SIGNED WITH THE KING'S RING

This is the age of democracy. Everyone wants to exercise their rights and our leaders take the stage to make declarations but soon change their stand on matters when the majority says, 'NO.' The principles of a kingdom have long been forgotten hence we find it hard to interpret the things of the kingdom of God. How can we interpret the things of the kingdom with a democratic mindset? In this article we are going to explore a few stories from the bible of the kingdoms of men that rose but crumbled just to remind ourselves of the values and principles of a Kingdom.


DARIUS' KINGDOM, PERSIA. (DANIEL 6)


6 So the administrators and the satraps went as a group to the king and said: "O King Darius, live forever! 7 The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions' den. 8 Now, O king, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed." 9 So King Darius put the decree in writing.


The story of Daniel in the lions' den is one of the famous stories in the bible and now world wide, kids in Sunday school will recite this story without much difficult. The thing that excited me as I went through the story is not the craftiness but also the understanding of the satraps and governors. Their craftiness managed to deceive the King but their understanding of the Principles and rules of Persia tied the hands of the King hence condemning Daniel to the Lions den even when the King finally opened his eyes.


The governors, satraps and leaders had been on Daniel's case, they examined his every move to find fault but soon found out that he was a righteous man and excellent in all his ways. A righteous and gifted man is definitely loved by Kings as they are the sole reason that his kingdom prospers. The righteous are protected by King making it difficult for any other to lay their hands on them and get away with it. The only way you touch the righteous, the apple of the King's eye is by turning the king's face away and causing his own hand to strike that which he loves. The satraps proved Daniel to operate in Excellency and found him to be devoted to his God more than anything else. The only way to destroy him was to prey on his devotion to God; if this were to crash with the king’s interest then Daniel would be in trouble. This seemed a good plan but there was only one short fall, the King is a man and subject to change his mind if he clearly sees the trap laid before him because the king loved Daniel. Therefore they looked for something more stable than the king's wavering mind. They found the law to be unwavering at this time and in many ways even above the King himself.


Reading the story through, you will find that preying on the king was the easy task. Every king wants recognition (in this day and age we would say they have the right to receive that from the people lol). The proposal that the Satraps brought forward was cunningly wrapped as a gift to feed the king's ego, and any ungodly king would accept this gift but most would not at the expense of their loved ones or loyal employees.

11 Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. 12 And they went before the king, and spoke concerning the king’s decree: “Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitions any god or man within thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?”
The king answered and said, “The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.”
13 So they answered and said before the king, “That Daniel, who is one of the captives[a] from Judah, does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”
14 And the king, when he heard these words, was greatly displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him. 15 Then these men approached the king, and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”


The king was in despair, he had just condemned a righteous and gifted man blindly. A king rarely works for anything but the scripture says that he labored all day trying to save Daniel. He got to find out that his hands were tied, he couldn’t save the man he so desired not condemn, why? The satraps answer it in the best way, “Know, O king that it is the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed.” The most powerful man in this kingdom was even subject to the laws that had been decreed and were written down. He knew that overruling the statute/decree to pardon Daniel an innocent man would mean tearing the kingdom away from him. Let me echo this again their craftiness managed to deceive the King but their understanding of the Principles and rules of Persia tied the hands of the King hence condemning Daniel to the Lions den even when the King finally opened his eyes.


Ahasuerus’ Kingdom, PERSIA (Esther)


19 "Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she. 20 Then when the king's edict is proclaimed throughout his entire vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest." Esther 1:19


The story in the book of Esther is just a reflection of the one in the book of Daniel as they happened in the same kingdom just at different times. Once the queen disrespected the King in front of all his guests in his anger the king agreed to put a decree and put away queen Vashti. It was for the good of all the men in the city as they would have all the households in order and the King would maintain his respect among the people. After some time the anger subsided and the king remembered his love for Vashti. He was the king of 127 provinces but among all the riches and the beauty of the nations he wanted to show his appreciation of his wife and recognise that he had a beautiful wife. His act of appreciation was misunderstood by the queen, and this led to her refusal. The king would have loved to have her back but the law of Medes and Persia could not be changed.


This has very much clarified that the two events happened in the same kingdom just at different times but the same laws applied. The decrees made by a king could not be changed.
The second story found in the book of Esther is so similar to the story of Daniel but on this account instead of trying to get ride of just one person (Mordecai), the enemy (Haman) tries to destroy the Jewish Race including the king’s love Esther.


12Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring. 13And the letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey. Esther 3:12-13


This king has also being deceived and made to sign the life of his love, Queen Esther, including the lives of many innocent people to death. Mordecai once he learnt of the plot made Esther know she was not immune to the law but she was brought unto the palace for that very reason to save the Jewish people. God hears the out cry of the people and causes Esther and Mordecai both to have favour before the king which leads to his enlightenment of the cruelly intentions of Haman.


In the story of Daniel though the King found out of the intentions of the satraps but his hands were tied, Daniel was thrown into the Lion’s den and his salvation came from another source. Since Esther, Mordecai and the Jews are in the same situation here you would expect that the decree would put all them to death and the king would have no power whatsoever to redeem even his love queen Esther and maybe like Daniel, salvation would come from elsewhere.


The story though unfolds that the King hangs Haman on the same gallons he prepared for his enemy which is very much expected in every way but then he gives right to the Esther and Mordecai to write another decree for the Jews.


8 You yourselves write a decree concerning the Jews, as you please, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s signet ring; for whatever is written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring no one can revoke.” (Esther 8:8)


Here is another aspect of this kingdom that caught my attention. On the surface it looks like the law or decree mention at first (Esther 3:11-12) was revoked/changed and rendered useless. At this time am thinking that this king has just changed the law made it to suit him and soon the kingdom might be torn from him because of this act. But a closer look at the wording of the second decree written by Mordecai starts reveal that actually the first law was still at work


11 By these letters the king permitted the Jews who were in every city to gather together and protect their lives—to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province that would assault them, both little children and women, and to plunder their possessions Esther 8:11


Look at this statement closely, if the first law was abolished and rendered ineffective by the second law why would the Jews still need to protect themselves. Why did people have to fight at all or even worse get killed? Why did Mordecai word this decree to the Jews like this why wouldn’t he just cancel the first decree that was made. Allow me to borrow these words again, “Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”


You see! Those who hated the Jews on this date were entitled to attack and kill the Jews; they had the right from the first decree which was sent to all the provinces. The decree could not be revoked but the second one just gave the power to the Jews to protect themselves. In a way the second decree seems to take away the sting of the first one and seems stronger but remember people still died in as the story in the book of Esther is being concluded which shows that they were still acting in their rights from the first decree. I love this story because it some how always reminds me of the kingdom of God.


THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN


‘If you say God is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent that is to say all powerful and is everywhere, why does He not change the world?’ one of the questions that would silence me in almost every discussion back in high school. A person trying to answer this question without any thought will stammer and may seem to contradict himself, while some will say, ‘the secrets should remain with God(Deuteronomy 29:29)’ others will say, ‘ even His foolishness is wiser than our wisdom, so His ways definitely would excel our line of thought(Isaiah 55:8-9).’ These will hold true in different circumstances, but let me provoke your Spirit a little by dropping this thought in your mind also: the change we expect to see does not happen (or at least not in the way we desire it to happen) because HE SPOKE A WORD!


(Back ground readings Genesis 2:17, 3:14-19, Isaiah 55:8-11, Matthew 24:35, Philippians 2:9-11, Numbers 23:19)


In the Garden of Eden man was forbidden to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, the punishment God said would be death. The facts about the fall of man are well known but if they have been forgotten please refer to the verses again. We have looked at the kingdom of Persia, one of its principles was that the decree made by the king would not change and the kings at the time went as far as losing their loved ones because they could not change what was earlier decreed. Now we are looking at the Kingdom of God, THE KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. Even in this democratic world we somehow understand if a president or prime minister uses excess force just to make sure that the statutes especially the right to live is upheld and not bleached by some extremists. But when we come to God we apply a different standard, we expect Him unlike the kings of Persia to curve in to the majority or circumstances like some democratic leaders of our day and age. The decree He made in the Garden of Eden still stand to this very day because we ate from that tree we shall die surely and face our judgement thereafter (Hebrews 9:27). Some say it was just a spiritual death but I think and bear with me if am wrong that it was a physical death as well. The moment man ate the fruit decay entered into the world and the result is all the toil and sufferings you see today. No one has lived more than a day on earth in God eyes (if indeed a day is a like a thousands of years and a thousand of years like a day) I would like to think Adam died on the same day he ate the fruit in God’s eyes.


Scientists discovered some time back that the earth was held on nothing but just sound particles and recently I understand that in every matter the smallest of particles are made of sound particles. Going back to the story of creation, at God’s word the universe was created and everything that is in it big or small. Earlier I said kings would be uncomfortable to change the statutes because that would be the beginning of their downfall but we have here something that is much bigger that the limited kingdoms of men. The whole universe hangs on the very word of God; if He were to change His word then the universe would crumble because it is that word that holds it together to begin with. What does the bible say about God’s word (also read article written in 2007 ‘Importance of the word’)


11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55


35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away. Matthew 24


19 “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? Numbers 23

Yes God’s word spoken to Adam in the garden of Eden is still active and carries weight but like in the Story of Esther that is not the only decree that was made because the bible says concerning Christ that HE is the lamb that was slain before the foundation of the Earth (Revelations 13:8). So there is a law that brought death unto the world but there is also one that brings life. This life is not just a life as perceived by the world but it is life eternal that though this body sleep yet we still live with a new body. The bible calls Jesus the second Adam and said through the first Adam sin entered the world and killed many but through the second redemption came to the saving of many souls (Romans 3:31, 5:12,15,20).


Looking back to the story of Esther you will see that the Jews had to protect themselves from those who tried to harm them. They gathered together and still had to fight for their cause. If they didn’t take their stand some could have been killed. Today the only fighting that we have to do is to make that decision for Christ (Romans 10:8-10, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4). There is no other way to release yourself from the first decree unless you are under the covering of the second decree. Like in the story of Esther the sting of the first decree to kill the Jews was taken away by the second one which gave the Jews power to defend themselves. Much in the same way the sting of death that was brought by the first decree in the Garden of Eden was taken away by the Second one which was fulfil on the cross of Calvary (1 Corinthians 15:55). The sting is not taken away by your ability to fight but much in every way by second law, in the same way as the children of Israel that looked unto the bronze serpent in the desert were saved those that look unto Jesus, the law grace, are saved from the law of death (Romans 3:31). The first law had to be fulfilled in every way and indeed it was paid for in full by Jesus when He said it is finished (John 19:19). You can’t stand before the Judge and the accuser without Jesus and His completed work on the Cross. They sang in heaven ‘worthy is the Lamb’ why? He was slain from the foundation of the Earth (Revelations 13:8) WHY?


16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. JOHN 3:16

ACCESSING THE LIFE

Last week we spent a few moments to look at why Jesus is the answer to our common need of salvation. Today I want us to spend sometime looking at how we can come to access the life fully. But first let us recall the verses of the last exposition, particularly John 1:10 & 17: Jesus was in the world and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. Jesus came to His own and His own did not know Him. Then, let us ask the question: “If Jesus came to give eternal life and this is the life people were searching for, why did they not know Him or receive Him?” Surely, it sounds like it doesn’t make sense, or does it? But you can rest assured that it does make sense. This is what we want to look at today; specifically we will study to see if there any rule we must observe in order to access the life of Christ.

Drawing from a sample of several scriptures (for example, John 7: 12, 20 & 31; 6: 68-69; & 8:52), we are able to see that indeed many did not know Jesus as the Christ, while others knew Him. The unbelieving responded to Him in many disrespecting ways. For instance, they complained about Him that He deceived people, and they believed and accused Him that He had a demon and was a sinner (Ch. 7:12 & 20; 8:52). On the other hand, those who believed in Him believed in different degrees; some of these were still afraid of the Jews so they did not profess their faith openly, while others like Peter and the other apostles believed He was certainly the Christ and even left all they had for His sake (Ch.6:68 & 69; 7:31). But this left me wondering and consequently I was searching and meditating why was this the case; I mean if all including the unbelieving were looking forward to the Messiah (crosscheck John 7:40-43), why is it that some knew Him when He came and others did not know Him? How could it be, is the Bible not contradicting itself? Well, thank God because I found the answer in several scriptures in the same book John which I will try to highlight and connect so that in the end you and I will be able to conclude on our subject matter this week.

You see in Ch.6: 63-64, The Lord said it is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh profits nothing; the words He spoke were life and spirit. And He said ‘Yet there are some among you who do not believe.’ This he said because He knew from the beginning those who would not believe in Him and would betray Him. As if not enough, in Ch.8: 42-43, He went on to confront the unbelieving saying if God was their Father, as they had been claiming, then they would receive and love Him because He proceeded from the Father for the very purpose that He would make Him (the Father) known. He further told them the reason they could not understand His doctrine was because they were unable to listen to His word. What does that mean? Well, before we answer this question lets also consider Ch.6:65. The Lord said in this verse that no one would come to Him in faith unless the Father drew him to Him. Now, lets us define those who qualify for the Father to draw them to Christ.

Well Ch.7:16-17 defines these people for us: Jesus answered them and said “My doctrine is not mine, but His who sent me. If anyone seeks to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is of God or whether I speak on my own authority.” So we see that anyone can qualify. But among the ‘anyones’, those who actually qualify in practice are those ones who seek to do God’s will. It is these who shall know the Christ. The Father will draw these to Him because, according to Jn.1:18, ‘no one has seen God at any time but the only begotten who is in the bosom of the Father has manifested Him to us.’ So to know God we need Jesus, and to know Jesus we need to believe His doctrine is from God Himself. You see friend, Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Him. This is the way God chose. This is also the distinguishing line to the question laid before us at the beginning; those who seek to do the will of God will have Him reveal Christ Jesus to them, while those who do not seek to do His will shall not know Him or have life in them.

So we see that for us to draw from Christ’s life we must first humble ourselves and seek to do His will and God will open our eyes to what we need and what we should do. This is the guiding rule to accessing the life of Christ!

To be continued...

JESUS THE ANSWER?

In the last article we looked at salvation as the need of the world, and that Jesus Christ the Son of God was and is the answer that God provided. He came forth from the Father. But exactly what does He have that should attract people to Him?

John 1:10 &11 says that Jesus was in the world and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own and His own did not know Him. My question would be why was He in the world? Well, verse 4 of the same chapter tells us that in Jesus had been life, and the life had been the light of men. That’s the reason why He came; He wanted us to have the life that is in Him. And this is the very reason why He is the answer to all mankind.

To understand what this means we must try to break down the verses one by one. Firstly, what is this life spoken of, is it different from the life man is already living? Yes, the life is different; it is more than just physical life. The word for this life in original Greek is Zoe, meaning the God-kind of life. It is the principle of life in the spirit and soul; it is the highest and best form of life. This is why the Lord said He came that we may have life and have it more abundantly. You see, it is only out of this life that existence, sustenance, purpose, identity, fulfilment, joy and peace flow. It is not the material life people are longing for but fulfilled life, which is exactly what Christ has to offer.

Secondly, we are told that this life is the light of men. Do you understand what that means? Well, the original translation likens it to light as that of a shining sun as opposed to the moon or fire. You see, the principle is that this light can neither be kindled nor quenched. In other words, it continues to shine. The life in Christ is eternal, hallelujah! Also, just as the light of the sun is for the development of plants, so is the life of Christ for the development of men as they expose themselves to it. The presence of Christ’s life in us results in love, joy, peace, meaning, identity, and all that is God’s will for mankind; while its absence results in misery, vice, emptiness, darkness, hopelessness and all wanting. This is so because man was not meant to exist and develop independent of God. Christ made that point clear when He said in John 15 that in the grand divine plan He is the true vine and those believing in Him are the branches. He said that we can not develop or do anything tangible apart from Christ. Bearing fruit, which is the uttermost expression of humanity, is only possible in Him. Therefore, these are the reasons why He is the answer since all we long for is wrapped up in the Saviour. Perhaps that is why He is called Saviour; He came to salvage that which was corrupted.

So friend, have you been to the Lord to find meaning and be reconciled to Him? And for those who have, are we drawing from Christ the riches He came to give? The scriptures are clearly expounded before your eyes, don’t miss your moment. May the Almighty God bless you as you reflect!

To be continued....

THE VALUE OF SALVATION

Beloved, would you please spare with me a few of your minutes to consider what salvation means to this world. Let’s start by considering the following scriptures: John 1: 19, 20, 21, 41, & 45; John 3:2 and John 4:42. From these scriptures, were you able to see anything in common concerning the state of the world (people) then? Well, it is clear that these people were aware of a certain need in their lives and were out searching for it for a long time.

These scriptures record that, out of uncertainty, the Pharisees sent some people to John the Baptist to find out if He was the Prophet, Elijah or the Christ. Also, after encountering the Lord Jesus, Andrew went to tell his brother, Simon, that they had found the Messiah. Further, finding Nathanael, Philip told him they had found Him of whom Moses and the Prophets spoke about. Further still, we are told that Nicodemus, who was a ruler of the Jews and a teacher of the law, went to Jesus by night to inquire of Him. Lastly, the scriptures record that after hearing the testimony of the woman who met Jesus at the well, the Samaritans came to the Lord to hear Him and that after hearing Him for two days they concluded that Jesus was the Christ and Saviour of the world!

These scriptures tell us but one thing: the world then was in need of salvation and was looking for a saviour. Although they had mighty kings, well trained armies and authorities reigning over them, the people still had a deep longing for someone more than these mortal men. They needed someone who could understand them and was also able touch the very depths of their souls to remove every burden, to still every longing and provide answers to every question centring around identity, meaning, purpose, fulfilment, joy and what have you. You see, from the same scriptures we are able to tell that Jesus Christ the Son of God was that answer. His presence in their lives made the people want just to stay with Him. He brought them life, meaning, satisfaction and security. Their burdens of sins, guilt conscience and condemnation were rolled away, and light and joy radiated their faces bringing in freshness. It was their moment; they could not just let it go. Andrew, Philip and the Samaritan woman did not want to have Him only to themselves but were more readily willing to call others also that they may experience the same joy. Jesus became the centre of their lives that they were even willing to abandon their businesses and all in order to follow Him. After all He was all that mattered; you couldn’t blame them but admire them. These people had found treasure!

