The Demands of the New Beginning
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· 66 viewsWhat you must do right in January - spiritually.
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Contend for your Inheritance:
Contend for your Inheritance:
Most of the time the journey into greatness begins with what the Lord has to say about your life and your journey - that is always the usually unusual beginning for the true believers… who believe in what the bible teaches. For instance:
just before creation of man:
26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Gen 1:26
And much later we would discover that, the word solely in itself, in the creation of man, was waiting on God to do something: GOD ACTED on his proclamation. we discovered this in chapter 2:7
7 then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.
I know, some of us, right now are probably thinking why? God has spoken, shouldn't it be an automatic performance? let me say this: This picture is consistent with God in the scripture… “although God has the power to say and bring things into existence, he mostly doesn’t work that way, these scripture shows that he was actively involved with his word, in ensuring that it is performed - he acted on the word.” he spoke of creation and he bends down to create something… He created man with his spoken word, he formed the same man with his hand, and breathe into his nostril to give him life.... please take note
but we also see here that he was actively involved in ensuring that his word is performed - he acted on the word.” he spoke of creation and he bends down to create something...
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
Note:
18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
The responsive faith, the living faith, the believing faith has work as its companion.
james 2
The question is this: why are we starting this way, or what is the need for this admonition?
I want you to recall that concerning this year the Lord has spoken: The Year of the New Beginning. and he has sent us into this year with a word to signal “his full commitment in ensuring that everyone of us become really successful” not only this, he called a meeting, where he proclaimed none of us will move into this year empty - he said, for the next 12 years of your life, he will see to it that your life produce in excess of your capacity, 12 baskets of left overs, each basket for a year…
The reason for this first part is to indicate to all of us, that there is a job for you to do in accomplishing God’s purpose this year and beyond… he has spoken, but have you started reacting to the word spoken appropriately? God said he will ensure that those whose lives have plateaued will find new beginnings… now, have you discovered the areas of your life where it seemed as if you are now stagnant? have you began to actively ask the Lord “what will you have me do?” open my hear Lord, give me an opened hear Lord...
4 The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught. 5 The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not backward.
this entrance is important, so that, you and I will not loose our promises
4 The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.
we need to make demands and just like God, Bend down and form with our hands what God has created for us with his word and prophesies..
we need to, through ceaseless prayers, give life to those words, breath into those words through prayers...
we need to be in constant remembrance of what we have received as we moved into this year, and not neglet to do our noble part...
Paul said to timothy:
14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.
Take Note:
The gift was given through prophecy, but the activation was achieved through active participation, putting to use, not negleting to put to use, what had already being given...
This point brings me to the second point: I will introduce this with two scriptures:
12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.
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First, I want you to know, the general interpretation of this particular verse of the scripture by many pastors today is not exactly correct....
But for the sake of this point, i will stick with the general interpretation of this verse of the scripture which simply suggest that, nothing is cheap in the kingdom of God - the promises of God will not fall on you like the rain… it is something that you have to lay claim on. You have to be deliberate about getting anything from God before you can have it. God himself said, it is not enough to just seek me, you have to seek me with your whole heart; Jesus mentioned something about importunity in prayer; also we have heard of, ask and keep asking… seek and keep seeking… knock and keep knocking.
13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
This is the reason why, regardless of the promise of healing, deliverance and wisdom in the bible, we still have christian today being oppressed by the enemy, we have many of them dying of diseases… yet, the promises are there, long fulfilled on their behalf in the past… by his wounds we are healed.
For this simple reason, The Lord wants me to show you the need to contend for your inheritance - FIGHT for what is YOURS.
24 ‘Rise up, set out on your journey and go over the Valley of the Arnon. Behold, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land. Begin to take possession, and contend with him in battle. 25 This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you on the peoples who are under the whole heaven, who shall hear the report of you and shall tremble and be in anguish because of you.’
You may ask this new question like i did: Lord, but they have been fighting all their lives before they got here?!” and the Lord said to me:
24 ‘Rise up, set out on your journey and go over the Valley of the Arnon. Behold, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land. Begin to take possession, and contend with him in battle.
deut
They fought all along because they were on the right track.
they fought because they were advancing towards the goal set by God
they were advancing, they were progressing, they were not just in the crowd..
The same is true for all of us: if you are on the right track, and you are making progress on that track, then you will fight to stay on course.
Clearly, what this means is this: there are two major ways to see how we contend for our inheritance as christians:
The contention without
the contention within
The contention without: also in two ways, but i will mention one today
contention with household enemy: The children of Jacob, israel have to contend with the children of Esau, the amalekites
Ex 17:8
8 Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim.
17 “Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you came out of Egypt, 18 how he attacked you on the way when you were faint and weary, and cut off your tail, those who were lagging behind you, and he did not fear God.
Contending with the enemy that says you will not go:
Amalek ambushed israel when they were weak
They came upon them unsuspectedly
They did not fear God
How do you contend with such enemy that knows your weekness and know how defenceless you are?
Moses said:
ex 17:
8 Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. 9 So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” 10 So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
