The Esau Syndrome

       The Psalmist declared, "God has spoken once, Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God" (Psalm 62:11). Like him, we have heard God speak His Word to us through the Scriptures, and we have seen the manifestation of His Word in and around us. God is real and His Word is true! As sons of God, we attest to this truth not only because we read them in the Bible, but because we have experiential knowledge that it is the truth! In the days of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Esau, the Word of God was the passing down of God's instructions from one generation to another. Abraham taught it to his sons, and his son in turn taught it to his sons. However, we would see that not all the sons in each generation lived by what they had been taught. 

       One such character is Esau. He lived in the same house with Jacob, and a favorite of his father, yet, he did not understand or yield to the instructions of his father. If he had, he would not have turned his future into a currency to be bartered with. Many amazing sons of God are in the fold but have turned their lives into currencies to be bartered with. The story of Esau was so important that we were reminded of it in the New Testament. 

       Let's consider again what he did. The Bible tells us he was a hunter. He came back from the field one day, exhausted and hungry. He met his brother cooking lentil stew and asked for some. The brother told him to sell his birthright (his position as firstborn) to him for a bowl of stew! Esau did not hesitate, but quickly did, because of his stomach: "And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?” Then Jacob said, “Swear to me as of this day.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright" (Genesis 25:32-34). He had no regard for who he was, and so disdained his inheritance. 

       To remind us how grievous this sin was, it was repeated: "Watch out for the Esau syndrome: trading away God’s lifelong gift to satisfy a short-term appetite. You well know how Esau later regretted that impulsive act and wanted God’s blessing—but by then it was too late, tears or no tears" (Hebrews 12:16-17, MSG). Many have traded away the gift of God in their lives to satisfy a short-term appetite. Many amazing children of God traded their futures for decisions and offers that shut the heavens against them. 

       So as not to fall into the same mistake Esau did, as disciples of Jesus Christ, we are told: "And He said to all, If any person wills to come after Me, let him deny himself [disown himself, forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests, refuse and give up himself]..." (Luke 9:23a, AMPC). 

       Beloved, that decision you are pondering and about to take, will it glorify God or just satisfy your interests at that moment? Many are ready to do anything for what they desire. They forget to think about what will happen after the appetite is satisfied! Beloved, when you refuse your flesh to rule you as it did Esau, you will not partake in what the world is offering you, no matter how much your flesh and passion desires it! Daniel and his friends understood this, and they stood their ground. Apostle Paul equally understood this (Romans 7:13-25), and he declared, by the Spirit of God: "But [like a boxer] I strictly discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached [the gospel] to others, I myself will not somehow be disqualified [as unfit for service]" (1Corinthians 9:27, AMP). 

      Only when we master our flesh can we successfully say no, and stand, with endurance, in the face of evil and its wares. The strength to do this has been released to us, all we have to do is appropriate it and walk in it: "For the [remarkable, undeserved] grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to reject ungodliness and worldly (immoral) desires, and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives [with a purpose that reflect spiritual maturity] in this present age" (Titus 2:11-12, AMP). 

       Unlike Esau, we have the grace to cry to Heaven in repentance and we will be forgiven. But if we decide to make excuses for the failings of our flesh, we are in danger of the Heavens closing over us. Beloved, just as the Heavens can open over a man, so can it close over a man! Do not be deceived! May God bless you as you examine yourself to make sure you are still standing in the faith, in Jesus Christ name, Amen!