However, as it was then, so is it now! The world (you and I) needs a saviour, and Jesus is still the answer. Have you gone to the Lord recently to find what they found then, the thing you are searching for? What they experienced is for us too! Drugs, sex, riches, family, bling-bling and whatever won’t do it; it didn’t work then – or you may ask Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman, they too tried it all and were still longing. Only Jesus was the answer and still is today! What joy He brought in their lives! You see in Him is life, and that’s what you need. May God bless you as you meditate on this and consider surrendering yourself to Him! Amen.

To be continued...

LIFE OF THE BAPTISED

Readings: 2 Corinthians 5:14-17, Romans 6:1-11, Ephesians 4:17-24, Colossians 2:20-23, Romans 8:12-14, 1 John 3:4-10

Many times in my walk as a Christian I have asked myself “where is the victory over sin?” You see, I have known that I have victory over sin but have not been able to truly experience it. In this article I would like to share some of the things I have learnt and I am currently practicing which I feel will release you and enable you to enjoy the freedom that is truly yours. Paul tells us that it is for freedom that we have been set free and Jesus said “you shall know the truth and the truth will set you free.” In other words, only as we discover the truth of our identity as Christians will we be able to live in freedom.

The main text is Romans 6:1-11, although reading the whole chapter is strongly encouraged. It was as I was preparing for a message I did not actually preach that these truths I am about to share were made evident and clear to me. I will therefore embark on a verse by verse exposition of the text.

Romans 6:1-11 reads: What shall we say to all this? Are we to remain in sin in order that God’s grace (favor and mercy) may multiply and overflow? Certainly not! How can we who died to sin live in it any longer? Are you ignorant of the fact that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, so we too might habitually live and behave in newness of life. For if we become one with Him by sharing a death like His, we shall also be one with Him in sharing His resurrection by a new life lived for God. We know that our old self was nailed to the cross with Him in order that our body which is the instrument of sin might be made ineffective and inactive for evil, that we might no longer be the slaves of sin. For when a man dies, he is freed (loosed, delivered) from the power of sin among men. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him. Because we know that Christ, being once raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has power over Him. For by the death He died, He died to sin ending His relation to it once and for all; and the life He lives, He is living to God in unbroken fellowship with Him. Even so consider yourselves also dead to sin and your relation to it broken, but alive to God living in unbroken fellowship with Him in Christ Jesus. (Taken from the Amplified Bible, emphasis mine)

As one reads this scripture, the question that might come to mind would be what is the grace Paul talks about in verse 1? The answer is found in Romans 5:20 where Paul says “where sin abounded, grace abounded even more.” The question he asks in Romans 6:1 is a continuation from Romans 5. Are we to continue to sin so that God’s grace may abound? To Paul this was ridiculous as he explains later, but this was the mindset that some people had and some today also have. If God’s grace abounds where sin abounds, then in order to increase grace we should continue to sin. But this should not be.

You see, grace is God’s unmerited favor towards us. It is God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense, meaning we receive from God that which we do not deserve and we are not in any way qualified to receive yet God gives it to us. Many times we abuse God’s grace, but His grace is there to provide an opportunity for us to step out of sin and step into righteousness. Titus 2:11,12 says For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age (NIV). Therefore, one aspect of God’s grace is to remove us from sin and bring us to godliness.

Now, Romans 6:2 tells us that sin is forbidden for a Christian. It is a taboo for a Christian to live a life of sin. Actually God does not allow it as the KJV says “God forbid”. Verse 3 gives us the explanation of why sin is forbidden to a Christian. It says that all of us who were baptized into Jesus were baptized into His death. What does this mean?

To begin with, it is crucial for us to understand that in talking about baptism, Paul was using language that the Romans were familiar with. He is using baptism as an analogy or word picture to explain what he has just said in verse 2. Where do I get this from? Romans 6:19, Paul says he is speaking in familiar human terms. He was speaking in terms that were easy to understand for the Romans.

Here are the technicalities of what he means. Jesus went on the cross because of my sin, He who had no sin was made sin (2 Corinthians 5:21). Technically we deserved to die because the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), but He took our place, what I believe they call substitutionary atonement. According to Paul, however, we were crucified with Him. In verse 6 he says our old self was crucified together with Christ. It is the old self that needed crucifixion, the marred image of God, for we still bear that image. Since it was our sin that put Him on the cross, our sinful nature was put on the cross with Him. In so doing God dealt with the disease and not the symptom. And so we joined Him on the cross.

It might be difficult to understand and grasp but that is what happened. Many times I have found that it is easy for us to believe that we are born with the sin nature but it is difficult to grasp that Jesus was our substitute. Just as sin entered into the world through one man and death through sin and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned… so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.(Romans 5:12,18,19)

What Paul is telling us by using the word baptism is that we were joined with Christ. If we were baptized into or joined with Christ, then whatever He went through, we went through with Him spiritually. On the cross He died then He was buried or baptized (immersed) into the grave and we were together with Him. Then He resurrected and we, being joined to Him, resurrected with Him.

We were buried with Him so that as He was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, we too might live a new life. This is a statement of the victory the Christian has and Paul repeats this in his other epistles although not in the exact same wording. Consider 2 Corinthians 5:14-17 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And He died for all that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again… Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old is gone, the new has come! (NIV) Other versions say if anyone is joined to Christ, if anyone is in grafted in Christ. All this emphasizes the same thing that Paul shows in Romans 6.

Jesus died so that we might live a new life to God, a life free from sin. Our old sinful nature was nailed to the cross and it died so that sin might lose its power over us. In order for me to have victory over sin, the sinful nature that is at work in me has to be done away with. Because it is a part of me as I am born with it, only death will do away with it. And so I die with Christ, for when a man dies, he is free from sin as verse 7 says. I think we can all agree that a dead body is not thinking about sin and so it will not and cannot sin. Death, then, solves the problem of sin and we died with Christ.

