all positive. He had watched his sons for many years, and he had concerns about their futures. An effective blessing is not just about the qualities we see in someone, it’s also about the future we dream for that person. Jacob showed his children that he really understood them. Our kids need to know that we really know them as separate persons that God has placed in our lives.
The following is adapted from our Daily Declaration of Faith; a personal blessing designed to help you speak blessings into your own lives. An effective blessing expresses, by faith, certain qualities based on God’s promises that may still be under development in someone’s life.
Take your child aside and look him or her in the eyes as you say,
- “My child, you are blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and have clear direction in your life.
- You are blessed with creativity, courage, ability, and abundance.
- You are blessed with a strong will, self-control, and self-discipline.
- You are blessed with a great family, good friends, and good health.
- You are blessed with faith, favor, and fulfillment.
- You are blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion, and divine protection.
- You are blessed with an obedient heart and a positive outlook on life.
- You are blessed in the city and in the country, when you go in and when you come out.
- Any curse that has ever been spoken over you, any negative word that has ever come against you, is broken right now.
- Everything that you put into your hands is going to prosper and succeed. You are blessed!”
If your parents have not blessed you like this, then I bless you in Jesus’ mighty name!
Repeat words like these often to your children. They need to hear the echo of your blessings throughout their lives.
This is the playlist on YouTube for the Daily Declaration of Faith. There is a video for each day of the week where all you have to do is to repeat after me. It will take less than 10 minutes per day, and it will bless you as you renew your mind in the promises of God through Jesus Christ: