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The Good Side of Trial II
From the previous review, we can recall that ‘trial’ is God’s way of training his own children; temptation is a trap set by the devil; test is a way that God checks the quality we possess as children of God. And as believers, we’ll have to pass through these three phases- the knowledge of God does not acquit you from these afflictions (in fact you will not know them until you believe).
TEXT: 1 Peter 4:12-14, Psalm 34:19, Hebrews 12:7, James 1:12, 1 Corinthians 10:13, Psalm 119:67,71,75, Psalm 51:4, Psalms 6:1, 2 Samuel 11:1-4
When trials befall you, don’t begin to say, “Why me?” Always appreciate the goodness of God in your life (learn to cultivate the habit of gratitude) irrespective of your trials, temptations, or tests. The blessings of God that you enjoy free of charge, are not actually your right; you are born the same way as many others on the street who are crippled and indigent, but have you ever stopped to say, “Why not me?” when you see these individuals? The truth is, we are all partakers of tests, trials and temptations (God allows it).
Brethren, you need to understand that if you do not pass through trials, there cannot be glory and you can’t be promoted; you need to endure whatsoever trial God brings your way so you can be glorified by God.
Believers often mistake temptation for trials; temptation is first of all allowed by God but it’s not from him. James 1:13 explains that no man is tempted by God, but every man is tempted of his or her own lust. So brethren, temptation is a tool used by the devil to help you actualize the lusts you have conceived overtime, and this lust comes in place when there is disconnection from God. A disconnected Christian is not safe out there, you have to deliberately keep your connection with God, intact.
Here is a secret you should consider to get wisdom:
You have an opposition (Devil) who is taking time to study your weakness, and by that, would attack you.
What Can Bring Trials?
One of the things that bring trials to believers was explained in Psalm 119:67. David went through trials because he went astray (he wasn’t in his position); David was supposed to be on the battlefield at the time but he chose to stay back, and that incurred idleness and distraction. Going outside God’s way is something that can always bring trials to you if actually you are God’s own, and many of you are currently passing through a kind of trial because of your disobedience.
The bad thing about it is that most times, you go through this trying time without accepting the blame rather, you justify yourselves.
David admitted his wrong and God delivered him from his afflictions. If you need help from God as a man going through a self inflicted trial, you must humble yourself before him and admit your fault; this is where many of us fail, we come before him, justify ourselves and still seek deliverance. Until we have a heart like that of David, there will be no deliverance from our trials.
Joseph, A Good Example
Joseph went through test, trials and temptations without failing God. He went to prison because he overcame temptation; he was the perfect type of perfection. Joseph went through the three processes (test, trial and temptation) and stood out! His glory came after surviving and this explains the good side of trial; for every won trial, there is an awaiting glory.
Joseph is an example of who we are; he was loved by his father just like we are loved by God, and his father made a coat of covenant for him which also types the covenant of God upon us in this dispensation of grace. At a deeper look into the whole process of Joseph’s trials, we can pin point consistency, favour, grace and so many interesting things that can help us survive our current trials. For every of our trials, there is always a provided favour, grace, endurance and so on. Failure to key into this provided tutorials assigned for your trying period is going to prolong your trial time.
Joseph went through his trials, and took time to learn all that he ought to. God did not fast forward the process even when Joseph made plans to do that by telling the prisoners to remember him after their freedom; God intentionally made them forget him right there in the prison because his training was still on- same goes with us. We cannot fast forward our trials until we learn what we have to because it’s God’s tool to work upon us, just like Joseph was worked upon (he had things to drop for him to be promoted).
Brethren, in as much as trial is a tool used by God to make us better, about 30% of the cause of our trials is self inflicted. The Bible says,’Joseph was loved by his father above his brothers’, this must have imputed some habits which are not compatible with what God wanted from him, and the best way God could work upon him was to take him through a trying time. Can you also take time to do a thorough check into what God wants you to drop as you go through your trials?; you as a housewife, youth, husband have you taken time to drop what you have to drop? Why prolong your trying time because you have refused to learn in the process?
The good side of Joseph’s trials was that he was promoted; he became the centre of attraction because he had taken time to forsake the things God wanted him to forsake during the process of his trial, and he had also taken time to learn what he had to. Brethren, I implore you to do the same as Joseph so as to earn the good side of your trials because for every trial, there is a blessing attached; don’t deliberately prolong your trials because of your refusal to learn in the process. I pray God helps you in Jesus Name, Amen!