But, Christ went further than just dying, He resurrected and in His resurrection He now lives a new life. A life not given to sin because the body of sin has been done away with and remains in the grave. 1 Corinthians 15:45 says “the first Adam became a living being or soul; the last Adam, meaning Jesus, became a life giving spirit, restoring the dead to life.” And so in Christ we have a new life as is emphasized in the famous 2 Corinthians 5:17. This new life, as I have already said, is a life that is not given to sin.

In Ephesians 1:19,20 part of Paul’s prayer is that we might come to know the power that raised Christ from the dead. He tells us in another place that the same power is at work in us who believe. This power that is at work in us is the same power that raised Christ from the dead, giving Him a new life which He lives to God. Understanding this would enable us to exercise power and authority over sin. We would not respond to any temptation to sin because of our identification with not only Jesus’ death but also His resurrection.

As a sinner, one is obligated to sin because one is not a sinner because he/she sins. Rather he/she sins because of the sin principle at work in him/her. But, if you were baptized into Christ then you are obliged to act in righteousness. And having been set free from sin, you have become the servants (slaves) of righteousness ( of conformity to the divine will in thought, purpose and action). (Romans 6:18, Amp)

The life of the baptized is a new life, a life that is dead to sin but alive to God (see Galatians 2:20). It is a life that is no longer given to sin. If you have been baptized into Christ, you cannot continue to live in sin. John the apostle also emphasizes on this in 1 John 3:4-10, No one who abides in Him, who lives and remains in communion with and in obedience to Him- deliberately, knowingly and habitually commits (practices) sin… No one born of God deliberately, knowingly and habitually practices sin, for God’s nature abides in him, His principle of life, the divine sperm, remains permanently within him; and he cannot practice sinning because he is born of God. Note that John emphasizes that the Christian cannot go on sinning just as Paul says that it is forbidden for the Christian to sin.

The key to a life of victory over sin lies in the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and our identification with it. Once we are born again or acknowledge that only Christ can cleanse us of all sin we should know that not only does He remove past sin, but He also gives us victory over sin. Our baptism into Christ occurs when we believe in our hearts and acknowledge with our mouths that He is Lord and was raised from the dead.

But why is then that many Christians do not walk in victory over sin? The answer lies in Romans 6:11. Paul says we are to consider ourselves dead to sin, in other words we are to think of ourselves as dead to sin. We need to walk in this consciousness that we are dead to sin. It is not psychology or positive thinking, it is about the value we place on ourselves as Christians, it is how we reckon ourselves. Take Joseph for example, when he refused to go to bed with Potiphar’s wife he said “How can I do such a thing, it is not in me to do such a thing.” Something told him that he was different and that committing such a sin would be to degrade himself, he reckoned himself to be above such a sin. It all comes from an understanding of what has happened in reality, which is your union with Christ. How can you, who have been united to Christ continue in sin, you who bear the divine seed, the divine image?

Victory over sin has to with your mind, your perception of yourself. To continue in sin is contrary to my nature. That is why Paul tells us to have a renewed mind in Romans 12:2. The issue of victory over sin began even in Genesis. Consider what God told Cain “…sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you but you must master it.” (Genesis 4:6, NIV) Today, He is calling us to master it because, in Christ, He has given us power and authority over it. You can no longer say you cannot help it because you can. Exercise your God-given power over sin.

A traffic policeman has to position himself on the road and exercise his authority, if he does not position himself no one will submit to his authority. You can control traffic in your life as long as you are positioned in Christ. You can stop sin from mastering you and instead manifest the righteousness of God.

Romans 8:12-14 says we are debtors but not to the flesh to fulfill its desires. We are debtors because a ransom was paid for us, a price was paid for our freedom and we are indebted to the one who paid that price. We are indebted to live for Him. We have an obligation to God and not to the flesh, that is why it is only reasonable for us to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice to God.

Paul says two key things in Romans 6:3&11“Do you not know?” and “reckon yourself.” Victory over sin issue is about a knowing and a reckoning. Knowing what Jesus did by His death and resurrection and considering or reckoning who you are in light of your knowing.

In all of this, the crucial question is, have you been baptized into Christ? This is not the baptism that is just a sign of a spiritual experience. Not the baptism we have in the church, this is a union with Christ, a joining with Him on the cross, His death, burial and resurrection. The answer is crucial as it determines the type of life you live. You can either be in bondage to sin or free from it and its power.
If you have not been baptized into Christ, all you have to do is to look to Him for salvation, to believe in His death and resurrection as the only means by which you can obtain victory over sin. And if you are born again and you are struggling with sin, reckon yourself dead to sin and alive to God, that is the key.

May God richly bless you and enable you to walk in newness of life as you reckon yourself dead to sin but alive to God.

