The Mysteries of the Word of God

    Arquivo/Hourpress

Luís Alberto Alves

The Word of God is divine. It is something that frees us from the illusions the devil spreads throughout this world. Yet, few Christians truly grasp the messages the Lord sends us through His rich Word. Many people continue to accept the crumbs Satan drops from his filthy table. They fail to realize that Jesus offers us the best—not merely leftovers, as the forces of darkness do.

The Lord made it very clear that "Heaven and Earth will pass away, but His Word will not pass away." Therefore, He always fulfills what He promises. But why do Christians lose patience and return to the rubbish from which Jesus Christ once rescued them? A lack of wisdom! They do not understand that the Lord's best is attained through our own sacrifice.

In my thirty-year journey with Jesus Christ, I have witnessed many situations where a blessing was drawing near to people—moments when they were on the verge of smiling. But they failed to stay vigilant; the devil sent his demons, and that rich treasure was stolen. I tried to reason with them, but many refused to listen. The Holy Spirit used my lips to warn that a certain relationship would bring only sorrow, not happiness. Yet, they chose the seemingly easy path offered by darkness, and it led to their ruin.

The Bible

The problem is that people refuse to learn the Lord's Word correctly. They imagine the Bible to be just an ordinary book, unaware that it is something deeply spiritual. One must be attuned to Heaven to truly understand the message the Lord is sending. Take, for example, the verse in the Psalms stating: "May the Grace of the Lord be upon us all, and may He confirm the works of our hands; yes, confirm the works of our hands."

They fail to realize that the Lord's Grace breaks every yoke of darkness and establishes everything that person’s hands accomplish. But first, one must understand what Grace is. Unlike human beings, God holds no rancor in His heart. His Grace is the forgiveness we do not deserve. Thus, when blessing someone, the Lord does not scrutinize that person. God does not impose conditions for pouring out His Grace upon someone's life. How many Christians truly grasp this mystery?

Christians need to deepen their intimacy with God and correctly understand His mysteries. They must stop wasting their efforts—often blaming themselves for failing to savor the sweet taste of success. More often than not, it is a lack of understanding of God's Word that prevents us from attaining success. God is not to blame for our lack of faith. He is love, and in His hands, blessings abound—in such immense measure that we could never calculate them. Draw closer to Jesus Christ, and you will experience the best that God has in store for you.

Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor.

30 Years of Walking with God

                        Nilma Alves

*Luís Alberto Alves

It's not easy to complete a 30-year walk in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Along the way, there are countless temptations. The devil throws all sorts of lentil dishes on the road to try to pull you away from the company of Jesus Christ. The enemy hits hardest at the item you were enslaved to when you were far from God.

Satan tries to show that faithfulness to the Lord is something painful to maintain. He tries to sow the illusion that the dishes he offers are good. After all, pleasure is something enjoyable. I know what I'm talking about. When I planned to hold a Thanksgiving service for 30 years of walking alongside Jesus Christ, the devil hit me hard.

He sowed images of my past in my mind, showing only flashes of rare moments of pleasure, of my wanderings through the streets of São Paulo, usually at night, in search of pleasure. When I returned home, where I now reside with my beloved family, a gift from the Lord, he tried to sow sadness in my heart. Something terrible. Enough to drive me crazy. But I asked the Lord for strength to keep standing, serving the Lord through His Gospel. I managed to hold the Thanksgiving service and praised the Lord through a sermon, where I brought the Word that is written in Mark, chapter 2, verse 17, when Christ said that He came to call sinners, because those who need a doctor are the sick, not the healthy.

Time

I remembered the countless battles faced in these 30 years. In some, I imagined I would be crushed. From 2017 to 2024 I faced the pain caused by unemployment. During that time I counted on the help of my wife, through prayers and fasting, and of friends and brothers in Christ who shared their bread with me. A time when no job opportunities opened, not even to unload cargo from trucks. Everything was closed.

Something terrible. At the height of despair, I stopped in front of a double-articulated bus, hoping it would run me over and say goodbye to this world through death. The driver managed to brake. I tried to throw myself from the floor where I live, but something wouldn't let me plunge into space. At the beginning of 2025, the situation changed. Back in the job market, I had joy back in my heart.

I finally arrived at May 25th of this year, when I completed 30 years in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I reflected a lot. I remembered the people who didn't give up on me. They were by my side during the bad times. I realized how good the Lord is. When He pulled me out of the rot, I was someone with a lot of spiritual filth. A person who didn't deserve to be by God's side because of the countless sins I had committed. God accepted me anyway. He cleaned my soul and spirit, and today I am a new creature. Thank you, Lord.

*Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor and author of the book "The Empty Refrigerator Theory".

The Importance of Blessings in Your Life

Pixabay

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”.