Shalom, brethren!
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The Good Side of Trial
We bless the Lord who has placed our footsteps on the path of righteousness to run this gospel race in our time. However, as we run, it’s imperative to know that there are things that would befall us on the way to checkmate, evaluate, qualify and examine us because if truly we are believers, we must be proved. The Holy Spirit explains this to us and we are glad to bring you the review. So let’s plunge into them!
Scriptures: Matthew 26:41, Matthew 6:13, 1Peter 1:5-7, Psalms 119:67,71, Hebrew 12:5, James 1:12, Psalms 73:1-28
There are three of these challenges that would come to us: Trial, Test and Temptation. All of these three are not the same, and they are also for different purposes.
Trial and Test
We addressed these two because they are from God.
Trial is a difficult situation that comes upon you as a believer to see the approach you will give to it, and to also reveal your quality and genuinity. Trial is somewhat a long period of challenge, and while we have different kinds of trials, as children of God, the purpose for which we are tried is to draw us closer to Him. There are many things that God needs to work on in your lives; this is why his dealing with you has to be personal. And one of the strategies of God in purifying, humbling, and making you learn his word is through trials. Again, trials will bring forth your quality, thus, there is a good side of trial.
David once said, that he was able to learn the word of God after he went through affliction. Peter, more so, encouraged us that the trial of our faith will eventually be found unto the praise, glory, and honor at the appearing of Jesus Christ; meaning that everyone who would see the appearing of Jesus must go through trial. That is why we were enjoined not to faint or be weary when we are tried (chastised), because God only chastises His own sons, and only bastards are left without chastisement.
Trial will lead you into prayer, fasting, and all other spiritual exercises, and the secret is, when this happens, you will get closer to God. As you endure through the trial, you are growing into maturity, and sooner or later, that trial will come to an end; because trial has a beginning and thus, has an end. Therefore, when you are tried, don’t take a shortcut.
Test, on the other hand, is proving something under the condition in which it will be used. Test shows who you are, and therefore, could fix you into a position after being examined. This is also from God.
Brother, when you fail a test, you will be demoted, just like in the school setting, when students are tested and they pass, the reward is promotion. One reason why we have remained at a level forever is because we fail tests.
Temptation
Temptation is a trap, when you fall into it, you may have to suffer deformity for life. Temptation is the only challenge the bible tells us to pray not to fall into. When you fall into certain temptations like adultery, even if you’re forgiven, you won’t be jjustified –it then becomes a stigma. God does not tempt, the devil does and he takes advantage of the lust of your hearts.
Examining the Life of Abraham
Genesis 12:1-3, Genesis 15:1-3, Genesis 21:5, Genesis 22:1-2.
Our father of faith went through these three challenges:
Abraham faithfully followed God in his time, he was the only one God was dealing with. Abraham was delayed in child bearing for 25years after God promised him. That delay was a trial. However, despite the delay, the bible says ‘he staggered not at the promise of God’, yes, it led Abraham to fasting and prayer and he was built up in the process.
After God tried Abraham and he passed, then God tested him; he told him to sacrifice his only begotten son. We can learn something from this test and apply it in our lives.
God came privately to Abraham to give him that instruction. This means that you will also be tested privately, it might not always be through prophecy, and not through some external source. Sometimes, it could be a thought (a still small voice) that comes to you and tells you to drop something for His work, and if you despise it, you fail the test.
Also, Abraham was tempted and he fell; his wife urged him to sleep with her maid, Haggai because she could not continue to endure the trial. That temptation brought Ishmael -the vagabond, and both of them suffered it.
The only way to overcome temptation is to let the word of God remain alive in you. Jesus was tempted by the devil, but he did not fall because he was the word of God and the word of God was him.
After Jesus had fasted for forty days and nights, the devil came to explain to him that he was now powerful enough to turn stones to bread, but because the word of God surpasses every evil thoughts brought by Satan, for this and subsequent temptations, Jesus overcame. Therefore, Let the word of God dwell in you richly, and pray; then you will not fall into temptation.