POSITION YOURSELF IN THE PROMISED LAND

POSITION YOURSELF IN THE PROMISED LAND.
Numbers 32:1-5 Joshua 22:10-34 Genesis 19:17, 26
Genesis 13:1-18 1 Kings 17:1-16 Genesis 26:1-5, 12-14
Genesis 12:1-3 Act 2:1-4, 4:24-31 Genesis 13:1-18
Does it really matter where you are, does the church you attend every Sunday matter, does your job etc also play a part in experiencing the blessing of the Lord fully? A little background reading on the verses on top would help give more insight of the things that are said in the article.
We are just coming out of the year that was proclaimed the year of new beginnings and we are a going into a year where some believe that God will birth in us something new, others say it is a year of seven fold increase and still others a year of great success. Whatever the declaration is for the year but there are still the same conditions that will prompt God to birth something new in us? Surely we have learnt from our biology that in order for a seed to germinate the conditions in that environment must be right, if one element is not right then the germination will not take place. The blessing of the Lord also works on the same principles; it will not be activated unless the right environment is also attained. The right environment of the blessing of the Lord is called the Promised Land. You as a person need to position yourself in the Promised Land in order to tap in that blessing which requires prompt obedience.
The call of Abram
Now the Lord said to Abram, ’get out of your country from your family and from your father’s house to the land I will show you.’ Genesis 12; 1
Abram was literally called from his country to another country of which he knew nothing about. The scriptures continues to say that in this land I will bless you and make your descendants as many as the sands of the sea shore or the stars. God was about to start a new thing in the world. He wanted to raise a people that would love and revere Him, a people that He could call His own and His oracles will be given to them. The very fact that He asked Abram to move to a different place showed that the present place did not fit the criteria showing that His blessing could not be activated in this place with Abram’s family, partly maybe as a result of the family’s huge involvement in idol worship. Does God call us to a specific location in the world in order to bless us? Yes! He called Abram to a specific geographical place, why not us now? I have found that one of the frequently asked questions when getting acquainted with someone in the Christian circles when it is a foreigner is, ‘are you going back home?’ quite a considerable number of people say, ’I believe God has called me here.’ Now how they heard from God is not really important but the very fact that they believe they have positioned themselves where God wants them to be.
One of my pastors rightly said, ’your blessing is tied up in a geographical area; you must be where God wants you to be.’ Now God does not only call us to a geographical place but I believe that He wants us to be positioned rightly whether in our worship, our church, our job, in our mediation of the word, in our prayer life, in our service and the list goes on and on. This now might get you concerned and wondering whether you would get all those right in order for your blessing to be activated. Now knowing where you are supposed to be is just the start and the journey towards that position is also another concern. You need to know where you are supposed to be or else you never take a step into a right direction to begin with. God has a way of talking to His children some of which might just be a strong desire or hunger for something (I am not going explore the lesson of how to listen from God or of how to know God’s voice now). I want you to now notice something from Abraham though, everyone knows that He never got to the Promised Land (take possession of the Land) in fact his descendants never got there for a few hundreds of years but whether the man and his seed were blessed or not can’t be disputed. The blessing of God was evident in their lives where ever they went. God’s major concern is your obedience, as long as you are taking your steps towards the direction of that Promise the blessing is also activated in fact it can act as if you had already attained your position. When the four lepers decided to make their move towards the enemy’s camp the Lord caused the enemy to hear the sounds of a great army coming their way and fled (2 kings 7:3-8). Therefore a statement shading light on the whole picture then would be, ‘your blessing is tied up in your obedience of God’s command.’ This is also reflected in scriptures such as Deuteronomy 7:12-15.
THE LANDS OF GILEAD AND JAZER
God promised the children of Israel a land flowing with milk and honey. This was a land He would take care of, He promised to pour rain in due season and make that land extremely fertile. This was the land of Canaan. Now a time came when the children of Israel settled in the lands before crossing the Jordan, in east of the Jordan, the lands of Gilead and Jazer (Gilead and Jazer are the titles in this article that will be given to any place before the Promised Land, Promised land being the place where God wants you to be whether spiritually or physically). They had not taken possession of the promise of God and hence there was a river to cross and battles to fight. God had brought them thus far, He lead them in many previous battles and gave them victories. He had been training them for the day when they would take possession of the land, He gave them a foretaste of owning a land. At this time they were in the will of God, they had been lead by Him to settle in these lands but it was temporary, it was a stage on this journey into the Promised Land.
In an earlier statement I said, ’knowing the Promised Land is just the start, journeying towards and taking possession of it are the other important tasks.’ Now the children of Israel had made their journey but still there remained another important task ‘taking possession of it.’ At the time some of the children of Israel lifted up their eyes and had a quick preview of the Promised Land. The land didn’t appear to be as fertile, beautiful or attractive as the land they were in. The land looked like it needed more work to be done on it in order to get the same results they got in the present land. This concerned some of them because they were farmers and they had huge herd of livestock, ‘how can we keep our cattle well fed and grow crops to have a great yield in a land like that.’ the question on their minds. They gave it much thought and using their wisdom came to the conclusion that they should settle in the land before crossing the Jordan. Don’t we do that, settle before attaining what God has really purposed for our lives? The two and half tribes came to Moses and said,
‘Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Hesbon, Elealeh, Shebam, Nebo, and Beon, the country which the Lord defeated before the Congregation of Israel, is a land of livestock, and your servants have livestock. If we have found favour in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession. Do not take us over the Jordan.’ Numbers 32:3-5
Their reasoning managed to persuade Moses and the elders into curving in though they did not inquire of the Lord but a few concerns were actually raised. Now before we go any further I want to examine the reason of not wanting to take possession of the Promised Land:
The Livestock
These two and half tribes of Israel did not want to take possession of the land because they had huge herds of livestock. Where did these come from? There was a time when children of Israel complained of just having manna instead of the meat and fish they eat back in Egypt. They wouldn’t have complained if they had these huge herds of livestock. I wouldn’t be far off to assume that most of these were acquired from the lands they had just taken possession of. Surely they do not want to take possession of the Promised Land because they think their livestock is better off in these lands. It is an advantageous thing to have Livestock in many ways, I mean you have food in full supply and you have cattle to work your lands and even have something to offer God if the need so arises. But when the good things we have hinder as from possessing God’s Promised Land it creates a huge problem. The huge herds of livestock crowded the people’ thoughts and reasoning and sure caused them to error. They had forgotten the role of God in helping them conquer the lands before the Jordan and therefore giving them those huge herds of livestock, if He had done it before and increased them like that, will He now fail to do the same once they had crossed over the Jordan. The other school of thought is also magnificent, if the children of Israel were able to keep such huge herds of livestock or even just a few through the period they walked in the wilderness when their clothes