The Importance of Blessings in Your Life

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Luís Alberto Alves

In Genesis 48:20, Jacob stands before Joseph's two sons, the son he had with Rachel while still working for his uncle Laban: Ephraim (God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction) and Manasseh (God has made me forget my past pain). He is near death, and God has shown him the beautiful future He had reserved for Joseph's two sons. It was in the city of Shiloh, in the region given to the tribe of Ephraim in the division of the 12 tribes of Israel, that the Ark of the Covenant remained, becoming a symbol of prosperity for Obed-Edom.

Descendants of Ephraim: Shuthelah, Bered, Tahath, Eleadah, Ezer, Elead, Beriah, Rephah, Resheph, Telah, Taan, Ladan, Ammihud, Elishama, Nun, who was the father of Joshua.

According to Jewish custom, Manasseh, the firstborn, should have been the first to be blessed, followed by Ephraim, who was born later. Jacob, already called Israel by God, was very old and could no longer see well. So he reversed the order and blessed Ephraim first, not Manasseh, the firstborn.

Hidden

Joseph tried to correct his father, but Jacob told him that God had commanded him to do this with both of Joseph's sons. They would be blessed. What is the mystery of the Lord in this gesture of Jacob? We should never forget what is written in Deuteronomy 29:29: “The secret things belong to God, but the things that are not secret He has revealed to His servants.”

Jacob's gesture has been adopted by the Jews to this day when they greet each other and say these words: “May God do to you as He did to Ephraim and Manasseh.” The effects of these blessings accompanied the descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh. Evidence of this is reflected in Joshua (a descendant of the tribe of Ephraim) as written in Joshua 1:7: “...be careful to obey all the law that my servant Moses commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may be successful wherever you go.”

While he followed God's commandments, Joshua, in command of the troops of the Israelite army, was victorious. However, the guilt of this people's rebellion caused Joshua to suffer defeats. But he always remained obedient to the Lord.

Farmland

The descendants of Manasseh were Machir (firstborn) father of Gilead (valiant warrior), Isolde, Abiezer, Mahlah, Zelophehad, Perez, Sheresh, Ulam, Rekem, Bedan, Helek, Asrieli, Shechem, Hepher and Shemida, Ahiam, Shechem and Aniam. A famous descendant of Manasseh was Gideon (son of Joash), who, along with 300 valiant men, defeated the Midianites who were plundering the Israelite fields, as described in Judges 6.

In this book, verse 13, there is the famous phrase: “Ah! Lord, if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt? But now the Lord has delivered us into the hands of Midian?’”

This phrase reveals the connection with the meaning of Manasseh's name (God made me forget my past pain) and is proof that Gideon is his descendant. Israel only knew victories when it renounced its past intimacy with idolatry, lies, and communion with everything God disapproved of. To know and enjoy the victories that God will place in our hands, it is essential to leave the past behind.

Blessing

However, we should never forget the details that These are included in the Word of God. The name Ephraim means in Hebrew "God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction." When Joseph named his son Ephraim, he did not forget the prosperity that the Lord had placed in his hands after the various struggles he faced, especially when he set foot in Egypt.

Many Christians imagine that blessings come to them without struggle, without fighting against the forces of darkness. While the Lord wants to bless us, the devil works to prevent these blessings from becoming a reality in our lives. Generally, a Christian is blessed in a place or situation of affliction. For there is no blessing where there is no struggle. This struggle will serve to ensure that the Christian never forgets where he was rescued and freed from.

Each Christian knows his own land of affliction. Sometimes it is within his home, alongside his family, where humiliations are constant because he works to realize his dreams, which those who are not connected to the Lord do not understand. Or even at work, where... Everything is going against the tide. By persevering, the prosperity sent by the Lord will arrive. Don't lose faith.

Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor.

"He cares for yours."

 Luís Alberto Alves/Hourpress

The Word of God in the book of Psalms says that "He cares for yours." Sometimes, because of the hustle and bustle of everyday life, we forget the Lord's care for our lives. Today, especially young people, are preoccupied with technology and overlook how much Jesus loves us.

This Saturday, September 20th, I felt God's great love in my life, deep down. I was passing a large construction site in the capital of São Paulo, when suddenly a huge pit bull came rushing toward me and jumped on my chest.

