PASTOR’S CORNER
GIVE NO OPPORTUNITY TO THE WICKED IN CHRIST
UNDERSTANDING THE PLACE OF MATURITY IN CHRIST (C)
REFERENCES: REVELATIONS 5: 9-10, ROMANS 9:33, I PETER 2:6-9
In the first two parts of this teaching, we have learnt that maturity is needed in order to resist the encroachment of the wicked into our lives. If you must put an end to the claim and hold of evil over your life, you need to eat well and grow from strength to strength.
Rev 5:9-10
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation...
Christ did not just die; He was killed. Remember this the next time anyone seeks to threaten you with visions of death. Christ died so that you may live to fulfil your days, and for so much more...
By His death, by His blood, He redeemed us; He bought us out of our households, tribes, and nations.
Let us consider the example of a pen again.
When a pen is bought, it is taken away from the midst of many. At the moment of purchase, that pen is no longer a part of the many other pens.
In the same vein, when Christ redeemed us, He bought us out of the multitude, freeing us from the limitations, patterns, evil experiences of:
Kindred: in Christ, you are no longer subject to the patterns of evil experiences of your household. Whatever spell, curse, judgement, evil pattern and satanic expectation others suffer is no longer permitted to define your life.
Tongue and people: you are no longer to be identified by the ways, nature, peculiarities and failings of your tribe and language. Statements such as ‘that is how people from his place behave’ should no longer define you.
Nation: who says you cannot go far because of the nation of your birth? In Christ, you are called to live according to an order that supersedes the order of your birth country. Therefore, no pattern of ‘local champion syndrome’ or ‘limitation by reason of location’ is permitted to hold you bound.
Brethren, it is time to walk in the reality of this Word.
Christ has bought you (remember that He bought ALL of you- your life, glory, marriage, children, finance, body, talents...) and has taken you out of the order of the powers of this world, and brought you into a new order.
You are no longer permitted to live according the order of your family, tribe, or country. It is time for you to insist on following after the order of Christ alone. No pattern, behaviour, limitation, no expectation of darkness is permitted to define you.
... And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth
A priest sends prayers up to God. He offers up the incense of prayers to the heavens, and calls down the power of God.
A king declares his authority. He does not seek to negotiate with the devil, but declares divine sentence against him.
This is the order to which you have been redeemed; into the place of divine kingship and priesthood.
Note that the Word says He has made us...it is not the exclusive to pastors. We all are priests and kings, called to reign.
Reign over what?
We are not called to reign over one another; pastors are not called to reign over their flock (you have been taught here that everyone has his portion of inheritance in Christ, and no one can take that which belongs to another). Rather, we are called to reign over the powers we were called out from.
Rom 9: 33
As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence...
In the Church of God, is laid a stone that will make men stumble. How is that a good thing?
When the prophet Simeon spoke about the baby Jesus, he revealed that, for some He will be a source of rising, while for others, He will be a source of falling...(Lk 2:35)
This means that Christ came as the stone. For all who believe in Him, He is a source of rising. However, for others, He is a source of destruction.
... and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
As it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” (NIV)
Now, when you are told you shall not be ashamed, there is a message there: shame is hanging around to be significant in your life.
Understand that, when you are in Christ, there are personalities and powers committed to disgrace you. And they have succeeded over many Christians; many lived in righteousness but were financially destitute. Others were assaulted with sickness all their days.
Therefore, prepare for the fight.
However, you have the key to frustrate their expectations...
The Word for you is: check the stone. There is another side to it; the side that causes every power seeking your disgrace to stumble and fall. (Ps 27:2)
The stone is the name of Jesus. That name will not cause His children to stumble; rather, in their lips, His name is a weapon of stumbling and offence, to overcome every power on assignment to disgrace them.
Observe the progress. He begins as a stone; as you mature in Him, His name becomes a rock...
I Pet 2: 6-9
Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
When you hear Paul and Peter say the same thing, you will do well to pay attention.
Like Paul, Peter is giving a charge: fight to frustrate every agenda of confusion and shame.
Unto you therefore which believe he is precious...
Your weapon of offence is the name of Jesus. Now, to those of us who believe in Him, He is precious. The question then is:
Are you in Christ? Is He precious to you? You must get to point where He is everything to you- your hope, future, brother, parents, possessor of your life, owner of your destiny, lover of your soul...
Is His name a stone in you, or a rock?
...but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
However, to those who disobey, He is dangerous.
For everyone who is redeemed-bought and called out- by Christ, there are powers fighting to keep him back.
These powers are the disobedient ones. They seek to disobey the counsel of God for your life.
Anyone who has been in Christ for some years has received messages from Him.
So many Christians have seen visions of beautiful things from God; yet, they have not become a reality. Many have even become weary of such beautiful messages.
They do not understand that there are powers fighting to disobey these messages.
These are the powers that disobeyed God in heaven, and were brought down; have you not considered that they will also seek to disobey Christ in you? This is the fight.
“A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message- which also is what they were destined for. (NIV)
God already made provision for this enemy of His children. Whoever disobeys His message is destined for destruction. They must fall and be crushed by the rock-that is their destiny.
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
The fight is between you and the darkness He has called you out of. God is giving you a divine charge: show to that darkness that the power that redeemed you is greater than all that had held you bound. In doing so, you display the praises of Christ; He who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.
Brethren, the raging of the enemy is no cause for alarm; be excited because there is a good fight before you.
Wield the rock of offence.
Fight; establish the Lordship of Christ- your true owner- over your life.
Execute judgment over the thieves involved in the evil transactions over your life.
PRAYER POINTS
In the name of Jesus,
- My soul, I charge you; receive the authority to appear, speak, progress, prosper, and advance as a king.
- My life, you are king. Therefore, receive the sufficient authority to reign over principalities and powers as a king.
- Sufficient power to make the divine message for my life a reality; possess my life.
- My life, you are called out of darkness. Therefore, receive sufficient power to crush every evil, ancestral thing.
- Forces of darkness, rising to disobey the counsel of God for my life; you are destined for destruction. Therefore, I crush you by fire.
- Any wicked power from anywhere not to allow the message of God to happen in my life, you are destined for destruction. Therefore, by the power of the Rock of Ages, I crush you by fire.