What happens at Bethel

Written By Adam Dragoon

What Happens At BetheL

God’s Divine Protection for Obedient Seekers

Sermon Summary

In Genesis 35, we find Jacob on a journey back to Bethel, a place of profound spiritual significance. Bethel, meaning "house of God," is where Jacob first encountered God in a dream, seeing a ladder reaching to heaven with angels ascending and descending. This encounter marked a pivotal moment in Jacob's life, symbolizing God's presence and promises. As Jacob returns to Bethel, he is reminded of God's faithfulness and the need for obedience and sanctification.

Jacob's journey is a powerful reminder that God is not confined to a specific location. Wherever we are, God is with us. As believers, we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and God's presence dwells within us. This truth challenges us to recognize that every place can be a Bethel, a place of divine encounter, if we are open to God's presence and leading.

Jacob's story also highlights the importance of obedience and the need to rid our lives of idols. Despite his experiences with God, Jacob's household harbored foreign gods. Before returning to Bethel, Jacob instructs his family to put away these idols and purify themselves. This act of cleansing symbolizes repentance and the need to leave behind anything that hinders our relationship with God.

God's call to Jacob to return to Bethel is a call to obedience and transformation. As Jacob responds, God protects him and his family, placing a divine terror on the surrounding cities, ensuring their safety. This protection is a testament to God's faithfulness and the supernatural covering that comes with obedience.

In our lives, God calls us to obedience, promising protection and blessing. The journey to Bethel is not just a physical journey but a spiritual one, requiring us to leave behind idols and embrace God's call. As we do, we experience God's presence, protection, and the fulfillment of His promises.

“God’s protection is a testament to God’s faithfulness and the supernatural covering that comes with obedience.”
— Pastor Adam

Watch/Listen

Message Study Guide

Youtube chapters

  • [00:00] - Welcome

  • [02:00] - Introduction to Jacob's Journey

  • [04:31] - God's Presence Everywhere

  • [06:39] - Jacob's Encounter with God

  • [09:38] - The Call to Obedience

  • [12:12] - Ridding Our Lives of Idols

  • [14:33] - The Symbolism of Changing Garments

  • [17:27] - The Importance of Sanctification

  • [20:40] - God's Supernatural Protection

  • [23:54] - The Safest Place in God's Plan

  • [26:07] - Testimonies of God's Protection

  • [28:30] - Biblical Examples of Divine Protection

  • [32:03] - Confidence in God's Protection

  • [34:25] - The Blessing of Obedience

  • [36:44] - Responding to God's Call

  • [39:16] - Invitation to Salvation

  • [41:26] - Call to Believers

  • [44:44] - Closing Prayer and Altar Call

Key Takeaways

  1. God's Presence Everywhere: God's presence is not limited to a specific location. As believers, we carry the presence of God with us, making every place a potential Bethel, a place of divine encounter. This truth challenges us to be aware of God's presence in our daily lives and to seek His guidance and leading in every situation. [04:31]

  2. The Call to Obedience: God's call to Jacob to return to Bethel is a call to obedience and transformation. Obedience to God's call requires us to leave behind idols and anything that hinders our relationship with Him. This act of obedience leads to supernatural protection and blessing. [09:38]

  3. Ridding Our Lives of Idols: Jacob's instruction to his family to put away foreign gods highlights the importance of ridding our lives of idols. Idols can take many forms, including pride, possessions, and worldly desires. True repentance involves a daily commitment to turn away from these idols and pursue a life of holiness. [12:12]

  4. God's Supernatural Protection: As Jacob obeys God's call, God places a divine terror on the surrounding cities, ensuring their safety. This supernatural protection is a testament to God's faithfulness and the covering that comes with obedience. It reminds us that God is watching over us and protecting us from unseen dangers. [20:40]

  5. The Blessing of Obedience: Obedience to God's call leads to transformation and blessing. Jacob's journey to Bethel symbolizes a spiritual journey of transformation, where God appears, renames, reaffirms His covenant, and speaks personally to Jacob. This journey is a reminder that God's greatest blessings are hidden behind the doors of obedience. [34:25]

Bible Reading

  • Gen 35:1-5 NKJV - 1 Then God said to Jacob, "Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother." 2 And Jacob said to his household and to all who [were] with him, "Put away the foreign gods that [are] among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments. 3 "Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone." 4 So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods which [were] in their hands, and the earrings which [were] in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree which [was] by Shechem. 5 And they journeyed, and the terror of God was upon the cities that [were] all around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob.