didn’t wear out, their legs didn’t swell up and they were led by a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day. They had seen water flow from a rock and the Lord sustained them and their livestock in the dry and thirst lands, will this God fail to sustain the livestock now if they happen to cross over? He did it in the desert place surely He should be able to do the same in the Promised Land. The wrong they did now might seem so obvious because they left out God from their reasoning and if they did include Him they definitely put a limit on His ability to sustain them and the livestock. Don’t you think in one way or another we too do the same thing when we are unwilling to give up that job or career, an extra hour for our prayer or meditation of the word, extra effort in our service in the church, when we turn down extra responsibility that could build up the kingdom of God and when we fail to cut out relationships that definitely pull us away from God. We also in the same error forget the power of our God, when we fail to see that He is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all the things we ask or even imagine whether it is better job or career and even give you better relationship, a spouse that fears Him and will build you up and draw you near Him instead of destroying and dragging you away from Him. The livestock in itself is not a bad thing but as it held some of the children of Israel from taking possession of the Promised Land so surely other things that are not bad can prevent you from reaching where God has purposed for you to be. Paul reflects on this truth twice in his letter to the Corinthians, ‘everything is permissible for you but not everything is beneficial, all things are lawful for me but I will not be brought under the power of any’ 1 Corinthians 6:12, 10:23. We are in a spiritual warfare and the weapons we have are for the sole purpose of exalting Christ in our lives but now and again we fail to do just that when that habit because people can’t convince us otherwise still holds us from attaining that Promised land. We as soldiers in this warfare are meant to pull down everything good or bad in our life that exalts itself above the knowledge of Christ or hinders us from getting closer and closer to Him.
Before Moses was persuaded in the very fact of letting some of the tribes settle in these lands he raised a concern that is worth looking at,
‘Shall your country men go to war while you sit here? Why will you discourage the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land the Lord has given them?’ Numbers 32:6-7
This is the second time the children of Israel were at the edge of the Promised Land. The first time they were disheartened by the report the ten spies brought back about the people who occupied the land. They became rebellious and forgot that with God all things are possible; they had forgotten that He subdued Egypt with plagues and the pharaoh’s army He drowned in the red sea whilst they crossed on dry ground. They had come to this position again, they were unsure of what laid before them having crossed over the Jordan and they would have been looking for reason to tarry longer before settling in this land. The first rebellion cost them forty unnecessary years in the wilderness where that rebellious generation fell and now were in danger of repeating this error.
Problems of settling in your Gilead and Jazer
Moses understood the power of unity, though there were twelve tribes but Israel was one nation, though they were many parts but they were one body. The body can’t fully function unless all the parts have one goal or vision. The decision of the two and half tribes not to cross over would affect the whole community. Soldiers will tell you that the most important thing in a war is keeping the formation and not to break it up, if the formation is broken the whole unit is comprised and you endanger not only your life but the lives of the whole group. Moses initial reaction to the proposal was to turn it down. It didn’t seem right, because every soldier must cross over and fight, leaving no room of doubt with every Israelite that they would conquer and subdue that land. I believe this is God’s reaction every time we are not willing to take up our spiritual stand. Today like the Israelites, we the Church are many parts but one body and that is the body of Jesus Christ. We are on one mission and that is the mission of Christ to destroy the works of the evil one and win more souls into the kingdom. This illustration of the body can’t put it any better in this sense, all the parts of the body must unite: one goal, one purpose, one vision every muscle, organ or limb must have in the battle otherwise the body becomes dysfunctional (Romans 12:4-8). Paul urges the believers in different areas of this very need because the church can only function effectively if all have positioned themselves rightly. The positioning does not start with your neighbour but with you, take your spiritual stand, stir up your gifts and your zeal and rise up your bar of commitment unto the Lord. This fire is contagious it will rub off onto your neighbour, then your cell group and the church as a whole but sadly the reverse also is true if you lower down the bar it is most likely your neighbour will compromise too. We are soldiers of our Lord Jesus Christ and therefore we can’t get entangled with civilian affairs because if we stumble the whole church becomes comprised and more prune to the devils attack. The devil at these times we stumble and get enslaved with sin or lack of commitment comes in and causes division and the whole battle array is destroyed, don’t give him a foothold and keep the formation of the church. The problem with settling in Gilead and Jazer is that the whole congregation is compromised because you are not willing to fight the good fight of faith then the others also will be discouraged to fight. Look at this simple conversation with one of my sisters to emphasise the point.
Sister: Godfrey what time are we going for the prayers today?
Godfrey: well I am just coming from work, I think I will pass for today, u?
Sister: I am not going if you are not going.
When I heard her statement though totally knackered changed my mind and we went for that prayer meeting which was a blessing not only to her but to me also. I am hoping this simple example reminds you of the basic things, just you being in that prayer meeting are an encouragement to another, don’t take it lightly.
The second problem with settling in Gilead and Jazer is the very fact that is creates a ‘them and us’ attitude. When you are in one place you are defined by the same things but if you are in different places change begins. When the two and half tribes returned after helping their brothers settle in the Promised Land, the first thing they did was to build an alter. God specifically said that there should be only one place located for worship but they disobey this command as they felt their children would not be accepted as part of the congregation. This problem would not have occurred if they had decided to cross over with the rest. Spiritually this also applies since some people create alters away from God’s actual throne, that is why people attend the same service and one is blessed and for the other find it as usual, ‘never felt different, I mean just right after that worship we all burst in tongues right?’ you will never grow in your walk with God to a place where you should be comfortable to settle. You have to keep on pushing to get to know Him more. He still wants you to draw closer and closer to His throne. Therefore when you enter a meeting make sure the only constant thing about you is the very fact that you give your best. I wonder why it is always the same people who are running up and down with their service to God while others choose to be spectators and leave everything for them. We as the body of Christ need to get to the place where all serve that is when the whole body will be exalted by Christ but as it stands some are elevated while others are not, in the end they become envious. If we all decide to settle in the Promised Land or the Position where God wants us to be then we will be able to serve in our different ministries without struggle while the church is moving into higher heights.
The third problem of some settling in Gilead or Jazer is the very fact that it takes longer for the rest of congregation to settle in the Promised Land. The Children of Israel settled in the Promised Land but because they were a few people they could not fill up all the whole Land, their enemies still remained on the outskirts. They was no point of driving all of them away at one go, they had to do it little by little as the nation grew because driving them away at once meant that the wild animals would multiply and cause them problems but now leaving these people in the land proved to be a great threat as they became thorns in their sides. The children of Israel were led astray on more than one account and by this inviting the wrath of God. They were ever always under attack from the other nations. What was needed from the start was oneness of the nation and all these could have been prevented. In the church as well if people are all zealous for witnessing they will bring more into the Kingdom but if a few are zealous a few will be won over. If a lot more people are full of the Word and are fully devoted to seeking the truth, then it does not allow wolves to breed among the sheep and escape unnoticed. Only in oneness of mind is the power of the Holy Spirit made manifest.
