WONDERS OF WAITING ON THE LORD

MEMORY VERSE: but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be wear; and they shall walk, and not faint, Isaiah 40:31

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Sam 1, 1 Cor 12, Ezek 10, John 11

Failure to wait on the Lord can be very costly. A Christian couple decided to pray before setting out for an engagement. While committing the journey into the hands of the Lord, the Lord told them to wait for a few minutes before leaving. For one reason or the other they became impatient and left. While travelling, they had a ghastly motor accident which rendered the wife paralyzed for life. At times people wonder why the righteous get into situations like this; it could be because the righteous failed to wait as instructed by God. If a single sister thoroughly waits on the Lord, she won’t fall into the hands of a wife beater.

A fellow who refuses to wait might have his way or get what he wants, but that thing might him hunt for the rest of his life. Sarai got what she wanted ;Hagar became pregnant. Immediately she conceived Sarai became despised in her eyes (Genesis 16:1-6). She became a thorn in her flesh and almost destroyed her marriage of over twenty years.

The life of a fellow who waits on the Lord can be compared to a planted seed. At first the seed will die and decompose. In the first few days or weeks, it looks as if nothing is happening but in actually sense the seed is taking root. After taking root it will start to grow. At first you see a little flower. Before you know it, that little flowers turns into a big tree that bears many fruits. Not only that, it grows branches where birds can build their nests. The leaves from this tree can also act as a shade from the hot sun. Isaiah 40:31 says but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be wear; and they shall walk, and not faint. The life of a fellow who waits on the Lord takes the same course. It will first go down to take root before coming up. At first their life looks dull with no resemblance of greatness but after a while things begin to get better little by little. Before you know it, mighty things begin to happen and people start  asking how did you do it? The lives of those who wait on the Lord are always a wonder. A man of God once shared with us how he used to wear his wife’s belt to work because he could not afford a belt. The man waited on the Lord and today he is the author of three bestselling books.  

POINT: The life of a fellow who waits on the Lord will first go down to take root, before coming up.

Bro Samuel - Reaching the world for Jesus

VOICE OF DISCOURAGEMENT PART 4

MEMORY VERSE: and he spake that saying openly. And peter took him, and began to rebuke him, Mark 8:32

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Sam 29-30, 1 Cor 10, Ezek 8, John 9

As discussed, the voice of discouragement is inevitable. The voice of discouragement is from the enemy whose sole aim is to steal, kill and to destroy, John 10:10. The voice of discouragement can come at any time.

It can come from a total stranger. It can come in form of a thought going through our minds. It can also come from confidants, family and friends and from people who we hold their opinions in high regard. It is easy to dismiss the voice of discouragement coming through our thoughts. It is very easy to turn deaf ears to the voice of discouragement coming from a total stranger but it is almost impossible not to give second thought to the voice of discouragement coming from close friends. In the case of Jesus, it was Peter – one of His disciples, Mark 8:31-33.

What are the voices of discouragement? Whatever destroys your faith is the voice of discouragement. Whatever causes fear is the voice of discouragement. Whatever causes you to look down on yourself is the voice of discouragement. Whatever encourages you to give up on your dream or vision is the voice of discouragement. What do I do with the voice of discouragement? The only way to deal with the voice of discouragement is rebuke it right on the spot. What we tend to do is keep quiet when the voice of discouragement comes. Plato once said your silence gives consent. If the voice of discouragement is trying to discourage a fellow or destroys his faith and he keeps quiet. It means such fellow is in agreement with the voice of discouragement. When the voice of discouragement came through Peter, Jesus didn’t keep quiet. He did not smile and say stop it because I don’t like it. Immediately Peter tried to discourage Him from pleasing God, He rebuked him right on the spot. The next time someone says there are no jobs; right on the spot tell him or her there are jobs for you. If they say it is impossible, right on the spot tell them for you it is possible.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please make all impossibilities become possibilities in my life.
Bro Samuel - Reaching the world for Jesus