  • Gen 28:12-16 NKJV - 12 Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder [was] set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 And behold, the LORD stood above it and said: "I [am] the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. 14 "Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. 15 "Behold, I [am] with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you." 16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know [it]."

  • Col 3:5 NKJV - 5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

Observation Questions

  1. What significant event happened to Jacob at Bethel according to Genesis 28:12-16, and how did it impact his life? [06:39]

  2. In Genesis 35:1-5, what instructions did God give to Jacob, and how did Jacob respond to these instructions? [09:38]

  3. What does Genesis 35:5 reveal about God's protection over Jacob and his family during their journey? [20:40]

  4. According to Colossians 3:5, what are some of the "idols" that believers are instructed to rid themselves of, and how does this relate to Jacob's story? [14:33]

Interpretation Questions

  1. How does Jacob's journey back to Bethel symbolize a spiritual journey for believers today? What does Bethel represent in a believer's life? [34:25]

  2. What does the act of Jacob instructing his family to put away foreign gods and purify themselves signify about the process of repentance and sanctification? [12:12]

  3. How does the sermon illustrate the concept of God's presence being everywhere, and how does this challenge the traditional view of sacred spaces? [04:31]

  4. In what ways does the sermon suggest that obedience to God leads to supernatural protection and blessing? How is this demonstrated in Jacob's story? [20:40]

Application Questions

  1. Reflect on your daily life. Are there places or situations where you might not typically expect to encounter God's presence? How can you become more aware of God's presence in these everyday moments? [04:31]

  2. Consider any "idols" in your life that might be hindering your relationship with God. What steps can you take to remove these idols and pursue a life of holiness? [12:12]

  3. Think about a time when you felt God's protection in your life. How did this experience strengthen your faith, and how can you share this testimony with others? [20:40]

  4. How can you respond to God's call in your life with obedience, even when it requires sacrifice or change? What specific actions can you take this week to align more closely with God's will? [09:38]

  5. In what ways can you create a "Bethel" in your own life, a place or time dedicated to encountering God and seeking His guidance? How can this practice transform your spiritual journey? [34:25]

  6. Reflect on the concept of repentance as a daily practice. How can you incorporate regular self-examination and repentance into your spiritual routine? [14:33]

  7. How can you cultivate a deeper trust in God's protection and provision, especially during challenging times? What scriptures or prayers can you turn to for reassurance? [32:03]

  • I want to ask you to open with me this morning the book of Genesis. We're going to look back to the story of Jacob. Genesis chapter 35. You'll join me there again. This message is inspired directly from my daily Bible reading. This was a few weeks ago that we put this message together. And I pray that it would be a blessing to you. It certainly was a blessing to me.

    And I hope this morning the Holy Spirit will use this scripture and this message to inspire us about who God is and about how we can serve in His kingdom. One verse of scripture that I want to share with you is Genesis chapter 35 and verse 5.

    As Jacob is traveling to Bethel, it says these words: "And they journeyed." Genesis 35, verse 5. "They journeyed and the terror of God was upon the cities that were all around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob."

    Father, I come by the blood of Jesus. I pray, God, for your spirit and your grace, Lord, over this service today. We are desperate and needy people before you. We need you, God, to fight our battles, to protect us, even against dangers which are seen and unseen. I'm praying, God, that you would raise us up in your will and your purpose. We thank you for the Holy Spirit and the fire that falls. We give you glory in Jesus' mighty name. Amen.

    The simple idea of this scripture this morning is that when we make decisions to simply obey God, to do what He has called us, what He has asked us to do, this leads to radical life change and supernatural blessing. I want to focus in for a few moments this morning on the story of Jacob.

    Jacob, by this time, is advanced in years. He has had a relationship. He has had experience with God. And we can read about his experiences in selected chapters throughout Genesis. In chapter 28, verse 12, we read the story of when he laid down and had a dream.