Finally, brothers and sisters, God is molding you so you can be fit to reign with him in His kingdom to come. Therefore, ensure that you don’t envy the riches of this world rather, choose to walk with God, and pay diligent attention to his word. Keep growing through your trials, tests and overcome every temptation, and no sooner than you think, your reward of blessing will come. (Psalms 73:1-28).
Shalom, brethren.
You can please follow up with the sermon video here
Why Should You Miss The Rapture?
Welcome to today’s sermon review. The pastor, today, dwelled upon Matthew 13: 3, where he examined the sower who sowed NOT different kinds of seeds but only ONE seed which is the word of God. This seed (the word of God) fell upon different types of heart; stony heart, etc.
TEXT: Joel 2:2:28, Matt. 13: 3, 37, Matt. 24: 3, Matt. 25: 1, Matt. 13: 4, Galatians 5: 16-20, 2 Thess. 2 : 5, Rev. 22: 12
You are admonished to do away with anything that will make you miss the rapture. Missing the rapture was illustrated with gaining admission into the university and along the line expelled for committing certain offences. No man in his right sense would wish to be expelled from the university without getting a certificate. Therefore, if you must not miss the rapture, then you must be willing to run the race of christianity with the aim of getting a reward. If anyone, after hearing the word of God, will not go in the rapture, there is no such ill-luck that could be more compared to it not even that of being expelled from university.
A rapture candidate, like the disciples in Matthew 24: 3, will always be eager to know the signs of the coming of the Lord and will also with these signs, wait diligently for the coming of the Lord.
What will make you miss the rapture?
Despite the so great a love that God has shown to you, the greatest thing that can make you miss the rapture is the sin that you keep committing ignorantly. You will not know that the sin you’re committing is a sin because the word of God is not falling on a good ground in your heart. The word of God is the only one that can check your excesses and weaknesses, that’s why it must always meet with faith in your heart.
A man that ears the word of God and does not understand it will lose the ones he has before (Matt. 13: 19) because the word of God falls on his stony heart. And a stony heart cannot absorb the word of God. A heart that has no root won’t be able to absorb the word of God and as such, when tribulation comes, he would be offended and fall off; such a person will miss the rapture. But a good ground is a heart that hears the word of God, understands it and bears fruits.
Because the spirit and the flesh are always at war, if you’re not in the spirit (if the word of God isn’t in you), your heart will not bear fruits of the spirit (patience, long-suffering, endurance, faith, etc.) but will fulfil the lust of the flesh (adultery, fornication, stealing, witchcraft, etc.).
They took their lamps but took no oil with them.
The foolish virgins in the Bible took their lamps but had no extra oil. That is the reason you can see dreams, prophesy and see visions but still miss rapture. You need to be filled with the Holy Spirit (extra oil) which will carry you through this journey of faith. The Holy Spirit will also help you not to miss rapture. It is important that you keep refilling the Holy Spirit in you so that you can run the Christian race successfully. Don’t rely on the first day you became born again. You need to keep growing.
Both the foolish and the wise virgins had the grace of God with them. There were five wise virgins and five foolish virgins – five represents grace. The wise and foolish virgins both had the grace of God in abundance in their lives but the foolish virgin didn’t do an extra work. They couldn’t rekindle the fire of God in their hearts, they relied upon grace while the wise virgins had extra oil (Holy Spirit) in them.
Deceitfulness of riches
An anxious man can do anything to make money. And it’s impossible to have everything you want in this world – the more you have, the more you will want to have. Gaining the whole world will separate you from the Holy Spirit. A heart that is filled with the anxiety of this life is a heart of thorn; such heart will never see the sign of the coming of the Lord, will not be able to watch for the Lord’s coming and will definitely miss rapture.
Therefore, brethren, don’t allow the cares of life to occupy your heart because if you can’t make rapture in a time of grace like this, it might be impossible for you to make it during the great tribulation when the Anti-Christ shall have come.
May God rekindle his fire in your hearts.
Shalom! Kindly follow the sermon video here
Jesus, Our Deliverer
We’re glad to bring to you the review of today’s sermon, the preacher shed more light on one of our previous topics titled, “The True Church“. Hitherto, the topic “Who are those under the Earth” was relatively examined. God bless you as you read through. Amen.
