Prayers of Blessings

And Joseph said unto his father, “They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place.” And he said, “Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them.” Genesis 48:9

Joseph has a wonderful perspective on parenting. He knows his children were given to him by God. He wants God’s blessing on their life so he brings them to Jacob to be blessed and prayed over. Joseph knows the power of such blessings. He knows the affect it will have on the recipients.

For years I thought praying blessings over people was for Bible times only. But I am now convinced it is still vital today. I look at the blessings that are spoken at the beginning of most epistles.

Now the God of peace be with you. Romans 15:33
Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I Corinthians 1:3

I have had a blessing prayed over me by a dear friend. I long for it to be done again. I long to learn more of praying blessings over people. To speak words of encouragement over their life. It is not a thing of the past. It is something that should be a part of our parenting and ministries. I wish I had had my father in law pray a blessing over our children before he died.

How powerful those petitions of blessing are in a life! I just think of the pattern of Ephesians 1 and all the requests Paul makes for the Ephesians. He desires for them that God would give them grace and peace, spiritual blessings, the spirit of wisdom and revelation, enlightened eyes of understanding, knowledge of God’s calling.

May God help me to take the opportunities to pray His blessings over people.
Father, show me what to pray over people. Amen.