Put On Your Garment, Rent Not Your Garment
Scriptures:
Genesis 37:29
Leviticus 21:10
Numbers 14:6
2 Kings 6:24-33
Job 1:20-22
Joel 2:13
Today I want to speak to you on the subject of Focus on the Promise and not the Problem. The Subtext is “Put on Your Garment and Rent Not Your Garment”
We all go through situations in life that is an attack of the enemy to shake our Faith or attempt to separate us from the Love of God. The Bible tells us in Psalms 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteousness, also in Acts 14:22 the Scripture tells us, “We must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God.” How we handle these situations defines our fate and destiny.
Now in times of old, we are given examples of how men of God would handle situations when they are in distress or when trouble came. Often times when faced with adversities they would Rent or tear their garments to display their overwhelming emotions of distress and despair. In Genesis 37:29 and you know the story, Joseph’s brothers threw him in a pit and Judah sold him into slavery to the Ishmaelites and when his brother Reuben came to the pit and found no Joseph, he rent his clothes. Then they took Joseph’s coat of many colours and stained it with the blood of a goat, then took the coat back to Israel and told him that Joseph had been killed by an evil beast. And seeing the coat Israel knew it was Joseph’s coat and Israel rent his clothes.
In Book of Numbers, Moses and Aaron sent the spies to Canaan Numbers 14:6. And when they had seen the land and taken of the fruits, Firstripe grapes, pomegranates, and figs, eight came back with an evil report because they were afraid of the people who dwelled in the land. They said the men were of great stature and they saw the giants: the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and in their sight, they saw themselves as the size of grasshoppers because the people were giants. Upon hearing this, the Children of Israel was disturbed and the Bible says the whole congregation started to question if it was God’s desire that they should die in the land of Egypt or in the wilderness! Upon hearing this, Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel. Then Joshua and Caleb who were the other two spies rent their clothes.
Go with me to the Book of 2 Kings 6:24 begin to tell us that king Ben-hadad king of Syria besieged Samaria and there was a great famine in the land of Samaria. So much so that the purchase of an ass’s head and dove dung (excrement) was sold for food. But that wasn’t the worse, As the king was passing through the land, a woman cried out for help because a deal had been made between two women and the deal was in order to eat, they decided to boil their babies for food. The one-woman did the deal but the next day the other woman hid her baby. When the king had heard this, he rent his clothes.
Now let go to the Book of Job. In chapter Job 1:13, it describes Job’s faith when facing loss. Job’s children were eating and drinking wine at the elder brother’s house. A messenger came to Job and told the Sabeans had taken his oxen and asses and his servants were killed, while he the messenger when yet speaking, another messenger came and told Job that the fire of God had come down from Heaven had burned up all his sheep and servants. While this messenger was speaking, another messenger came and told Job that the Chaldeans had taken all his camels and the servants were slain. While this messenger was yet speaking, another messenger came to Job and said, “While your sons and daughters were eating and drinking at their elder brother’s house, a great wind from the wilderness came and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men and they are dead. The 20th verse says Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped.
Many would say, well this was during the old testament or the old covenant, turn with me to Matthew 26. This chapter talks about the Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus. After Jesus had been betrayed by Judas then arrested, He was then taken to Caiaphas the high priest. Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council sought false witness against Jesus, to put Him to death. Although many false witnesses came, yet found them none. The Scripture says, at the last, two false witnesses came and said, “This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days. And the high priest arose and said unto him, “Answer thou nothing?” {Read verse 63}
Verse 64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Verse 65: Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy! Now even by the Law, it is forbidden for the High Priest to Rent his clothes. In Leviticus 21:10 it says, And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes. So you have this high priest standing before God (Jesus Christ, the Son of God) and he does what is forbidden by the law.
We may not rent our clothes when we are in despair or distress but we rent them spiritually by turning to alcohol, drugs, worldly pleasures. How are you dealing with your afflictions? We as believers aren’t exempt from afflictions. The scriptures tell us in Psalms 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous.
In Acts 14:22Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
So as Believers, we should Rent not your Garment, but Put on Your Garment. In the Book of Joel 2:13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
Open your heart and receive Him. As in Isaiah 61:1-3 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.
So let us put on the whole Armor of God: Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth,
Surround yourself with truth, with people who are truthful, the Word of God which is the truth. and having on the breastplate of righteousness; protect your heart, for your heart, is where evil wants to enter because it knows that is where the word resides, David said hide Thy Word in my heart that I not sin against thee. Be righteous in your action word God, toward your sister and brother, toward the stranger, and with yourself.
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; walk in peace, wherever you go, have a peaceful nature. Walk not as a liar, a thief, a gossiper, a backbiter, a covet one, a person out of the nature of who God created you to be man or woman, not trying to be who your DNA says you are not.
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. No matter what situation faces you, you are assured by faith that you will overcome it. No matter when family and friends do you wrong, or folks on the job, in your community, or in your place of worship do you wrong, you will stand firmly on God’s word and promise. When the bills that come in the mail, the food or money seems to be depleted, call those things that not as though they are. Remember Jesus said My Grace is sufficient for thee. See yourself as not how man sees you but how God told you you are, “You are more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus. In 1 Samuel 17, The 8 of the 10 spies who were sent to Canaan saw themselves as grasshopper before the giants And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. Because of the people lack faith, none entered into the promised land. David stood before Goliath with boldness, even when the rest of the tribe of Israel feared him and David is before Saul and Saul said to David that he is not able to stand against this Philistine for he is just a youth. And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:
35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.
36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.
37 David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. Have the Faith of David, walk in the Faith. Surely Jesus shall deliver you from your Goliaths.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, Because you have received Salvation through Christ Jesus because you believed that Jesus is the Son of God and that he died that we are redeemed and that He arose three days later with all power in his hand. When Jesus said, “It is finished” He spoke of the fulfilling of the prophesy but He was not finished, for he took the keys of death, He took the victory from the grave, He took the sting from death, He went into hell and set the captives free then ascended into Heaven to prepare a place for us that where he is, we will be also. Jesus is and Advocate for us with the Father. Last but certainly not least and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Use the Word of God, you have been given permission and the authority to do so In The Name of Jesus. Speak the Word, The Word has the power to deliver, to heal, to set free.
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
So Focus on the Promise and not the problem:
For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Jesus’ promise was eternal life. He said in John 14 “1Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2In my Father’s house is many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.