Now when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly... Act 2:1-2
And when they heard that, they raised they raised up their voice to God in one accord and said,’......’And when they had finished praying the place where they were at was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and they spoke the word of God boldly. Act 4:24:31.
Jesus is also recorded to have prayed for the unity among believers saying let them be one as we are one, so every time people truly show the same characteristics as the God Head, the Holy Spirit is attracted to the scene and moves mightily. Therefore in order for the church to fully experience this move, everyone must be seeking for God earnestly because that is only when they will be rewarded for the efforts (Hebrews 11:6. Jeremiah 29:13).
THE PROMISED LAND IS THE BEST PLACE YOU CAN BE.
It does not only seem comfortable to settle in the lands of Gilead and Jazer but it also appears to be a better deal and looks more attractive than the Promised Land. God had promised the children of Israel the Land of Canaan and there was no mention of the lands of Gilead and Jazer before they actually got there. It was just stage on their way to the Promised Land but in the end God still allowed them to settle in those lands because they requested for it. Don’t you just love our God, He is no control freak but actually does allow you to do and get what you want. However He knows you very well, He has the best planned for you and with that He will bring you to an expected prosperous future and end (Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:29). On one long quest to find out the will of God upon my life a pastor said to me, ’there is a perfect will of God and an acceptable will of God. When you are in the perfect will then it is easier to attain all the things He has planned for you but it is more difficult to do the same when you are just in an acceptable will. When you are just in an acceptable will you might even die before stepping into the plans God has got for you.’
Should I settle in the Promised Land or in the Lands of Gilead and Jazer? Which one is really the better deal? In this part of the article I will explore a few examples from the bible and showing you that the Promised Land is the best place to settle and indeed in the end to comes out as the better deal always.
Abraham and Lot Separate (Genesis 13)
As a result of both Abraham and Lot becoming too prosperous their field men started fighting as the land could not contain two blessed people. They saw it fit to separate and Abraham being the elder one gave the privilege to Lot of choosing the land first. Now we all know that people given this privilege will always choose the better one of the two options and only a few or even none would actually consider leaving the other person with the best deal. Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the plains of the Jordan were well watered and as the garden of the Lord and Egypt and without hesitation bid his farewells. Just right after Lot separated from Abraham as if the Lord wanting to reaffirm His promises comes to him and says,’ lift up your eyes and look from the place you are-northward, eastward, southward and westward for I give this land to you and your descendants forever and I will make you descendants as numerous the dust of the Earth.’ Which Land? The same land which was second best, less beautiful and less attractive just a few days ago, that is the land the Lord actually pledges to prosper Abraham. In our eyes and with our understanding we might think that job is the best for us, that girl is the best for us, that church is the best for us, that country is the best for us and the list can go on but I would like to reaffirm that where God wants you to be is the best place where you can be as a person and there is no better deal.
Lot thought had got the better deal but it turned out that just right after they separated he was taken captive and Abraham had to come to the rescue. He went back and settled in Sodom and Gomorrah and needed another intervention of Abraham intercession so that He should be saved from the destruction.
Lot and Family (Genesis 19:17, 26)
They angels that brought the destruction to the lands of Sodom and Gomorrah requested Lot and his family to escape to the mountains but they should not look back as this would result into the same destruction befalling them. The place where the Lord wanted them was in the mountains but Lot made a plea to settle for a night in one of the towns for this would prove to be comfortable for them and achievable. His plea was granted to him but as they started from that small city the next morning while the destruction was befalling the city the wife could not resist but turned back and instantly becoming a pillar of salt. I always think that had they journeyed all the way to the mountains the temptation to turn back would have been smaller as they would not hear the noise of destruction behind them. The plea that Lot made was paid for by his wife life.
Isaac (Genesis 26:1-5, 12-14)
Now there was another famine in the Land and Isaac as his father had done before was thinking on journeying to Egypt for their survival. The Lord spoke to Isaac at this time and said, ’do not go down to Egypt but dwell in the land I shall tell you. Sojourn in this land and I will be with you and bless you.’ Isaac obeyed and dwelt in that land. He went on to sow in the land and the scripture records that he reaped a hundred forth. How could one reap hundred forth in a dry and thirty Land? Farmers today with all their technology never yield like that even if the weather is favourable. Isaac because of obedience to God’s voice however managed to yield a hundred forth and became prosperous in his time that even kings envied him. I doubt his prosperity had he gone to Egypt would have come any close to this. Now most people think a country or an economy will be the answer to their financial problems, but that is just partly true because the economy and country where God wants you to be will prosper and elevate you the most. God can elevate you even if you were in Zimbwabwe or even during this time of credit crunch.
Elijah, the ravens and the Widow.
Elijah had just proclaimed a drought in the Land of Israel having shut the heavens and commanded the rain not to come. At this time the Lord came to him and ordered him to a specific place where he had commanded ravens to feed him and also he would drink from the brook there. Now a time had come when the brook ran dry as a result of rain not falling and the ravens stopped providing him with food. The Lord then ordered him to go a specific woman where from just a morsel of flour the Lord provided for Elijah, the Widow and her son for a season.
Now most of us find no problem obeying God the first time we hear Him speak to us. We hasten to follow His command go to the place where He wants us to be. We settle there and becoming comfortable. The problem now lands in the time of His second command. We are used to Him feeding us using the ravens we are used to Him quenching our thirst using the brook and are unwilling to go somewhere else. But lack of obedience in this case will kill us whether spiritually or physically as in Elijah’s case. You clinging on to the same way of ministering when God says move will drain you of your joy and power. When He move its time for you to move!!!
The disciples and the day of Pentecost.
The Lord commanded the disciples to tarry in Jerusalem until the promise of God had come. Then they were mandated to preach the gospel to the ends of the world.
And when the day of Pentecost had fully come they were all in one accord and in one place. And suddenly... (Act 2:1-2)
The disciples were in right place physically but spiritual they also had to get to the right place. Jesus prayed for the disciples to be unified and of one mind and one accord and until this was achieved the promise was not attained. When they just positioned themselves in the right place physically and then spiritually the promise came. They received the promise and the same ones that lived in fear came out and proclaimed the gospel.
There are without doubt more examples we could talk about but the fact I hope by now has sank into our hearts, The Promised Land the Best place to be. Don’t settle for anything less than that.