The Bible talks about a place called Bethel, where Jacob saw a vision of a ladder reaching from heaven to earth. This ladder represents Jesus Christ, the Word. The angels ascend and descend on it, signifying that they are appointed by God to minister to us, going up to God’s presence and returning to us. The Bethel experience is about receiving the word from God, claiming it, and sending it back to Him in prayer.
And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, "I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 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 promised you." Genesis 28.
When God sends us His words to encourage us, are we receiving and claiming them, then sending our claims back to God in prayer? Whenever God gives us promises, are we accepting, claiming, and declaring by lifting them up to Him? It is the best way to get strengthened and empowered in the spirit.
In recent months, I have seen Pastor Sammy Thangiah illustrating this practice in short videos on YouTube. We can watch these too to learn how to claim the Word. In Genesis 35:1-26, God tells Jacob, “Return to Bethel, where I appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau. Make your home there and build an altar for me.” God is calling Jacob to return and prepare an altar, to offer sacrifices unto Him in Bethel. He is inviting Jacob to renew his relationship with Him. We, too, may have received visions and promises from God. Let us return to Bethel, giving back our worship and prayers to our God. It is never too late to trust God again with His promises. He is ever faithful; are we still trusting? Are we ready to declare his promises in faith and walk with power? And finally let us declare it to people we encounter in our everyday walk.
I have added here a screenshot of a beautiful prayer which is similar to this,
Dear God, thank you for the promises you have given us. We claim the power, love, and strength you have promised. We come back to you with a heart of worship. May we not only be receivers but also senders of Your words. May we prepare our altar to offer true worship by keeping our bodies as a living sacrifice unto You, as in
Romans 12:1 offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
May we reach out to You in Bethel, dear Father. May we become all You intend for us to be, according to Your faithful promises. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
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