May the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ be blessed. Welcome as we study the Bible\u2014the Word of our God.<\/p>\n
In today\u2019s world, when people mention a stepmother or a stepfather, the first image that often forms in many minds is suffering.
However, today I would like us to learn something different\u2014so that we do not unknowingly block our own blessings.<\/p>\n
Before we go to the heart of this teaching, there is one foundational truth we must understand: wherever you find yourself\u2014wherever you were born and raised\u2014know that God placed you there for a specific purpose, and that purpose is connected to blessing.<\/p>\n
Now let us return to our main question:<\/p>\n
We will answer this question by looking at the life of one Person in the Bible\u2014none other than our Lord Jesus Christ, the Prince of Life.<\/p>\n
Scripture exhorts us to learn from Him:<\/p>\n
\n\u201cTake My yoke upon you and learn from Me.\u201d
(Matthew 11:29)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nThis means we are to look at His life, observe it carefully, and draw lessons from it. Today, we will learn yet another powerful truth from His life.<\/p>\n
Many believers are not aware that our Lord Jesus was raised by a stepfather in the flesh.
(This may sound unusual, but it is biblically accurate.)<\/p>\nJoseph was not the biological father of Jesus. The pregnancy of Mary did not involve a human father; it was by the power of the Holy Spirit:<\/p>\n
\n\u201cShe was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.\u201d
(Matthew 1:18)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nThe true Father of Jesus is God Himself through the Holy Spirit. Therefore, it is correct to say that Joseph was Jesus\u2019 stepfather.<\/p>\n
Why did God allow Jesus to be raised by a stepfather?<\/h3>\n
Have you ever asked yourself why God allowed Jesus to live with a stepfather?
Could God not have made a way for Mary to live alone with the child? Of course He could\u2014He is Almighty.<\/p>\nGod could have opened doors of wealth, allowed Mary to live a luxurious life with Jesus, and even prevented Joseph from marrying her. But He did not do so.<\/p>\n
Instead, Mary became pregnant after being betrothed to Joseph. After Jesus was born, He was carried, protected, and raised by that same stepfather. Even more, when Jesus grew up, He worked in the same carpentry trade as Joseph.<\/p>\n
God intentionally allowed Jesus to live this kind of life to teach us that it is not a curse.<\/p>\n
What was in Joseph that Jesus had to pass through him?<\/h2>\n
Joseph was not wealthy; he was poor. Yet he carried something priceless: a royal promise.<\/p>\n
God had promised King David that from his lineage a King would arise:<\/p>\n
\n\u201cI will raise up your offspring after you\u2026 and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.\u201d
(2 Samuel 7:12\u201313)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nJoseph belonged to the lineage of David. Therefore, for Jesus to legally fulfill the Davidic covenant, He had to be born and raised within Joseph\u2019s household. Had He been born elsewhere, the promise would not have been fulfilled.<\/p>\n
At this point, you may begin to see why you yourself were raised where you were.<\/p>\n
It does not matter how harsh your stepfather or stepmother may seem, or how poor they may be\u2014there is a purpose for your presence there. There are blessings connected to that place that cannot be seen with physical eyes.<\/p>\n
Jesus being born in a manger, under a poor stepfather, carried deep spiritual meaning.
Your life is no different.<\/p>\nPrepare yourself well today, because abundant blessings lie ahead of you.<\/p>\n
A call to obedience and honor<\/h3>\n
Live well with that parent. Honor them. Bless them\u2014because God Himself placed you there. You did not place yourself there, and God knows your future.<\/p>\n
Do not destroy your destiny through complaining when you face small difficulties. Instead, look ahead, increase your obedience, and walk in honor.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cHonor your father and your mother, that your days may be long.\u201d
(Exodus 20:12)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nLikewise, if you are a stepfather or stepmother, live well with your stepchildren. They also carry promises. Those promises may not be fulfilled without you, and in the end, you will see great reward.<\/p>\n
\nWhat about a stepmother? The example of Moses<\/h2>\n
Moses was raised by a stepmother\u2014the daughter of Pharaoh. At the time, no one knew who Moses would become. But later, God said:<\/p>\n
\n\u201cSee, I have made you like God to Pharaoh.\u201d
(Exodus 7:1)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nIt was Pharaoh\u2019s daughter who gave him the name Moses\u2014a name that was not Hebrew and not given by his biological mother.<\/p>\n
What is remarkable is this: God never changed Moses\u2019 name.
Abram became Abraham. Jacob became Israel. Saul became Paul.
But Moses remained Moses forever.<\/p>\nWhy? Because his calling was also fulfilled through his stepmother.<\/p>\n
\nSpiritual discernment and warning<\/h2>\n
What we learn from this is the importance of spiritual eyesight\u2014seeing beyond the present moment.<\/p>\n
If you live with a stepfather or stepmother, honor them as your own parent. When the enemy tries to stir division and destroy your relationship, rise up in prayer.<\/p>\n
Do not listen to satanic narratives spread on social media or in gatherings about how step-parents are always evil. Such teachings will poison your heart and destroy your destiny.<\/p>\n
The Bible\u2014not human stories\u2014is our guide.<\/p>\n
If Jesus lived with a stepfather, worked with him, and still became King, what can stop you from reaching your blessings through the parent or guardian who is not biologically yours?<\/p>\n
And if you are raising a child who is not biologically yours, do not reject that child. You do not know what promise God has placed in them\u2014or how God intends to bless you through them.<\/p>\n
\nConclusion<\/h2>\n
There is no curse in being raised by a stepfather or stepmother.
There is also no curse in raising a stepchild.<\/p>\nMay the Lord bless you.<\/p>\n
If you have not yet believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, it is wise to decide now, for these are the last days.<\/p>\n
Jesus Himself said:<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWhat will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?\u201d
(Mark 8:36)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nMaranatha!<\/p>\n