DISCERNING THE VOICE OF DISCOURAGEMENT 3

MEMORY VERSE: fear thou not, for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness, Isaiah 41:10

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Sam 28, 1 Cor 9, Ezek 7, John 8

In these series we have learnt that the voice of discouragement is inevitable for anyone who wants to succeed. Not only that, we have to come understand that the voice of discouragement is not from God. God is not a discourager but an encourager. Isaiah 41:10 says fear thou not, for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Before we look at another source of voice of discouragement, I want you to know that the voice of discouragement can come at any time. It can come weeks before breakthrough like we saw in Mark 8:31-33. Jesus told His disciples about the plan of God for His life, how He had to die and save the world. Peter called Him aside and began to rebuke Him in other words discourage Him. Immediately Jesus rebuked him and he kept quiet. The voice of discouragement can also come days before a major breakthrough like we saw in 2 Kings 7:1-17. There was famine in the land; the only food available in the market were dove dungs (feces or excrement) and only the rich could afford it. The poor started eating their children. The Lord spoke through Elisha that in 24 hours, there is going to be abundance of food. People will have so much food to the extent that the prices of food stuff will drop. An item that was sold for 10 units before the famine will now be sold at 1 unit of the currency. As Elisha was relaying this message to the king, one of the personal advisers to the king – an economist said it was impossible. Even if God were to open the windows of heaven, things cannot get that better. Elisha told him you will see it with your eyes but shall not partake of it.

The voice of discouragement can come moments before breakthrough.
Friends the enemy is most active moments before breakthrough. I have shared my experience of how the voice of discouragement came an hour to my breakthrough (completion of my final year project). The voice of discouragement can come minutes before breakthrough, an example of this can be found in 2 Kings 5:1-19. Naaman had everything money can buy but he was a leper. Not only that, he was lonely and willing to do anything to get his life back. He heard about Elisha and decided to pay him a visit. On his way the prophet sent a servant to instruct him to go and wash in river Jordan seven times. The voice of discouragement began to tell him why river Jordan when there are better rivers in Damascus. As he turned to leave in anger, one of his servants begged him not to give up and do what the prophet had commanded. He washed himself seven times and was healed. If not for the mercies of God, the voice of discouragement would have robbed Naaman of his breakthrough. It takes only the grace of God, to overcome the voice of discouragement moments before breakthrough.

PRAYER POINT: Father, help me to stand to the end.

Bro Samuel – Reaching the world for Jesus

DISCERNING THE VOICE OF DISCOURAGEMENT PART 2

MEMORY VERSE: for with God nothing shall be impossible, Luke 1:37. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Sam 27, 1 Cor 8, Ezek 6, John 7 

In part one of these series we learnt that the voice of discouragement will always come when breakthrough is around the corner. We also learnt that the voice of discouragement is not of the devil. The voice of discouragement can come in form of a thought as we discussed in part one. It can also come through a total stranger. An example of this can be found in 2 Kings 7:1-17. There was a terrible famine in the land. The situation was so bad. People began to eat their children. Elisha ran to the Holy One of Israel and the Lord told him that in 24 hours there will be abundance. Things will become so cheap, two measures of barley will be sold for a shekel i.e. something that used to cost ten units before the famine will now be sold for one unit. On hearing this, the man of God ran to tell the king of this great news. While speaking , one of the experts at that time – a financial analyst said it is impossible. Even if God were to open the windows of heaven, two measures of barley will never be sold for a shekel. Thank God Elisha rebuked him. This man tried to discourage Elisha that it can’t be done. 

Brethren, all around us today are voices of discouragement from strangers. The voice of discouragement could be from medical experts telling us that disease cannot be cured; it can only be managed. The voice of discouragement could be from the economists, financial specialists telling us because of the recession it will be difficult for us to get a job. 