Text: Revelation 5:13, Philippians 2:10, Isaiah 49:24, 1Samuel 28:7, Psalm 16:10, Revelation 6:8
According to scriptures, the world is divided into three dimensions: the heavens, the earth and under the earth. But our major emphasis today are the ones under the earth.
Under the earth is the abode of the departed soul. Whoever died under the law in the old testament went under the earth, because the covenant at work then could only cover their sins and not blot it out. And because the wages of sin is death, no one has the power to deliver himself. Thus, when they died, they went to Sheol, where the devil still had the legal right over their souls. When you read the story of Lazarus and the rich man, you see that the place is demarcated into two; Abraham’s bosom where the old testament saints were kept and the prison (hell) for the unbelievers.
These saints were held captive because there was no one to deliver them from the power of death since the blood of Jesus had not been shed, so the devil still had authority over them and this was the reason why the devil was able to contend with the body of Moses. The woman with the familiar spirit at En-dor was also able to communicate with the spirit of Samuel because his soul was still held captive under the earth where the devil had his territory (1 Samuel 28:8)
Three things were important in God’s dealing with the children of Israel:
- A king
- A prophet (to guide the king)
- A priest
And though God was always blessing them with these three things, at a time in the reign of King Saul, he rejected the voice of God through Samuel, and despised the prophet until God took Prophet Samuel away and he no longer heard the voice of God again. Also, he lost the leadership of God, and even the Urim and Thummin stopped working, that was when he began to look for a familiar spirit inorder to hear the voice of God.
Nonetheless, the familiar spirit Saul resorted to was still able to call out the spirit of Samuel because all souls were under the earth (hades). This means that the best of those who worked with God under the law could not help but go to this territory of Satan who was a lawful captive. At the announcement of who was worthy in the book of Revelation, no one was worthy in heaven, on earth and underneath the earth except Jesus Christ our Lord who laid down his life for the sins of man.
If you don’t want God to be silent over your life, you must not despise the voice of God, you must treasure whatever He says with topmost priority, because God should not be taken for granted. Don’t let it be too late before you realise the importance of God’s voice in your life.
What Happened At the Death and Resurrection of Jesus
Text: Hebrew 2:14, Revelation 6:8, Revelation 1:18, John 20:15-17, Matthew 27:50-52, Ephesians 4:9-10, Ephesians 4:8
When Jesus died, His Spirit went to hell in order to deliver those who were held captive i.e. all the Old Testament saints who believed in God; the redemption of their soul which was of great price was paid by Jesus Christ. And though the wages of sin is death, the gift of God which is eternal life gave them access to this life, thus, the debt was settled by the blood and the devil lost the legal right to keep holding them captive. Hallelujah!!
After this, Jesus went to those in prison who refused the word of God and he revealed himself to them as evidence against their doubt and unbelief. Brother, your unbelief cannot change or stop the program of God, if he promised rapture, it will come to pass.
Death and hell work together; when death kills the body, hell will captivate the soul. They are enemies of man and that is why every man is afraid of death, Nevertheless, no believer should be afraid of death because Jesus Christ, our groom, overcame both death and hell and swallowed them up in victory. So the way to overcome death is to be in the One(Jesus Christ) who conquered the power of death.
The Firstborn from the dead
The moment the blood of Jesus touched the earth, the graves of the Old Testament saints opened and the bodies of the dead saints came up above the grave. But they could not resurrect because Jesus had not yet resurrected and he had to resurrect before them–Jesus Christ is the Firstborn among the dead (Colossians 1:18). So, Jesus had to go to hell to accomplish his purpose and resurrect before they also could.
Also, when these old saints resurrected, they did not ascend to heaven immediately, because Jesus must go first to present his blood to God as the new covenant atonement on the mercy seat. However, when they resurrected, they appeared to the living saints in Jerusalem according to Matthew 27:53.That was why Jesus told Mary in John 20:17 not to touch her because he had not yet ascended. So he had to ascend first so that the old saints could ascend too. But after he had ascended, he descended again. That was when he told Thomas to touch his hands and eat with him. After forty days, Jesus then resurrected with the saints of old.
So, brethren, the Paradise of the dead saints now is not underneath the earth but in the third heaven, and thus, no familiar spirit can call their spirit up. Those underneath the earth now are those who failed to believe.
