14/01/2017 - ESSENTIAL CONDITION TO BE BLESSED

• 
• 
• 
• 

Then Jacob said unto his household and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments. Genesis 35.2

After the incident with Schechem, son of Hamor, the sons of Jacob, brothers of Dinah, who had been raped by the youth, devised a strategy to avenge the family’s honor (Genesis 34: 1,2)  In light of this situation, Jacob received God’s direction: erect and alter in Bethel and ask that his family and their servants rid themselves of the strange gods, because these could disturb the journey that they must take unto the place destined by the Lord.  Erect an altar in your Bethel, the Word, where God has revealed Himself to you.

Jacob’s people should do three things: Remove their strange gods, purify themselves, and change their garments.  Today this message is symbolic for us.  Those who come from any other religion always bring with them objects of their beliefs that hinder them greatly.  If they do not rid themselves quickly, during their trials or tribulations, unwittingly they might use them and suffer defeat.

There are many people that also have to rid themselves of “gods” that are valued and served in the secret of their hearts, like prostitution, adultery, bitterness, etc…  Never allow symbols, figures, or practice of wantonness to occupy a place in your heart, for if you inspire and fulfill yourself in these things, you will give room to the enemy.  As one abyss leads to another, many demons can cause you great harm.

The strange gods were objects of their worship, like Rachel herself, Jacob’s wife, took from her father, creating problems in her life (Genesis 31.34) Other people acquire or do things that are repugnant in the eyes of God and of those who serve Him.  These “dolls” are powerful magnets to attract demons and cause great harm, so they should be broken, destroyed, cast out and never be transferred to others.

They should purify themselves so that the Lord could act in their favor, because the divine acts could be prevented if there happened to be someone in their midst who had their hearts opened to evil things.  In fact this has happened to people who still own evil objects or hidden desires.  Jesus said that the deliverance He carries out is complete; therefore rid yourself of all that is evil.

They should also change their garments so that worldly things would not affect their lives, harming them in the eyes of people and before God. Jesus said that in the nuptial feast if someone is found lacking in the appropriate garment, they will be cast out into the foreign darkness, which means the eternal damnation. (Matthew 22.12,13)  Why keep objects or memories of demons and cling to them if this will be harmful?

The word that Jacob gave his family and those with them is the same that is taught by Christ during His days on Earth.  As you are salt of the earth and light of the world, your righteousness has to greatly exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5:20) to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares