And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.
And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?
Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.
4 ¶ And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment Zec 3:1-4
That God cares for us as declared in the scriptures is true. But when we think of how God cares we always think most times in terms of food, provision and money. Most times we think he is majorly, overly and only concerned about our soul, our spiritual being. But it will delight you to know that God cares about what we wear.
What we wear reveals upfront what we are. That is why you hear phraseology like, “the way you dress is the way you will be addressed.”
“When you see a prince you will know him.”
One place in our generation that easily depicts how our dressing counts is the movies. In one scene a lady is dressed like a maid and extremely poor and you actually see poverty over her. In another scene you see her gorgeously dressed and you wonder what has changed, its just what she is wearing, her garments.
Another scene you see someone “mad” and when he was healed and all the weird dress is gone and you see another handsome man- all based on garment change!
How do you distinguish a masquerade from a human being – what they wear – their garment.
How do you distinguish Sango the God of thunder – what he wears?
How do you distinguish a magician -by his costume.
The list is endless, nurses, doctors, military officers, navy, marine officer’s custom officers are distinguished by their neat well starched uniforms.
How do you distinguish a decent pastor by what he wears. Forget about new generation where ministers dress like they are still in the world?
Have you seen a cattle rearer or a cowshed or a Sherperd saying he want to dress like cows, sheep or goats? That is part of the perversion in this area of the world.
That is why I thank God for Christ Apostolic Church collar wearing pastoral dressing bequeathed to us by our fathers. I pray this generation and future ones will not be tempted to change it!
Notice that when God called Moses to build the tabernacle – he knew it would be administered by priests and high priests and he gave Moses a specific dress code. Notice the way God was meticulous in telling Noah how to build the ark, the way he told Moses how to build the tabernacle is the way he was meticulous on what the high priest and priests should wear,
“Send for your brother Aaron and his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. They are the ones I have chosen from Israel to serve as my priests. 2 Make Aaron some beautiful clothes that are worthy of a high priest. “ Ex 28: 1-12 So God is intrested on what we wear on the altar literally, physically and also spiritually. That is why he was concerned about the filthy garment of Joshua on the altar.
God is also intrested on what Christians wear . Listen to Apostles Peter.
Peter concerned about our dressing says:
“Therefore, I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or dissension. 9Likewise, I want the women to adorn themselves with respectable apparel, with modesty, and with self-control, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, 10but with good deeds, as is proper for women who profess to worship God “ 1Tim 2;8-10.
People of God what we wear matters whether in church on the altar or in public places. God cares about what we wear. In Genesis chapter three when Adam and Eve sinned, they noticed they were naked and they quickly made garments from fig leaves to cover themselves. Even though God rebuked them for listening to Satan and disobeying Him and even cursed them for that action he realized they needed something better to wear and quickly provided them an alternative dressing of skin material. Apparently stronger, more durable and surely covers the substance better.
God talks about how he cares about dressing of birds and lilies and compares that to how he clothes us, “And why are ye anxious concerning raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God doth so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Matt 6:28-30
That is the nature of our God. In today’s scripture Zech 3:1-4 for one curious reason Joshua the high priest was clothed in filthy garment! Not only that, Satan stood at his right hand to resist him. Why was Satan trying to resist him? To resist him from what? The Holy Spirit made me to understand that Joshua (like you and I) did not like the filthy garment on him and wants to remove it but Satan was objecting to it , resisting him.
God saw the helplessness of Joshua the high priest and rebuked Satan “The Lord rebuked thee O Satan even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee.”
God did not only rebuked Satan, he commanded those that stood before him saying “Take away the filthy garments from him. “ God in addition said “ I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee” Giving us a clue as to how the garment got there in the first place-sin!
Notice that God did not reprimand Joshua. He knew Joshua needed help just as he knows you and I need help. He helped him. That God is still alive. He will help you to remove unwanted garments in your life.That garment of addictions, shame, fornication ,stealing, adultery, gangsterism, corruption, those filthy habits shall go in Jesus name !
When we were growing up in the 60s and 70s in Nigeria at Christmas time like this dressing was an issue. Every parent even if they have not bought cloth during the year, they will find money to buy dress for all the children. They will take the cloth to the tailor and we shall choose to wear it either on Christmas Day of the New Year. That is what makes Christmas fun, new dresses ! They will also bake cake (akara) for us to eat from house to house! If they bought two sets of dress the children will wear them on those two days.
This year God will wear you double anointing. Double honour courtesy of Baba God. God will remove your garment of shame and your filthy garment.
The question this morning is what are you wearing?
In our generation people don’t read the bible any more they read you- what you wear!
1.Are you wearing the garment of humility as recommended by the scriptures that Jesus wore for which he was highly exalted.
Phil 2:5-9
Prov 6:16-19 says : These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 An heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
2. Are you wearing a lying and deceitful tongue in your office, in your school, in your business cycles and especially on the altar and in the church of God?
3. As a political and community leader are you wearing garment of nepotism, tribalism, oppressing your followers?
4. Are you wearing a wicked heart, doing mischief in your assembly, creating schism, in the Sunday School department, among the council in your church, in the choir, ushering department, among the good women, youth, pastorate?
The good news is that just as God spotted the struggle of Joshua and help him. The same God is alive, The same God will change your garment this Christmas season if you allow him!
He has sent a saviour the Lord Jesus Christ, to remove from us our filthy garments of SIN and to rebuke Satan.
He said to Mary – “you will bear a son his name shall be called Jesus he will take away the sins of the world” Matt 1:21.
Don’t worry – I don’t know how the enemy wore you a filthy garment but I know God will remove that garment from you.
He will remove:
The garment of sin
The garment of poverty
The garment of shame
The garment of disunity
The garment of captivity
The garment of bondages
The garment of marital challenges
The garment of barrenness
The Garment of infirmity, diseases, metal disorders,
The garment of foolishness and failure –
All these garments shall be removed this day in Jesus name.
Add your list( what garments you want Baba God to remove).
In Conclusion, the last thing the Holy Spirit showed me was that he commanded those around Joshua to remove the filthy garment and put on a new one!
Today I pray as you step into 2021 the Lord will put on you:
The garment of peace
The garment of joy
The garment favour
The garment of victory
The garment of breakthrough and above all the garment of Salvation.
This Christmas season like our parents of old were the agents that changed their children’s old garments, go ahead and change someone’s old garments. Change that homeless person’s home, that orphan and prodigal childs dresses and shoes, your pastors dresses and cars( I almost said jet!)God’s part is spiritual – to rebuke Satan , your part is physical, remove filthy garments and wear new ones for the Joshua close to you. Remember Joshua could be your spouse, relations, neighbours, colleagues, church members even your enemies!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year .
Shalom.
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O taste and see that the Lord is good.(Psalm 34:8). I have tasted and found that the Lord is good. I do testify that the Lord is good.Join me to taste him.
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