Head

I couldn't muster any defensive reaction because of its speed. I didn't even try to defend myself with a kick or even a punch against this animal, which weighed over 50 kg. My reaction was to place both hands on its head and say kind words, just as I do with the little dog I have at home.

I asked, and it sat down. It began to run its nose over my belly, then began to gently bite my left hand. He stayed by my side for several minutes. He enjoyed the affection I gave him. Then he saw another person approaching and rushed angrily to attack him. Three men rushed to the person's aid to prevent the worst from happening. But with me, it was God who protected me. The Lord did not allow the enemy to use that animal to harm me. To Him be all glory.

Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor

Empty Fridge Theory: This #book will impact your #faith in #God

Luís Alberto Alves/Hourpress

The book "Empty Refrigerator Theory" is, in fact, the emptiness that feeds, especially when we interpret chapter 36, verse 15, of the book of Job.

Many Christians and non-Christians alike make the mistake of believing that the afflictions and sufferings permitted by God are meant to destroy them.

However, Job 36:15 reveals the opposite: God speaks to the afflicted through pain, not to condemn them, but to awaken and strengthen them.

In our journey through this world, trials are not punishments—they are instruments of qualification.

They prepare us to receive blessings without wasting them—with maturity and renewed faith.

As you read this book, you will see how God uses silence, emptiness, and even scarcity as a means of teaching and growth.

It will expand your spiritual vision of the invisible battles fought in the heavenly realms, as described by the apostle Paul in Ephesians chapter 6, verse 12.

Read, meditate on, and share. This book can transform the way you see life, pain, and God's purpose.

The struggle is to shape you

Luís Alberto Alves

Christians are not always in good shape for the challenges that life will place before them. Like spoiled children, they get used to the easy life at home, with their family, and imagine that in the game of life they will receive the same treatment. Unfortunately, that is not how the wheel turns. They will have to face the struggles that only they will fight with their heads held high.

However, many begin to complain about God, because from a human perspective the Lord would be ungrateful for allowing them to go through this type of situation. People forget that the struggle is the way to make us grow, see new horizons and change the way we view our lives.

As many are accustomed to the ease offered by videos shown on social media, this gives rise to the mistaken idea that the same thing will happen throughout our lives. This is not the case. Therefore, my brother, my sister, it is time to wake up and learn from the lessons that the Lord offers us through the battles we face daily.

Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor.

Mistakes made by Christians

Luís Alberto Alves

We Christians make many mistakes during our walk with Jesus Christ. Most of the time, we do not pay attention to the details that exist in the spiritual world. Another mistake is to underestimate Satan's ability to act. Since he once lived in Heaven, he is familiar with the celestial sphere and how battles are fought there.

The Devil does not have the power to prevent blessings from coming to the life of a Christian. What God promises is fulfilled. However, it is in these details that darkness acts. Imagine a hungry person looking for a restaurant for lunch or dinner. They find themselves in an unfamiliar city and need to quickly eat a meal. In this case, they will look for the closest one.

We do not always find good quality food in an unfamiliar restaurant or one without good references. Because of their rush, some people go into the first place they find. They may run the risk of eating something left over from the day before or even something that is spoiled. But the important thing at that moment is to satisfy their hunger.

Patience

The Enemy knows our needs, especially when they are financial. He will place despair on the person in debt, increase oppression and prevent them from sleeping well. He will also attack their nervous system, so that they lose control over their patience. Lack of emotional control is the fast track to making several mistakes.

Disbelief enters the scene, with the suspicion that Jesus Christ may not fulfill the promise of opening the doors of prosperity in the life of that family. Since he cannot manifest himself physically, the demons sent by the Devil will use people, usually close to them, including relatives and friends, to sow words of discouragement.

Hell's strategy is to take away the peace of this person who is waiting for the blessing to come true so that they can escape financial suffocation and breathe a sigh of relief. It is in this area that the Devil will strike hard, because he knows that this person will have in his hands the blessings promised by Jesus Christ. In any area of ​​life, when one loses focus, there is a great risk of suffering losses.

War

Since spiritual warfare is rarely discussed in church services today, some Christians even believe that the Devil is good. Like an irresponsible soldier, they let their guard down, relax in prayers and even in reading the Bible. They imagine that their pastor can resolve all issues. In other words, when the bomb is about to explode, they can just call the church and leave the situation in the hands of the intercession group.

