Guard Your Joint Spirit (Part 2)

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

I surrender all, I surrender all;
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.

When we have surrendered all, we are in position to receive the blessing of Malachi 3:19-21.

Malachi 3:19-21:"Behold the day is coming and all who do wickedly will be stubble, and the Day that comes will burn them up, says the LORD* of Hosts, that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But to you who revere My name, the Sun of Acts of Loving Kindness will rise with healing in His wings and you will go out and prosper like fattening calves in the stall. And you will tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall prepare, says the LORD* of Hosts."

“His wings” is an allusion to the prayer shawl which demonstrates the covering and protection of His covenant.

Num 15:38-40:  “Speak to the sons of Israel and command them that they make fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribbon of blue. And it shall be to you for a fringe, that you may look upon it and remember all the commands of Jehovah, and do them; and so that you do not seek after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you prostitute yourself, that you may remember and do all My commands, and be holy to your God.” 

The purpose of the prayer shawl is for everyone to look at it as a picture of the covenant and a reminder of the 613 commandments or guidelines that, with the power of the Holy Spirit, enable us to walk in covenant with our Lord.

Matthew 9:20-22: “ And behold, a woman, who had a flow of blood for twelve years, came up behind Him and touched the hem of His garment. For she said within herself, If only I shall touch His robe, I will be whole. But turning and seeing her, Jesus said, Daughter, be comforted; your faith has saved you. And the woman was saved from that hour.”

The woman was not healed by her touching His tallit.  She was healed because she believed in the covenant.  She believed that God is Who He says He is and that God will do what He says He will do.

Matthew 14:34-36: “ And when they had passed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret. And recognizing Him, the men of that place sent to all that neighborhood, and brought to Him all who were diseased. And they begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His robe. And as many as touched were made perfectly whole.”

The people recognized Jesus.  If touching a tallit was all that was necessary for healing, they could have touched any tallit.  In Jesus, they recognized the power and authority of the covenant.

As the Bride of Christ we must recognize the power and authority of the covenant.  We must recognize that power and walk in that authority. Scripture gives us many guidelines for doing so.

Proverbs 4:20-27:  My son, listen to my words; bow down your ear to my sayings. Let them not depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and health to all his flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from you a wicked mouth, and devious lips put far from you. Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids look straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and all your ways will be established. Do not turn to the right hand nor to the left; remove your foot from evil.” 

As the Bride of Christ, we diligently guard our joint spirit with our Lord.