    Verse 12: "He dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to the heaven. There the angels of God were ascending and descending on it."

    Genesis 28, verse 14, God promises something to Jacob. He says, "Your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth. You shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south. And in you and in your seed, all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

    Verse 16: "Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, 'Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.' And he called the name of that place Bethel."

    Now, that's going to be important for our message today—Bethel—because the name of that city had been Luz previously. Now, in our scripture, in Genesis chapter 35, Jacob is on his way back to Bethel, the same place where he had the meeting with God. The meaning of that name, that place Jacob gave to that place, is very simple. It means the house of God. Jacob is going to the house of God.

    And the reason why that's significant is because Jacob was not in a structure. He was not in a building. He was not in a tent. He was not in an RV. Jacob was out in the desert place. He was in a very common place. The thought of the rock that he used as his pillow was a commonplace—a common rock that you could find in any desert in the world.

    But Jacob, as he has this dream and this encounter with the living God, that ladder, by the way, is a picture of the Lord Jesus upon whom the blessings of God are able to be transmitted from heaven to earth. And that vision that he has, he wakes up from that dream and he says, "Whoa! The Lord is in this place, and I didn't even know it. I'm just walking, laid down, taking a nap, but God is here."

    And that is encouraging for us. Because what it tells us this morning, first of all, is that anywhere you are, God is with you. As believers, as people who are bought by the blood, purchased and filled with His spirit, wherever we are, there is the house of God. There is Bethel.

    I want to tell you, just because you walk out of the Potter's House church doesn't mean church is over. Hello? You are the church. You are the house of God. You are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Jacob says, "This is just a normal, everyday place."

    And you, maybe what we do often is we say, "Well, I'm just going to 7-Eleven. Nothing special happening there." But how many know you can have supernatural encounters at 7-Eleven, right, Mr. Steven? You might be saying, "I'm just going to my job, just like I go to my job every day." But not every day has to be the same. You can go to your job and have supernatural encounters.

    You can think, "Oh, I'm just going for a drive as normal, just driving here, there, everywhere, just going to the store." But you can go to the grocery store and have an encounter with the Holy Spirit, with the living God. Is that true this morning? Because God is everywhere.

    I love to tell people when I'm on outreach, and I go and I'm in Walmart and I'm passing out some flyers, and I love to tell people, "Listen, God is in Walmart. He's right here on aisle 32 next to the Cheerios. He's here and He wants to touch your life." Because God is not limited to a location.

    That day when Jesus died, the curtain was torn from top to bottom. The Holy Spirit of God is no longer contained in a closet in the back room of a Jewish temple in Jerusalem. No, the Holy Spirit lives in you. That's the meaning. That's why Bethel is special. The house of God is not in one place. It's where you are.

    Even with all of Jacob's flaws—and he had many—even with all of the problems that he created for himself, what we read about Jacob is that he has a wrestling match with God. In chapter 32, it's in this same place in Bethel where he builds an altar to God, where he has a wrestling match with the angel of the Lord.

    He walks away from that wrestling match. The Bible says that the angel touched his hip, and from that day forward, Jacob walked differently. You could look at the way he walked and tell God did something to that man. I want to tell you, God wants to change your walk. He wants to change how you live.

    We looked at it this morning in our Sunday school, that if we are truly bought by the blood, if we are truly adopted into the family, if we are truly filled with His Spirit, you're not going to walk the same. You're not going to go to the same places or hang with the same people. You're not going to use the same language, hello? Your life will change.

    Jacob, this is the story of his life. That day, God gave him a new name. He said, "You're not going to be known as Jacob anymore, but Israel." And there is so much wonderful truth behind that name change. You have been known as Jacob ever since you were born. You got the name Jacob. It is the one who is the deceiver.

    It's the one who, as he wiggled his way and strived—not always the right way—he received the blessing of the firstborn from his older brother Esau, and he kind of cheated his way into that blessing. And through his life, he is dealing with the consequences of his own character. But God says, "On this day, Jacob, your name is Israel." Amen.

    God is saying, "You're not going to be known as Jacob anymore." And that name has carried forward, has been the label for God's people ever since that day. Israel, the name literally means one who has struggled with God and one who has overcome. One who has fought the battle and remained in the house.