As I said, the Devil knows this type of Christian. He will exploit their weak points (and we all have them) and work on these weaknesses. For former alcohol addicts, the demons will create situations where this type of drink will appear in large quantities, accompanied by the terrible phrase: “nothing to do with it”. For former drug slaves, the full plate will be the illicit substances that this person used.

For former prostitutes, the darkness will use women (most often beautiful) filled with legions of evil spirits to try to bring down this Christian. The list is long, but in all of them the Devil will exploit the weakness of the person who has freed himself and had an encounter with Jesus Christ. He will not offer a brick of cocaine to someone who has never used this type of drug. This strategy is used against former drug addicts.

Seduction

This arsenal of darkness is to try to prevent the Christian from achieving the blessing he dreams of, the fruit of prayer, fasting, campaigning, visits to the mountains and deep intimacy with God. Since there is no way to make this person lose this gift from the Lord, Satan's solution is to try to hinder the completion of the process, which has already begun in the spiritual world.

Therefore, when a servant of God plunges into a period of deep spiritual warfare, with bombs exploding in various areas of his life, and feels strong oppression, including with his mind filled with evil thoughts, it is a clear sign that the great blessing is on its way. At this time, Christians need to pay extra attention and look to Jesus Christ.

It is extremely important to guard your mouth. Do not murmur, and if you make a mistake, you need to quickly lie down at the feet of the Lord, with prayer and supplication. You cannot, under any circumstances, make the mistake of thinking that you are a failure, that you will never be free from this type of temptation, that God has already forgotten about you, etc. The tip is to double your prayers, listen to spiritual praise (like all the Christian harp songs) and flee from everything that seems evil. Do this and the blessing will not escape you.

Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor and author of the books “Are you prepared to hear God’s No?” and “Theory of the Empty Refrigerator”.

The life of a servant of God is not easy

Luís Alberto Alves

Living is not easy. Especially when you have dedicated your life to Jesus Christ. You have decided to renounce the whims of this sinful world, full of traps set by Satan and his demons. That is when we look at the dishes offered by the devil, many of them beautiful in appearance and very seductive. To say that it is easy to be content with the Grace of God in the face of struggles; only for servants in tune with the Lord.

How many times, during a hard battle, have we not thought for a few seconds about the flashes of happiness from the time when we were trapped in the clutches of darkness? We look at the balance almost in the red in the checking account, the little fuel in the car, the food becoming scarce in the pantry and the injustices surrounding us on all sides.

At that time we also look inside our hearts and feel the weight of loneliness. This is when Christians imagine that all the sacrifices they make seem to have no effect. This is when everything is the target of criticism and even discussion. We look at the Bible and it is written there that the servants of the Lord will eat the best of this Earth. But when we are under countless struggles, nonconformity attacks us.

 Midas

 We look around us and see that people who do not serve Jesus Christ enjoy the best of the best, drive around in designer cars, wear designer clothes, wear top-of-the-line shoes, eat at the best restaurants and go on leisure trips as a routine. They do not need to make an effort. Just like King Midas, wherever they touch hands, they turn into gold. Success accompanies them. It seems that suffering is the inseparable friend of Christians. Whether in their love life, their career, their finances, their university life or their ministry. In everything they do, war is their inseparable companion. 

Because of this, the heart is always attacked by the fear that something unpleasant will happen. Even if it is someone with great faith. The world of darkness is a master at offering the happiness of this world that is fleeting, always supported by the famous phrase “nothing to do with it”. It is in this context that the word fidelity is cast aside. What matters is to enjoy life, the pleasure of the moment. After all, no one who has died and gone to Heaven has returned to tell what it is like to live in that paradise. 

Rotten Supported by the rotten gospel of results, the rule is to be happy here in this world, to take advantage of all the opportunities offered by the devil. It is to fill your nose with drugs or clog your veins with the poison of illicit injectable substances to enter the atmosphere of pleasure at any cost. It is to leave aside the monogamy of marriage and fall into the arms of whoever appears in front of you. In this same journey, it is good to remove the word honesty from your resume and do any kind of trickery to get more money at your workplace. Embrace corruption once and for all. 