The voice of discouragement could be from people telling us we are not good enough. Walt Disney was fired from the Kansas City star (news paper) because the voice of discouragement through the editor back then said he lacked imagination and had no good ideas. Today, the whole world wants to visit Disneyland to see the work of Walt Disney. The voice of discouragement could be from experts telling us it cannot be done. A great man of God wanted to build a 50,000 seat edifice for the Most High God. When experts around the world saw the design, they said it can’t be done. They told the man of God it will take a minimum of at least three years to complete and there are no guarantees that it will be a success. With the help of God, the auditorium was built within a year. Guinness Book of Records said Faith Tabernacle is the largest church auditorium in the world with inside sitting capacity of 50,000 and outside overflow capacity of 250,000 plus.  Friends there is nothing that can’t be done as far as God is in it for with God nothing shall be impossible, Luke 1:37. 

PONDER:  With God all things are possible.

DISCERNING THE VOICE OF DISCOURAGEMENT PT1

MEMORY VERSE: and he spake that saying openly, and Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, Mark 8:32.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Sam 26, 1 Cor 7, Ezek 5, John 6

BIBLE STUDIES: Mark 8:31-33

In Mark 8:31-33, Jesus called His disciples and began to brief them of the plan and purpose of God for His life. He hinted them of the rejection He was going to face while fulfilling the plan and purpose of God. He summarized the challenges and pain ahead of Him. He told them how He needed to be beaten because every stripe was going to cater for every disease known to mankind. He told them how He needed to go through pain because His pains were going to bring us joy. He told them all these were temporary because at the end He was going to get a name that is above every other name (Philippians 2:9-11). After speaking Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him in other words discourage Him from dying on the cross of Calvary. Thank God Jesus rebuked Him and carried on to please His father in heaven.

When the Lord is about to do something great in a life especially moments before the appointed time, the voice of discouragement will come. The voice of discouragement is the voice of the devil. The voice of discouragement can come through our thoughts. When the enemy knows that the Lord is about to reward a brother for his labour of love in the vineyard of God, he will use the voice of discouragement to distract him. When he knows that a particular service is going to mark a turning point in the life of a sister, he will use the voice of discouragement to ensure that the sister does not attend the service. He might tell the sister all these while you have been going to church ,why not rest this Sunday and go the next Sunday.

Friends I want you to know that the voice of discouragement will always come when breakthrough is around the corner. Few days to the submission of my final year project, the system I developed stopped working. I and the project supervisor worked on the system but all to no avail. On my way to work the voice of discouragement came through a thought that I should quit because God was not in the project. If God was in it, the system will not develop fault at the last minute. The voice advised me to inform my project supervisor of my decision to quit and re-submit a new project proposal the next year. Meanwhile my project supervisor was busy with my project trying to get the system to work but I didn’t know. Any way I decided not to give up and try again when I get home. Around ten minutes later my project supervisor called me that the system was now up and running. The enemy knew that breakthrough was close so he put pressure on me to quit. If I had informed my project supervisor of my decision to quit, he would have quit working on the system and that would have been the end but thank God I didn’t.

TO PONDER: You stand a chance of succeeding when you don’t quit.

THE DEVIL IS A LIAR PT3

MEMORY VERSE: and God saw everything that he made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day, Genesis 1:31.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Sam 25, 1 Cor 6, Ezek 4, John 5

The devil uses everything as a leverage to perpetrate his evil work. If a fellow is from a poor background, he uses poverty mentality to destroy the fellow. If the fellow is from a rich and affluent family, he uses complacency to destroy the fellow. As we have been discussing, he uses lies and deceptions to carry out his evil agenda. To make matters worse he even provides evidences to back up his lies. One of the tactics he employs to steal, kill or destroy a fellow is that he sells them a self limiting belief and backs it up with proofs. Take for instance Gideon; the enemy knew that the Lord created this man to do great things in life part of which was to deliver Israel from the hands of the Midianites. From the way the angel of the Lord greeted him, you know Gideon was born to be a mighty general, Judges 6:11-16. 