    It's a picture of a flawed man with many problems, but God is working on him. How many of you know that we should find some hope there? That God is working on us, so we're not walking the same. We're not what we're, we have not achieved perfection, but we're not the same as we used to be either. And that's the picture of Israel.

    Thank God He's bringing us to Bethel. He's not a novice. He's not a beginner. In our scripture, he receives a call from God. Genesis 35, verse 1. "Then God said to Jacob, 'Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau, your brother.'"

    And so God is making a call. "Jacob, I've got something for you to do. I want you to go back to Bethel and dwell there. I want you to go. Go and make an altar." God calls. Jacob responds. And isn't that always the way that it works? God calls. Jacob responds.

    Let me ask you, do you respond when God calls you, when He speaks to you, when He has a work for you to do, when He wakes you up in the middle of the night? So often what we do is say, "Get behind me, Satan. I'm trying to sleep right now." But God can do that. He has the right to wake you up in the middle of the night.

    Maybe you need to pray. Maybe there's a situation going on that you don't know about. Maybe when you don't feel like it, God will call you to witness, to study your word. Listen, I don't always feel like preaching. Hello? But God has called. God has asked. God has equipped. And God's calling is what demands our action.

    And when God calls Jacob, it reveals something about his house. His house is not in order. Look at verse 2, Genesis 35, verse 2. "And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, 'Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments.'"

    What an interesting truth to discover that, yes, God is moving in Jacob's life. Yes, there's a promise that he is inheriting. Yes, he has experience with God. But at the same time, there are idols in Jacob's house. There is something wrong with this picture. Something does not belong.

    There is a problem here. God wants to use the house of Jacob to be a blessing to all the nations. But as God is calling him, we discover here that there are idols in the house of Jacob. There are idols among his children, among his relatives. There are false gods. There are gods of the pagan nations around him.

    And what we discover here is that if we are going to go back to Bethel, we're going to have to get rid of some of those foreign gods. Jacob has enough sense. Jacob has enough understanding and revelation. And he said, "Guys, we can't stay here. If we're going to Bethel, we can't bring our idols with us."

    I want to tell you, we live in a time when people want to do both. We live in a time when the church wants to go to Bethel but wants to keep their idol in their pocket. "I want to keep my pride. I want to keep my possessions. I want to keep my love for money and for the world. I want to keep my filthy mouth. I want to keep all these things with me."

    But Jacob says, "No, no, no. We're not going to Bethel with idols in our pockets. We've got to put them behind." God gives promises. God gives destiny. But God is not the one who packs up the camels and goes down the road.

    It reminds us of Abraham, right? When Abraham was known as Abram, God spoke to Abram and said, "Abram, why don't you get up? Abram, why don't you get up and go down the road? There I will bless you." And it is wonderful. God has promises. God has blessing. God has fruitfulness. God has destiny.

    But God's not the one who packs up the suitcases. It's Abram who does that in response to God's call. I want to say to you this morning, destiny has a destination. There is a place and a time that God wants us to be. And in order to do that, we've got to leave idols behind.

    Exodus 20, verse 3, the first commandment: "You will have no other gods before me." Colossians 3, verse 5: "Put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is, very interesting, covetousness, which is idolatry."

    In Colossians, Paul instructs us that these things that we don't think of them as idols—fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desires, covetousness—we don't think of those as having little statues that we bow down to. But he says it's the same thing.

    When we fall in love with things of the world, fall in love with our passions, fall in love with our carnal desires, there's just as much a false god as Jacob's house carrying little idols made of wood in their pockets.

    And so, in order to set out to Bethel, Jacob instructs his family. "We're going to leave our idols and we're going to change our garments." We spoke this morning about how repentance is not a one-time action. "Yeah, I repented 10 years ago. That's when I gave my life to Christ." No, repentance is a lifestyle, my friends.

    Repentance is a daily recognition that we're going to be able to do things that we can't do in our daily lives, and we're going to say, "I didn't do everything perfect yesterday, and I need to get my heart right." Am I the only one that needs that?