The important thing is to have money overflowing in your checking account and to eat the best of the best. The rule is to guarantee happiness at any cost. It is in this crossfire that the servant committed to God will live while he is in this world, where the devil and his demons are in charge. Sometimes he will feel lonely because he silently endures humiliation, because he looks at the wicked who are apparently in a good situation and feels bad. Because he expects to hear words of affection and only hears criticism, because he expects praise and receives insults.

Destiny

At times like these, we think about leaving everything behind and wandering the streets aimlessly. Leaving everything behind, including our family, and disappearing.

As if all this would solve the situation and bring peace to our soul and spirit. After all, every human being is made of flesh, and our veins do not run with ice, but with blood heated by our body heat at a temperature of 36.7°C. If you find yourself in one of the situations I described in this text,

keep believing in Jesus Christ, even under bombardment, even with the desire to disappear, to give up, to renounce everything. Look to God. You may suffer here in this world, where we are just passing through, but in Heaven, where you will live forever, happiness will be your inseparable companion.Try to be at peace with God. Don't look at the situation. It's difficult,

but keep your mouth shut. Focus on the Lord. Ignore criticism, insults, contempt, slander and lies. Keep your eyes on the Lord. All this will pass. Try to stay by Jesus Christ's side. You will be firm and secure with the Master. Do not fight against people, but against the evil spirits that have enslaved your souls. Remember: you do not belong here. You belong to Heaven. 

Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor.

Are you afraid of the fight?

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Luis Alberto Alves

Fight! This word sends shivers down the spine of any Christian. Throughout our lives, we are conditioned to live in the shadows. When difficulties arise, many give up the battle and accept the negative result of defeat. Insisting on changing the situation is something that only a few people can do.

Currently, with the emergence of social networks, millions of Christians make the mistake of believing that the ideal model of life is the one that exists on the internet. There, men over 35 years old show off “six-pack abs,” and wrinkles do not exist on women’s faces. Everything is beautiful.

Few remember the Word described in John 16:33 (In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world, and you will overcome it). The rule is to ignore the warning of Jesus Christ and try to overcome situations with the strength of your arm, or by resorting to the tools used by the world.

Effects

The problem is that many people do not see the opportunities that exist within the fight. They focus only on the fight. They refuse to think about how that battle came about, and what the negative and positive effects are after the fights come to an end.

Imagine someone who has the habit of talking to everyone about their life projects. Instead of holding back, they decide to share their strategies and even future projects. They fail to see that many people will not be happy with our victories. On the contrary, they secretly root for our defeat.

Like a teenager who believes that everyone wants us to be happy, they refuse to use caution. They are malicious. They are quick-witted and never offer gold to the bandit. They never count on the chicken to give them an egg before they lay it. It is in this context that the fight arises, with God's permission, to give us experience and to learn how to see life from another perspective.

War

Jesus Christ knows us. He will never allow His servant to enter a war to die. To emerge from that conflict annihilated, spiritually quadriplegic. The proposal is for this person to evolve. Climb a higher step to glorify and exalt the name of the Lord. There are people who get used to the environment of war, of suffering and being beaten.

When the day comes to sing, to celebrate victory, they become suspicious. They refuse to accept the blessing. It is like someone whose life the Lord places in their life a very handsome man or woman, full of anointing, and this person refuses. They say they do not deserve a person of this stature. They will not be able to be by their side.

It is like the Christian who has gotten used to eating fried eggs for lunch every day, which is normal during wartime, and when he goes to the butcher he buys poor quality meat that takes a long time to cook, in addition to being tough to eat. They refuse to buy a good fish to grill or even take their family out for lunch.

Time

They are servants of God who did not have the wisdom to take advantage of the time they spent on the battlefield. They focused only on combat, leaving aside any learning from those dark days.

For example: someone who lived through a horrible marriage that resulted in divorce needs to analyze what caused that situation.

It is necessary to undertake a long process of meditation. Analyze coldly how they behaved financially, sexually, professionally. Were they supportive of their partner? Did they try to help or did the tasks fall only to one of them? How was the money divided? Did they always humiliate the other? When illness struck, were they supportive enough to take their partner to the doctor?

Was their sex life only to satisfy one of the parties or was there solidarity in thinking about the other? What were the moments of affection like? Was it intense or just formal? Was there sacrifice for the sake of the union? To keep quiet when the temperature was high or the argument was something normal, including swearing and verbal and physical aggression?

Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor.