"A Whole Outfit"

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He clothed me with garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness. Isaiah 61:10a
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Did you know the word, "Ho" is in the Bible? It is used twice. Once in Isaiah 55:1 Where he  yells "Ho!" "Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters..." and in Zec 2:6 where he uses it twice when he says, "Ho, Ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north..." I tell you that because as I was getting ready to start writing today's message and all I wanted to do was start it with a great big loud "HO!" to get your attention. I wanted to start by saying, "Pay attention! Listen up! Don't miss this one! Its important!"

In Genesis 37 we get introduced to the robe that is going to speak to us about ...? Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a coat of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him. Genesis 37:3-4

It says that Joseph was born to him in his old age and that that was a major factor as to why He loved Joseph more. Because of the love that he had for this young man that was born to him later in life it says that he gave him a coat of many colors. It was special. Now I'm sure that he provided coats for all his sons but this one was different. It wasn't plain to look at. It was a coat of many colors. A coat that was special and unique and it was given to Joseph by his father as a sign of the love and favor that Joseph had with his father! It represented to the whole world the heart of his father every time he wore it!

In verse 18 of chapter 37 it says, "Now when they saw him afar off, even before he came near them, they conspired against him to kill him." They saw someone in the distance and knew it was him. Why? Because he was wearing his coat. No one else had a coat of many colors. They saw all that color coming at them and they knew. It was then that they devised their plan to get rid of him.

In verse 23-24 it says, ...that they stripped Joseph of his coat, the coat of many colors that was on him and cast him into a pit." In verses 31-33 it tells us that they took the coat dipped it the blood of a kid and took it to their father to show him. He recognized it and determined that Joseph was dead.

Joseph was known and recognized because of the coat his father gave him. In the verse from Isaiah above it is talking about a whole lot of joy and rejoicing and it gives us a clear picture about the joy that is involved in receiving the garments of salvation and the robe of righteousness. When I read this verse I can see the scene between Israel and Joseph when he is giving Joseph his very own special robe. It is a scene with lots of laughter and joy on the part of Joseph that his father would give him such a gift. It is also a picture of the joy that Israel feels at his sons pleasure and it is apparent for all to see! He is smiling and laughing and bursting with love as he watches his son, bursting with excitement as he puts it on.

This robe was all about The Father's love and favor and everyone around saw it and knew it. The enemy knows that our Heavenly Father has provided us with special garments as well! He has purchased everything necessary to cloth us in garments of praise, garments of salvation and a very special robe of righteousness. He has provided us with a whole wardrobe that speaks of his love and favor towards us. Wear them!

The enemy will like Joseph's brothers will try to strip them off from you! They belong to you because you are favored by him. He loves you. He favors you and nothing the enemy can do will change his heart and purpose for you. In verse 37 as they were devising their plan against him Joseph's brothers said, "...We shall see what will become of his dreams!" In the end -They did!

What the enemy means for evil - God can use for good! He will try to take you garments because they speak of God's love and favor towards his sons and daughters but they are yours to wear! Yours to walk in! Yours to rejoice in!

He has given us a whole outfit!

Garment of Salvation - I think - definitely Crimson red?
Garment of Praise - I think - maybe - Rainbow colored?
Robe of Righteousness - I think - possible - white and gold and very sparkly?

Seems to me we to are arrayed in garments of many colors as well! Each one a picture for all the world to see of Our heavenly Fathers love and favor towards us!

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