What more then do we have to do today than to believe the gospel of Jesus Christ and continue to cleanse ourselves by the word of God in humility and submission. We should also wait patiently for that glorious morning when our groom shall appear in the sky.
God bless you.
You can please click here to follow up with the video sermon.
If God Has Promised You A Blessing, Don’t Take A Shortcut.
Shalom brethren, we welcome you today again to our sermon review. We believe our previous reviews have blessed you tremendously. Today we expounded on a principle that will save us from both spiritual and physical stagnation concerning what God has promised us.
Texts: Jeremiah 33: 20, James 1:5, Hebrews 11:6, Genesis 1:27-28, Genesis 15:1, Genesis 16:2, Malachi 1:2.
First, it’s important we know this “Revelation/Understanding is needed when walking with God, to have all the blessedness enshrined within.” You need to have the understanding of what you believe, and more so, of the ministry that God has called you into. That God has called you into the ministry of blessing is one, having that understanding is another. The reason why we don’t go all out and give all of ourselves to God and his work is because we lack proper understanding of where we are. If you are not carelessly generous to God in a ministry that God is in, it is because the devil has carefully blinded you to the ministry. Don’t waste your seed, sow in a land where you can reap bountifully, and I must tell you if you want to be blessed, sow carelessly into the ministry of God. Taste and see that God is good, he can never fail.
‘Tis so sweet to trust in God, because he can never break his covenant with us; there’s an assurance of that if we can consider the wonderful works he has done ever before our forefathers came to the earth; the day and night that he set in place and they ever remained till now. God boasted of his might and his ability not to fail in Jeremiah 33:20-22, and that should assure us that everything that he promised us will come to pass, for there is no shadow of turning with him. Amen.
All you need is to have faith in his abilities, our faith is a criterion for receiving from God.
However, not so many exercise it, we are always a victim of taking shortcuts, trying to help God fulfil whatever promise he has for our lives, and at the end of the day, we end up wasting our resources, time and effort. We fail to understand that God who promised is faithful, and in his own way, at his own time will bring everything to pass, more so because he promised it; you weren’t the one that put words in his mouth, therefore, he is able to bless. And when we are talking of blessing: the blessing of God surpasses money, though money is part of it.
Many of us as Christian have received direct messages of blessing from God in prophecies and other mediums (RHEMA) and it’s up to us as believers to believe those messages we have received. We can see examples (Abraham, Noah, e.t.c.) in the scriptures of how they received direct messages from God and they had to take personal decisions to believe God. For every direct message we receive from God, we have the obligation of believing and avoiding shortcuts to bring God promises to fulfilment. God will never work through your shortcuts, it will bring blasphemy and shame to his standards.
EXAMPLES BY THE BIBLE
It’s not every example you see in the bible you should follow, no matter who did it; it is the one that justified God you should settle for. The reason why people take shortcuts is because their promises look delayed (proverbs 13:12), and that is because we lack patience which is one ingredient of our faith to bring God’s blessing to pass. God wants us to exhibit longsuffering but we always fail because of impatience and doubt; immediately you doubt God, you are finished (you automatically give the devil the authority over your life). Wait on God and trust his promises, no shortcut has ever blessed anybody. Below are examples we have to learn from:
GENESIS 3:6
ADAM AND EVE’S SHORTCUT
Picking our first example by the bible, Adam and Eve were the first set of people to take a shortcut; they went outside God’s direct message to them and embraced what the devil gave them. God commanded Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply (Yes, it was the plan of God), but Eve was not patient enough to wait upon God’s instruction, she allowed herself to be swayed by the devil and she doubted God. Eve’s shortcut produced Cain and because of Cain, God created hell (death).
GENESIS 16: 2
ABRAHAM AND SARAH’S SHORTCUT
Our second example is Abraham and Sarah’s shortcut; they had a promise of God but due to impatience, they decided to help God fulfil his promise. Sarah was persistent on her decision for Abraham to sleep with her maid, Hagar until Abraham hearkened (after much pressure). The outcome of their shortcut produced regret (to Sarah because it brought her disrespect) and Ishmael, a fugitive and a vagabond who is set against the whole world.
