Possess Your Possessions

"The pride of your heart has deceived you..."  Obadiah 3.  The prophet Obadiah spoke to the nation of Edom. The Edomites were the descendants of Esau, Jacob's older brother.  Jacob was a deceiver from the time he was born, as indicated by his hand on his brother's heel at birth.  Though Esau was the older, he was persuaded by Jacob to sell his birthright for a meal of stew.  Then later, with the help of his mother Rebekah, Jacob stole the blessing from his father that was meant for Esau.  Esau was so angry with his brother that he planned to kill him.  Jacob left to go live with his uncle Laban so that Esau's anger would cool down.  They did have a reconciliation meeting later, but history indicates that the animosity of Esau's descendants continued up to the time of Nebuchadnezzar's capture of Jerusalem in 586BC.  As Obadiah prophecies to Edom, he rebukes them for choosing to side with Babylon against Jacob their brother.  From verses 12-14 there are at least 7 things they should not have done.  They made their decisions from an attitude of pride and animosity.  They felt secure in their nation, living in Petra, a natural fortress.  They said in verse 3, "Who will bring me down to the ground?"  Their pride deceived them, and they became vulnerable to deception.  Obadiah's message warns us of the danger of living with a prideful heart.  "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up."  James 4:10.  "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." James 4:6.  It is in this attitude of humility that we submit to God, we resist the devil, and he flees from us.  Humility is the key to experiencing grace in our lives.  Forgiveness is the key to experiencing freedom in our lives.  Esau's refusal to forgive Jacob caused a root of bitterness to grow, making Esau an immoral and profane person, Heb. 12:14-17.  Edom was stuck in the past because of unforgiveness and anger.  Jesus told us exactly how to stay free from the root of bitterness, "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses."  Mark 11:25.  Forgive anything against anyone.  Why?  Because it sets you free from the past, so you can move on in what God has given you.  Obadiah, the shortest book of the Old Testament, reveals two great truths: humility brings grace, and forgiveness brings freedom.  It is the way to "possess your possessions", Obadiah 17.

Does pride deceive me into thinking I don't need God?