The question is how come a man who was born to be a mighty general was found by the angel of the Lord hiding from his enemies? How come Gideon was running from the enemies that should be running from him? How come the sister who God created to write books on how to break free from addiction is suffering from addiction? How come the brother who God created to be a CEO is working as a messenger? How come the fellow who God created to be an employer can’t even get employment?

The enemy had told Gideon that he was born to be ordinary and backed it up with evidences. The enemy told him that he was the last person the Lord would use to deliver Israel and gave him proofs. He reminded him of his background - how he came from the weakest tribe in Israel (Manasseh); how his clan was the poorest in Manasseh. He went on further to remind him that he was the least in his father’s house. Gideon bought into this lie and stopped making efforts. This is one tactics the enemy is using to rob many of us , he sells us a lie and provide evidences. It is a lie from the pit of hell that you are not good enough or you are made to be ordinary. According to Genesis 1:31, everything the Lord created was good including you. 
Brethren don’t let him sell that lie to you that you are worthless and provide you proofs. The fact that you tried and failed does not make you a failure. He knows God created you to be an entrepreneur but he will come with a lie that it is not so and give you proofs of how many businesses you have done in the past that failed. He knows God created you to be married with children but he will come with a lie that maybe you are not destined to be married and give you proofs of how many failed relationships you have had. He knows God created you to be an evangelist, he will tell you it is not so and give you evidences of how many people you have preached to and they did not accept Jesus. 

PONDER: You are not a failure as far as you don’t stop trying.

Bro Samuel - Reaching the world for Jesus.

THE DEVIL IS A LIAR PT2

MEMORY VERSE: thy word I have hid mine heart, that I might sin against thee , Psalm 119:11.

 BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Sam 24, 1 Cor 5, Ezek 3, John 4 

 What is a lie? A lie is the opposite of the truth. There are no half lies or half truth, you are either telling a lie or saying the truth. Who is a liar? A liar is simply a fellow who tells lies or a fellow who has the habit of telling lies. We know the devil uses a lot of tactics to steal, kill and destroy. For those who like to feed their eyes with naked pictures and watch blue films (pornographic videos) or listen to secular music he employs lust of the flesh to get them. For those who love flashy things – latest bags, latest accessories, latest clothes, latest phones e.t.c, he uses lust of the eyes to get them. For those who love power, fame, prestige e.t.c he uses the pride of life to destroy them. For believers he uses a completely different tactics. 

  He knows that all things have passed away and all things have become new (2 Cor 5:17). He knows that we no longer keep pornographic videos in our phones again; he knows that the latest Gucci bag or belt is not our prerogative or what a celebrity is wearing is not our concern. He is aware that we are no longer interested in getting into power at all cost so he employs lies and deception .Take for instance the case of Adam and Eve, he knew that they were not into pornography; he knew that the latest blackberry handset was not their goal; he knew that they owned the whole world so the question of power does not even cross their mind. What did he do? He employed lies and deception. He told Eve, if you eat the fruit you shall not die but be like God. That one ate the fruit and gave her husband some and they both died. 

 The devil knows that we have now accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and savior. He knows that we are now baptized. He knows that we have joined the workers in our church. He even knows that we now speak in tongues but how does he perpetrate evil in our lives? He employs deception and lies. He tells us that we can’t be perfect even when Jesus himself tasked us to be as perfect as God, Matthew 5:48. It is better to try at something than not to try at all. We only stand the chance of been perfect when we try. An adage says practice makes perfection. If you try to be as perfect as God is and you make mistake, you just simply ask for forgiveness and start again. When kids are learning to walk, immediately they fall they stand up almost immediately. They never quit trying. Don’t accept the lies of the enemy that you can’t be perfect. You can be perfect, you can do without lying, you can do without cheating, you can do without fornication and adultery e.t.c. The question is how? David said thy word I have hid mine heart that I might sin against thee, Psalm 119:11. Read your bible at least two chapters a day. Pray daily for the grace to be perfect and before you know it you see yourself attaining perfection.

 ACTION POINT: Create a bible reading plan and stick to it.