Heb 4:2 (NIV) For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.

This faith issue can make or break all of us. If we don’t realize we have a spiritual need, we will not believe (put our trust in) God for the answer. In every area of our lives where we have faith in the fact that we have arrived, got the victory, know the answer, don’t have a problem; we have ceased to be “poor in spirit” in that area. That will be an area where we cease to be receptive to God’s Word. We will stop investing our faith (believing) in that portion of His Word. Once we start believing that we have that area of our lives settled, we start believing in ourselves rather than in God. Very often that is the moment we get into spiritual pride. There will never come a time when we can stop trusting God for the characteristics of our lives and ministry. In other words, we must always remain poor in spirit.

2 Cor 3:5 (NIV) Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.

It is true that you have MANY breakthroughs and miracles in your life and through your ministry. However, faith in God and continuing in being poor in spirit causes you to give the true glory and credit to God for them. Our struggle is in the fact that WE have those breakthroughs. WE are living a much more godly life. WE are being used by God to do supernatural, God-sized things.

Mat 7:22-23 (NIV) Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did WE not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!’ The answer to their question, “Did WE not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?” is no YOU didn’t! God was doing all those things through them; but, they were taking the credit for it all.