MALACHI 2:1
JACOB’S SHORTCUT
Though right from time, in the mind of God, Jacob was the heir of the promise and that was the reason why God predestined him even before he was born, however, God was not happy with the way Jacob went about to deceive his father. God does not work through dubiousness, his way is plain. Though Jacob inherited the promise, he paid the price for his impatience (Hosea 12:2-4)
If these men had simply waited on the promise of God without trying to go ahead of him and help him bring his promises to pass, they wouldn’t have had such regretful outcomes. Don’t try to teach God what to do, or help him fulfil his promises. If God says he will heal, continue using your drugs, he will fulfil his promise; if he says he will bless your business, don’t because of that be dubious; if he says he will bless you with a partner/spouse, don’t because of impatience, settle for any person. Some mistakes are irreversible and the price is dear and though you are a child of God, if you make such mistakes, you will still have to pay the price. Don’t try to help God, neither sell your birthright.
Finally brethren, be steadfast without wavering (for he that doubt is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed); whosoever is wavering should not expect anything from God. Wait on the Lord! When you doubt God, you’re postponing your blessing. For we have need of patience, after we have done the will of God. Shortcut is a cut short!!
May God help us to wait on Him.
You can please click here to follow up with the sermon on our YouTube channel.
Great men, Great Trial
Again, we are glad to bring you the review of today’s sermon. Oh how sweet it is when brethren fellowship round the word of God, it brings renewal and spiritual cleansing. As the Holy Spirit has told us through His servant how our survival this year is tied to these three things: Fellowship, Prayer and facing his work; it pleased him again to bless us this evening.
Texts: JOB 1:8-22, 1 CORINTHIANS 10:13, GENESIS 37:10, 1 CORINTHIANS 12:25-27, JAMES 5:12-16
As we keep up the good fight of faith, we shouldn’t expect it to become easier, rather it’s getting tougher, because great faith is needed to meet up the coming of our groom. God, more so, having prophesied of the end time condition in the Bible, is making them come to pass, and everything is failing us, so that we can fix our gaze on him alone, and be in expectation of the better kingdom to come. God uses trials to make us spiritual, everyday in this world cannot be sweet, else, we won’t seek that kingdom he’s prepared for us. God is allowing all of these things to wake us up, and to realise that the word of God is true.
On Tuesday, the sermon ‘restitution’ was preached, to let us know that there first needs to be restoration, before God can come to rapture us, and that is why he brought us to a message of restoration (the ministry of Malachi 4:4-5). And as we heard in the message, we need to confess our faults to one another because the absence of that, can hinder our healing (James 5:16). We need to be humble and have a repentant heart. ‘Effectual fervent prayer’ is not how much you shout, but the condition in which such prayer is offered -having a contrite heart. He’s restoring us to his word and hence we must not take the word of God lightly; Righteousness is ‘making yourself right by the Word of God’.
Great men, great women in the Lord, they always have great trials because to whom much is given, much is expected. So don’t be confused when you are facing great challenges (so far it is not self inflicted) because God sees you as great. It’s not your money that makes you great in the sight of God, it is your faith (you may be great in this world and be nothing in the sight of God). It is the fear of God and righteousness of God that Job exhibited that made him great in the sight of the Lord; Job was a great man and he went through a great trial.
Think about a man as Job, when God was boasting about him to the devil, God knew he wasn’t serving him because of wealth, or material things; contrary to what the devil was thinking that Job must have been serving God because He blessed him, and that is why God, wanting to show the greatness of Job, permitted the devil to touch him. Thus, because Job was great, he had great trial, and truly the greatness of Job was manifested, after all that happened to him, he did not charge God wrongly, he exclaimed “Blessed be the name of the Lord.” Brother, your greatness truly, is the faith you have. That was what God boasted of in Job.
When you’re passing through trial, don’t despise or mock God; at the end of it, it’s going to be joy. He will not allow you to be tested above your faith and when he’s testing you, he is the one that will make a way for you. He’s not testing you to destroy you, he’s testing you to bless you and keep your fire burning. What God is using to draw us closer to him, the devil is using it against us. The greater you are, the greater your trial because your reward will also be greater; at the end, God restored in double fold what Job had lost and God blessed him because when God tested him, he did not deny Him
May God increase our Faith. Shalom.
You can please follow up with the sermon video here