YOU NEED A KING

MEMORY VERSE: And Moses told his father in law all that the LORD had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how the LORD delivered them. Exodus 18:8

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Thessalonians 1-3

READ: Judges 21:25 – Ruth 1:5

One of our biggest problems in this generation, especially amongst the teenagers, youths , young men and young women, is independence. Everyone wants to be independent. Everyone wants to live their life the way they want. They want to marry who they want, live where they want, go to church when they like, work when they like, do things when they like, dress how they like, eat how they like, drink what they want, talk how they like, watch movies they want, listen to songs they want, go to where they want, etc. They hate to take instruction. They hate to be accountable to anyone. They just love to be free and many quote 2 Corinthians 3:17 – “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty”. The liberty or freedom Paul was referring to here is not independence. It is not the freedom to do what you like. It is not the freedom to challenge authority, whether at home or in the church. Paul was not advocating for lawlessness or living an i-don’t-care life.

“And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” means where the Spirit of the Lord is, Spirit of illumination, there is freedom from former blindness and darkness. Where He (Holy Spirit) is a spirit of regeneration and sanctification, there is freedom from the bondage of sin, and captive of Satan. Where He (Holy Spirit) is as a comforter, there is freedom from the fear of hell, wrath, and damnation. Where He (Holy Spirit) is as a spirit of adoption, there is the freedom of children with a father. Where He (Holy Spirit) is as a spirit of prayer and supplication, there is liberty of access to God with boldness. Liberty does not mean one can eat any how or eat anything one wants. A man who does not watch his diet may end up with a health condition.

Judges 21:25 says, “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” Because there was no king i.e. someone in the position of authority, someone in charge, a leader or a discipler, every man did what he liked. Every man was independent. They went to church when they wanted. They married who they wanted. They did what they liked. A man who lives this way will not prosper. Even Jesus whilst He was on the earth only did what He saw the Father doing not what He wanted. Any man who will prosper must have a king over him. He must have someone who he reports to. He must be accountable to someone. As mighty as Moses was, he had someone he reported to which was his father –in- law Jethro. He would report to this man, this man would give him instruction and he would follow it. Exodus 18:7 says, “And Moses told his father in law all that the LORD had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how the LORD delivered them.” Had it been that bro Elimelech had someone he reports to like a king, he would not have left the presence of God for a pagan nation where he lost his life and his two sons.

NOTE: The independent spirit does not recognize any authority over one’s life and it leads men to take steps to their own hurt. At times, they even jeopardize the lives of people under them.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world