SHAKE THE DUST OFF

My dear fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, have you ever wondered why did Jesus tell his disciples to shake the dust off their feet if a city or home didn’t welcome them? If so, here's why as follow.

When leaving Gentile cities, pious Jews often shook the dust from their feet to show their separation from Gentile practices. It also symbolized cleansing themselves from the contamination of those who did not worship God. If the disciples shook the dust of a Jewish town from their feet, it would show their separation from Jews who rejected their Messiah. This gesture was to show the people that they were making a wrong choice and that the opportunity to choose Christ might not present itself again.

The disciples were not to blame if the message was rejected, as long as they had faithfully presented it. When we share Christ carefully and sensitively, God does not hold us responsible for the other person’s decision.

Beloved of God, the closer you are to God the more sensitive your spiritual discernment becomes. Therefore we must put on the WHOLE amour of God and not just bits and pieces. Surely, no true soldier in the army of the Lord or of this world goes to battle unprepared.

I cannot give you a definite set of rules. Obviously, there will come a time when we are no longer able to teach certain people but we must do everything we can to (plant the seed), others may follow up with additional teaching (watering the seed), but in the final analysis, only God will provide the increase. Here are some passages that refer to the sending forth of Jesus' disciples to the lost sheep of the house of Israel as follow:

Matthew 10:14
Mark 6:11
Luke 9:5-6
Luke 10:11-12
Acts 13:51-52
Matthew 7:6
Hebrews 10:26-31
1 Corinthians 3:6-9

Apparently, Jesus was teaching his disciples that if some people will not listen to the message, their time could be better spent going to someone who will listen.

Are you receptive to teaching from God? If you ignore the Spirit’s prompting, you may not get another chance.

Father,
I ask that You wash my spirit, soul and body with the Blood of the Lamb and
I curse every corruptible seed that has been planted in me and
I command it to wither and die.
I command every foul, unclean spirit that may have attached itself to me,
To loose me,
To leave this property,
To seek dry ground and never return,
In the Mighty and Matchless Name of Jesus
Amen