    Jacob, who has plenty of experience with God, whose grandfather is Abraham, his father is Isaac, he's got a lifetime of experience of knowing who God is, and yet there's still idols in his house. What about you this morning? What idols is God pointing at in your life?

    It's not enough to feel bad about them. I'm grateful if God convicts you, but conviction is not enough. Action is required. There has to be visible change. It also says that they changed their garments. It is the symbol of leaving the old you behind.

    It's the picture of what we see at water baptism. The old man goes down, the new comes out of the water to serve the living God. Jacob is not just taking a shower here. It's a change. He's preparing for an encounter with God.

    And what is necessary for so many of God's people today is an inward cleansing. You know, when you were getting ready for church today, we try to put some effort into making ourselves presentable, right? I am not—the way that I'm looking now is different than the way I was looking at 7:45 this morning. I put some effort into this mortal flesh, unfortunately.

    But can I tell you, I'm going to go back to bed and I'm not going to go back to that state of chaos that I was. All of that, what I've done to make myself presentable, that is very temporary. It goes away.

    But can I tell you, the work that we do to be sanctified, the work that we do to mortify our flesh, the work that we do to agree with the Holy Spirit and do away with our idolatrous desires, that work continues on. We should put far more effort into presenting our souls presentable to God than we do our bodies in front of the congregation of the church. Far more.

    One preacher, F. Lagarde Smith, said, "To some, religion is about keeping up with appearances, an onstage show of spirituality, but nothing spiritual corruption backstage." Paul said in 2 Corinthians 7, verse 1, "Therefore, having these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord God."

    I just want to say this morning, obedience is simple, but not always easy. Have you discovered that yet? It is simple many times. Many times, you know, people come to me with a deep struggle of, "God, what do you want me to do? Which direction do I need to go? What job do I need to take? What person should I marry?"

    There are all of these decisions that we struggle with, but often, most important decisions are not that difficult. They're simple, but what I'm saying is that they're not always easy. It takes sacrifice. Righteousness is expensive, as I like to say. It's going to cost you.

    James 4, verse 8: "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." When God calls, He is calling us, first of all, to sanctification, to make ourselves holy in His eyes, to do away with idols.

    And God—here's the good news—this is not only a work that you do. The Holy Spirit lives in us to make us holy, to turn us from sin and toward righteousness. Reinhard Bonnke said, "God always works with workers and moves with movers, but He does not sit. He does not sit with sitters."

    Let's look at God's response to Jacob's decision. God did something. When Jacob—listen, this is the relationship between God and man. It's the partnership that we see so often in the Scripture. It's God who calls. It's Jacob who gets off of his rear end and starts looking around and says, "Get these idols out of here. We got to go."

    It is Jacob who does that. And as Jacob makes that decision, then the Bible says, God does something in response. God protects Jacob. And this is what inspired this message today. It so inspired me that I got excited to preach this message.

    Verse 5: "As they journeyed, the terror of God was upon the cities that were all around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob." I got to tell you, I love that Scripture. It's the picture of Jacob doing the hard but necessary work to get up and go forward into where God has called him.

    And what he discovers along the way—and maybe he didn't even know—as he's passing through the wilderness, going down to the house of God, to Bethel, the Bible says that there are cities. There are enemies. There are forces. There are foes along the path.

    And it even could have been the case that many of these would see Jacob passing by. His family, his wealth, his resources could see that God's blessing was traveling with them. And maybe it was the case that those enemies thought in their mind, "Oh, here comes Jacob. I heard about this guy. He's got some stuff. I heard he's got a big flock of sheep that he has tended over time. I've heard that he's got some wealth and some resources. I've heard that he's got a large family with him. And maybe we could take advantage."

    Oh, but here's the good news. God supernaturally covered them. It says that as they journeyed, the terror of God was upon the cities that were all around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob.

    Let me tell you what God can do for you. For those who are walking in obedience, for those who are taking care to rid their lives of idols, of perversity, of fornication and lust, to you who are doing what God has called you to do, walking in obedience, I want to tell you, God is watching out for you. God is protecting you.

    God is putting terror into the hearts of your enemies. The terror of God is upon those cities. God is putting fear in their hearts. Don't touch that man. As God's people are simply obeying and walking in obedience, God is putting fear into anyone around that might be thinking to attack.

