The Lord wants to change our clothes today. A bride and a bridegroom put on new clothes. Indeed, it will be so: now, after marriage, they will never be the same.
These are not just carnal clothes – these are clothes of a new format, a new status. A person receives this status and will never escape from it. He is in this position.
The Lord gave us the clothes of the Bride of Christ. Church of Christ is the Bride. This is not a building, it is, first of all, people.
Change of seasons. We are all changing. But it is necessary, on the one hand, to preserve this childish spirit – as Christ said, “if you don’t become like little children…,” and on the other hand, “to become wise” when we consciously mature.
What is Conscious Maturing? The flesh grows old, but the spirit is renewed day after day.
The Lord once showed prophet Zechariah one man, Joshua, who was the high priest.
“And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him. And the Lord said to Satan: “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?” Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and was standing before the Angel.
Then he answered and spoke to those who stood before Him saying: “Take away the filthy garments from him.” And to him He said: “See, I have removed your iniquity from you and will clothe you with rich robes.” And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the Lord stood by. And the Angel of the Lord admonished Joshua saying: “Thus says the Lord of Hosts: “If you will walk in My ways and if you will keep My command, then you shall also judge My house and likewise have charge of My courts. I will give you place to walk among these who stand here” (Zechariah 3:1-7).
This man was all in filthy clothes, he stood tired, and he gave place to Satan. It happens in our lives when we, as Apostle Paul says, “give no place to the devil” – when a person does some kind of unrighteousness – in business, at work, in his personal life – he allows Satan to have place in his life.
There was some kind of weakness in the high priest Joshua, that Satan stood at his right hand, he lived in his presence. Perhaps, those were some habits or other.
What the Angel did – he didn’t compile a dossier, didn’t “dig into the past”, – the Lord simply determines – to take off the stained clothes and give new ones.
What then is justice? But this is no justice. This is called grace, the grace of the Blood of Christ.
If you do justice, everyone will find a number of mistakes, falls and unrighteousness.
What was the grace and strength of the high priest Joshua? – That he was not to resist, but allow to change his clothes.
Many of us have messed things up. You really can’t get out of it on your own. Maybe the first love is gone or something else. You know it, when Satan’s work comes regularly, it has become part of your nature and life. We need a change of clothes by grace.
Who of us can boast that you can do everything yourself? Sometimes it happens that the very presence of Satan is in our lives. And here is a change of clothes – this is the way out.
A change of clothes is no longer just a fight against sin. New rich garments are worship and thanksgiving, a life of thanksgiving, of praise. It’s not that simple.
Look carefully around, perhaps, indeed, this is an Angel sent into your life to help you change clothes. It’s not a threat, it’s a blessing.
The Lord also says that if you walk in His ways, then you will gain a position – to walk among the people of the Cloud.
I also want to speak about one more thing: that you can not bring profane fire.
“…but Nadab and Abihu died when they offered profane fire before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai” (Numbers 26:61).
They relaxed, they were to carry the fire, which was kindled by the Lord Himself. One day it came down to the tabernacle and set fire to the altar. This fire had to be kept. Watched carefully – one couldn’t fall asleep. This fire was to burn incense and burn the offerings.
But they thought that the other fire was the same fire.
But the Lord did not desire the profane fire, but His own. The fire went out and consumed Nadab and Abihu.
We change, we get tired, but with God this doesn’t happen. With Him things are forever. God wants us to keep His fire. That no other fire we bring to Him. So that we can keep the fire of love for Jesus until the end of our days.
It is not so easy when you are a believer for a long time. But you need to carry God’s fire in your heart. So that when they carry you, one can be sure that the person is going to the Heavenly Father.
Revelation
“I see a great burning lamp in the hand of the man of God. He was constantly awake so that the lamp would not go out, but would burn brighter and brighter.
Some of the brothers and sisters also had lamps, but some of them had already gone out, or their fire was very weak.
The man of God taught the brothers and sisters to stay awake, so that the lamps would not go out: how and at what time to pour oil, how to lay coals, how to cleanse, so that the light would not go out.
With those who listened and did everything as it was told – their lamps began to burn again, or burn brighter. And those who wouldn’t listen, walked around with extinguished, put out lamps.
The Lord wants our lamps to burn. How to set our lamps on fire? – Watch Christ all the time. Again, surrender yourself entirely to the Lord, because the Lord is so Loving – He created us, washed us with the Holy Blood! We must live in gratitude.