    That God is subduing the forces of hell that we are not even aware of. That Jacob—there's no need for Jacob to take up a sword. There's no need for Jacob to have a bodyguard. There's no need for Jacob to have secret service. Because Jacob is protected by the Most High God. The fear of the Lord is on his enemies.

    I want to tell you this morning, obedience puts you in God's love—supernatural covering. We say this, you've probably heard this, but it is reality. The safest place in all the universe is in the middle of God's plan for your life. In His hands, who can defeat you? If He is for us, then who can be against us?

    Many of you might know the story of Reinhard Bonnke, a revival preacher who went across Africa and saw many millions of people turn their lives to Jesus. He tells a story in his autobiography called "The Life of Fire."

    Listen carefully to this story. "Soon afterward, the missionary Boneyard almost claimed me for its own. While traveling in a remote area, I exhausted my canteen and felt myself nearly dehydrating. In those days, we did not carry large quantities of bottled water as we do now. I was so driven by thirst that I ignored the wisdom to always boil water before drinking. I knew better than to do that. In my travels, I had already encountered the graves of many missionaries who had died from drinking deadly black water. But I drank straight from a well.

    When I arrived home that night, the awful stomach cramps began. I knew I was in a fight for my life. I began to hallucinate and drift in and out of consciousness. My appetite was gone. Annie had to work to get fluids into my body. After three terrible days of delirium, I began to see a vision. I saw something like a black blanket, a dark shroud floating over me. It seemed that I would be smothered by it. Death was near for me, I knew.

    Then, somehow, I could see through the blanket. On the other side, I saw the face of Jesus. And a wonderful peace flooded my heart in the midst of my delirium. In the next moment, I heard the voice of dear Sister Elise Koehler praying for me. I knew that voice from the many prayer meetings I had attended in my home church. I heard her crying out to God to spare my life. And in that moment, the fever broke, and I began a slow and steady recovery."

    Can I tell you something? God will protect you. You can trust Him. In the dark and difficult moments, you can trust Him. One of the pastors in our fellowship, Bob Overson, tells the story of when his brother was a missionary in Africa and went to go preach for him.

    And as he was traveling to the nation, I believe it was Nairobi, as he was traveling, he changed planes in some city. And as he's going through that airport, he is moved somehow to buy some little candies from the gift shop. This was weird for him because he said, "I don't eat candy," but he thought somehow it would be important.

    And so he buys this little package of candies, puts them in his pocket, and keeps traveling. And so then, as they are traveling, as they finally arrive in Nairobi and he meets his brother, and as they're driving, there is a roadblock. This is something common in third-world countries where the local authorities are looking to get bribes and all these things.

    And so they stop these two white guys on the road, right? Going to their church and giving them a hard time and harassing them, and they're looking for money. And it just so happens that as they're searching them, they find that candy that was in his pocket.

    And the candy that he would have never eaten on his own became the bribe to pay off the guy on the road so that they could continue on their journey. God protected them. I have been witness to so many times that God has watched out for us without even our understanding.

    Daniel, we serve a God who closes the mouths of lions. It is God who shut the lion's mouth. It is God who slaughtered the Assyrians during the time of Hezekiah. God went out and killed a hundred and eighty-five thousand of them without them even knowing.

    God is the one who protects Moses and Israel. He is the God who goes before us—Jehovah Nisi, our banner who fights and protects us. It is God that when Paul is bitten by the viper on the island of Malta, he's there making a fire. A viper comes out and bites him. It is God who somehow reaches into the hand of Paul and stops that venom from spreading.

    And that day, all of the local natives saw that happen and thought that he was going to die in any moment. But instead, that snake bite became the platform where Paul was able to preach, "No, I am not a God, but I have a God who is the Most High." And He is the God who protects His people.

    In the Great Commission, Jesus told His disciples, Mark 16, 18: "They will take up serpents, and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." Are you aware of what God is doing outside? He is protecting us.

    I wonder one day when we get to heaven, we're going to look back and see all the times angels—God's going to put on the CCTV, the recording of our ring cameras, and show us all the times you were just walking down the street. But I'm the one who stopped that driver from falling asleep at the last second to stop from plowing you over.

    I wonder how many instances God is going to show us when God sent the angel to stop our tire from blowing up and careening off the road. How many times God is going to show us His divine protection and providence over us? You have to understand God protects His people. Can you say amen?

    Psalm 91 is a beautiful, beautiful song about God's protection that we need to rest in this morning. "Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He is my refuge, the place of my safety. He is my God, and I trust Him. For He will rescue you from every trap and protect you from every deadly disease. He will cover you with His feathers. He will shelter you with His wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

    So do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. Do not dread the disease that stalks in the darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. Though a thousand fall at your side, and ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you."

    Now, pastor, does that mean that I'm never going to have a bad day? No, we are subject to the world, just like anybody else. It rains on the just and the unjust. But I want to tell you, God protects. God watches over. Proverbs 28, verse 1: "The wicked run when no one is chasing, but the godly are bold as lions."

    The purpose of this message today, the reality of God's protection, is what does that produce in you? What it should produce is a confidence. "God, you are with me, so who can be against me? I don't have to live in fear. I don't have to be anxious. I don't have to be depressed. Lord, if you are with me, then who can be against me? I'm believing, Lord, that you're going to protect me."

    Jesus said, "Why do you worry about your life, what you will eat, what you will drink, what you will wear? Am I not able to provide all these for you?" We heard yesterday a powerful teaching. The answer for anxiety is faith. The answer for depression is trust. Trust in a God who is bigger than you and anything that you are facing.

    So let's close this morning and look at the supernatural transformation and the blessing of God from this story. Bethel in the Bible represents more than just a physical location. It is a symbol of a divine encounter and the establishment of God's presence. Jacob names this place Bethel, the house of God in Genesis 28.

    Now fast forward to the New Testament. The assembly of believers is Bethel on a grand scale. In 1 Corinthians 3:16, Paul declares, "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" And that means that you are the temple of God. It means the assembly is not just a gathering place; it is the living, breathing house of God.

    Four things that God will do at Bethel as we close.

    Number one, God will appear. Verse 9: "Then God appeared to Jacob again when he came from Paddan Aram and blessed him." God appears at Bethel. God appears to those who will sacrifice to move toward Him. Rick Renner says that God's greatest blessings are hidden behind the doors of obedience.

    Second thing, God renames Jacob to Israel. It is in this moment God said to him, "Your name is Jacob. You will not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name." As we know, the change of name indicates a change of character. Jacob is the easy way. It's the way of the flesh. Israel is the difficult way, the one that few will choose—the straight and the narrow road. Jacob was willing to engage with God.

    The third thing is that God reaffirms His covenant with Jacob. Verse 11: "God said to him, 'I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation and company of nations shall proceed from you. And kings shall come from your body. The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, I will give to you, and to your descendants, I give this land.'"

    And finally, God speaks personally to Jacob. Verse 13: "And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him." Billy Graham said that the highest form of worship is obedience to God and His word. Jacob sets out a pillar, pours out a drink offering.

    Can I tell you, the Lord is worthy of our worship.

    So as we close, I want to ask you to consider in your heart, have you responded to the call of God in obedience? Those places where God has already spoken to you. We're not talking about things that you don't know about. We're talking about things you do know about. He has already spoken. He has already made it clear.

    Are you walking in obedience? What areas still require surrender? Are you aware this morning of God's promise? Providential protection over your life. Are you aware that there are angels on every side keeping you and upholding you?

    Do you have a place in your life for Bethel, the house of God, to continue to go there and make sacrifices? And I ask as we close, what kind of blessing, what kind of protection, what kind of promises are waiting for you on the other side of obedience?

    There are so many this morning who do not experience all that God has for you because it's on the other side of obedience. I love the story of Peter who fishes all night, casting his nets. He's a pro. He's done this a thousand times, but a whole night of work and labor and toil—not one fish.

    And when Peter said, "Okay, Lord, at your word, I will obey," he cast the net one more time. And when he pulls on it, whoa! So many fish that he had trouble pulling them in the boat. I want to tell you, this is a picture of what will happen in your life. God spoke to Peter in a way so clear that he could understand it.

    "All night you worked on your own. But at my word, Peter, are you willing to obey?" In your life, I wonder, what words is Jesus speaking to you? What is He asking from you? And what blessing, what protection, what favor, what promises are waiting for you if you would simply respond to what the Holy Spirit is speaking to you now?

    Let's bow our heads and close our eyes. We bring the service to a close. And as God is speaking to our hearts—oh, for just a few moments today. God is so faithful. God is so good. He is here this morning by His Holy Spirit.

    The blood of Jesus, which was shed for the remission of sins. Before we can talk about God's blessing, we have to talk about God's judgment. We serve a holy God. We serve a righteous God. In the presence of the Lord, there is no darkness. There is no sin. There is no wickedness. He is holy. He is set apart. He is different.

    And what that means is if you are not holy, you will not be in God's presence. There are things that divide us from the Lord. It's words that we've said and actions that we've taken. It's just like in Jacob's house, man, there were idols in there that shouldn't have been there.

    And it's true that in many the lives of many people, there are things that are separating you from God. Words that you've said, actions that you've done. Thank God that He is gracious and merciful. You know what God did for sinners? He sent His Son, Jesus.

    The Bible says, "While we were yet sinners, Christ came and died for the ungodly." The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord. And so I'm asking you today, not asking you if you're a member of a church, or how religious you are, how many scriptures you've read, how many prayers that you prayed at bedtime.

    The real question is, have you surrendered? Have you turned from sin and trusted in Jesus for the salvation of your soul? And if not, you have that opportunity today to approach the throne of grace. Say, "Lord, I'm broken, I'm lost, but I need the good shepherd to come and find me."

    He said, "I am the good shepherd. I'm the one who leaves the 99 to go after one that is lost." And if that's you here today, you recognize that your sin has separated you from God. It's time to get your heart right. If that's you, quickly, I want to pray with you. Recognize that in your heart. Would you lift up your hand? Unsaved or backslidden in your heart, you need the love, the mercy, the forgiveness of God.

    Is there anyone here? You lift up a hand and say, "Pastor, pray for me. I'm not right." If that's you, I want to pray with you. Somebody right now believing God. Would you lift up a hand? "Lord, forgive me. I'm lost. I'm a sinner. I'm broken. I need the blood to wash me clean. I need the spirit to make me new. I need to be born again in Christ."

    One last call. Is that you? Quickly, unsaved or backslidden in your heart, you can be transformed in a moment of time. Don't leave this place without knowing the power, the life-changing power of Jesus Christ. Is there anyone at all? Quickly, with an uplifted hand.

    Amen. And I want to speak to believers today. This message was not a message to the uninitiated, but to those who have plenty of experience with God. Jacob was no novice. Jacob was no beginner. And yet, there were idols in Jacob's house.

    And it's possible to be a member of a church. It's possible to be even in ministry. It's possible to be attending church services. But there are still idols. There are still things that are dividing us from the Lord. There are still places of disobedience in our heart.

    There are still actions, words, and habits that do not please Him. And if we are going to experience His blessing, His fruitfulness, His protection, it means we've got to move out from that. We've got to get rid of those things that are dividing us from Him. Change our garments. Say, "Lord, I don't want to be like that. I don't want to do that. I need the blood of Jesus to wash me and set me free. I want the Holy Spirit to convict me and draw me close."

    And this altar is going to be an altar of sanctification and holiness. "Lord, we're leaving behind our idols. The things of this life. The life that we love so dearly. The carnality of our flesh. It's time to leave it behind and pursue the greater things of God."

    What blessing is waiting for us? What protection? What promises of God are waiting? If we will simply obey the voice of the Lord right now. As we stand up to our feet, this altar is open. Church of God is dealing with you. Would you come? Would you make a place here at this altar? Would you come and pray for a few moments with us?

    And as we pray, please, I want to ask you, if you come up to pray, please remain here at the altar while we're praying. Please remain for a few moments. So important as we reach out to the living God. Let's begin to lift up our voices in prayer.

Keep an eye on our Facebook Page for Daily Devotionals based on this message over the next five days.

Written with Love by Pastor Adam Dragoon

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Adam Dragoon
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Crossed Hands of the Greater Blessing